Category Archives: My Books

Journeys into Possibility

Just Published!

It is so exciting to see another anthology come to fruition. This one is a little bittersweet as it will be the last one I manage for Pikes Peak Writers. It has been a fantastic journey getting here and now I will be turning to whatever possibilities come my way in the future.

Until then?

Are you ready to go on a journey to a place you have never been before? What would you like to do? Maybe a swim with dolphins, meet strange new creatures, or see John Dillinger behind bars? You could take a trip through time, visit a new planet, or hop on a train worn with memories. The possibilities are just a page away.

So, strap in and get comfortable as we travel into the imaginative realm of possibilities. Together, we will journey into all things possible and impossible. Once you’ve been there and back again, you won’t be quite the same

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Filed under Books, My Books, On Writing, Short Stories

DREAM Just Published!

Dream, Pikes Peak Writers second anthology, has hit the shelves. I am so proud of this issue for so many reasons. First, a little pat on my own back because, as Project Manager, I had the honor of designing the interior of the book. It was a first for me and an uphill battle all the way. Affinity Publisher* is a complex program to learn yet, once I got the hang of it it seemed almost easy.

The stories in this edition are amazing. The talent that came to us for this second edition was beyond compare. The authors hale from across the globe giving the stories and poems a flare from worldwide imaginations. Do I have a favorite story? It would be too hard to try and choose a favorite. So, I’ll say that they are all fantastic.

Graphic designer, Joshua Clark did a fantastic job of creating a cover that speaks to the entire book. Because the stories are eclectic, the cover had to encompass a wide rainbow of subjects. He captured this book perfectly. don’t you agree?

The editors, Edward Raetz and Deborah Brewer, plowed through over 150 submissions to widdle it down to the final 27. They worked with each author making their stories shine. I am so happy they are staying on for anthology #3. More information on that soon.

Cover of Dream; Tales from the Pikes Peak Writers.

About Dream

            Your climate control is broken, the engine is overheating again, and the traffic has come to a dead stop amidst a swarm of horns. To top it off you’re late for work. In a heartbeat, you find yourself in another place, another time. Just for a moment, your mind takes a break. Your subconscious decides to get out of the traffic and set sail along a coast of white sandy beaches and palm trees. Later that night, you wake with a jolt but don’t remember what startled you. Your thoughts are racing as sweat beads on your forehead. What was it? Is someone there? Are you afraid to go back to sleep?
           Whether you are awake or asleep, dreams take your mind and open it to a kaleidoscope of dreamscapes you never knew could exist. In a blink, the dream can transform from a bloody war to a little boy escaping his troubled childhood with his action figures.
          In this second anthology from the Pikes Peak Writers, you will take a journey through the creative minds of the twenty-seven writers who penned the following works based on a simple one-word prompt – Dream. Let yourself experience worlds in a spirit-filled house, on a pirate ship, or teeter on the precipice of Hell. Then, with the turn of a page, walk through the beauty of far-off lands, watch purple ducks on a yellow pond, or run with terror through a town filled with monsters. Enjoy this stroll down a crooked path that could hold your worst nightmare or your most beloved wish. Be careful what you wish for, a genie may be lurking in the labyrinth of your mind waiting to be set free.

~Kathie Scrimgeour

PRAISE FOR DREAM
“Story after story this anthology keeps the pages turning. What will the next chapter hold? Will it be a cozy mystery, perhaps a ghost story, or something unexpected? No worries, there is something for every reader in this collection. Well done!”

*A note on Affinity Publisher…it is an excellent program for print publishing, but be aware that it does not produce any output for electronic publishing such as for Kindle or Apple books.

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Filed under My Books, On Writing

It’s HERE!

Fresh Starts, Cover Image

After nearly three years in the making, FRESH STARTS, Tales from Pikes Peak Writers, has finally hit the shelves. What a privilege it has been working with all of the authors and editors. It has been a long road to see this come to fruition and what a journey it was!

Publishing this anthology was a first for PPW so the editorial team had to create everything from submission forms and layouts, to cover design and contracts. Life derailed a couple of editors and a couple of new faces joined us. All in all, every bump was worth it.

This is a beautiful book. The cover design intriguing. The stories amazing. I hope you dive into it, and if you do please leave a review so everyone will know how fantastic this book is.

Until then, here is a little more about FRESH STARTS

After the fires are out, the smoke has cleared, the divorce is over, the widow has stopped wearing black, the sun has risen, the monsters are dead, the world is saved (or destroyed!), the storm has calmed, and the trouble is over…
…what do you do next?
We can’t promise only happy endings. Just that moment when you pick yourself up out of the wreckage and find the strength to begin anew.

Praise for FRESH STARTS:

One powerhouse of an anthology! From Josh Clark’s delightful NOLAN’S BUCKET LIST: SNOW DAYS to C.E. Barnes’ hilarious SIR GEORGE AND THE DRAGON, these tales are sorely needed lights in the darkness. The mix of stories and poems is a refreshing twist on traditional anthologies. Congratulations, Pikes Peak Writers, on your first anthology. Looking forward to many more. ~Darby Karchut, Award Winning Author of the Del Toro Moon series.

“FRESH STARTS bursts with wonderful stories that showcase exciting new literary voices! Very highly recommended!” –Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of V-WARS and INK

Who are we?

Thirty authors from all over the United States, plus India and Germany, had their work published in this first ever anthology from Pikes Peak Writers. Their stories, poems, and essays will move your soul, make you smile, or set your thoughts reeling.

Morgen Leigh, Terry Odell, Michael Chandos, Marilyn K. Moody, Harper Barrow, Gwynne Stanker, Lily Lapin, T. R. Kerby, Bill May, Laura Mahal, CS Simpson, Bowen Gillings, Kendra Griffin, Nikia Hunt, Tushar Jain, Josh Clark, C.E. Barnes, Sarah Reilly Pancoast, Lizz Bogaard, Denise Talamantez, Tami Veldura, Katie Day, Stephanie Amedeo, Shelley Kitchura Nelson, Karen Albright Lin, David Stier, Ian Neligh, Megan E. Freeman, Jere Ellison, Debbie Maxwell Allen, Kathie Scrimgeour (Project Manager), Jamie Ferguson (Editor & Layout Design), Lou J Berger (editor), Jenny Kate (Marketing director & Editor), Josh Clark (Cover).

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Filed under Books, My Books