Why Senator Tim Scott Failed in Iowa
And TWO invitations!
My article on Senator Scotts’ misfire in Iowa appeared in TIME magazine yesterday. I pitched it on Monday, got the go-ahead that same day, and had it written by Tuesday late in the day, which is fast for me. I feel like I am a very slow writer. The editorial process took a couple of days, then a slot had to open. I have a great editor, and this is my fifth piece for them. You can read it here.
I’m honored that I am in TIME. It was a must-read when I was growing up, and it still has incredible reporting and commentary. I feel incredibly lucky to be past the point where I have to submit a completed piece, and can instead just pitch it and see if they like the idea.
I know reading TIME as a kid helped shape my writing and perspective, but not nearly so much as reading The Des Moines Register and the columns of Gordon Gammack, Donald Kaul, and John Karras. All were incredible storytellers, all influenced my writing and worldview, and I’m sure Kaul and Karras influenced the humor I try to add to my columns. Humor just comes naturally to me, but I’m sure part of it comes from absorbing Kaul and Karras at an early age.
I was also a big Des Moines Tribune fan…
I want to give a shout-out to my friend Emily Lupia, from rural Monroe County in Iowa, who writes her substack from Turkey. She is an author and artist, and is raising her two autistic boys by herself in a foreign land in troubled times. Click here to subscribe.
She sent me this warning notice sent to U.S. citizens yesterday morning.
Location: Throughout Turkiye
Event: Demonstrations critical of U.S. foreign policy continue alongside calls for boycotts of U.S. businesses, anti-U.S. rhetoric and graffiti, property damage, and some injuries to local employees of certain U.S.-branded businesses. Large gatherings may result in enhanced police presence, road closures, and traffic disruptions. Any gathering, even those intended to be peaceful, could escalate and turn violent. Due to the rise in anti-American activities, U.S. government personnel in Turkiye have been cautioned to minimize public engagements and movements, not wear U.S.-affiliated clothing, not draw attention to their nationality and not travel to the U.S. Consulate Adana consular district in Southeastern Turkiye. The U.S. Consulate Adana and Consular Agency Izmir remain temporarily closed to the public.
If you can afford it, please help her out by becoming a paid subscriber, or buying some of her art as gifts for the holidays! A free subscription helps also in so many ways—you show us you value our work, which is priceless.
Also, please check out her father Joe Plum's substack, The American Bardic Poet. Emily helps him with it. Joe lives off the grid, is amazing, a dear friend and inspiration, and I’ll be writing about him soon.
Here is your first invitation!
All paid subscribers to one or more Iowa Writers Collaborative substacks are welcome to join us on December 7th for a gathering in Des Moines at the Witmer House, 2900 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, from 5-6:30 p.m. Meet collaborative members and readers from across the state. The Witmer House was once Iowa's governor's mansion and headquarters of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Association. Light appetizers and a cash bar will be available. If you are not a subscriber, please pick those you wish to support. The roster can be found here. So please consider becoming a paid subscriber! Then RSVP for our holiday event. Hope to see you all there!
And here is your second invitation!
Save the date! On Friday, November 24 at noon, paid subscribers to any member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative are welcome to join a ZOOM call with Ellen Won Steil, author of her debut suspense novel “Fortune,” published by the Amazon imprint Lake Union Publishing.
“In this explosive novel about a decades-old mystery, shocking revelations of the past and the secrets of three women will be spilled when a small Midwest town announces a DNA Lottery.”
FORTUNE is an Amazon Editors’ pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Amazon First Reads September pick, hitting #4 in the entire Kindle Store:
And #1 Best Seller in five categories:
#1 Best Seller in Mysteries
#1 Best Seller in Women’s Domestic Life Fiction
#1 Best Seller in Women’s Divorce Fiction
#1 Best Seller in Mothers & Children Fiction
#1 Best Seller in Small Town & Rural Fiction
Ellen Won Steil grew up in Iowa in a Korean-American family. She earned her BA in journalism from Drake University and a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two young sons. She believes most good stories have at least a hint of darkness in them. For more information, visit www.ewsteil.com.
Paid subscribers will see the Zoom link below our list of members of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Here we are!