Centered in the town of Dayville, Oregon we are surrounded by both natural and human history, which inspires us to reach for new heights in both our writing and living skills; thanks in part to the natural beauty of the land and people around us.

Who is presently hard at work on the Oregon Coast creating a new CD of her songs.

Here's how she describes herself:
I am a born and raised Oregonian with a love for the outdoors. I enjoy song writing and playing guitar and performing those songs with my husband Kin.I also recite Robert Service Poetry. I have a passion for traditional archery , kayaking mountain lakes and calm rivers , and spending time with my family. I own a seasonal business in Dayville and am a jeweler by trade. We are at this time enjoying our RV life style and find our travels very inspiring for song writing.

So good luck (and even better skill--which we know you got) on that new CD Pam!
We are all looking forward to hearing it!

Cowboy Poetry in the Park

sponsored by River Valley Writers Group

June 16th 2012 from 11:00-3:00

Where..... Dayville City Park click the map for more info

What will be going on......

Storyteller and author Rick Steber Steber is an engaging western personality and a popular writer with thirty titles under his belt and more than a million books in print. He is the only Oregon author to have won the prestigious Western Writers of America Spur Award - Best Western Novel and is a keen observer of the changing American West. He articulates these changes in prose that are boldly descriptive, invigorating, creative and as sharp and deadly as a chunk of obsidian. His writing has been compared to Hemingway, Fitzgerald, McMurtry, Doig, and Stegner. Check out his latest two books and MORE by clicking the images here -->
Cowboy poet and entertainer Robert Old Bob Clark Old Bob is one of those few remaining tried and true cowpokes with both a literary wit and musical talent. He is at all times full of wisdom, spirit, and good humor learned from many vivid life experiences. Or as he puts it.. When you are just about the only cowboy in logging country three things happen. You develop an attitude, and after the bruises heal, you develop a sense of humor and a desire to see different country. I started drifting and looking at new country just as soon as my feet got to where they both pointed in the same direction. Check out his face book page HERE
Cowboy Poet Dan Cannon Dan does stand up, humorous cowboy poetry decked out in an over-sized cowboy hat and a hub cap belt buckle. His good natured way of poking fun at the red neck lifestyle will produce belly laughs to even the most serious red neck.
Music by Bead Trapper Kin and Pam AKA Bead Trapper have been playing music together for several years. Raised around Belgian draft horses on a small ranch with a singer/teamster father, Pam naturally gravitated towards music at an early age. She now writes many of her own songs and plays guitar. Kin accompanies her beautifully on his personally hand made mountain lap top dulcimer, or a harmonica.

And there will be open mic for poets and singers from 3:00pm till the crowd leaves.

Great raffle prizes.....

$2.00 tickets

	Handcrafted Western Necklace This handcrafted necklace, made with loving care by our own Pam Edwards, is sterling silver, magnesite , and natural walnut stained elk horn beads. click the pic for a larger image
	Historical Western Painting by Brian Sanderfeld. This is the first in a series illustrating travel along the Yreka Trail which brought many gold miners and settlers to the John Day Valley after the 1842 goldstrike in Canyon City. It is entitled Crossing the South Fork of the John Day River,in front of Casey's slide, just above Dayville Ore . click the pic for a larger image

Entry to this event is free.

The Dayville chapter of F.F.A. will offer food for sale during lunch, and the River Valley Writers' Group will be selling sodas and water and Raffle tickets at their booth/table.

The winner of the youth cowboy poetry contest will be announced around Noon.
Raffle item winners will be announced around 3pm.
So Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy an afternoon of cowboy poetry and music by the river

Contact Kelly Cooper to buy raffle tickets and gain more info tkcooper@ortelco.net 541-987-2462

The River Valley Writers Group
is proud to announce The 1st Cowboy Country Poetry Contest

Open to all students of Eastern Oregon Grade 1-12

This contest is designed to highlight and inspire the budding writers of Eastern Oregon by providing a means for them to exhibit their best work. It is also hoped that together we can increase interest in the area and artistically illustrate the heart, depth and sheer beauty of living in the country lifestyle.

So come on out all you cow boys and girls and put your best moves to words!

Words that inspire, excite and invoke the pleasure and pride of being a
COWBOY COUNTRY CITIZEN
in one of the few remaining areas of the world where old western lifestyle can still be found, savored, and enjoyed.

All entries must be received by us by 12 pm May 15th 2012

CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL RULES

or Email Kelly Cooper @ tkcooper@ortelco.net for more info.

RIVER VALLEY WRITERS GROUP Meeting
4 pm 1st friday of each month

Next meeting at Kelly's house
Email Kelly Cooper @ tkcooper@ortelco.net for more info.

The Juniper Art Council gave us another great writers workshop Tuesday, October 25, 2011.

This one featured Idaho author

Anthony Doerr

The Juniper Arts Council does such a fantastic job here in Grant County Oregon bringing us diverse authors willing to share their skills, personal dreams and challenges of the writing process.

The three hour workshop was relaxing and informative with everyone participating in their own unique way. After a break we gathered again for a top notch meal catered by the Snaffle Bit Restaurant in Canyon City.

Anthony then treated us to a half hour reading of an engaging short story from his most recent book, 'Memory Wall'. Listening to this young man read and then reading myself, 'Four Seasons in Rome' I am fascinated by the wisdom and clarity with which he seems to gaze into the ordinary. It is no surprise he was selected by The American Academy of Arts and Letters to spend a year in Rome Italy writing from a private studio. Doerr has received numerous honors and prizes for his work.



You can visit his web site at: www.anthonydoerr.com

This event is made possible through the generous support of Oregon Cultural Trust. In-kind donations provided by John Day United Methodist Church & the John Day Best Western Inn. Thank you, also, to local supporters of the Juniper Arts Council and its programs.

We had a great time Friday, September 9, 2011 with

Dr. Richard Etulain

Giving us a workshop on
RESEARCHING AND WRITING REGIONAL AND LOCAL HISTORY

Members were first treated to an outdoor meal given in his honor at Kelly Coopers historic home the night before the event. It came complete with good food, stirring conversations and a beautiful sunset backed up by Dayvilles magnificent landscapes.

The emphasis then shifted to a very well planned public workshop filled with insightful investigations of ourselves and our interest.




This helped us to focus our thoughts on our desired subjects as he discussed how you develop, research and then write a historical based text or novel.


All in all it was not only a GREAT workshop given by a very knowledgable writer, but also an honest pleasure to attend too!

So thanks to all who did!

Dr. Richard W. Etulain is Professor Emeritus of History and former Director of the Center for the American West at the University of New Mexico.

He has been president of both the Western Literature and Western History associations. He has lectured abroad in several countries, most recently as a Fulbright Lecturer in Ukraine. He is at work on several studies of Abraham Lincoln and the American West and on a biography of the Old West woman, Calamity Jane.

He is a specialist in the history and literature of the American West and has authored or edited more than forty-five books.

Best known among his books about the history and cultures of the American West are:

• Conversations with Wallace Stegner (1983), Writing Western History (editor, 1991),
• Re-imagining the Modern American West: A Century of Fiction, History, and Art (1996),
• Telling Western Stories: From Buffalo Bill to Larry McMurtry (1999),
• Beyond the Missouri: The Story of the American West (2006),
• The American West: A Modern History, 1900 to the Present
  (with Michael P. Malone, 2d ed., 2007),
• Lincoln Looks West: From the Mississippi to the Pacific (2010).

Check out The entire list of books he's written HERE

This event was made possible thanks in part to a grant from the Grant County Juniper Arts Guild and the Oregon Cultural Trust

Thank You for your support!

Annie Dillard Award in Creative Nonfiction is offered for the best creative nonfiction. Prize is $1,000 for the winner. Submission open up on December 1 and run until March 15.

Call for Oregon submissions!

The Gold Man Review - Salems premiere literary journal is currently accepting submissions exclusive to the residents of the State of Oregon until May 1 2012.

Accepted entres will be published in issue 2 which will be available for purchase on November 1 2012 in both print and ebook formats

For more information please check out our new Online submission page Here.

Name

Interest

Location

Kelly Cooper

Horses, History and Humanity.

Dayville

Eloise Boren

Interest ???

???

Georgia Osborn

Interest ???

???

Cheryl Hoefler

Hiking, music, sewing and family....writer of children's poetry and picture books.

Prairie City

Tom Skeins

Interest ???

???

Pam Edwards

Song writing, playing guitar, traditional archery, kayaking mountain lakes and calm rivers, and spending time with my family.

Dayville

Lacey Stonerod

I write fantasy mostly, but I've been known to throw out a poem or two.

Dayville

Debbie Sandersfeld

Interest ???

Dayville

Dave Sandersfeld

Geology, Natural history

Dayville

Brian Sanderfeld

All things Art, Human psychology, things that make me think or feel.

Dayville

Leland Spencer

I am a neophyte writer and am currently looking for a publisher. Mostly I write a humorous memoir type

Cottonwood Creek

Cindy
L. Thomas

Reading, investing, working outside, volunteering, taking road trips. I'm currently writing about self-help and spirituality.

Monument

Kelly Cooper published Windfall a woman's journal for several years in northern California. Her poetry has appeared in Horsefly Magazine, Portfolio North, Byline Magazine, The Lance, Shasta College Literary Magazine, and other publications. Her first Woman's Fiction Novel will be released in 2011, as well as a collection of poetry.

I had a article published in the Feburary issue of Horsefly Magazine! Sample Writing

Letter Writing - A Lost Art

I am a born and raised Oregonian with a love for the outdoors. I enjoy song writing and playing guitar and performing those songs with my husband Kin.I also recite Robert Service Poetry. I have a passion for traditional archery , kayaking mountain lakes and calm rivers , and spending time with my family. I own a seasonal business in Dayville and am a jeweler by trade. We are at this time enjoying our RV life style and find our travels very inspiring for song writing.

I am born and mostly raised here in Eastern Oregon. I have been in Dayville for the better part of 3 years and am in love with it. I am currently working towards my Bachelor's in English/Writing, though I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet besides write and write some more. I write fantasy mostly, but I've been known to throw out a poem or two. When I'm not reading or writing, I love just messing around outdoors--hunting, camping, hiking, swimming, and I love anything to do with horses. I also enjoy sketching and cooking, as long as I can be as creative as I want to be which doesn't always turn out so great.

Sample poem:

A Little Piece of Heaven

Dave was born in Colorado and going down hill ever since. He has worked for various federal agencies (i.e. U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service) in various natural resource management assignments all across western USA from 1970 to 1990 and he was an environmental engineering consultant, Father Nature Consulting, from 1990 to present. In 1994, he attained a B.S. Degree from Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon in "Technical Journalism" to help make sense of all environmental enlightenments, engineering and controversy that I have been involved with for decades. Currently, his writing passion is going into a new book documenting pirates and Spanish Galleons along the Oregon Coast from 1565 to 1815 A.D.

PACIFIC COAST PIRATES & SPANISH GALLEONS
By Dave Sandersfeld
ISBN 978-1-4243-2441-5

I am a painter, a poet, a photographer and an occasional PC support tech, who really doesn't have a penchant for the letter p. It just seems to work here. I've spent most my life working in various technical fields including anything from process photography to computer programming, but I am now looking forward to focusing on the arts including creative writing and Web Design. I also have two completed novels under my belt though they are not officially published yet, and I am working on a third. The first chapter of Grean Man is included here for your perusal.

Finished Novels:

Grean Man
The story of a rather mundane modern man who is pulled into the land of dreams, and gets the chance to meet the "Godness" of old Celtic myths again - simply because She now has a very important mission for him to perform, which of course he must first be trained for.
Sample Chapter

Incredula
The tale of a Time Lord who has yet to discover where we all go when we die, though he has existed through out all millenniums of time. Thanks to his own ability to manipulate it. So he sorta enlist the Buddha's help and is now in hot pursuit of this place too whilst happily meeting the spirit of our souls over and over again, even though our present sense of selfs have forgotten who and what we are.

Work in progress:

Chi-tah-wah
Greedy modern man have done it to the world again, digging up something so ancient and sacred in their pursuit of gold that it has unleashed a force that even their own military can't really deal with. Fortunately, there are still some old spiritual leaders left around, and we follow two groups of them as they set out to face the original dreamer of the darkest parts of life.

I also designed this web page so Email Me Here if you like.

I was born in Nampa, Idaho during the first half of last century! I and my wife Pearl live in the Cottonwood Creek area between Monument and Longcreek. Our youngest child is currently attending Oregon State University, and the other four are out of the house and gone.

I have always loved books but have really only taken up writing in the last couple of years. I love humor and am trying to work on that style. I think slapstick should be a religion. I am as yet unpublished, but am working on changing that.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, I headed west with my family to Arizona when I was seventeen years old. I wandered from community college classes to office work for the next few years. I worked in sales in the soft drink industry until I was laid off due to a company buyout. With severance check in hand, I enrolled in the English program at Arizona State University, earning my BA, MA, and Certificate in Scholarly Publishing. I trudged back to office work, this time as a customer service rep in the printing industry, and accepted freelance editing jobs on the side. I worked in the financial services field for 10 years. In the early 2000's, my writing began to bubble out, and I completed five novels. I found agents for the first two, but they were unable to sell them. I set a goal in 2005 to find the love of my life by letting go of everything that was in the way. In 2008, I found him! We are together today, living and loving near Monument, Oregon. Recently I completed a manual on how to find true love and am promoting it as a course.