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NIWA NEWSLETTER APRIL 2026 Supporting Independently Published Authors in the Pacific Northwest WORDS ON WORDS “Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.” - Louis L’Amour SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR NEEDED College student studying Communications or Marketing? This may be great experience for your resume. Or maybe you just love using social media? NIWA has a volunteer position for a Social Media Director to help keep our Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky feeds lively and up to date. If you enjoy spotlighting authors, sharing news, and building community, you may be a perfect fit. Contact [email protected] Adam Copeland’s short story, Voir Rouge, will appear in Miscreant Anthology #1, a collection featuring more than a hundred writers and artists contributing short fiction, poetry, visual art, and graphic novel work. Voir Rouge follows a newly young mother and her maternity assistant as they navigate the hostile patriarchy, and general douche‑baggery, of Renaissance France. When a long‑buried family secret threatens to manifest in an epic fashion. The story originated from one of Adam’s entries in the New York City Midnight competition and he says, “It turns out that good things really do happen when you show up and get involved.” Pat Luther is adapting his recent “Self‑Publishing Checklist” presentation—originally delivered at NIWA’s Second Tuesday Zoom meeting—into a poster session for the 48th Annual Jefferson Historical Group Meeting in Klamath Falls on April 24–25. His goal is to offer conference attendees a clear, accessible overview of the steps involved in publishing their own work, from preparation to production to release. The poster presentation will provide a concise, visual guide for writers and historians interested in bringing their projects to print, continuing Pat’s ongoing efforts to demystify the self‑publishing process for the broader writing community. NEW RELEASES (select cover to review or purchase) THIS MONTH’S SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON … KIM FIELDING Kim Fielding is very pleased every time someone calls her eclectic. Winner of the BookLife Prize for Fiction, a Lambda Award finalist and Foreword INDIE finalist, she has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and recently returned to Portland, Oregon after decades in exile. She’s a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full time. She also dreams of having two daughters who fully appreciate her, a husband who isn’t obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others. NIWA: First, please tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know. Kim: I flunked Study Hall in high school. :-D NIWA: What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? Kim: Lemon custard, which is unfortunately difficult to find. So my second choice is usually salted caramel or a really good vanilla. When it's in season, peppermint. NIWA: Which is more fun to write: the hero or the villain? Kim: I love a good villain! They can be more complex than heroes sometimes and can do things a hero could never do. I also really enjoy discovering a villain's mindset. Every good literary villain is a hero in his or her own mind, so that's a fun duality to play with. NIWA: What items are on your writing desk besides a computer/laptop? Kim: Eiffel tower-shaped lamp, tissue box (with a cover that looks like a stack of books), pen, an assortment of papers, and sometimes a cat. Also usually tea, either hot or iced depending on the weather. And my phone on a stand. Find out more about Kim Fielding on her NIWA Author Page. BOOK OF THE MONTH THE SECRET OF LINDEN COURT The Secret of Linden Court by Thomas Stimson How far would you go to keep a secret? In a quaint European city so old that Roman coins are still unearthed in the back gardens of trim little houses, the single, thirty-seven-year-old junior file clerk of the City Tax Department thought he knew every street, lane, boulevard, alley, thoroughfare, highway and byway within the city limits…until now. Stuck in the back corner of an ancient file cabinet, Andre Kosowicz finds an old, faded street record and discovers evidence of a neighborhood he has never heard of: Linden Court. With no taxes paid by residents since before the Nazi invasion, he believes Linden Court has long since been paved over or bombed out of existence. To satisfy his curiosity, Andre heads to Olde Towne where, with a little snooping a lot of luck, he finds a bustling cul-de-sac of homes and shops in the shadow of an ancient linden tree. Rather than reporting his discovery to the city for recognition and rewards, Andre moves in and befriends a variety of colorful Linden Court residents as diverse as Madame Ra’Coone and her House of Fashion, gay gallery owner and art historian Szymon, the neighborhood’s barkeep Franz, a former member of the Resistance known as The Alley Sniper and his hot-to-trot niece Sophie. How long can Andre keep his discovery a secret from the tax department, his bitter boss and the aloof college graduate who has suddenly taken a liking to him? And how has Linden Court been able to hide in plain sight for over twenty years? To learn more about Thomas Stimson or to purchase this book, visit his NIWA author page. MAY ZOOM NOTE: A link to the Zoom is usually sent to the email you used when you signed up to become a member. If you have changed your email, contact: [email protected] APRIL ZOOM For April’s Second Tuesday Zoom, Pam Cowan spoke about how to use PowerPoint to produce book covers. She shared the steps required to turn off the program’s image compression feature, how to use the eyedropper to select color, and how to make images transparent so they can be layered. Members said they acquired some useful tools. NIWA Zoom chats are held the second Tuesday of the month from 7-8 PM. They are NOT recorded so please attend as they will not be available for later viewing. The theme and a link to the meeting can be found under the events tab on the NIWA Facebook Page. HAVE AN IDEA FOR A PRESENTATION? Contact. [email protected] NIWA MEMBER? To attend use this link. VISIT NIWA BOOKSTORE Find a great book? Leave a great review! NIWA MERCHANDISE Check out NIWA Merchandise. From totes to t-shirts. NOTES TO NIWA MEMBERS FROM THE NEWSLETTER TEAM SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR: Like to be a NIWA Spotlight Author? Go to the NIWA website Members Only Page and fill out the Newsletter Author Spotlight Application. Pick three random questions to answer and click submit. Our newsletter goes out the 15th of every month. Spotlight authors are chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. ZOOM CHATS: Have an idea for a Zoom chat? Contact [email protected] IT’S A WRITER’S LIFE This newest feature provides a place for members to let others know what is going on in their writing life. This includes but is not limited to the books you’re working on, the conferences you’ve attended, classes you’ve taught, and any honors or awards your work has received. Send all to [email protected] NEW RELEASES: If you have a new release, please send via the contact form on the NIWA website for inclusion in the NIWA online catalog and in the newsletter. STORAGE: To keep books in the storage unit for delivery to events you must sign up for at least six events per year and store only those titles you are currently promoting. To learn more, login to the NIWA website to find and read the storage policy. CONTACT US: To post content on the newsletter email [email protected]. The Northwest Independent Writers Association (NIWA) helps Pacific Northwest writers find a community of independent authors, achieve professional writing and publishing standards, and discover marketing opportunities. To learn more, find us on our website or on social media. Copyright © 2026 Northwest Independent Writers Association. All rights reserved. NIWA PO Box 1171 Redmond, OR 97756 https://niwawriters.com Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe