Thurs. – Sat. April 2-4, Lubbock, Texas
West Texas Historical Association
Traces of the Ozark Trails Exist in Texas
An early highway system through Texas began in St. Louis Missouri passing through Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas on its way to Las Vegas, New Mexico. This idea to number roads and give estimated distances between towns originated in Arkansas led by William Hope “Coin” Harvey and the Ozark Trails Association. The marketing philosophy of many small towns in the early 1900s was to keep all local traffic coming to them hoping roads to other nearby towns were too difficult to travel.
The Association solicited towns throughout this area to join the group and do the work to improve and mark roads their roads thereby creating greater commerce for everyone. A tall obelisk with miles to the nearby towns marked on each side was the unusual road marker used by the association. Unfortunately, the markers were set in the middle of the road often resulting in finding out travel information the hard way.
Remnants of these markers still exist throughout the trails — one of the best is in Wellington, Texas, where the marker has been preserved by moving it out of the intersection and placing it in the town square.
The workshop will discuss this topic and how writers can help preserve this and other Texas
stories based on the step-by-step guide for writers on all levels, Write History Right by M.H.
Collins. Website: www.mhcollins.com/ hswc1@cox.net.
Sun., April 19, 1:30 – 2:20, Rogers, AR
Arkansas Association of Instructional Media
Conference
Embassy Suites
Conference theme inspires attendees to ”Shine in 2009″ as a ray of sunshine and encouragement to others. Tying into the conference theme, the workshop led by Marilyn Collins focuses on “Preserving Cherished Stories” of those who’ve inspired us. By telling their story – or encouraging students in their writing – writers further the good done by others as an example for us to follow.
Write History Right , a step-by-step guide for writers by M.H. Collins, helps storytellers on all levels to structure, research, write, and perhaps publish and market their stories. A compilation of student papers could be kept in a school library or adult stories could be shared within a community or organization.
Attendees will leave the workshop with their stories started and directions for completing their work.
Fri., April 24 and Fri., May 22, 10 am – 12 pm
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center, Room 107
“If You Don’t Write the Story, Who Will?”
Have you ever thought or said to a friend, “I’d love to write a book about…!” Now is your chance to start that book using the easy-to-follow steps and fun writing exercises in this two-part course, “If You Don’t Write the Story, Who Will?” The course led by Marilyn Collins is based on her latest book, Write History Right, a comprehensive guide for writers on all levels who wish to document the story of a town, family, church, school, or people of local or regional interest. Part 1 will focus on how to select a workable topic, plan and structure the book, document research, handle visuals, conduct successful interviews, avoid sticky problems in writing family history, and much more.
Taking the skills learned in Part 1, participants will return for Part 2 to share their works to date and discuss ways to publish and market their book — event to family members or the local community. The Appendix in the book offers essential forms for writers including — a Photo Release Form, Interview Log, Site Visit Tips, Co-Author Agreement, and many more used during both courses. A copy of Write History Right is included in the registration for the course. www.olli.uark.edu.
www.mhcollins.com.
April 30 – May 2, Oklahoma Writer’s Federation Conference
Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center, Norman, OK
Marilyn H. Collins’s latest book, Write History Right, will be available at the book room throughout the conference. Another of her books, The Old Burying Ground (Beaufort, NC) will also be available. She will be appearing and signing books at the Autograph Party, May 2 from 4:30 – 5:30 in Rooms A&B. www.owfi.org/Conference, www.mhcollins.com.
