Norman Beim's 10th Collection of plays to be published!

THE  WRATH OF GOD is the tenth collection of Norman Beim's plays to be published. The plays in this volume cover a fascinating variety of subjects. THE WRATH OF GOD, the first play in the volume deals with an Irish immigrant family in Chicago in the thirties. BUCK JARVIS is a play about the old West. THE HAIRCUT deals the sexual confusion of the principle of a high school. THE DARK CORNER OF AN EMPTY ROOM and THE ESTABLISHMENT deals with the problems of African Americans, and LABOR OF LOVE deals with the struggles of the labor unions.

Mr. Beim's plays have been produced nationally and internationally and won a number of awards, Two previous volumes, SIX AWARD WINNING PLAYS and MY FAMILY THE JEWISH IMMIGRANTS, were used as textbooks at St Olaf College in Minnesota.

As an actor Mr. Beim has appeared on Broadway in the original production of INHERIT THE WIND, which starred the legendary Paul Muni. Off Broadway Norman worked with Morgan Freeman in BLACK VISIONS at the Public Theatre, and was standby for Van Johnson in the national tour of TRIBUTE. He has always worked on television...Saturday Night Live and innumerable "soap operas."

He is a life time member of the Dramatists Guild and also a member of Actors Equity, Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA.

Father’s Final Book Wins Fitting Postscript from Ohioana Awards Committee

Calliope Press authors Kay Williams and Jerri Williams Lawrence were awarded the Ohioana Library Association’s 2009 citation for "unique and outstanding accomplishment in the field of writing and editing." Calliope Press authors won the award for finishing their late father’s romance novel, One Last Dance: It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love. He worked on it for three years before his death at age 95. One Last Dance has won awards and acclaim for its charm, humor and relevance to today’s seniors. The sisters were honored on October 17, 2009 in Columbus, OH.

One Last Dance is a story about finding love at any age. Morgan, 89, and Dixie, 79, move in together for economic reasons. Soon their business-only relationship deepens as they face scandal, illness, and a near-fatal accident. One Last Dance is also about human frailty. Dixie fears intimacy and Morgan hides details about his divorce, estranged children and lost job. When a grandson Morgan never knew reappears, he is forced to deal with his troubled past, which brings Dixie and Morgan closer together and closer to their fractured families.

Jim Cox, Midwest Book Review, had this to say: "A sweepingly elegant romance, One Last Dance celebrates the importance of living in the moment and never giving up in the search for love. Emotion and hope surge from the pages, in this novel that leaves the reader feeling invigorated and enthusiastic about life."

Over the years, the Ohioana Library Association has presented more than 700 awards to some of the most talented artists, writers, and musicians associated with the state of Ohio, including James Thurber, Kay Boyle, Ian Frazier, Toni Morrison, and Elizabeth George. Kay and Jerri say they are thrilled that One Last Dance was recognized in this way.

“It’s an important book,” Jerri said, “it shows older people as real people, not caricatures. The message is clear. Don’t just sit in a corner and wait for life to happen, but go full speed at life.” Kay added, “Exactly what Dad did. He was still writing it right up to the day he died at age 95.”

One Last Dance was published by Calliope Press. For more information on the book and the authors, please visit the Calliope Press website, http://www.calliopepress.com.

Welcome to the new site for the Greater New York Independent Publishers Association. This blog will contain information about our group, publishers, events and other items of interest to small press publishers, writers, authors and people in the writing world. This organization of publishers and authors meet monthly to share their publishing experiences and to reach out to the community with special programs such as these. Here are a couple of our events from earlier this year.


Rebels And Rhinestones
June 11, 2009; 7:30 pm
20 W 44th Street, New York, NY

Highlights of gay literature presented by GNYIPA and NYCIP.  

Featured readings by: 

• Perry Brass, Carnal Sacraments (Belhue Press)
• Norman Beim, Infamous People (New Concept Press)
• Robert W. Cabell, The Hair-Raising Adventures of Jayms Blonde (iUniverse)
• Kathi Georges, Punk Rock Journal & Slow Dance at 120 Beats a Minute  (Three Rooms Press)
• Annie Heckman (read by Heidi Russell), Airline to Heaven: Part I (StepSister Press)
• Kay Williams, Butcher of Dreams (Calliope Press)
• Heidi Russell, A New Beginning (self published catalog)
• Dennis Cieri, Drafted (Paper Slate Productions)
• Jane Chambers (read by Francine Trevens), Chasin' Jason (TnT Classics)
  

Readings were followed by a round table discussion and Q&A featuring Perry Brass, Norman Beim, Robert W. Cabell, Francine L. Trevens, and Kay Williams discussing the future of gay literature and niche publishing.

STONEWALL +40
June 18, 2009; 6:00 pm

GNYIPA at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble
1972 Broadway, New York, NY
A celebration of gay literature in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots

Evening coordinator and Emcee - Francine L. Trevens
Featured readings by:

• Pre-opening audio/visual:  Heidi Russell, images; Robert W. Cabell, music
• Scene from Doric Wilson's Street Theater:   performed by John Finch, Steven Hauck, Fred Milani, Jeanne Pearson, Kay Williams
• Doric Wilson talking about Caffe Cino, Tosos I and Tosos II
• Selection from Butcher of Dreams, read by author Kay Williams
• Sidney Morris' If This Isn't Love, performed by Steven Hauck and John Finch
• Cock of the Walk from Infamous People, read by author Norman Beim
• Jane Chambers Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, performed by Rhonda Ayers and WOMEN SEEKING...a theatre company
• Insight into the Glines game plan to make gay theatre mainstream and how they accomplished it with Torch Song Trilogy, Francine L. Trevens
• Submerged: Tales from the Basin, read by Alyssa Robbins
• Perry Brass' talk on Everything you always wanted to know about writing a gay novel but was afraid to ask
• Carnal Sacraments, A Historical Novel of the Future, read by author Perry Brass 
• Robert Chesley's Stray Dog Story, performed by Jeanne Pearson, John Finch (who created the role) and Fred Milani
• The Hair-Raising Adventures of Jayms Blonde, introduced by author Robert W. Cabell; read by narrator Kevin Mobley