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UPCOMING EVENTS


June 3, 4 p.m. CBA readings at Rockrimmon Library featuring L.R. Braden, Pete Carlson & Barbara Nickless



July 30, 2023 CAL Awards at the Washington Park Boathouse


Nov. 1 CAL Awards opens for submissions


Dec. Holiday Party



Retail Opportunities Calendar

Colorado Conference Calendar 2023


April 18-21, 2024 Readers Take Denver



March 31-April 1 Write In The Springs Christian Writers Conference


April 28-30 Pikes Peak Writers


May 25-27 Northern Colorado Writers


Sept 8-10 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers


Lifetime Achievement and Author Advocate Award Winners Announced

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Barb Lundy has been selected to be the 2023 CAL Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. 

 

Barb writes easy-to-read public policy, business assessments, and people profiles. A widely published poet, Barb has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her popular poetry collection, The Fiction of Stonewas published in 2020. Using her marketing skills, Barb has guided many authors to publication. She also taught writing at Denver area colleges for many years.

 

 As president of CAL for three years, Barb led a strong board to make a series of innovations. They improved member communications, marketing strategy forums, and enhanced benefits.

 

 Congratulations, Barb!

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Lisa Casper has been selected to receive the 2023 Author Advocate Award.

 

Lisa is a powerhouse in the local literary scene and beyond. She works as the Program Liaison for the Douglas County Libraries and can be found at the Highlands Ranch branch. There, she facilitates programs for readers from preschool age to adult. She also arranges and hosts public talks for the library district and organizes Local Author Showcases that have been attended by numerous CAL authors.

 

Lisa also does book talks and works on the Book Lovers committee at Douglas County Libraries. She is a member of the ALA (American Library Association) and writes book reviews for online publications such as Shelf Awareness and Library Reads.

 

Congratulations, Lisa!


Introducing the CAL Speakers' Bureau


Are you searching for a speaker for your special event or book club? Look no further! Click HERE to find a Colorado author to fit your needs.


In the spotlight: Todd Fahnestock

Todd Fahnestock

Todd Fahnestock has spent the last twenty years developing a unique style of writing in the epic fantasy genre: fast-paced yet still providing the depth of character and world-building that epic fantasy readers love so much. He calls it “edge of your seat epic fantasy.”


He was published by a number of traditional publishers such as Tor, HarperCollins, McMillan, Daw Fantasy, and TSR in his journeyman days. He has worked with small print presses during his years of honing his voice, and he is currently loving the indie life where he is gets to connect directly with fans. He’s spent the last six years driving all over the United States going to comic cons and putting his books into the hands of readers. One of his favorite things to do is meet fans face-to-face and talk about story.


Todd has multiple series out in the world, and he is currently working on the fourth book of the Eldros Legacy, a multi-author, shared-world mega-epic fantasy series where he is one of the four founding authors. Todd’s part of the story follows an orphan gladiator named Khyven the Unkillable, who suddenly finds himself involved in a world-wide war with thousand-year-old giants who have returned to claim the lands of Eldros. With the help of a magical elf whose hair glows in the dark, a dethroned queen, a mage with ADHD, and a miniature demon who vanishes in the dark, Khyven and crew set out to save Eldros from

certain destruction.


He’s also working on the third book in The Wishing World series, a middle grade portal fantasy that took Denver by storm back in 2016. Once these projects come to fruition, he’s hot to get started on the seventh episode of his bestselling, award-winning Tower of the Four series. There are a few fans who have begun to threaten bodily harm if he doesn’t…


And lastly, he’s got this itch of an idea. A single epic fantasy story. No trilogy. No never-ending series, just one book. A tome of a book that will begin a sweeping adventure, carry it through to the very utmost of ends, and then finish like the crashing of a wave that sends a thin sheen of denouements up the beach before it fades back. We’ll see how that one works out…


He loves being home with his two children and his wife. His kids are academic wonders and less-than-amused by his dad jokes. His daughter will be off to college this fall and his son is entering his senior year in high school, which puts Todd and his wife Lara securely in the soup of Empty Nesters Syndrome. Please send chocolate!

 

Todd’s greatest fear is that his wonderful life will somehow change. His greatest hope is that his wonderful life will somehow change. No matter what else happens, he’s always itching to get back to the keyboard and tell one more story. Todd is always working on the next book. Like the carrot in front of the proverbial donkey, he dangles his revered pieces of fiction—Ender’s Game, The Pillars of the Earth, The Martian, and so many more—as his incentive to keep reaching, keep trying, keep creating.

He longs to craft that singular story that someone, someday will hold to their chest and treasure forever. That is his idea of success.


Visit Todd at toddfahnestock.com.


Congratulations to CAL members who are Colorado Book Award finalists!

Demon Riding Shotgun

Thriller


Deep Waters of Destiny

by Pete Carlson

Demon Riding Shotgun

Thriller


Dark of Night

by Barbara Nickless

Demon Riding Shotgun

Sci Fi/Fantasy


Demon Riding Shotgun

by L.R. Braden

The Chimera Club

Mystery


The Chimera Club

by Chuck Greaves

A Light in the Forest

General Fiction


A Light in the Forest

by Melissa Payne


Little Souls

Historical Fiction


Little Souls

by Sandra Dallas

Denver Noir

Anthology


Denver Noir

Barbara Nickless, contributor

Bizarre Bazaar

Anthology


Bizarre Bazaar

Jennie MacDonald, contributor


CAL Racks in Colorado Springs and Lakewood

Support these businesses that support CAL



5670 N. Academy Blvd

Colorado Springs

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Located in the

Colorado Mills Mall

14500 W. Colfax Avenue

Lakewood, CO




A New Rack Location


Coming Soon!

Third Space Rack
Perfect Gift book rack
Acme Bar & Grill rack

Nowhere near our book racks?

You can still find great books by CAL authors. Check out our Genre Pages.

Autographed books make a great gift year-round. Contact authors directly to get signed copies.


CAL Authors Release New Books!

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Nobody ever suspected rabbits would bring about the end of the world.

Find it on Amazon.

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Beyond the realm of reality and straight into legend.

Available on Amazon


Booked at the Sugar Mill Marketplace

A bookstore owner turned sleuth. Can she inventory her books and the suspects in time?

Find it on Amazon


The Crooked Forest

Immersed in ancient legends, a message about finding forgiveness.

Available on Amazon

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Except for the way they loved each other, they were just ordinary folks.

Buy yours today!


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All creatures love to dance!

Buy Your Copy Here

taylor young

A journal of climate change and life in the wild.

Buy Your Copy Here

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In 1933, "the most dangerous woman alive" was an ordinary woman caught up in a Chicago crime spree.

Available on Amazon



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Buckle your seat belt for another rocket-fast thriller!

Find it Here!

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 Anything can happen. It’s Destiny’s spring.

Buy yours today!

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 The universal beating of the human heart

Buy Yours Now


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Poetry-as-witness lifts up and dignifies the life we hold in common

Buy Your Copy Here




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Can Dena file this deadly chapter away before she’s forced to file for bankruptcy?

Buy Your Copy Here

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Giskard races against the clock to find the killer.

Buy yours today!

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The Grand Human Empire Book 4

Buy Yours Now


And Publish Plays, Essays, Articles, and Poems!

R. Gary Raham's article "Flower or Fungus? That is the Question." has been published in the Spring 2023 edition of Colorado Gardener.

Read it at https://www.coloradogardener.com/post/flower-or-fungus



Gregory SETH Harris' poem "After the Flood" was published by Lightwood.



Kathryn Winograd's essay, "Mist Nets: After the Uvalde Shooting," is now posted at Terrain.org. Another essay, "Floating in the Riparian," can be read at Shanti Arts!

https://www.shantiarts.co

/SPAQ/SPAQ49/files/winograd.pdf

Art Goodtimes' poem has been published in the Colorado Times-Recorder. Read it at https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2023/05/poem-selling-you-a-phony-life-of-plunder/53518/. It is Art's fourth poem to be published in the newspaper.


Carol Ann Wilson's essay "Live Oaks" was published by The Wrath-Bearing Tree, a literary journal founded by combat veterans and dedicated to issues of social justice and human resilience. 




Recent Articles
CAL Member News

CAL Authors In Action

Helping Students

In 2020, CAL members joined together to create a book of writing prompts for students of all ages.


Paperback and Kindle versions available on Amazon


Download Options in English and Spanish






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Helping the Community


CAL authors often contribute to Little Free Libraries!


Slideshow
Little Library 2021

Where can I find CAL books?


CAL books are on GoodReads!


Click to find them all in one place!


CAL BOOKSHELF




Registration is open for the 2023 Colorado Gift Shows in November.


The Denver booth will be held Nov. 3-5 at the Convention Center.


The Colorado Springs booth will be held Nov. 10-12 at the Event Center.


Read all about it and how you can participate next year:


Christmas Booth


CAL Awards

Submissions for the 2023 Awards are now closed.

Finalists will be announced in May.

Submission period: Nov 1-Jan 31



Eligibility: You must be a CAL member to enter (See Membership tab above)



Categories: Multiple writing categories are judged from essays, articles, and poetry to full-length novels.

Categories also include illustration, cover design, and graphic novels.



2023 Awards announcements: June

Awards ceremony: July



Awards Info






Bruce Most

recipient of the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award




Watch Bruce's Interview Video

Watch past Award Ceremonies


79th Annual CAL Awards Video

hosted by Kevin and Jodi Bowersox


80th Annual CAL Awards Video

hosted by Jody Pritzl


81st Annual CAL Awards Video

hosted by Jodi Bowersox, Laurie Marr Wasmund, and Claire L. Fishback

CAL is a proud supporter of:

Colorado Sun