Message from the Prez
Happy September, All!
Now that’s out of the way, let me get ahead of myself and talk about October: In October we’ll be convening for our annual meeting, where we will both announce the winners of this year’s contest and have our ballots cast and counted for our 2027 executive board and some changes to our Bylaws.
Everything SWW does is governed by our by-laws, but sometimes the universe gives us challenges that our by-laws didn’t expect, and they can’t bend to meet those challenges. The board took a careful look at some of the by-laws this year and has reworked a few things to bring our governing documents into the future with us. Now it’s up to you, our members, to ratify these changes.
You can find the information about the proposed By-law amendments and our nominees for President-Elect and Secretary on the SWW website. Voting can be done in person at our annual meeting or online, but it is restricted to members only.
Stepping back to talk about September—well, I’ll let the rest of the Sage fill you in on the exciting things we have going on this month.
See you at our next meeting!
Kim
Credit: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/cup-champion-award-trophy-winner-1613315/
Contest Results and Other Matters
While at our annual meeting, you can witness the presentation of awards (both for our annual literary contest and for The Parris Award, our highest form of recognition), and vote on officers and by-law changes. Then, be sure to come back to enjoy the Book Fiesta on October 31st.
To see the by-laws changes go to the Members page of the SWW website. If you are a member, but don’t yet know how to do that, please contact: Office@swwriters.com.
We are still searching both for people to take over Cornelia’s mantle as treasurer, and for people to help Brenda with the Collegium.
[Ed.]
2026 Annual Writing Contest—By Human Hands
After months of judging, it’s here, the moment you have been waiting for—the announcement of the finalists for the Southwest Writers Annual Writing Contest! This year’s theme is By Human Hands and it brought in myriad entries in myriad forms, including poetry, opening chapter, short story, and memoir. Some categories had dozens of entries; others had a scant few.
Below is a list of all the finalists. To find out in which categories and for which entry they have won, you will have to attend the annual meeting on October 10th. See you there.
Finalists:
Patricia Acri
Bonnie Adams
Chris Allen
Jill Bailey
Sherri Burr
Judy Castleberry
Joshua Colenda
Dita Dow
Frances Dupont
Kathrine Susan Eads
Mary Therese Ellingwood
Sean Fitting
Mark Fleisher
Roger Floyd
Charles Garcia
Kevin Getchell
Miranda Gil
Linnea Hendrickson
Kathleen Holmes
Virginia Ewing Hudson
Herman Johansen
Rose Marie Kern
Sarah Kotchian
Robert Leger
Shen LaSarten
Joseph Mangles
Richard C McPherson
Paula Nixon
Anna Riley-Pate
Léonie Rosenstiel
Nancy Schrock
Wendy Stein
Robert Temple
Jim Tritten
Jack Yerby
Libros of Enchantment: The 2026 SouthWest Writers Book Fiesta
Ticket sales are now open!
It’s almost here! The first annual Libros of Enchantment is right around the corner. Register now to attend! Join us as we gather on October 31st, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the UNM Continuing Education Building.
We believe that every book is a door into an enchanted world. This all-day event brings readers and authors together to hear speakers and panelists share the behind-the-scenes magic. There will also be a bookstore of works by local authors where readers can purchase books, meet their favorite authors, and get their books signed.
James McGrath Morris, the author of several New Mexico-related nonfiction books, including Tony Hillerman: A Life is the keynote speaker. Author panels will discuss genre topics such as: The Stories We Carry, From Sherlock Holmes to Dateline, Poetry for Life, An Alternate Reality, and Things that Scare Us.
Click here for more information and to purchase your ticket.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Judy Castleberry, Chair
Marketing Committee
[Fair warning: The two articles below have been reprinted from last month’s issue. They will continue to appear in The Sage until we find people to fill these positions.—Ed.]
It’s Been a Great Ride
By Cornelia Gamlem
The last year of my latest two-year term as SWW’s Treasurer is 2027. I’m currently in the middle of my fourth year in the role and my sixth year as a member of the Board. It’s time for me to go.
As part of my exit strategy, the Board needs to recruit someone with knowledge of bookkeeping, or accounting and/or finance to shadow me in 2027 for the purpose of succeeding me as Treasurer in 2028. I’ve been told I’m a good teacher, and there are lots of systems and processes in place. Our bylaws require that to be confirmed for an elected office, including treasurer, one must be a member in good standing for two years, and a member of the Board for at least one year.
I cherish the time I’ve served on this board. It’s been a great experience. But new blood is essential for any healthy organization.
Call to action: Step up and volunteer. Contribute to the on-going success of SWW. And I’ll still be a member in 2028, available for advice and consultation.
Questions: email me at treasurer@swwriters.com
Collegium: Gateway to the Speakers
SWW has had some fantastic speakers and workshops in the past and a few that missed the mark.
The Collegium is the small group that is charged with acquiring our speakers and workshop presenters. Most of us have been doing this since 2019 or earlier and we need fresh blood and innovative ideas.
This is a minimal time commitment group. We meet once a month on Zoom to discuss possible speakers and no, you don’t have to be a zoom host to be on the collegium team.
Come join us and know who the speakers are months before anyone else and get your chance to network with prominent speakers and colleagues. This is your chance to have a voice about the direction of our programs. Email info@swwriters.com and I’ll be in touch.
Brenda Cole
Collegium Chair
Upcoming SWW Events
You can find information about upcoming events on the SWW website here. Here’s what’s on tap this month.
Saturday, September 12, 2026: Meeting presentation (in-person or Zoom) from 10 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. Chris Eboch — Keep the Pages Turning: Pacing Techniques More information here.
Saturday, September 19, 2026: Workshop (in-person or Zoom) from 12:00 until 2:00 p.m. Cornelia Gamlem — In the Beginning: Grabbing Readers’ Attention More information here and register here..
Wednesday, September 23, 2026: Meeting presentation (Zoom only) from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Judy Castleberry — What Did You Say? How dialogue moves story. More information here.
Last Month’s Writing Challenge - The Results
Last month we challenged you to write a poem, story or article using a word-sound on a specific list at least 5 times– and each time it was used, it had to carry a different meaning. One SWW member contributed an item that met this Challenge.
Illustration by Public domain vectors on Unsplash
This Month’s Writing Challenge for SWW Members (Cancelled)
The Sage Challenge is cancelled for the next few months as the editor is temporarily unavailable. We’ll publish a notice in The Sage as soon as it resumes.
Let’s Learn From Each Other
We’re excited to share your sage perspectives about how to hone our craft, cultivate a fruitful writing life, or work with publishers and vendors. [Thanks to Kathy Wagoner for information on the article below.—Ed]
SWW member Brian Montross published an article on his website on August 24, 2026 titled "What I Learned at Killer Nashville: Reflections from the 2026 writers conference."
If you’ve recently written and posted an essay on your blog, website, Facebook Page, or other social media platform that fits this section, please email Léonie a link to the piece along with a two-sentence introduction. Contact her at: sage@swwriters.com.
Regional and Online Literary Happenings
Member Dianne Layden wants everyone to know about Albuquerque’s new romance bookstore, Vellum & Vine, at 2677 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. The Albuquerque Journal described its grand opening as drawing lines out the door on its first day, in August.
[Its website states, “our store specializes in romance, including romantasy and thriller/suspense with romantic elements.” Its owner looks forward to collaborating with authors on book launches and author chats, and to working with other, compatible vendors. Click here for their author/vendor form.—Ed.]
Welcome to SouthWest Writers!
The following writers joined our community during July (after the last Sage was published) and August. We hope to see you at one of our events in person or online. Write on!
Bonnie Adams, Sagan Couture, Kaen Glinski, C.C. Harrison, Michelle James, Crystal Klopfer, Richard McPherson, and Warner Onstine.
If you’re not yet a member, learn more about the benefits here.
We have resources for writers across our platforms and additional content on our members-only section of the website. Visit our website, visit our Facebook pages, check out our blog, and enjoy the session recordings on our YouTube channel.