The Great Montana Women Writers book give away continues! Several blog members will be giving away copies of their books in August to one lucky person who leaves a comment before the deadline; check the day’s post for details.

LESLIE’s first mystery, Death al Dente, officially debuts on August 6. You can meet her — and get a signed copy of the book — at Frame of Reference in Bigfork on Thursday, August 1, from 5-8, during the opening reception for the “Bigfork in Paint and Print” exhibit; at Fact & Fiction in Missoula on Friday, August 2, from 5-7 (reading at 5:30); at the Bigfork Festival of the Arts on Sat-Sun, August 3-4; or at Huckleberry Days in Whitefish, Fri-Sun, August 9-11. And she’s the guest speaker at the Authors of the Flathead meeting on Thursday, August 15, at Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell.

Leslie’s article on 10 common mistakes writers make about the law is featured in the September issue of The Writer, along with her list of 10 great novels that touch on legal issues.

Sign up on her website for Leslie’s newsletter for a chance to win a basket of Montana goodies and a pair of cozies — and get a bonus recipe not in the book!

INA is looking for an illustrator for her children’s book Granny Greeny Says, “Listen Louder.” Contact Ina through her website. 

MARLETTE just returned from the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference in Seattle where she received several requests from agents to submit her work.

BETTY is on a book signing tour for Your Heart: Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease in Women, Men and Children, and is having an exciting time. Her first signing, in Bemidji, Minnesota, was an overwhelming success that triggered a scramble for express delivery of more books — the store’s most successful signing ever. All the books sold, leaving Betty destitute for a signing on August 1st! (But it’s Betty — she’ll find a way!) In  addition, the hospital gift store quickly purchased books for resale. When Betty returns to Whitefish, she’ll be at North Valley Hospital for a book signing.

And ANN’s story, “Offerings” was published  July 1st in Sixfold, Summer 2013. Readers can check it out for free on the Sixfold site. Sixfold conducts quarterly contests in which 300+ writers submit a short story and then review fellow contestants’ stories in a three-round ranking process. The top-rated (by peers) stories appear in this first issue.

Register now for KATHY DUNNEHOFF’s Fall Continuing Education classes at Flathead Valley Community College:

The Artist’s Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self  (12 weeks)  Join this class for a guided walk through Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way.” The reading and writing exercises are designed to discover & recover your creativity. A perfect course for anyone interested in living more creatively through practicing an art and for anyone interested in practicing the art of creative living. “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron is required.  Tuesdays September 10 – November 26 8 – 10:30 a.m.

Novel Challenge (5 weeks)  Celebrate National Novel Writing Month with fellow writers and take a big bite out of your novel in 30 days! First class meeting in October will be to strategize our attack. The weekly November classes will be to discuss the craft of writing and the challenges of keeping the words flowing for all 30 days of November. When we have reached out goal, we’ll spend the last evening celebrating and looking ahead to revising. Class will not meet on October 28th. Mondays October 21 – November 25 6 – 8:30 p.m.

www.fvcc.edu for more information & to register

And the rest of us? Last month we showed you where we live and write — and that’s where we are right now, doing what we love most: living and writing in fabulous NW Montana!