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Pulpwood Queens 2023 Recap

We had a great time spreading madness at the 23rd annual INTERNATIONAL PULPWOOD QUEENS AND TIMBER GUYS BOOK CLUB READING NATION CONVENTION!

We were proud to represent the following incredible past and current Pulpwood Queens authors:

See some of our favorite mad moments below!

  • Author Antonina Duridanova (New Beginnings: From Behind the Iron Curtain to America) dances during the "Hair Ball."
    Author Antonina Duridanova
  • Keynote author J. Lawrence Matthews (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes), author Ruthie Landis (Acting Lessons for Living: Guided Journal), author Kathy Ramsperger (The Shores Of Our Souls), author T.K. Thorne (Behind the Magic Curtain), [Unknown]. [Unknown], [Unknown], author Lara Bernhardt (Red Rain), and author Beth M. Howard (Making Piece) pose for a group photo during the Author Meet and Greet and Book Launch for Anju Gattani's "Dynasties" event.
    J. Lawrence Matthews, Ruthie Landis, Kathy Ramsperger, T.K. Thorne, [pending]. [pending], [pending], Lara Bernhardt, and author Beth M. Howard
  • Author Robert Gwaltney (The Cicada Tree) hugs author Laura (Recent book name here) while keynote speaker and author J. Lawrence Matthews (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes)
    Author Robert Gwaltney (The Cicada Tree) hugs author Laura (Recent book name here) while Tracy Carnes (The Darlings of Sundance: A Novel) and keynote speaker and author J. Lawrence Matthews (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes) share a chuckle during the “Hair Ball.”
  • Madville founder Kim Davis and author Robert Gwaltney (The Cicada Tree) pose together for a photograph during the Author Meet and Greet event. Photo by author and photographer Lee Zacharias (What a Wonderful World This Could Be).
    Madville founder Kim Davis and author Robert Gwaltney (The Cicada Tree) pose together for a photograph during the Author Meet and Greet event.
  • Authors Cassandra King Conroy (Tell Me a Story) and Wondra Chang (Sonju) chat during the Author Meet & Greet event.
    Authors Cassandra King Conroy (Tell Me a Story) and Wondra Chang (Sonju) chat during the Author Meet and Greet and Book Launch for Anju Gattani’s Dynasties event.
  • Keynote Author J. Lawrence Matthews discusses his latest book, One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes.
    Keynote Author J. Lawrence Matthews discusses his latest book, One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes.
  • Author Antonina Duridanova (New Beginnings: From Behind the Iron Curtain to America) laughs during the "Hair Ball," and is photobombed by Liz Davis' hand.
    Madville’s own Lee Zacharias
  • Author Eileen Sanches (Freedom Lessons: A Novel) dances during the "Hair Ball."
    Author Eileen Sanches (Freedom Lessons: A Novel) dances during the “Hair Ball.”
  • Madville founder Kim Davis laughs as a patron browses the Madville books available at our table.
    Madville founder Kim Davis laughs as a patron browses the Madville books available at our table.
  • Keynote author J. Lawrence Matthews, (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes), and Pulpwood Queens founder Kathy L. Murphy, (The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Keynote author J. Lawrence Matthews, (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes), and Pulpwood Queens founder Kathy L. Murphy, (The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life), are photographed laughing together during the Author Meet and Greet and Book Launch for Anju Gattani's "Dynasties" event.
    Keynote author J. Lawrence Matthews, (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes), and Pulpwood Queens founder Kathy L. Murphy, (The Pulpwood Queens’ Tiara Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life), are photographed laughing together during the Author Meet and Greet and Book Launch for Anju Gattani’s “Dynasties” event.
  • Pulpwood Queen's founder Kathy L. Murphy's son-in-law dresses up in a hat, scarf, and glasses and salutes with author Tracy Lea Carnes (The Darlings of Sundance) and a painting of her book cover. Book cover art by Pulpwood Queens founder Kathy L. Murphy.
    Pulpwood Queen’s founder Kathy L. Murphy’s son-in-law dresses up in a hat, scarf, and glasses and salutes with author Tracy Lea Carnes (The Darlings of Sundance) and a painting of her book cover. Book cover art by Pulpwood Queens founder Kathy L. Murphy.
  • Three Pulpwood Queens atendees take a moment to check in with the outside world and scroll on their phone.
    Three Pulpwood Queens atendees take a moment to check in with the outside world and scroll on their phone.
  • Madville Founder Kim Davis wears a sari during the Author Meet and Greet and Book Launch for Anju Gattani's "Dynasties" event.
    Madville Founder Kim Davis wears a sari during the Author Meet and Greet and Book Launch for Anju Gattani’s “Dynasties” event.
  • Author Carol Van De Hende shows off her novel, Orchid Blooming.
    Author Carol Van De Hende shows off her novel, Orchid Blooming.
  • Film crew members author Mark Green, Drew, and R.J. smile for the camera as they watch the convention chaos.
    Film crew members author Mark Green, Drew, and R.J. smile for the camera as they watch the convention chaos.
  • Authors Robert Gwaltney of (The Cicada Tree) keynote speaker and author J. Lawrence Matthews (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes) pose with Kim Davis' daughter, Liz Davis, during the "Hair Ball."
    Authors Robert Gwaltney of (The Cicada Tree) keynote speaker and author J. Lawrence Matthews (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes) pose with Kim Davis’ daughter, Liz Davis, during the “Hair Ball.”
  • Authors Zoe Disigny (The Art of Traveling Strangers), keynote speaker J. Lawrence Matthews (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes), Carol Van Den Hende (Orchid Blooming), and keynote author Ann Hood (Fly Girl: A Memoir) take a selfie at the Over the Moon” “Hair Ball.”
    Authors Zoe Disigny (The Art of Traveling Strangers), keynote speaker J. Lawrence Matthews (One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes), Carol Van Den Hende (Orchid Blooming), and keynote author Ann Hood (Fly Girl: A Memoir) take a selfie at the Over the Moon” “Hair Ball.”
  • Author Robert Gwaltney (The Cicada Tree) moderates the Book & Film panel with Author/Screenwriter, Tracy Carnes of (The Darlings of Sundance: A Novel) and Pulpwood Queens founder Kathy L. Murphy, who created the cover art for Tracy’s book.
    Author Robert Gwaltney (The Cicada Tree) moderates the Book & Film panel with Author/Screenwriter, Tracy Carnes of (The Darlings of Sundance: A Novel) and Pulpwood Queens founder Kathy L. Murphy, who created the cover art for Tracy’s book.
  • Madville founder Kim Davis and her daughter Liz Davis pose with author Anju Gattani and her new book, Dynasties, at the Author Meet and Greet/Launch Party for Dynasties.
    Madville founder Kim Davis and her daughter Liz Davis pose with author Anju Gattani and her new book, Dynasties, at the Author Meet and Greet and Book Launch Party for Anju Gattani’s “Dynasties” event.
  • Author Anju Gattani (Dynasties) dances during the "Hair Ball."
    Author Anju Gattani (Dynasties) dances during the “Hair Ball.”
  • Anju Gattani (Dynasties) poses with a bookclub member dressed as a cow during the "Hair Ball."
    Anju Gattani (Dynasties) poses with a bookclub member dressed as a cow during the “Hair Ball.”
  • Alice C. Early and [pending]

We hope you’ll come get MAD with us at Pulpwood Queens next year!

Find out more and register for 2024’s Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys convention today!

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Rita Quillen’s Poetry a 2023 Pulpwood Queens Selection

Front cover of Some Notes You Hold: Poems by Rita Simms Quillen. Cover art "Layers (Blue Wings) by Suzanne Stryk shows blue bird wings layered over newspaper clippings and dry leaves. Two awards are on the cover, a silver one and a pink one

Madville Publishing is excited for one of our favorite authors, Rita Quillen. Her poetry collection, Some Notes You Hold, has been selected as an International Pulpwood Queens & Timberwood Guys Book Club bonus pick for 2023!

Front cover of Some Notes You Hold: Poems by Rita Simms Quillen. Cover art "Layers (Blue Wings) by Suzanne Stryk shows blue bird wings layered over newspaper clippings and dry leaves. Two awards are on the cover, a silver one and a pink one

The selection of Some Notes You Hold, Rita Quillen’s beautiful, introspective poetry collection published by Madville in October, 2020, was announced at the International Pulpwood Queen and Timber Guy Girlfriend’s Weekend Book Club Convention on Amelia Island. We are particularly proud of this selection as it is unusual for a poetry book to catch the attention of a book club. In this case, the Pulpwood Queens knew Rita Sims Quillen already, as last year, they read her novel, Wayland.

A little about the book:

Some Notes You Hold: Poems is about surviving what life throws at us as we age. The so-called “golden years” are so named because of the high admission price—the tremendous losses, disappointments, illnesses, and failures we all experience if we live long enough. The first part of the book, called “Letting Go,” focuses on surviving deep grief. The middle section is a musical interlude, exploring the tremendous power of music to heal us mentally, physically, and spiritually and to reorder our thinking and our emotions. The last section, “Holding On,” explores the roads leading to survival: prayer and meditation, communion with the natural world, and writing. The price paid for those “golden years” leads to the prize: insight, joy, and a kind of peace we were incapable of when we were young. read more…

The Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island in Florida. Shows a sepia-toned woman on a moon with a brown background.

In addition to this surprise bonus pick, Madville Publishing is also proud to represent these current and past Pulpwood Queen authors at this convention:

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Pulpwood Queens 2023 Girlfriend Weekend

The Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island in Florida. Shows a sepia-toned woman on a moon with a brown background.

The Pulpwood Queens have always supported Madville authors and they did it again at their Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island, Florida. We had an absolute blast! What a party!

  • Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology, edited by Julie E. Bloemeke & Dustin Brookshire, and featuring Robert Gwaltney and 53 other wonderful authors.
  • Tom Shachtman, with his Memoir of the Minotaur
  • Wondra Chang, with her novel, Sonju, and
  • Francine Rodriguez, with A Woman’s Story.
Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology. Image is of Dolly herself in a long black sequined dress, very low cut. she looks lovely and shiny on a black background. Pensive.

The Pulpwood Queens have always supported Madville authors and they did it again at their Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island, Florida. We had an absolute blast! What a party!

  • Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology, edited by Julie E. Bloemeke & Dustin Brookshire, and featuring Robert Gwaltney and 53 other wonderful authors.
  • Tom Shachtman, with his Memoir of the Minotaur
  • Wondra Chang, with her novel, Sonju, and
  • Francine Rodriguez, with A Woman’s Story.
Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology. Image is of Dolly herself in a long black sequined dress, very low cut. she looks lovely and shiny on a black background. Pensive.

The Pulpwood Queens have always supported Madville authors and they did it again at their Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island, Florida. We had an absolute blast! What a party!

  • Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology, edited by Julie E. Bloemeke & Dustin Brookshire, and featuring Robert Gwaltney and 53 other wonderful authors.
  • Tom Shachtman, with his Memoir of the Minotaur
  • Wondra Chang, with her novel, Sonju, and
  • Francine Rodriguez, with A Woman’s Story.
Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology. Image is of Dolly herself in a long black sequined dress, very low cut. she looks lovely and shiny on a black background. Pensive.

The Pulpwood Queens have always supported Madville authors and they did it again at their Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island, Florida. We had an absolute blast! What a party!

  • Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology, edited by Julie E. Bloemeke & Dustin Brookshire, and featuring Robert Gwaltney and 53 other wonderful authors.
  • Tom Shachtman, with his Memoir of the Minotaur
  • Wondra Chang, with her novel, Sonju, and
  • Francine Rodriguez, with A Woman’s Story.
Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology. Image is of Dolly herself in a long black sequined dress, very low cut. she looks lovely and shiny on a black background. Pensive.

The Pulpwood Queens have always supported Madville authors and they did it again at their Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island, Florida. We had an absolute blast! What a party!

  • Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology, edited by Julie E. Bloemeke & Dustin Brookshire, and featuring Robert Gwaltney and 53 other wonderful authors.
  • Tom Shachtman, with his Memoir of the Minotaur
  • Wondra Chang, with her novel, Sonju, and
  • Francine Rodriguez, with A Woman’s Story.
Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology. Image is of Dolly herself in a long black sequined dress, very low cut. she looks lovely and shiny on a black background. Pensive.

The Pulpwood Queens have always supported Madville authors and they did it again at their Girlfriend Weekend 2023 on Amelia Island, Florida. We had an absolute blast! What a party!

  • Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology, edited by Julie E. Bloemeke & Dustin Brookshire, and featuring Robert Gwaltney and 53 other wonderful authors.
  • Tom Shachtman, with his Memoir of the Minotaur
  • Wondra Chang, with her novel, Sonju, and
  • Francine Rodriguez, with A Woman’s Story.
Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology. Image is of Dolly herself in a long black sequined dress, very low cut. she looks lovely and shiny on a black background. Pensive.
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Madville Publishing to Attend AWP23

Madville Publishing Banner for #AWP23
AWP, Association of Writers & Writing Programs

2023 AWP Conference & Bookfair

Seattle, Washington
March 8–11, 2023
Seattle Convention Center

Madville Publishing will once again be in attendance at AWP2023. These are the details we know so far:

Madville will be at Booth #722 in the book fair

Thursday, March 9, 2023

9:00-5:00 PM – in the book fair (Booth number 722)

6:00-7:30 PM – Meet and Greet the Madvillans

Reception in the Ballard Ballroom, Sheraton Grand Seattle, Third Floor, Pike Street Tower
Madville Publishing invites friends and those who would like to become friends to join us for an opportunity to meet our authors. There will be libations!!

Friday, March 10, 2023

9:00-5:00 PM – in the book fair (Booth number 722)

4:00-7:30 PM – Madvillans Read – Offsite event – (but it’s really onsite!)

The Columbia Room, Sheraton Grand, Seattle, Fourth Floor, Union Tower

(Readings from Jodi Angel, Lee Zacharias, Maurice Ruffin, Cherise Pollard, Lana Austin, Michael Gills, Francine Rodriguez, karla k. morton, Wondra Chang, Rick Campbell, Kari Gunter-Seymour, Makayla Gay, Bruce Overby, Susan O’Dell Underwood, Mike Hilbig, Dion O’Reilly, Hillary Behrman, Kim Addonizio, Anna Sandy-Elrod, Raye Hendrix, Jenny Molberg, Kim Davis, Lisa Rose, and Gigi Marino.)

Saturday, March 11, 2023

9:00-5:00 PM – in the book fair (Booth number 722)

9:00-10:15 AM (S118) Urban and Rural: Writing about Poverty

(Luanne Smith,  Michael Gills,  Troy Wilderson,  Stephanie Powell Watts,  Francine Rodriguez)

While class is often the backdrop to a story rather than the main point, writing about poverty is often compartmentalized. Grit Lit, Street Lit, Kmart fiction, even noir, there seems to be a place to put this work rather than actually looking at it as writing about the human condition. This panel brings together prose writers from rural and urban settings to discuss commonalities, differences and the bigger picture when class is a major factor in the work.

Have a look at our Spring 2023 books, & help us launch them at AWP23

Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology. Image is of Dolly herself in a long black sequined dress, very low cut. she looks lovely and shiny on a black background. Pensive.
The Dog Years of Reeducation, Poems by Jianqing Zheng. White text is superimposed over monotone beige soybeans in the field with a dramatic blurred depth of field.
Biggest Little Girl, a novel by Jodi Angel. Front cover shows stained carpet like that you'd see in a sleazy casino. It has a pattern of yellow flowers on a dark red background.
Splinter, poems by Susan O'Dell Underwood. Weathered yellow board with red lettering for title.
The Green Mage front cover. Novel by Michael Simms, volume 1 in the Talon Trilogy. Original cover art by Andrew Dunn shows a pixie-like woman with pointed ears standing nose-to-nose with a fearsome looking dragon.
original cover art by Andrew Dunn, “Tessia and the Dragon”
Before All Who Have Ever Seen This Disappear, a Novel by Michael Gills. an old photo shows some members of a baseball team in a sepia-toned photo with creases, indicating it is old. The text is in red letters behind the players' heads.