|
Group Promotes Local Writers
By Annette Williams
 | | Backcountry Writers group members, from left, Pete Zindler, Sharon Cargo, Gail Prout and Byron Mettler, are ready, willing and able to help local authors. Zindler and Mettler are holding their books, which are currently in print.
|
|
Backcountry Writers, a new organization founded to help local authors publish and market books, is looking for writers in Ramona and the backcountry.
"The vision of Backcountry Writers is to teach writers and authors how to write books, but most importantly how to market them," said Pete Zindler, one of the group's founding members.
"We've got such great writers, and yet they can't get their work out. They've spent time, they've spent money, maybe three or four years writing the book. Perhaps they've self-published.
But bookstores are often reluctant to take on new authors because they're afraid of being stuck with unsold books by unknown writers.
Zindler says that multiple-author events guarantee that the local bookstore will sell at least five books from every single writer at a book-signing.
"The strength of the marketing event for writers is that we have at least four writers and probably six in a store at one time. The store then benefits from the traffic of the local writers. I believe that's where the strength is."
"What I've told everyone in our group is all of you will be published! The strength in it is to help one another."
Backcountry Writers group was birthed from the Ramona Christian Writers Critique Group, so it's not surprising that most of their books and works in progress have an underlying Christian theme. Even so, they couldn't be more different.
Zindler's "Spirit Warrior" would be classified as a science fiction, action-adventure book, while Byron Mettler's book "Speed Kills" is a true-to-life, fictional police drama geared to pre-teens, teens and young adults. Sharon Cargo, is writing two books. One is a fictional "soap opera, woman's type of book" focusing on relationships among the people aboard Noah's Ark, and the other is a non-fiction work about the Aztecs. Gail Prout is writing a Christian high-tech thriller in the style of James Bond. Other members are Zindler's wife, Adelaide Zindler, author of "Fearless Parenting," Edna Hill and Jeff Edwards.
Members are in agreement that the authors they're seeking should be writers of good books that display moral character, provide entertainment and are uplifting. High standards in any genre are applauded.
Book writers are encouraged to join and benefit from the group's marketing opportunities, including shared advertising, members' books being highlighted on the BCW Web site, writer support, critique assistance, self-publishing help, and much more. The cost of yearly membership is $25.
The group is excited about its first day-long writers conference and awards ceremony planned for July 19 in Ramona. It's open to both members and non-members, and will cost $50 to attend.
Books published within the past four years may be submitted for an awards competition, with winners to be announced during the conference. The book competition is open to members as well as non-members. The cost to submit an entry is $25. The fee, plus two copies of the book, should be submitted by the deadline of May 15. Attendance at the conference is not required to enter the competition, but published authors who do attend will have the opportunity to sell their books between teaching sessions.
Writers under the age of 18 who would like their work considered in the student award category are invited to submit short works for consideration. Students need not be previously published, and they do not need to pay an entry fee.
In addition to July's conference, BCW will provide continuous support to members, said Zindler. "In March, we have a speaker coming in to deal with the art of putting a book together."
For more information about Backcountry Writers, send email to backcountrywriters@ gmail.com or pete.zindler@ navy.mil. Byron Mettler may be reached at 760-310-9539.
Conference registration and book competition submissions may be sent to Backcountry Writers, attention Byron Mettler, P.O. Box 787, Ramona, CA 92065.
| 
)