Artspeak Radio + Rhonda Rein, Allan Winkler, & Karen Williams

Artspeak Radio, Wednesday, December 7, 2022, noon – 1pm CST, 90.1fm KKFI Kansas City Community Radio, streaming live audio www.kkfi.org
Producer/host Maria Vasquez Boyd welcomes writer/author Rhonda Rein, artist/musician Allan Winkler, and gallery owner Karen Williams.

RHONDA REIN “Camille Quintella and the Silver Thorn” by Rhonda Lindsey Rein takes the gold first-place medal at the 2022 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards in the Juvenile Fiction—Early Reader/First Chapter Book Category.

Overland Park author, Rhonda Lindsey Rein has always enjoyed fantasy stories filled with mythical creatures living in a forest. In fact, she spent much of her childhood inventing characters and creating her own stories. Her grandparents had several pictures of wooded trails hanging on the walls in their home, so she often imagined herself walking within the paintings and experiencing the scenery. It was those memories that helped create the imagery described in her children’s chapter book, “Camille Quintella and the Silver Thorn.”

The story begins when eleven-year-old Camille Quintella moves with her dad to a house in the woods. Her new neighborhood is the perfect habitat for mythical creatures, and she soon meets an elf named Lila Elfonso. Lila has the unique ability to inspire dreams and believes that Camille has the same talent, so she recruits her to be an apprentice. Together, they embark on an adventure to free a distant civilization from tyranny, which challenges Camille to expand her imagination and skill.
Only through confidence and creativity will she be able to find the key disguised as a silver thorn, free the imprisoned land, and have the dream she needs the most. “Camille Quintella and the Silver Thorn” is an exciting fantasy story that praises individuality, kindness, friendship, honor, and courage.
The book was recently awarded the 2022 gold first-place medal in the Moonbeam Children’s Book competition in the Juvenile Fiction-Early Reader/First Chapter Book category. Medalists were chosen from entries that came from authors, illustrators, and publishers from all over the U.S. and from 22 other countries around the world.
Presented by Jenkins Group and IndependentPublisher.com, the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are designed to bring increased recognition to children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. Moonbeam Award winners will be honored at an award ceremony held on November 12th, in conjunction with the annual Traverse City Children’s Book Festival.

Rhonda Lindsey Rein’s background includes a degree in Journalism, as well as extensive experience in the creative communications field. She also spent several years working in the education department at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. Her experience was beneficial to writing, editing, creating the layout, and publishing “Camille Quintella and the Silver Thorn,” under her own publisher imprint through Amazon.

About Kindness, Inc. & Artistic Director, KAREN WILLIAMS
The organization name is from a book of Max Ernst collages: Une Semaine De Bonte – One Week of Kindness. In NYC, Williams wrote, directed, designed multi-media original experimental theater/performance works. The company received NYSCA (NY State Council on the Arts) & Peg Santvord Foundation Grants, along with private donations. With a core group of talented performers, Williams created & directed non-traditional works characterized by monologs, collage ensemble dialogue/action with video, film and live music. Performers came from dance, circus, music, acting & non-acting & technical theater backgrounds. This facilitated improvisational possibilities & a unique style.
Other highlights: Williams curated the Knitting Factory Performance Series at the Knitting Factory music club and hosted a DYI underground music & readings series at her loft on the Lower East Side. She interned (as performer) with The Wooster Group on “LSD-Just the High Points,” performed in Richard Foreman’s “The Universe,” & collaborated w/NYC theater groups in works & festivals. Her monologue for 3 women/voices “How I Got to Cleveland” was directed by Jo Bonney and produced by PS 122 & Eric Bogosian; also shown at The Seattle Fringe Festival. Williams lived & toured in Indonesia with Teater Rendra, 1988-89. While there, she wrote & directed “Anulah – Terpesona Ke Pada Mu” (I Put a Spell on You) a play in Indonesian with NYC & Indonesian performers & musicians. It premiered in Jakarta at Taman Ismail Marzuki theater & was brought to NYC at Theater for A New City. Karen was a NYC public high school teacher for 24 years, teaching art, “Special Education” & English — directing/creating non-traditional school plays, using student writing & art. In 2016, she retired from teaching & in 2017 presented 2 monologs: Christi Kennard’s “Why We Married Them” & her own, “The Life of a Pill – Looking for Fun” plus 2 music acts: Ed Pastorini, Solo Songs & Backyard Beatniks w/Mark Southerland, John Hamil, Nick Howell & Arny Young.

5529 Troost Gallery/KAKC Kindness Arts KC

ALAN WINKLER -HOLIDAY ART SALE! 2 weekends only
5529 Troost Gallery
Friday & Saturday – Dec. 2 & 3 and 9 & 10.
Hours: 10 AM – 3 PM
Featuring Artists Jo Kyle Morgan & Allan Allan Winkler
Affordable gifts starting at $5
Sponsored by KAKC @ 5529 Troost Ave. KCMO

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