June is busting out all over with exciting opportunities to network and grow in our faith and writing skills. The committees are almost fully staffed. The main need is for publicity. We’re still looking for a Public Relations Chair to help our Blog and Facebook volunteers to promote our conferences, retreat, CALA and SOA. If you love social media, this could be your chance to jump into the wonderful world of Catholic Writers Guild volunteers.
Here’s what our committee chairs report:
Blog: Kathryn Cunningham and Dennis McGeehan encourage members to join the Prayer Team supporting Mike Hayes’ compiled list of prayer intentions. The time commitment is minimal, and the benefits are eternal. Send Kathryn your name to add to the Team list and commit to five or ten minutes on Sunday evening reviewing and praying for the intentions that Mike has put up. Kassie Rittman is working on updates and plugins for the Blog.
CALA (Catholic Arts and Letters Award): Carol Ann Chybowski reports, “CALA is quiet right now. We are resting up for a busy September coming up. I’ve had four people volunteer to be judging coordinator, and one also volunteered for emailing.”
Catholic Book News: Dawn Witzke reports, “The May issue is out. I am currently researching ideas for getting more bookstores to open the newsletter. Right now we have a little over a quarter of the stores opening it at all. I would like to get this up to a third or even half within the next few months.”
CWCL: Ann Lewis and Ellen Hrkach – The Catholic Writers Conference – Live! will be held July 22-24 in Somerset, New Jersey. Speakers, workshops, even pitch sessions and one of the greatest exhibit floors for Catholics ever! Register here.
The Conference schedule is in place. Alan Napleton, president of the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), has offered to give us a complimentary flyer for the handouts each CMN attendee will receive indicating that we will be holding a book sale Friday morning at the CWG booth. Bloggers, this press release is available to promote our conference.
Presenters include Pat Gohn, Ann Lewis, Ellen Gable Hrkach, Tony Kolenc, Gary Zimak, Margaret Realy, Erin McCole Cupp, Barbara Szyszkiewicz, Regina Doman, John Desjarlais, Declan Finn (John Konecsni), Arthur Powers, Heidi Saxton, Karen Kelly Boyce, Karina Fabian, Claudia Volkman, Jonathan Ryan, Michelle Buckman, Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle, Lisa Mladinich, Michael Russell, Matthew Bowman, Joe Wetterling, Nancy Ward and Rebecca Hamilton.
Facebook- Karina Fabian reports, “Gina Marinello-Sweeney did a fine job with the May Book Blast this month, Karen Kelly Boyce’s Sisters of the Last Straw, Case of the Stolen Rosaries. Gina is also taking care of approving people that ask to join. On Facebook Karina promotes CWCL, retreat, SoA, Book News, CWG membership, CWG chat, CWG blog. We still need a PR chair to help promote these.”
Membership: Maureen Smith reports, “Membership is going well. We’ve welcomed 9 new members in the last month.”
Newsletter: Barb Szyszkiewicz is sending out the newsletter this week with details about our live conference next month and more networking opportunities.
Retreat: Ann Lewis and Margaret Rose Realy – Start planning now! “Your Word is my Delight,” October 25-29, 2015, at St. Francis Retreat Center, 703 E. Main Street, DeWitt, Michigan 48820. Register online or call 866-669-8321. $490 for five days.
SOA: Erin Cupp – The Seal of Approval Committee is busy evaluating books for 2nd Quarter and working on online training modules.”
Volunteer Committee: Nichole Latif reports that all of the current volunteer positions are filled, with the exception of the position of Publicity Chair.
Zenit – Dennis McGeehan – “The Zenit Committee is happy to report that one of our submissions was picked and run on Zenit.com. I posted the link on CWG Facebook page.”
CWG Non-Fiction Critique Group has one opening. Contact Nancy Ward or Connie Rossini.
For other concerns and suggestions about our fabulous committees, contact Nancy Ward, Coordinator of Committees.
Nancy Ward
Nancy Ward, convert, journalist, author, and speaker, writes from Texas about Catholicism, conversion and Christian community at NancyHCWard.com, JOYAlive.net, and other websites and magazines. Through her Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story workshops, retreats and DVD, she shares her conversion story in Catholic parishes and at conferences, equipping others to share their stories. She contributed to the award-winning The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion, facilitates two Catholic Writers Guild critique groups, serves on the Guild’s Board, and speaks at national writers conferences.