PEGGY FIELDING'S NEWSLETTER
Volume 4 Number 2 February 2004

GOING TO ARKANSAS

I've been invited to attend a conference in Eureka Springs, AR. No. Not for writers!

I've been asked to bring my latest, BARBARA, The Story Of A UFO Investigator, to the big Inn of the Ozarks UFO conference in April. This is the eighteenth year for the conference they tell me.

I felt I shouldn't ask my writer friends to accompany me. Jackie King, good person that she is, would probably go if I asked, but I haven't asked her. She bought the first book (BARBARA) simply because she is a pal. She couldn't care less about UFOs, one supposes.

As for Barbara Bartholic, the subject of my book, she simply refused to go. Scared. Utterly frightened that aliens would attack her or her family if she attended.

Dan Case, my editor, will go almost any place in the world...except a UFO meeting, perhaps? I heard he was in Choteau, Oklahoma today, but he too refused to go to the conference. Too much work on his desk at that time, he said..

SO NOW WHAT?

I feel too old and tottery to make the trip alone, although I tell myself I could do so if I had to.

Then I thought about Joe Casey. He is my lovely handyman. I call him to put in new light bulbs, move furniture, unplug the sink, etc. He's the hero in the novella GIVING UP PANTYHOSE which I've written to go with novellas written by Paula Alfred, Sharon Ervin, Nancy Huff, and Jackie King. Kensington has our collection, CHIK~LIT FOR FOXY HENS under consideration now.

The Hens
The short squab in front, Peggy Fielding. Elegant talls in back are left to right Nancy Huff, Sharon Ervin, Jackie King and Paula Alfred

Well, anyway, back to Joe. He also refused to go. He has a big job already contracted so he couldn't go, but he had pity on me. I'm pretty sure none of the others had much sympathy for my plight. If it's not about writing they aren't too interested.

MY HELPER-TO-BE ON THE UFO CONFERENCE TRIP

One of my students indicated a bit of interest. That was Lawrence Nix of Bartlesville, OK. I realized immediately after talking with Larry, that he is interested in exploring the idea of UFO's and what the folks have to say at the conference, so I marked him off as a worker bee, although I expect to see him at the affair.

Darling Joe called me back and offered his son Corbett Casey, as a living sacrifice. Huge, over six feet tall, handsome, strong, in his twenties, pleasant to talk to... all good things, right?

What could I say? I said I wanted him.

When his Father broke the news to Corry his remark was, I thought, indicative of how well we'll get along working together down there in the Ozarks.

Corry's answer to his Dad?

"Okay, Dad, I don't mind being arm candy!"

I think I love the kid.

Wonder if he'll still feel that way when I tell him I tried to get a room for him but couldn't? No room at the Inn. He'll have to share mine. Luckily, I'd asked for two double beds, thinking I would be taking a woman. Oh, be still my heart.

I snore. I hope he does too.

NOW, ABOUT LOST FRIENDS

Barbara Rogers finally surfaced in Arkansas and by now she has her copy of BARBARA. As does Barbara Jean Matlock Turpin of a small town in Georgia. She didn't have to prove that her name was Barbara. I've known the girl since she was born.

But where are these folks? Suzy Fielding Bell, are you still my little girl? Virginia Anderson Torres, are you still in Tulsa? Charlotte Smith, are we still on for Oklahoma Mystery Writers next meeting? Elizabeth Wong, why weren't you at the Tulsa NightWriter's last meeting? And my dear, dear friend, Mary Elinor Alexander, is all well with you?

SIDESADDLE

I'm still working on THE SHERIFF RODE SIDESADDLE and have received invaluable help from Scott Matthews who lives in Muskogee, Ok, with his wife Leigh Ann and all their horses. He told me all about the geography of a sidesaddle. Steve of Steve's Sundries on Harvard Ave. in Tulsa, connected me with Scott.

JUDGING

I've been doing a ton of judging these past few weeks. I judged historical romance for the Rita award (published books) for RWA (Romance Writers of America). I was a lower echelon judge and I, along with a number of other lower echelon judges across the country, read six to eight books each and our top picks went on to a higher level of judges where they weed out some and send on only the best-of-the-best entries to top judges who are famous writers, agents and editors. Fun.

I’ve recently judged for other contests also. I've always liked doing this since it gives me a chance to read written materials I might never see otherwise.

TNW

Teresa Miller, director of OSU's Celebration of Books, was a big hit at Tulsa NightWriters this week. She made us laugh a lot and she also inspired us.

I'm starting a free class in Confessing for Money, for NightWriter members this coming Monday, February 23. Both male and female members may come. Just join up or bring your check for $30 or $35 to pay your dues and we'll talk about writing and selling Confessions stories. The TNW members voted for that particular subject. We'll meet at 3332 E. 4th St., in Tulsa, at 7:00 pm. Come one, come all if you are a TNW member or want to become one.

Marcia Preston, Publisher of the writers' magazine "Byline" and a successful novelist, will be speaking for us on the third Tuesday of March at Allee Beth Martin East Regional Library on Twenty Ninth and Garnett Road in Tulsa. 7:00 pm. Be there. She's good!

BEST BOOK

Tons of good books go through my hands. One of the interesting ones I bought at my grocery store is IRISH GIRLS ABOUT TOWN, a book of short stories by Irish women. Pocket Book published it. The good thing about a short story collection is the fact that you can finish a story and close the book until later. It is hard for me to stop reading a good novel once I've started.

SEX?

None.

GOTTA GO

See you in March.

Love,
   Peggy