Upcoming Events:

Mark your calendars now for the Seventh Annual APPALACHIAN UPRISING BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 2008 at Eden Valley Farm in Scottown, Ohio. This is my cousin Steve's annual event, and this year I am definitely going to make it. It takes place June 5-7 and features a Who's Who of bluegrass, including Sam Bush, The Avertt Brothers, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, and dozens of other acts. For more information go to www.appalachianuprising.net or call Steve Cielec at 740.533.7271

Recent Events:

Thanks to everyone who attended "AN EVENING OF WORDS AND MUSIC," our November 24 Charity Book Signing and CD Release Party for: Michael Heaton, and his new book “Truth and Justice for Fun and Profit: Collecting Reporting”; myself, and my new novella “Home and Away Games”; and Cats on Holiday and their new CD “Workin’ Man.”

We raised thousands of dollars to help Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services (www.blhs.org), who provide five centers in Northern Ohio for homes and day care for developmentally disabled children and adults. All admission fees, plus five dollars of the purchase price of each book or CD purchased at the party, went directly to Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services and their Northern Ohio centers.

Special thanks to Karen and everyone at The Harp, 4408 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland.

On Saturday, October 22, 2007, I got to participate in one of the JACK KEROUAC CELEBRATIONS/ACTIVITIES that went on around town at a variety of bookstores and locations. I was one of twenty writers/poets/musicians/performing artists who participated in a reading at the Barking Spider, the ageless tavern on Juniper Road on the CWRU campus. With a pianist and saxophonist playing jazz rifts behind me, I talked about how writers have been ripping off “On the Road” for fifty years. I read a favorite passage from the book, then a passage from “My Cleveland Story,” and then closed reciting the last stanza of “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen. I had never done anything quite like that before and enjoyed it tremendously. There were some really talented people involved, and I stayed for every last one of them. Special thanks to Suzanne DeGaetano from Mac’s Paperbacks, the great bookstore on Coventry in Cleveland Heights, who put the whole thing to together.

On September 15, 2007, I was one of the presenters at the ANNUAL WESTERN RESERVE WRITERS CONFERENCE, and gave an hour presentation on writing your first novel. The event opened with a very good keynote presentation by Thomas Mulready, the man behind the website CoolCleveland.com. Other presenters included Mike Olszewski from WNCX and Erin O’Brien from The Free Times. Special thanks to DeAnna Adams for inviting me and putting on such a great event!

On May 20, 2007, I did my first bookstore event in support of “Home and Away Games,” as part of OWU ALUMNI AND ARTS FESTIVAL WEEKEND in Delaware, Ohio. It was great seeing so many old friends, where have all the years gone? Special thanks to Jamie Gergonson for all the support and help spreading the word about my first two books.

(this is from The Record Currior, Oct 15, 2006)

On October 12, 2006, Streetsboro High School English and Creative Writing Teacher Greg Cielec was one of three guest speakers for the monthly meeting of the Cleveland Chapter of the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATORS (IABC). IABC is an international organization with over 13,000 members in 60 countries, with the Cleveland group having 150 members. Mr. Cielec was featured along with two other Cleveland area writers, John Ettorre and Sarah Willis.

All three speakers shared their adventures as writers: Mr. Cielec as a novelist and music reviewer; Mr. Ettorre as a print and internet journalist and as a ghost writer; and Ms. Willis as an author of four novels.

"One thing that many business communicators have in common is that we began as writers, many of us wanting to write fiction or non-fiction," states Tracy McDaniels, local IABC President. "Yet along the way, the dream of writing our own book got lost in the shuffle. Hearing from Greg, Sarah and John--three incredibly talented, accomplished local writers--was truly inspiring. I think each person in the room walked away feeling their creativity rejuvenated and their desire ignited."

According to Ms. McDaniels the presentation was well received. "Not only are Greg, Sarah and John great writers, they are great storytellers. The anecdotes they gave about their own lives and writing careers were as colorful as the lives they portray in their books."

Mr. Cielec enjoyed the experience. "It was great to go out into the business world and not only represent myself but also the Streetsboro School District. I was very impressed by the audience and the positions they hold and the companies they work for."