2019 Events where Phyl Campbell Can be Found

Look. I'm not Waldo. I look terrible in stripes -- ask me about racist laundry one day though, because there's a story there -- but really what I mean is that for a hermit, I'm relatively easy to find. Once I decided I needed to get out and do events in 2019 so I'd know what to attend and what to pass over in 2020 when all three Mermaid's Revenge series books are available, there was no end to the ways I could spend my weekends in the hot hot sun.

A few events took pity on me and moved events indoors. I have much gratitude for these event organizers. So much gratitude.

But without further ado:

Groups and Events

Rustic Cup Critique Group Leader, alternating Saturdays by invitation only -- but everyone can and should go to Rustic Cup and get a coffee shake or something. Seriously. Kris Kelley is the bomb diggity, making brews like a wiccan warlock.

2nd Saturdays @ Sonnewald Aug, Sept, Nov, 1516 Lefever Lane, Spring Grove, PA

I'm trying out lots of different kids' activities at this event, since I can expect to see the same kids monthly and don't want them bored. Come play!!

Equality Fest Vendor, August 4, Penn Park, 100 W College Ave, York, PA

NC Mer-Mania 2019, August 16-18, Double Tree, Greensboro, NC

DCBA Hafla Event, Vendor and Performer, September 15, Delta Hotels Marriott, 245 Shawan Road, Hunt Valley, MD
I got to attend the DCBA Convention earlier in the summer and connected with many amazing performers and friendly fellow vendors. I'm looking forward to the reunion. 

Vegfest Vendor, September 21, Cousler Park, 1060 Church Road, York PA
I have not turned Vegan on anyone -- ask me about Vegan Sandwichmaker, there's a story there, too. But it's a kid event and my Mer are vegan when not attacking men. So it's all good.

Save Against Fear Demonstrator, Mermaid's Revenge Game, Oct 11-13, Harrisburg Mall, Harrisburg, PA

I'm going to be doing this event with my son. 

HOPE Holiday Gift Expo, October 19, New Freedom Community CTR,150 E Main, New Freedom, PA
HOPE is a special group that wants to kick cancer's ass, so definitely come spend some time here.

CHI FEST, October 27, Details TBD.
This event is going to have epic levels of WOO surrounded by levels of skepticism about WOO. 

Shippensburg Book Festival, November 3, The Thought Lot, 37 E Garfield St, Shippensburg, PA

Shippensburg Creators and Makers Pop Up Market, November 17, The Thought Lot

AMUSing Thoughts for International Women's Day

Wednesday, March 8 is International Women's Day, so it's the perfect time for me to remind everyone of some wonderful books to empower feminists everywhere. Sure, I wrote them. But sometimes empowerment starts with encouraging others to support and empower YOU. This is one of those posts.

First, I'm Not Writing a Book Today empowers everyone to write. An illustrated free verse poem features image after image of children dreaming, doing, and creating. I wrote I'm Not Writing a Book Today in response to the parents of my young authors who apologized to me that their writers weren't chained to their desks all summer. But I chose illustrations to reach an even younger audience. I was reading at three years old and writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. So why not other young people? And when I read I'm Not Writing a Book Today, whether to toddlers or retirees, my audience GETS it. I'm Not Writing a Book Today has become a mantra for so many people doing so many things. And if you haven't experienced it for yourself, your parents, or your kids, you really need to.

Martha's Chickens and the Pirates was the first children's book I was able to publish -- even if it wasn't one of the first ones I'd written or even finished. It is a story I wrote to honor my pioneering grandmother -- the sweet bad ass woman who endeavored to keep the peace even if she had to talk dirty to do it sometimes. In addition to the obvious ways Martha dominates the decisions made by characters in the book, I worked with the illustrator especially to make sure that genders were represented equally. And on International Woman's Day, maybe that's not equal. But as a mother with a son, I needed to see both. I needed people who talked about animals that didn't and I needed people to try new things and to be brave even though being brave means different things to different people. So if you are feeling brave, need to feel brave, or need a change in your life, pick up a copy of Martha's Chickens and the Pirates.

For the adult crowd, #25 Reasons Why Charlie Should Never Read Jane's Books to Jane is a hard anti-comedy to beat. In the traditional understanding that women are from Venus and men are from Mars, each vignette highlights ways that two people who love each other very much can still lack basic communication skills or mutual understanding. The idea behind the story and the hashtag was to have a response to the popular fanfic FSOG. A lot of people argued that FSOG liberated women by exposing sexual fantasies. Others felt the lurid sex imprisoned women. I objected to the novel because it took an angst-filled teen drama series that I liked (Twilight), took away the mythological beings that made it so great, and replaced fairly extensive character development with S&M. It wasn't original, but some marketer picked it up because sex sells. How many of the same people boycotting Beauty and the Beast helped rocket FSOG into a bestselling book and movie? Not the book's fault, or the author's. Still, I wanted to provide an alternative. I think male and female feminists want more out of their relationships. #25 Reasons gives readers more.

Finally, of the books I want to talk about today, last but by no means least, is A Muse Meant. Samm is the girl-next-door heroine we all want in our lives. Her dreams, her magic, and even her insecurities drive the plot of this coming-of-age story for middle grade readers. The best part is all the things she doesn't realize she's doing. Girls are so often taught to feel insecure -- in the things they are told and the things adults assume they know. So for Samm to be continuously empowered instead -- this was as challenging to write (and re-write) as it was for Samm to experience. Did I get it right?

So in summary, go check out the following on Amazon:
I'm Not Writing a Book Today
Martha's Chickens and the Pirates
#25 Reasons Why Charlie Should Never Read Jane's Books to Jane
A Muse Meant


Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. Check out her website www.phylcampbell.com

Published Books

I can't believe I have neglected to mention the first two GEORGIA books published through my creative writing workshop!!!

Six and a half year old Payton Ledford published I See a Rainbow. Payton drew all the pictures herself and dictated the story to me. Rainbow qualifies as a non-fiction PreK-Grade 2 textbook. In the book, you will learn the colors of a rainbow, where to find them, and that her favorite color is PINK!!

I See A Rainbow, available in Paperback or Kindle on Amazon.

Her sister is ten year old Kayden Ledford. Kayden published The Three Best Friends. This is a book about friends and working to keep friends from becoming frenemies. I can see this book being really popular with 8-12 year olds who are having a rough time with friends.

The Three Best Friends, available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com

You've got to check both of them out, along with all the books by the Arkansas Young Authors!!

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. She writes on a variety of topics: Education, Women/Feminism/Equality, Book Reviews, and Writing. Her books are available on Amazon. If you'd like to see her speak at an upcoming function, contact her via her website or Facebook page.

Venue for Writing Class!!

I'm so pleased to announce that my

 Make A Book! 

class will be held at the 

ANN PEDEN JEWELRY and ARTIST MARKETPLACE 

in Watkinsville, GA.

Ann truly understands the need for artists to be creative while someone else handles the business end of things. I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

First class will be Tuesday, June 14, from 9-12. 

Here are samples of books from last year:

And a link to all the titles available on Amazon.

I also have a new pamphlet/brochure. You can see it here:

Phyl Campbell

Media Kits and Shoestring Budgets

When trying to prepare for a book launch tour on a shoestring budget, don't do what I did and do an internet search on marketing. Unless you enjoy feeling depressed.

So many people out there are willing to you how they made a million dollars selling their fiction. You just need to believe in your abilities and write them a check for hundreds of dollars. 

And what is sad is not only that so many chumps fall for the obvious scams, but that paying to get ahead is now the standard business model for marketing. We know it takes money to make money. We know that businesses have to have initial capital investments. And most of that money seems to go to advertising. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!

But when so many human beings and five percent of pets decide to earn money writing books, banks are unwilling to loan money to authors to start businesses. And most people that see themselves as authors/artists mentally put the word "starving" in front of that. They think they must starve for their art. Our society perpetuates the dual myths of overnight success and starving artistry.

But among all the pieces of advertising that yearn to be spam, I found a decent template for a media kit from Joan Stewart. (Ignore her media kit templates unless you are NOT operating on a shoestring. You will be sad.)

So I am working on my media kit now. Wish I hadn't written so many books -- because needing different length blurbs for each one and trying to stay OFF auto-pilot when I want them done years ago  -- but I digress. I'm proud of those books. And I will get through this. 

So that's my post for today. Back to work.

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. Sometimes the Mother and Dreamer get in the way of the Author, and the Author has to catch up. Check out her author page on Amazon. 

Other articles of interest:
Finding Pink Elephants
A Muse Meant
Quick and Dirty Publishing Guide

A Muse Meant ... Some Shameless Plugging

Some people number their chapters. I'm among the camp that names mine. And so I thought on the day I was able to HOLD my novel -- A Muse Meant -- in my hot little hands, that I would share these chapter names with you. And unashamedly, I hope that I pique your interest so you just HAVE to go buy my book on Amazon.

The Lame Field Trip

Future-Shroom and Fear

For Your Muse, Meant

Lies and Omissions

Penalty Sick

The Vacant Lot

Returning a Goon

Safe Place

The Dead Man in the Yearbook

Poor Mrs. Darling

The Big Game

A Most Unusual Diner

PDA in the Library

Reverse Psychology

Critical Urgency

Not Amused

Mrs. Darling Returns

A Goon Named Greg

Defeating Paradox

No Ordinary Animals

Goon Trap

Big Goon Battle

Pink Elephants

No Holding Back

I hope your interest is piqued! My book is available on Amazon. Get it! If you want your copy signed, be sure to let me know! And if you know someone who would be interested in my publishing workshop, let me know or tell them to contact me. I am working to have a place to hold classes, but also teach via Skype and Google Hangouts!! 

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. Right now, she's in over her head with

 book projects whose (author-self-imposed) deadlines passed by. She waved, and only cried a little. But sometimes the Mother and Dreamer get in the way of the Author, and the Author has to catch up. Check out her author page on Amazon. 

Other articles of interest:
Finding Pink Elephants
A Muse Meant
Quick and Dirty Publishing Guide

Happy Birthday to my latest book!!! A Muse Meant is Here!!

Happy Birthday (or happy publishing day) to my latest book. After three and a half years, I am finally ready and happy to introduce A Muse Meant to the world.

Please check it out on Amazon, and share the link with your friends.

A Muse Meant is about Samm and her friend Alex, two middle school young people trying to negotiate the terrifying world that will be their teenage years. Samm, the girl, just made the championship team in soccer for the girl's division. Alex, the boy, didn't. And that's just the start.

When Alex plays hooky from school, Samm is forced to go on what they both believe will be a boring field trip by herself. But for Samm, it isn't boring. It's an absolute magic house leading from one adventure to another. She can't wait to share it with her best friend.

But how can she explain it to him? And when she takes him to the place, it's just an abandoned lot. She starts to doubt herself. Luckily, Alex knows his best friend is sensitive and smart -- not crazy or lying to call attention to herself.

So they finally find A Muse Meant, and accidentally release the trapped monsters there -- called Goons. The Goon caretaker, Mr. Rios, says they must return the Goons or they won't be allowed to leave. With so many things working against them, can the friends work together to escape A Muse Meant? Can Alex help Samm get past her own self-doubt?

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. Right now, she's in over her head with

 book projects whose (author-self-imposed) deadlines passed by. She waved, and only cried a little. But sometimes the Mother and Dreamer get in the way of the Author, and the Author has to catch up. Check out her author page on Amazon. 

Other articles of interest:
Finding Pink Elephants
A Muse Meant
Quick and Dirty Publishing Guide

Even Nigerian Princes Need Grammar...

Help Wanted!

... and I am just the grammarian to help out.

I'm sending out applications to online education services --- trying to become an editor or at least get a few editing gigs under my belt to help me fill out weak areas in my resume. And it wouldn't hurt to make money, either. I have edited friend's papers -- and you know I'm secretly correcting the grammar on all Facebook memes, posts, and comments -- but I don't get paid enough* to declare myself a company and I didn't do the work for a specific company. I need to change one of those.



So here is the cover letter I sent to XXXXXXXX with my resume. I hope you find the humor in it.

Phyl Campbell
email
address
address

Editor
XXXXXXXX
address
address

Dear Beloved Friend,

I know this message will come to you as a surprise, but permit me to tell you of my desire to enter into a business relationship with you.

I am Mrs. Phyl Campbell, a daughter of a very poor but hardworking farmer and nurse. Unlike the parents of Nigerian princes, my parents have not been murdered, but in fact are very much alive and have no money with which to entice you into a poor business agreement. However, if I met a Nigerian prince, I would help him with his grammar. The emails I receive from these princes are quite painful to read.

I am here seeking an avenue to transfer my knowledge of grammar and editing into the accounts of your program. I wish to know that you are a reliable and trustworthy person with whom to entrust the richness of my knowledge.

Please, I will offer you one hundred percent of my diligence and commitment to grammar. I wish to urgently transfer my skills without delay and also wish to not relocate, but to work remotely as life in my city is peaceful and I know you have these opportunities available.

Working for XXXXXXXX would allow me to continue my education in the giant lesson of life. Your immediate canned response of application receipt would be appreciated, followed by contact in a week or two because I really want us to have a business relationship, working together toward XXXXXXXX’s commitment to benign world domination.

Cordially yours,

Phyl Campbell

Phone
email
address
address

What's the oddest cover letter you've ever sent?

I'm also looking to teach more publishing classes in town and online. If you want to join in, be sure to connect with me!

* I have been paid in tamales once, and food often. Though I am the LAST person to make critique about food, others in my house drooled over my payment plan. Mmm! Tamales!