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Scribe & Quill ~ Fall 2004
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
Vol. 2
Issue 6
ISSN: 1098-6375
Section 1 of 2 Sections
=========
MASTHEAD:
=========
*
Editor/Publisher
Bev Walton-Porter <editor@scribequill.com>
* Assistant
Editor / Advertising Manager
Mindy Phillips Lawrence <mplcreative1@aol.com>
*Contributing
Editor
J.M.Cornwell <jcornwell@peoplepc.com>
* Humor
Editor
Jaden Trinsic <humor@scribequill.com>
* Poetry
Editor
Donna "Kai" Wilson <scribequillpoetry@gael-song.com>
* Book
Review Editor
Sonali T. Sikchi <sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com>
* Nonfiction Columnist
Joyce Faulkner <katieseyes@aol.com>
* Humor
Columnist
Sharon Wren <swren1@msn.com>
* Video
Game Reviewer
Jonathan Porter <editor@scribequill.com>
* Mascots:
-- Isis,
the Feline Freelancer
<isis@scribequill.com >
-- Popeye
the Editing Wonder Dog
<popeye@scribequill.com>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Editor's Note
~Announcements
~Reader Praise!
~Scribe & Quill Patrons
~Featured
Interview:
Dale "Sierra" Seawright – Cowboy Poet
By Mindy Phillips Lawrence (mplcreative1@aol.com)
~Featured
Article:
By Joyce Faulkner (katieseyes@aol.com)
~Featured
Article:
Start this Fall With a Clean Slate
By Jill E. Vaile (jill@jilleliz.com)
~Quotables
~Scribes of Note -- Virtual Quills
~Featured
Article:
A & E, IOU and Sometimes Why
By J.M. Cornwell (jcornwell@peoplepc.com)
~Call for Submissions
~Contests
~Conferences/Workshops
~Poem:
--"Just in Case" by Evan Manchester
~Featured
Fiction:
The Last Supper
By Bobby Blades
~Book
Reviews
--"Too Many Secrets" by Linda Himes Guyan
--"Thin Ice" by Jaxine Daniels
--"Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum Peril and Romance"
by Marthe Jocelyn
--"St. Michael the Archangel's Washboard Band" by Sophia Zufa
--"This is the Place" by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
~Film
Review
--Ladder 49
By Mindy Phillips Lawrence (mplcreative1@aol.com)
~Scribe & Quill Professional Writing Courses
~Writer's
Wit:
My Bottom is an English Bottom
By Catherine Nelson-Pollard (cnp@bluewin.ch)
~The Last Word: Recommended Links for Writers
~Contact and submission information
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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Dear Gentle Readers,
Welcome to the fall issue of Scribe & Quill. We were on hiatus for a bit, but we are back with yet more content and information for writers. In the meantime, I hope you have been writing and selling with fervor!
This month I'd like to introduce you to Sonali T. Sikchi. Scribe & Quill’s new book review editor. Sonali is a Seattle-based freelance writer with feature articles and book reviews published in national and regional magazines, such as History Magazine, Alaska Airlines Magazine, Horizon Air Magazine, American Women in Science magazine, uncapped, Citysearch, WritersCrossing and others. To submit a book review to Sonali, please view our guidelines (http://www.scribequill.com/Guidelines.html) and then forward your review to Sonali directly at sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com.
Happy harvest time and may all your queries find acceptances!
Sincerely,
Bev
Walton~Porter, Editor
editor@scribequill.com
***
Mindy Lawrence, Asst. Editor/Advertising Manager
mplcreative1@aol.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Heather
Froeschl (Heather@QuillDipper.com)
was selected as the winner in Scribe & Quill's Summer writing contest. Her
piece on How I Jump-start my Writing is published in this issue.
Congratulations, Heather, and thanks to everyone who entered the contest!
***
VOTE!
Please rate
this E-zine at the Cumuli E-zine Finder
http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/vote.html?pub_code=scribe
<a href="http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/vote.html?pub_code=scribe">AOL Users Click Here</a>
***
PARTICIPATE!
Share new markets and/or jobs with other writers, find out the latest updates to the Scribe & Quill site, announce your newest success or swap information and advice with other writers at the new Activeboard on our site! http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=25937
***
MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT!
Vote in our monthly writers' poll. We'll publish the results of each poll on the site, as well as your comments!
http://scribequill.com/Poll.html
***
COMMUNITY JOURNAL!
Scribe & Quill also has a journaling community on Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/~scribequill Come express your innermost thoughts/feelings about being a writer in this community diary -- stream of consciousness and personal journal entries relating to the ups/downs/sideways of the writing life are welcomed! This community is exclusively for the right-brained, abstract side of Scribe & Quillers!
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
READER SUPPORT FOR SCRIBE & QUILL
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
We have the BEST readers on the planet! It's because of your encouragement that we continue to publish our zine for writers. We believe in your writing goals and we are there to support you every step of the way. Thanks, in turn, for lending us support as well!
Here's what readers are saying about Scribe & Quill:
"I
really appreciate your support. Scribe and Quill is excellent."
--Jennifer Moore
"I
love Scribe & Quill. It's the best-written writing zine out there with the
most interesting content."
--Karin Gillespie, author of "Bet Your Bottom Dollar" (Simon and
Schuster)
***
"Thank
you for responding so quickly. I have always enjoyed your magazine and think
you and Mindy are doing an outstanding job!"
--Sue Kelly
***
"I
have thoroughly enjoyed Scribe & Quill. In my humble opinion, I think it is
one of the best writer resources available."
--Ann Melrose
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
PARTNER WITH SCRIBE & QUILL
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Developing and distributing a regular publication, either online or in print, requires time and incurs costs such as Web hosting, domain fees, program renewals and operating costs.
We are glad to deliver S & Q to our readers at no charge, but we appreciate any contributions made to show support for this endeavor. Become a patron of Scribe & Quill and help support the continued publication of this 'zine. When you become a patron, we will list your name on our Web site and run a short personal profile of you in our zine as our thanks to you for your support.
Contributions may be made in these ways:
* Using the online payment service Paypal.com, click on this link:
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go to Pay
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and send contribution to editor@scribequill.com
* Using a
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Thank you for reading our magazine, and for your continued support.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
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~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED INTERVIEW:
Dale "Sierra" Seawright – Cowboy Poet
By Mindy Phillips Lawrence (mplcreative1@aol.com)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Dale "Sierra" Seawright walks around in clothing reminiscent of an 1800s cattle drive. His gray beard and Stetson hat frame his face, highlighting his playful eyes. You get the feeling he enjoys reliving the life of a grown-up child from his picture on his Web site at ttp://www.geocities.com/sierra_seawright/.
Seawright
is a writer from
SQ: Dale, please tell us. What's a cowboy poet?
Dale "Sierra" Seawright: In the true sense of the word, I guess I don't qualify. I don't own a horse. But, to me a cowboy poet has to be someone from a rural background with roots in the country. You cannot be a true cowboy poet if, as someone once said, 'Ya never leave the black top.' Cowboy poetry started a long time ago when riders would sing to the cattle on long drives to keep them calm. It also has its roots in the stories told by folks to remember family history and such like. The best description of cowboy poetry I have ever seen comes from ByLine Magazine: "Often narrative, nostalgic or humorous, these poems depict the old or new west."
SQ: How did you get started writing poetry?
Seawright: Purely by accident! I had been reading Baxter Black (http://www.baxterblack.com/) and laughing at the things he said and the way he said them. It started me thinking that I had stories to tell, too, and I loved the rhymes. I started my first poem on the back of a grocery sack in a snowstorm at work. I had to keep the place open from 8 to 5 to get paid. Never saw a soul that day so I had to do something to keep from going crazy. Since then the poems I have written just show up and I write them down. I never know when or from where they will come.
SQ: What are your poems about?
Seawright: They are all about life, about things that have happened to me or others and how to laugh at the bad things and remember the good ones.
SQ: Who inspired you to start writing?
Seawright: Hmmmmm…..good question! There were three people that got me started. The first was a VoAg teacher that always preached "write it down." The second was a college instructor who always said, "documentation documentation, documentation." I met the third when I found something that I really liked to read. I have always said, "You have two choices in life. You can laugh or you can cry. I chose to laugh!" When I found Baxter Black's poetry it made me laugh and it struck home in a way nothing else had ever done. I lived what Baxter wrote about. It was just the next thing to do. So I began to write it down.
SQ: Do you have a set time each day that you write?
Seawright: No. I have no set time to write. I write when the urge strikes me. My writing is for me! It relieves my stress and gives me a chance to have 'me time.' I will never be one of those writers that sits down for a given length of time at a specified hour to write. I don't want that at all. If I wanted another job, I would go find one.
SQ: What kind of writing do you do aside from poetry?
Seawright: A few short stories and the occasional essay is about all. I don't think I could ever write a book. I can't sit still long enough to read one, let alone write the dern thing! However, I did try it once. I had a cheap Atari computer and no printer. Saved everything on cassette tapes. Now I have all those tapes and no way to read them.
SQ: When you become part of the history you write and act out, what do you want on your gravestone?
Seawright: [I would like to use] "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'WOW! What a ride!'" by an anonymous person.
SQ: Tell Scribe and Quill about your cowboy gigs.
Seawright: This may take some time! I guess I should start at the beginning. I do living history. The clothes I wear were all hand made by my wife. So, I dress the part. I take my poems and try to find a little music that goes with them. Then add a joke or two in between. Lately I have had a blast doing retirement centers and assisted living venues. Seem the older folks get a kick out of what I do more than the younger crowd does. They seem to remember what my poems are about.
SQ: How far do you travel to do them?
Seawright:
I have performed all over the state of
SQ: What are living history re-enactments and how did you get involved?
Seawright: I got involved through the Miller Gang, an old west gunfight and stunt team I belong to. There are all kinds of re-enactments from mountain men through civil war and, the cattle drive time period. In most events, there is a time line or a rope strung between trees. On one side it is 2004, in my case, on the other side it is 1860 to 1885 or so, the cattle drive time frame. We live in a canvas tent, cook over an open fire in cast iron cookware, dress in the old style and enjoy the simplicity of it all.
SQ: Do you also teach gun safety? If so, how do you teach it?
Seawright: I believe that the only way to teach is hands on! Let the student feel the gun in their hands, unloaded of course. In our gunfights, we shoot blanks. One of the things we do is shoot an empty soft drink can with a blank. Even a .38 caliber will tear it in half. Then explain to the student that the thickness of that can is 400 times that of human skin and that the can was torn up by a blank. Just like driving a car, you have to respect the power of a gun just like you respect the power of a car! I have often wondered why in all the deaths that happen on the highway, WHY they do not blame the car. But, let some one get hurt or killed with a gun and it is the gun's fault? Okay, I will get down off my soapbox now!
SQ: You are the leader of a writing group called Red Dirt. Where did you get that name for your group?
Seawright: Red Dirt Poets is a group of folks around here that write poetry and like to get together to read what they have written or poetry that they just like. The name Red Dirt is actually a hand-me-down. I joined the group about two years ago. Then we lost our venue and it was almost a year before we met again. However, if I were to hazard a guess, I would say the name comes from the color of the earth around here.
SQ: Are you working on a new book? If so, what is it about?
Seawright: Yes. My third book is call "Old Cowboy Tails and Other Lies." Unlike the first two books, this one has not only poetry but also a few short stories and an essay or two. The first two books were just a collection of the poems I had written. The short stories and essays in "Lies" are all from my youth and each has an element of truth to it. The essay, "Respect," (also on my Web site) is totally true! It happened just as I wrote it! (I still have the jacket with the manure stains on it) Remember, a clean jacket or freshly polished boots are magnets for used horse feed!
A Brand New
Billfold
by Dale "Sierra" Seawright
Last year
about mid August,
When my birthday rolled around,
My wife, a dear sweet lady, said,
"I got to go to town."
That night
we had a party,
With ice cream and cake and such,
When she hands me up this present sayin',
"I know this isn't much."
So I commenced to rippin' paper,
Found a box and flipped off the lid,
And in amongst the packin',
I uncovered what she'd hid.
A brand spankin' new billfold,
Made of top-grain bullhide see,
Now she knows I got no money,
But it's the thought that counts with me.
I didn't think I would need it,
Till the middle of next week,
So I shoved it in a hip pocket,
And kissed her, THANK YA, on the cheek.
Next morning' I went ridin',
Runnin' heifers thru the pass,
When my horse was spooked by a rattler
And I landed on my...rump!
My horse was gone; I was alone,
And in dew wet grass I sat.
With nothing hurt I began wonderin',
Just where that snake was at.
I looked; but I didn't see him.
I listened; but I didn't hear.
So up on one knee I struggled,
Squared my hat and wiped back a tear.
Then I heard him start to rattlin',
When the wind blew off my hat.
And I knew that snake would strike me,
But, the question was, "Where at?"
I pulled my trusty six-gun,
My gun hand shook with fear.
That snake just kept on rattlin',
LORD, I knowed that he was near!
Then the rattlin' stopped! I felt a bump!
And to me it was perfectly clear!
If it hadn't been for that billfold,
He'd a got me -- from the rear!
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FEATURED ARTICLE:
By Joyce Faulkner (katieseyes@aol.com)
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I review four or five books a month. I read more, but when I can't find anything nice to say I prefer to say nothing. It's not that I'm all that hard-nosed. I have a heart despite what others might say about me. However, there are a few things that set my teeth on edge. In the interest of fairness, I'm willing to share them with authors who can either avoid sending their books to me or avoid some of the general issues that make me nuts.
1. Avoid extraneous descriptions. If the color of a character's eyes has nothing to do with the plot, please spare me. Every word should count toward the point you are making. Endless discourse about waves on the sand better mean something in the course of your story or I'll ding you on it.
2. Minimize passive voice. I'm not adverse to a sentence here or there, but if every other verb is passive I get bored. If it turns into pages of passivity, I'm unlikely to review your book -- and if I do, I'm liable to be cranky.
3. Limit the long sentences and academic snootiness. I have advanced degrees too. Trying to impress me doesn't impress me. Showing off turns me off.
4. Don't repeat yourself. The old business adage of 'tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them' might work for the lowest common denominator, but I find it insulting and a waste of space.
5. Don't preach. I can handle it in an article, but it's exhausting when it goes over 2,000 words. At 100 pages, it's excruciating.
6. Know what you are talking about. If I spot obvious mistakes or if your premise has logical flaws, I'll start fact checking. Reviews of books where I've found errors include discourses on my incredulity and your credibility.
7. Minimize the he/she saids. Most of the time, I know who's speaking from the sense of the sentence or the sequence. If I can't tell, then your dialogue needs help anyway.
8. Don't use the same word twice in one paragraph. That's enough to annoy me. The same word twice in one sentence will drive me right over the edge. Let's face it, that's why God gave us Thesauruses.
9. Get to the point. A book that circles a point is almost as bad as a pointless book. Don't waste my time.
10. Know when to stop. If you can say it in 250 pages, don't stretch it out to 400 pages. I can recognize filler at 500 paces.
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FEATURED ARTICLE
Start Fall with a Clean Slate
By Jill E. Vaile (jill@jilleliz.com)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Fall is the time to get it out of your head -- and into someone else's!
There's a new alert on our block. It has nothing to do with terror, but the noise level is rather frightening. This is a bright red kid alert: it alerts us that school is starting! A constant manic soundtrack plays in the background, drowning out the birds and crickets. It's a cacophony of squeals and screeches, and little feet pounding to and fro. One thing is quite certain -- the kid clock counts down the last days of summer vacation.
As parents race from sale to sale, in search of the best deals on new school clothes, and school supplies, it's hard to disguise the excitement in the air. Though the kids may deny it, a new school year means more than just homework. They look forward to the renewal of acquaintances and a clean slate of endless possibilities. Parents welcome the return of schedules and structure -- at the very least.
This marks my favorite time of year! Not because I have children returning to school -- mine have completed their respective educations. No, it's about the school supplies in abundance, all on sale! I cannot pass a stationery store without setting at least one foot over the threshold. My heart starts to pound when I see stacks of brightly-colored notebooks in every size and thickness, their fresh white pages just waiting to be filled. Multi-packs of favorite pens dazzle me with their rainbow of available hues lining shelves and overflowing their display bins.
Suddenly I
find both feet inside the store, and I am I gazing upon my own personal
Thus it should come as no surprise that I see "Back to School" as the supreme opportunity to get into my best writing habits, and create volumes of Pulitzer caliber prose. Like the parents, I welcome a return to schedules, timelines and organization. Doesn't fall make so much more sense to buckle down and churn it out than spring?
In spring I want to be outside, hands up to my elbows deep in the rich, fresh soil that is my garden's canvas. In fall I want to be warmed by my wood stove and start cooking again. But most of all I want to write! Fall is my time to set short-term goals, and project long term goals for the following year. I assess where I stand in terms of last year's goals, and where I want to go in the coming season.
I want to put the rake away! I know of no writer who spends their summer in voluntary seclusion, trying in vain to come up with a giant story -- not when the sky is cerulean blue, and the waves are slamming ever so high on the beach!
I find the plethora of late November/December goal setting, cheerleading-type articles we are inundated with at year's end irritating. I prefer to make September my New Year insofar as writing is concerned. As writers we need to take stock, much the same as the kids are checking out their new backpacks and doing up their lockers.
Let's all start with a clean slate this fall. And do it one step at a time -- together. The best place to begin creating order and productivity is in your:
1.
Office/Workspace:
Is all theE
furniture in working condition?
Do you have adequate light?E
Are youE situated in a spot that is
conducive to your needs while writing?
DoesE anything need to be moved, or
rearranged?
Do you have adequate fileE storage?
Next, let's take a close look at the tools of our trade:
2. Your
Computer/Hardware:
When wasE
the last time you backed up your work? (Be honest!)
Do you have the meansE
to back things up? Tiny little drives can be had for a reasonable price these
days, and are well worth any expense when you consider the alternative.
When was the last time you updated your O/S? Software? VirusE Protection/Firewall?
When did you last run your virus scan throughout yourE system?
Defrag? Check for spy ware?E
Is all of your peripheralE equipment in good working order? Printer? Scanner? Fax
machine? PDA? Got ink? Got paper?
Check all of your connection cables to ensure they are inE optimal condition. Replace any that
need it.
If your power went out whileE you were working on a deadline, would you still be able
to make it? Do you have battery backup? Surge protection? Flashlights? Lanterns
with mantles and fuel?
Though this may sound somewhat extreme, but if the situation does occur, you will be pleased with your foresight!
Let's move on to:
3. Your Files:
Ruthlessly go throughE
your file drawers and dump any outdated and unnecessary items. Those queries
you sent to now-defunct magazines are a good place to start. Keep what you need
to use as examples and/or templates and CHUCK the rest!
Keep taxE
information/receipts/returns for five years.
Next, make new labels andE files for this year, 2004/2005.
Ah...next is my favorite part:
4. Other
Supplies:
Pens, pencils,E
markers, clips, white-out- notebooks, pads of paper, loose paper, stickies,
envelopes, stamps -- the things you reach for daily, the tools of your trade --
need to be where you need them, when you need them. Restock now. Aside from the
stamps, the prices will never be lower this year!
It's now time for a NEW:
5.
Calendar:
I am giving you one asE
a gift -- a free awesome calendar to track all of your work and dates at <http://www.hignell.mb.ca/> It's all
yours, just make sure you have Adobe Acrobat because it's in .pdf format.
Transpose all of your important info from this year's tattered 2004E one to your new fresh, clean one!
Now that the necessities have been addressed, let's feed your writing needs. Keeping current in your field and expanding your knowledge keeps you fresh. It also helps you make new contacts and find new work opportunities. Luckily there is a treasure trove of online courses literally at your fingertips!
6.
Identify:
an area you areE
unfamiliar with, or those in which you need to upgrade your skills.
aE subject or skill you are intrigued
by, or want to investigate.
Refer to my list of online courses, select one or more, and enroll.
Enjoy! (Keep in mind, as with most things, you get what you pay for. There are
as many free online courses as there are those that cost money -- you are the
only one who can decide the level of skills and facilitator you choose.)
7.
Contacts:
Go through your e-mailE
addys.
1. Send a "Hi, how was your summer?" e-card to reconnect with
contacts, editors, publishers, online writing buddies.
2. Dump those addys you know don't work, but haven't had a chance to edit
out.
3. Request editorial calendars from any publications you contact and/or
hope to write for.
4. Ensure you have the correct names, first and last, of any editors you
might choose to contact, even if it means calling the receptionist to confirm.
Update accordingly.
Remember, as the person who wears all hats in your freelance career, producing your product is equally as important as "TCB" (taking care of business). Setting all of your business needs in motion, and ensuring their timeliness, is imperative.
8. Small
Biz Biz:
Do you haveE
accounting software or do you need some? If you have it, have you updated it?
Are all the outstanding entries caught up?E
Review your taxE
commitment/status. Is everything current?
Have you made entries for all ofE your purchases and expenses?
Check all of your insurance and warranties forE your home, hardware, software and
peripheral equipment. Renew, extend or revalue as necessary.
Does anyone owe you money? Get on top of thatE now!
9. Your Web
site:
Do you have one?E
If not, why not? This is the perfect time to take a course in creating a simple
site, or finding a template you like and getting your name and reputation out
there!
If you do, check all your links to be sure they work.E
UpdateE content.
10.
Subscriptions:
Review all ofE
your subscriptions, both print and online. Do the same with groups you
belong to.
Unsubscribe from any you do not find useful.E
Find three new onesE
to replace them with.
11. E-mail:
Check, update, deleteE
and add filters as required.
Delete any old/useless emails.E
UpdateE your program to the current
version.
12. Your
Clips:
Review your clips,E
and perhaps substitute for others, or create subject files with relevant clips
in them.
13. Your
Résumé:
Is it up-to-date?E
Go through it and add new skills or experience.
Format it so it can be sentE as an attachment or printed.
14. Your
Plan:
Sit down andE
seriously create a realistic (but busy!) plan to maximize your time and
efforts. In September, Christmas is only 115 days away! If you take away the
weekends and holidays, there are only 73 writing days left in the year!
At this pointE
you should be working on articles for Valentine's Day!
Take into accountE
any special events in the New Year: Presidential inauguration, etc. and create
some writing project(s) around it/them.
Get a list of the writer'sE conventions for 2005 and make plans to attend one. (It
is tax deductible!)
Commit to lending your talent to a good community cause. NotE only will you feel great, but you
will raise your profile in your community and make new connections at the same
time. Look for needs in mentoring, teaching a How-To basic writing Course or
literacy efforts. Seniors like to tell their stories and often have no one to
help them record or write things down.
List all of your writing ideas (articles, books, contests, grants,E copywriting etc.) in a separate
database you create for each. Review it once a week. Expand your database with
possible markets and appropriate publishers, as well as recording any names of
contact people. Use this to track your queries and submissions. Then work from
this as it grows.
Staying on task is the essential mindset. There are no distractions, real or imagined, that are acceptable in fall. We've spent countless sunny summer hours thinking about various ideas, plot lines and tacks to take. Hopefully, you've at least written down some kernel of those ideas. If not, I hope they are still in your thoughts, easily made note of now. The creative process of us writers is intangible; we are writing all the time. I have muttered my way through hundreds of subject possibilities, all the while pulling weeds or planting another "must have" plant. The only reason clean laundry got folded and put away was its distraction -- I didn't consciously fold clothes. Mentally I was editing plot lines and rewriting rewrites.
All summer long, tidbits of information have been planted in our heads and are now they are cramming up our brains. This is the time to let them take root in reality, on paper, and active pursuit.
Get those new blank notebooks out (or whatever your preferred recording mode is) and bend them open! Select several fresh new pens and, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!
The 2004/2005 writing season is upon us!
Here are some helpful links:
Compare
prices and find storage devicesE at:
<http://www.mysimon.com/>
Find
useful tax informationE
at:
<http://www.selfemployedcountry.org/commondeductions.html>
55 Commonly Omitted Tax Deductions
<http://www.taxlinks.com/>
IRS Rulings
<http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/article.asp?aid=236&atype=Freelancing>
Taxes for Freelancing
Tools
to Assist in your PlanE
<http://www.traxtime.com/>
Windows-only software to track submissions and more
<http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.htm>
Essential Time Management Skills: Prioritized To-Do Lists, Personal Goal
Setting, Guide to Personal Development Plan and more to maximize your
effectiveness.
<http://www.ronreason.com/personal/writers.html>
Ten Tips to Visual Thinking for Writers and Editors
<http://www.ilovemylifetoolkit.com/>
eBiz Essential Tool Kit - reasonably priced for its mega contents
Research
and Reference Links:E
<http://www.bookzone.com/>
Tons of book information
<http://www.bowerlink.com/corrections/common/home.asp>
Advanced book info: forms, info, articles
<http://www.ire.org/resourcecenter/>
Summaries of investigative articles, can purchase or download elsewhere
<http://www.refdesk.com/>
Dictionary, Thesaurus and more
<http://www.bookweb.org/>
American Booksellers Association
<http://www.ericajong.com/tipswriters.htm>
Weekly Tips for Writers by Author Erica Jong
<http://entrepreneur.about.com/cs/marketing/a/aa091803_p.htm>
How to keep your book as a business, not an expensive hobby
<http://www.assessment.com/>
Take the MAPP test and see what really interests and motivates you!
Media
LinksE
<http://www.newsbureau.com/>
Online news related sources
<http://www.mediafinder.com/>
Newsletters, magazines and catalogues
Free
E-courses:E
<http://freelancewrite.about.com/cs/learntowrite/a/courseix.htm>
Getting Started in Freelance Writing, You Can Make eBooks, Writing Exercises to
Spark Your Creativity and Polish your Writing, Magazine Query Course and
Workshop
<http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/>
Virtual Training Suite, from Art, Design and Media to Materials Engineer,
Social Research Methods to Women's Studies
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/courses/>
Journalism and more
<http://www.westciv.com/courses/free/>
HTML, CSS and more
<http://university.barnesandnoble.com/index.asp?nhid=bn>
Many courses, led by authors and other experts, at Barnes & Noble
<http://www.myownbusiness.org/>
Start your own writing business
<http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Global/all-courses.htm>
MIT OpenCourseWare
***
BIO:
Jill E.
Vaile is a freelance photojournalist with a passionate devotion to electronic
rights issues. Her photographic interests range from shooting beautiful
Jill can be contacted at: jill@jilleliz.com. Her Web site is undergoing a complete redesign. Check other articles, the Galleries and more at <http://jilleliz.com/>
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
ADVERTISEMENT
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
CREATING
BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS WRITING COURSE
Instructor: J.M. Cornwell
Registration is limited to 20 students.
Visit: http://www.scribequill.com/Characters.html
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FREE
REPORT: How you can write your book faster than you ever thought possible.
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QUOTABLES
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"The
major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot
possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong
it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair."
--Douglas Adams, "Mostly Harmless"
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UTNE
Magazine - A different read on life!
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SCRIBES OF NOTE
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
At Scribe & Quill a virtual quill is our way of congratulating scribes of note who have made an article sale, published a book, snagged an agent/publisher or have reported to us a number of other notable successes in writing/publishing.
Our quills are virtual because they exist only in cyberspace. We honor the recipients here with an old-fashioned pat on the back and publication of your news so our readers can celebrate with you!
Have a success you'd like to trumpet to the rest of world? Send your triumph to editor@scribequill.com with VIRTUAL QUILL in the subject line.
This issue's virtual quills are awarded to:
Alex Bledsoe's (ruadan63@yahoo.com) short story, "Souls of the Departed," about modern Pagan reaction to the war, was published in Five Feathers Magazine. It can be downloaded free of charge at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/5Feathers/?yguid=144521671
Rita
Emmett's (REmmett412@aol.com) book on
clutter will be published next spring by Walker and Co (NY). The book is not
yet named, but has already been sold to
Joyce
Faulkner's (katieseyes@aol.com) book,
"Losing Patience," will be published this month by Red Engine Press.
The book is a collection of short stories that one reviewer said was
reminiscent of the old Twilight Zone TV series. Readers may order a copy of the
book directly from http://www.losingpatience.com
Katie-Anne Gustafsson (Katie@transed.nu)
has released "Writing Prompts for Fiction Writers." The book is
available in traditional print (spiral bound) or downloadable PDF versions from
http://www.lulu.com/oceanwolfstudios.
Michael Larocca's (michaellarocca@yawweb.org) new book, "Who Moved My Rice?" is available from Books Unbound (http://www.booksunbound.com/bsmr.html). For more information, visit http://freereads.topcities.com/ricesample.html
Jennifer Lawler's (http://www.jenniferlawler.com) new book, "Dojo Wisdom for Writers," has been published by Penguin Compass. The book is a motivational and inspirational tool for writers.
Mindy
Phillips Lawrence's (mplcreative1@aol.com)
book, "One Blue Star: Poems about the Military, Families, War and
Peace," is set for release this month by Red Engine Press. In addition,
her poem from the book, "Caissons," is set to be performed on October
16 by The DisAbility Project, an ensemble of That Uppity Theatre Company (http://www.disabilityproject.com/)
in
Joy V.
Smith's (Pagadan@aol.com) non-fiction
book, "Building a Cool House for Hot Times without Scorching the
Pocketbook," is due out
Jade
DK Wilson (kai@12daysofrain.com) has published a poetry book, "12 Days of Rain" (http://12daysofrain.com). The chapbook examines mental health with an honest and authentic voice.
The New York City Writers Group Web site (http://www.nycwritersgroup.com) has been redesigned. The new site offers a Members page, a Calendar of Events, a weekly poll and a frequently updated Weblog.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
ADVERTISEMENT
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
According to top magazine and book editors, one of the main characteristics submitted articles and manuscripts must have to garner serious consideration is clean, error-free writing. It's attention to detail that separates the professional writer from the amateur.
MPL Creative Resources can help you achieve accurate, professional copy by providing editing and proofing skills to polish your work. We offer copyediting, substantive editing, proofreading and query letter writing services.
Contact Mindy Phillips Lawrence at mplcreative1@aol.com to discuss a price quote.
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ADVERTISEMENT
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Shadows
reside in every writer's soul.
Are you afraid of the dark?
http://www.scribequill.com/Shadows.html
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED ARTICLE:
A & E, IOU and Sometimes Why
By J.M. Cornwell (jcornwell@peoplepc.com)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
It seems impossible to mix up the letters A and E and yet it happens all the time, especially with words that are different only because of A or E. These words are not homonyms, words that sound alike but are spelled differently, but words that are easy to confuse. These words are THAN/ THEN and AFFECT/ EFFECT — very different words with very different meanings and yet they are constantly mixed up. Maybe it would be easier to figure out which to use, when typing at the speed of sound and unintentionally misspelling a word that spell check won't catch because it is spelled correctly, by explaining their definitions and giving you a few cues to make them easier to remember.
THAN is used in comparisons, in illustrating inequalities or when there are differences. Than is also used with preferable, preferably and prefer, as well as rather and other.
Sue wanted
this dress rather THAN that one.
Bob is older THAN Sue.
Sue prefers to be anywhere else THAN home.
To quote Shakespeare from Much Ado About Nothing, "...only this commendation I can afford her, that were she other THAN she is, she were unhandsome..."
THEN is a function of time and case. Then is also used when something comes next in importance or when adding something.
If Sue goes
to the store now THEN Bob will have to wait for dinner.
Bob, first we get engaged and THEN we get married.
If you want to get married, Sue, THEN we should have sex first and see if it's
worth it.
AFFECT and EFFECT are very easy to keep apart once you learn a couple of
tricks. You have an effect ON something and you are affected BY
something.
Bob was
more AFFECTED by the romantic movie than he was willing to admit.
Sue's skimpy outfit had a very visible EFFECT on Bob.
Affect and effect are both nouns, but EFFECT can also be a verb.
Sue was hanging upside down in a snare trap before Bob could effect a release. (This is a very archaic use of effect, but still valid.)
When you get down to basics, look for BY and ON and that will help to determine whether you use AFFECT or EFFECT. (Affect is also a term used in psychology to mean a person's visible personality and/or emotions.)
Now for the IOU.
A few months ago when Scribe & Quill came out, an editor wrote me and said I was misinforming writers. I owe you all a bit of information. I do not write articles off the top of my head, as has been suggested, but rather use several different Web sites and books to back up my examples and my definitions. That does not mean I cannot be wrong and will gladly admit to being wrong publicly and in this column should that happen. No one is infallible, as the editor quickly found out when I pointed out a couple of grammatical mistakes she made in her e-mails to me.
There are a lot of rules and regulations and wherefores and exceptions to the rules and regulations in grammar, but I didn't want to bore readers with what is taught in English courses and written in numerous ponderous eye-glazing tomes. So the question remains: Why do I write this column?
The simple answer is because I can, but the real answer is because I have read enough of the boring, eye-glazing, make-me-want-gouge-out-my-eyes grammar books to last me a lifetime and I'm sure you feel the same way. The intent of this column is to make grammar easier to understand and perhaps work in a little humor and fun to help you remember the rules and regulations. Errors in grammar make me cringe and I often end up screaming out corrected grammar at the television, radio and computer screen, which just hurts my throat.
If just one person reads this column and remembers to use correct grammar, then I have done my job. I guess since that editor e-mailed me, she must have read the columns previous to the one which she complained about because she mentioned them. I have done my job. Still, I hope to reach a few more people before I stop writing and there are a lot of grammar goofs left to correct.
===
BIO:
===
J. M.
Cornwell is a nationally syndicated freelance journalist, author and editor
with a sense of humor and a desire for endless amounts of work. To that end,
her new magazine, Living Voices, which will be available December 2004, will
debut online and follow in print in 2005. For guidelines, please e-mail jmc@livingvoicesmagazine.com and
keep an eye out Living Voices: Preserving the Past and the Present for the
Future.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
ADVERTISEMENT
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Red Engine
Press has set a release date of October 2004 for "One Blue Star: Poems
about the Military, Families, War and Peace" by Mindy Phillips Lawrence.
Primarily dedicated to her youngest son who returned to the
Get on the
pre-publication list and receive a numbered, autographed copy of "One Blue
Star" directly from the author as soon as it is released. The book sells
for $9.95 plus postage (if you are from
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
End of Section I
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
Scribe & Quill ~ Fall 2004
Section II
ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø
ISSN: 1098-6375
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ADVERTISEMENT
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
What are
the Dames up to now? October's spotlighted Jewels of the Quill author is Jaye
Roycraft (Dame Ruby). Jaye discusses her newest release, the reissue of
her futuristic romance, "Rainscape," from a new publisher. Jaye
is giving away a trade paperback copy of "Rainscape." For more
information and to be to be eligible to win, visit our Web site. Find out what
the Dames are up to at http://www.JewelsoftheQuill.com.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
OF HEART
& HEALING:
CALL FOR INSPIRING TRUE STORIES OF LOVE & COMPASSION
"The
richest source of creation is feeling, followed by a vision of its
meaning."
~Anaïs Nin
The popular anthology (book) series, "A Cup of Comfort," features emotionally powerful true stories about the experiences and relationships that inspire and enrich our lives. Now we are actively seeking submissions:
A CUP OF COMFORT FOR NURSES
Uplifting true stories honoring nursing professionals and recognizing the people and experiences that inspire and sustain them. Possible themes include: nursing's rewards; overcoming the profession's challenges; why I chose and choose to stay in the profession; being called to nursing; positive impact of mentor or special patient; balancing personal and professional lives; humanistic, holistic and homeopathic nursing; what nursing has taught me about life and/or myself; personal growth or spiritual enlightenment arising from work experience; gratitude toward those who give care to the caregiver; shining examples of the commitment, contributions and compassion of nurses.
Submission
Deadline:
Stories must be original, true, positive, in English, and 1,000-2,000 words.
Payment:
$500 grand prize; $100 each, all other published stories. Copy of book.
Guidelines: http://www.cupofcomfort.com
(click on "Share Your Story") or e-mail request to cupofcomfort@adamsmedia.com.
***
Do you love
horses?
We want your story!
Adams Media, Inc. in
• A mid-life woman fulfills a lifelong dream to own her own horse
• A stressed-out female exec finds relief from the crazy corporate world in the
quiet of the barn
• A wheelchair-bound woman overcomes her physical limitations and learns to
ride
• A lonely widow finds companionship and comfort when she befriends a horse
• A couch potato takes on the challenge of jumping—and competes to win
• A teenage girl who feels out of place and out of touch everywhere else comes
into her own on the back of a horse
What's your story? Nothing too New Age-y or miraculous, just good writing from
the heart, between 1,000 and 2,000 words. Contributors whose stories are
included in the book will receive a copy of the book and $50.00 upon
publication.
Send your stories to the address or e-mail below by
If you have questions, or need further information, please contact:
Anita B.
Llewellyn, Editor
anitallewellyn@aol.com
***
December 2004: Living Voices Magazine: Preserving the Past and the Present for the Future.
J. M. Cornwell is launching a new e-zine, Living Voices, a literary e-zine with an edge. Stories of the past, present and future, stories you can't forget and want always to remember. The little stories and moments that define history, stories that touch on big historical events or happen outside of written history that focus on a moment caught in time. Think about Emily in the graveyard in the play, Our Town. These are the voices that will be preserved in Living Voices Magazine.
Living
Voices began accepting submissions
GUIDELINES: Someone once said that life is in the details, the moment-to-moment minutiae; that is what I want to see. Stories your grandparents, uncles, aunts and parents told you, the stories of their lives before, during and after wars, old letters, your stories and memories.
Submit your memoirs, fiction, nonfiction, retellings of stories of your past and your family's. Take those moments into the future or the past or onto other worlds as long as the character is the main focus.
NONFICTION: Essays, memoirs, family stories/histories, author interviews and book reviews to 2,000 words.
FICTION: Maximum 3,500 words. No confessions. Genre fiction must be character driven.
POETRY: Any style up to 50 lines.
TIPS: Prose or poetry may be complex and literary but must contain a moment worth preserving, like an insect in amber. I want to see the stories of people and not the broader canvas of world events. Show me why I should, and why you do, care or remember that one moment.
Submissions may be sent to submissions@livingvoicesmagazine.com and must contain SUBMISSIONS and the type of submission (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interview or review) in the subject line.
Living Voices is also looking for poetry, nonfiction and fiction editors. Send your background and qualifications to J.M. Cornwell at jmc@livingvoicesmagazine.com to be considered.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
ADVERTISEMENT
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"Secrets of the Professional Freelancer" by veteran freelancer Bev Walton-Porter delivers the solid information you need to jump-start your writing career today. Bev has published hundreds of articles by using these methods and ideas -- now you can, too! To purchase your copy, visit: http://scribequill.com/SecretsFreelancer.html
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
CONTESTS
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
THEME:
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Life is made up of emotional snapshots, memorable moments that linger
throughout the years, moments we take out and polish to remind us that life has
brighter moments. Tell me about one of those moments. Make me laugh or make me
cry, make me feel what you felt, and tell your story in 2,500 words or less.
RULES: Send your entry in the body of an e-mail or as an RTF or TXT
attachment with the subject line CONTEST: MEMORABLE MOMENT. Name, e-mail
address, physical address, word count and phone number shall be placed at the
end of the entry, along with the PayPal confirmation number as proof of payment
of the entry fee. You may enter as many times as you wish, but a separate fee
of $5 shall be paid for each entry.
All entries must be original and must not have been published online or in
print, which includes posting on a personal Web site or blog.
Entries that fail to comply with these rules will be immediately disqualified
and the fee shall be forfeited.
FEE: $5 sent through PayPal to contest@livingvoicesmagazine.com.
DEADLINE:
DISCLAIMER: All contest fees are non-refundable and remain the property of
Creative Ink, LLC and Living Voices Magazine. Winning entries will remain
the property of Creative Ink, LLC and Living Voices Magazine for 60 days
following publication, after which time all rights will revert to the author.
Winning entries will be archived on the Living Voices website and Creative Ink,
LLC and Living Voices Magazine will retain First North American Serial Rights.
All prize monies will be paid thirty (30) days from publication of winning
entries.
All entries received after the deadline will be disqualified and all fees
forfeit.
PUBLICATION: The winning entries will be posted on the Living Voices web site
and published in the debut print edition of Living Voices magazine in April
2005. Winners will receive one copy of the magazine in addition to prize money.
Additional copies of the magazine can be purchased for $4.95 plus $2.50 for
shipping and handling.
PRIZES:
First Prize: $150
Second Prize: $75
Third Prize $25
***
We proudly
announce the fifth annual Mona Schreiber
Prize for Humorous Fiction and Nonfiction. Writers of comedic essays, articles,
short stories, poetry, shopping lists and other forms are invited to submit.
Works up to 750 words in length should be typed, double-spaced, accompanied by
a money order or check for $5 to cover administrative costs, payable to
"The Mona Schreiber Prize." No limit to entries but each must have a
separate fee. Put contact information on the first page.
No SASEs,
please. Include e-mail address for notification of winners. All entries must be
postmarked by December 1 for a December 24 announcement of three winners:
1st: $500
2nd: $250
3rd: $100
All receive
copies of "What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write
Funny Screenplays, Stories and More" by Brad Schreiber.
Entries are not returned and must be unpublished. Humor is subjective. Uniqueness is suggested. Weirdness is encouraged.
The Mona
Schreiber Prize for Humorous Fiction and Non-Fiction
www.brashcyber.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
NOVEMBER:
The
Missouri Region of the SCBWI announces their fall conference
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED POEM:
Just in Case
By Evan Manchester
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Just in
case you wanted to know --
when I was born I could only see shadows.
Just in
case you wanted to know --
when I was two I was curious about the world.
Just in
case you wanted to know --
when I was four I believed I was a superhero.
Just in
case you wanted to know --
when I was six I started to be afraid of the news.
Just in
case you wanted to know --
when I was eight I met the best schoolteacher.
Just in
case you wanted to know --
when I was ten I caught more fish than my Dad.
Just in
case you wanted to know --
I'm now eleven and I can see people.
NOTE:
Scribe & Quill is proud to support young writers. Evan Manchester is the
son of Steven Manchester (shmanchester@statestreet.com),
a former contributor to Scribe & Quill.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
S & Q June Contest Winner - short piece:
Heather Froeschl
"How I Jump-start My Writing"
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Once upon a
time, I began my day with strong coffee and
sustained my brain activity throughout the day with steaming
cups of clear thinking and motivation. It got so bad that I
spent more time making java than I did at the keyboard. So
I did the impossible -- I gave up coffee.
I know, I
know, it just doesn't seem right. But now I get the day's writing started with
a look out the windows at my view of the
Some days I take the tough love approach and look at the stack of bills on the table instead. Whichever it is though, it beats staring into the bottom of a coffee cup and jump starts my writing in a more heart friendly, stomach acid-calming way.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED FICTION:
The Last Supper
By Bobby Blades
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Daniel
Kurtzlen wasn't much of a ladies man; in fact he'd never been intimate with or
even kissed a woman in all his 34 years on earth. Well okay, if you want to
count the time in 2nd grade when he kissed a girl under the desk for her
chocolate milk, then you could say he has actually kissed a girl. But does that
count? Daniel probably has fonder memories of that chocolate
milk than he does of that kiss, but such was the life of Danny boy. You see,
Danny's favorite past time is eating; it's what he does best or more to the
point it's the over indulgence of food that he is most skilled at.
Most of his time was spent in fast food restaurants and this day was like any other. He was in a McDonald's waiting in line to place his order when he noticed a couple of kids snickering at him. The parents admonished the children, but that humiliation didn't even bother Danny because he had such a strong love affair with food. He didn't want to be skinny; he didn't want to go on a diet. Food was all he had in his life and he didn't want to give that up -- ever.
"I'd
like to order eight cheeseburgers, four large fries,
"Will that be all, sir?"
Danny tapped his thick index finger on his lip while looking at the menu on the wall behind her and said, "You know, you better make that five apple pies."
He stood amongst a hoard of hungry people as he waited for the girl to fill his order. They tried not to stare, but some families didn't order as much he did and he heard them mumbling about the quantity.
The girl
managed to get all the food onto one tray. He paid her, put the change in his
pocket and did a delicate balancing act, weaving through the crowd of people to
get to the back to sit down in a booth. The tray was placed onto the table and
Danny squeezed his 360lbs in; most of his blubbery stomach
hung under the table while his fleshy breast flopped over the top.
He opened the box of McNuggets and threw them down his gullet as fast as he could when a man in black slid into the booth with him.
"What
are you doing?" he asked in a tone rich with anger. Danny shoved a handful
of fries into his mouth and choked them down quickly with a big gulp of soda.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Listen buddy, I don't ever make house calls so just be thankful I'm here."
Danny shoved another handful of fries into his mouth with his left hand and three McNuggets with his right. He ate like he'd just won a reward challenge on Survivor. The food was going in fast and furious like he'd been stuck eating plain rice for three weeks and desperately needed the nourishment.
"I'll ask again. Who are you?"
"Never mind who I am. I have some sympathy for you and I came here personally to talk to you before I make my decision. You have a chance to sway me, but you'll have to make a change."
Danny paused on the main course for the moment and decided to indulge in dessert number one. He had an apple pie in each hand and was alternating between them, taking a bite from the left hand and then the right.
"Who are you? And why are you here talking to me?" Danny asked as the crumbs of falling pie crust covered his shirt.
"Hey man, I'm just doing my job. This is what I do. Now, I can be a mean son-of-a-bitch and just do it, no questions asked. Or you can work a little and get a pass. Comprende?"
Danny kept right on stuffing his face as the man in black sat in a way that screamed of loathing and disgust. The hand gestures...the sighs...they all kept right on coming as Danny, oblivious to the man, picked up two more apple pies and began the same process of alternating between his hands while devouring the pies.
"I
still don't understand what you want with me." Danny put one
of the apple pies down to eat the crumbs off his chest.
"Look, I know this seems impossible but I'm feeling a little emotional today. And well, man to man, I'd like to see you get lucky once before you go."
"Lucky?" he said with a furrowed brow.
"In what way do you mean 'lucky'? As in getting 20 boxes of Twinkies delivered to my house every week?" Danny said with a wide grin.
"No. I mean as in getting lucky with a woman. You do know what that is, don't you? A female, a chick, a skirt -- the opposite sex! Catching my drift here?
"Oh, you mean making love to a woman. Don't have much luck with the ladies at all." Danny said with a sad expression as he thought of all his lonely nights at home.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you. I'm giving you a chance that I don't give to many others."
Danny stuffed what was left of both apple pies into his mouth and washed that down with some Coke before saying "You see these? These are my friends. McNuggetts are my friends, not the pretty ladies. McNuggets don't laugh at me or make fun of me or stare in disgust. McNuggets always accept me and like me and make me happy -- that's something I can't say about women. Give me the 20 boxes of Twinkies a week and then I'd consider myself lucky."
The dark figure bowed and shook his head in obvious disbelief.
"I don't think you understand, Danny. This is your last chance to turn this around. Otherwise it's over for you. Done. Game over, dirt nap time, do not pass Go, do not collect 200 dollars, caput. Is any of this registering with you?"
"Yes, I fully understand." Danny said.
"Good,
so why don't you take the Lipitor to lower your cholesterol and the Catapres
for your high blood pressure? Is it that hard? I'm not asking you to go on some
crazy low-carb eating plan or anything like that. Just take it easy with the
McNuggets and Twinkies, do some exercise and you can try this
wonderful stuff known as fruits and vegetables. It's not as bad as you think it
will be."
Without skipping a beat, Danny unwrapped two cheeseburgers and stacked one on top of the other. He heard the advice he was given and knew the consequences, but he proceeded to stuff the burgers into his mouth anyway. The volume of which caused his cheeks to expand, making him look like a giant chipmunk -- Alvin, Simon, and Theodore combined into one. He was ambivalent to the dark figure and to his own mortality.
"Okay,
maybe it won't be so easy, but nothing in life worth having comes easy. I'm not
expecting you to become Mr. Universe or anything like that, just get yourself
out of the danger zone, that's all. Besides, you would be doing me a favor too.
"Good
luck trying to get into
"Can I have a rim-shot? We have a comedian here," the dark figure said as he mockingly played to an imaginary crowd.
"Very funny."
"Thank you, thank you very much." The dark figure said in his best Elvis voice.
"Hey man, I know who you are and I know why you're here. Just because I'm fat doesn't mean I'm stupid."
"I didn't say you were stupid--
"Please, let me finish." Danny raised his hand to cut him off.
"Okay, go ahead."
"Thank
you. As I was about to say, I'm not stupid. I know why you are here and I know
it's my fault -- I've let myself go. I suppose it wouldn't be hard to take my
medication, but giving up my McNuggets and Twinkies, well...that's a horse of
another color. You see, that's all I have. Giving that up would mean I'd have
nothing. And the God's honest truth is I've been living this way, trapped in my
fleshy prison, for so long that I wouldn't know how to live any other way. I've
become comfortably numb in my fat body, my fat world. It's where I feel safe
and content as long as I have my edible buddies with
me; they keep me company. I might be lonely, but I'm not alone, I have them and
that's better than nothing at all."
"I'm sorry you feel this way. I deal with death everyday so this is nothing new to me. But usually people want to keep me away as long as possible. You're telling me you are, ahem, okay with this?" The dark figure said with a dour look on his face.
"Yes, I accept my fate, I had given into this a long time ago but I didn't have the guts to end my life with a gun or poison. So I thought I would just continue on my path until you showed up." Danny dipped into his third box of McNuggets.
"And there's nothing I can do to change your mind?"
"Nope. Sorry I couldn't help you with your image problem, but I couldn't think of a better way to go."
"Most of the older guys want to go out while they're doing it with some stripper, but I guess if this is what makes you happy then I will fulfill your request."
"It would end my sadness in this world. But I do have hope for a better lot in the afterworld." Danny's eyes were moist.
"I can't take your life without properly introducing myself, it's the least I could do. Most people refer to me as the Grim Reaper, but please call me Mr. Reaper, I don't like to think I'm so grim."
Danny washed the last of the fries down with some Coke and smiled. "Yeah, you aren't half bad for someone who takes lives everyday. At least I'll be going out with a smile."
"Yes, you will. I try to do my best Danny; it's hard to keep upbeat in my line of work. I have to give you credit for sticking it out; at least you aren't trying to blame the fast-food industry for your troubles. Can you believe these people suing because they got fat from eating too much fast food?"
"Even I had to laugh when I read that in the paper."
Danny was a trooper all the way through. Mr. Reaper tried his best to keep the conversation going, but it was no dice.
"Okay Danny, you seem to have your mind made up and I have a lot of business to attend to, so if you don't mind I'd like to settle this issue with you now."
"Hey, thanks for treating me with some respect, fat people don't get that too often."
"No problem Danny, enjoy your last supper."
And with
that, a less than grim reaper slid out from the booth to complete his deed. The
sickle swung and a moment later Danny went into full cardiac arrest with
several McNuggets in each hand. Before leaving, the reaper leaned into Danny
and whispered, "You didn't die alone, buddy. You had your friends in your
hands."
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
BOOK REVIEWS
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
RATING LEGEND:
**** Quills
= Excellent
*** Quills = Good
** Quills = Fair
* Quills = Poor
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"Too
Many Secrets" by Linda Himes Guyan
Reviewed by: Rita Porter (beepmybeep2@mchsi.com)
Publisher: Zumaya Publications
ISBN: 1-894942-02-7
Rating: * * * * Quills
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1894942027/scriquil/
Secrets rarely stay secrets in a small town. Lifetime promises of silence are
sometimes deadly wishes granted to the unwary. Friends from a young age who
have grown apart after a terrible experience often breed mutual grudges.
Hauntingly familiar small-town life, complete with its rumor mill, flies into
existence within the pages of this story. With the who is sleeping with whom
and who has done what to whom, it seems as if no stone is left unturned.
Hard feelings result when some lovers find new ones. The townsfolk are aware of the building tensions. When several of its well known citizens are found murdered, the town discovers it is hiding a murderer in its mist. Linda Himes Guyan wastes no time sending the reader down the path to murder in "Too Many Secrets." We are drawn into the lives of her characters and into the small-town gossip mill that many people can relate to.
With glimpses into the mix of small-town life and murder, only chaos reigns. As with any well written suspense, we are introduced to many who have the means and urge to do harm to the victims, leaving one to wonder just which character is the culprit. Readers hope it is the one they have chosen to dislike more than another. Throwing in a wide mix of choices, Guyan has given her readers much to choose from.
***
"Thin
Ice" by Jaxine Daniels
Reviewed by: Rita Porter (beepmybeep2@mchsi.com)
Publisher: Zumaya Publications http://www.zumayapublications.com
ISBN: 1-55410-060-7
Rating: * * * Quills
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1554100607/scriquil/
Mattie Kincaid has scored a job with Web sports, an online magazine. They send
her out to cover the
Hockey player Grant Alexander is assigned to be her babysitter by the PR people at the Storm headquarters. Unhappy with his assignment, Grant takes it out on Mattie. But she is stubborn, and has already fought not only her parents, but Bryce Whitney, her boyfriend.
Mattie digs in her heels to show them she has what it takes to report on the all-male sport of hockey. Taken under Grant's wing, Mattie learns about hockey and catches the fever. Rooming with the only other female connected to the Storm team, Mattie and Jamie become best friends almost immediately. Mattie is happier than she has been for a while until the true reason behind her hiring at Web sports becomes known to her.
Everyone is in love with the idea of love, and Jaxine Daniels' character, Mattie, is not an exception to this. With current circumstances of mental abuse, Mattie is ripe for true love, but she fights it as most real people would. Daniels has tossed in some twists and turns here and there in "Thin Ice" that combines nicely with the sport of hockey.
It's a
fast-paced romance with losses thrown in to prove that, without the bad, one
would never recognize the good they have. The characters in this story are a
hard-reality bitten, close-knit family unit as any team family would be. They
don't allow insiders in easily, so the writing behind the character of Mattie
had to be forceful and yet gentle in the shove to join into that family.
Daniels did a wonderful job with that mix.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
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"Mable
Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum Peril and Romance"
By Marthe Jocelyn
Reviewed by: Sonali T. Sikchi (sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com)
Publisher: Candlewick Press,
Book: Young Adult, Hardcover, 279 pages
ISBN: 0-7636-2120-X
Rating: * * * * Quills
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/076362120X/scriquil/
"Wish:
To see the world and have the world see me! [...] I am twitching with
excitement, imagining all that awaits us now that we've left our home."
And so begins the diary of Mable Riley, a young Canadian girl at the turn of
the last century. Her older sister, Viola, is to be the new schoolmistress at
Through the words of aspiring writer and dedicated Nellie Bly fan, Mable, we see the girls' daily lives unfolding, as each girl adjusts to the new place, new responsibilities, new people and nostalgia for the home and family they've left behind in Ambler's Corners.
Mable, with her adventurous, irresponsible and irrepressible spirit, is always at odds with Viola, whose love for the humdrum, neatness and order, makes her a stickler for correct behavior. Both, however, share a deep love of family and books. While Mable conveys an impression of carelessness, she is, in fact, an intelligent and keen observer of life and an astute judge of people's emotions and the thoughts behind their actions. She displays a wry wit in her detailed notes about her day-to-day interactions with Viola, the Goodhands, her fellow pupils and the eccentric Mrs. Rattle.
It is Mrs. Rattle, who has a profound effect on impressionable Mable, hovering on the cusp of adulthood. Mrs. Rattle is a real writer, who wears daring fashions, rides a bicycle, lives alone, undauntingly states her opinions and is a staunch and radical suffragist. In short, Mrs. Rattle has all the peril and romance Mable is craving in her young life. And Mable is swept along on a wave of hero worship that allows her to dig in deep and summon the courage to act on her own beliefs.
Despite the precocious maturity of her main character Mable, Marthe Jocelyn has skillfully maintained the narrative in a 14-year-old's voice, while delicately observing, probing and uncovering the entire gamut of adult emotions: from trepidation over a new job to jealousy of a peer's success, from a first love to a death in the family, from infatuation with ideas to fear of acting upon those thoughts to strong determination and pluck in standing by principles.
Jocelyn has a masterful command of the English language. Nothing fancy or fanciful. Rather an uncanny knack of placing the right word in the right spot, thereby lending her prose an elegant, endearing quality that, nevertheless, dances on the page with Mable Riley's vitality.
***
"St.
Michael the
Reviewed by: Sonali T. Sikchi (sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com)
Publisher: Professional Development, Inc.
Book: Fiction, paperback, 205 pages, 2004
ISBN: 0-9709430-8-3
Rating: * * * 1/2 Quills
http://hometown.aol.com/toots10622/
A whimsical title. A coming-of-age story. Slavic immigrants. New customs, new culture, new language. Small town. Tightly-knit conservative Roman Catholic community. And with these ingredients, Sophia Zufa tells a complex story of relationships with a sensitivity and poise that makes for a compelling read and lingering contemplation well after the book is put away.
The story starts in the present and then flashes back two decades to recount the events of the year during the Depression that led to the incarceration of four young men of Pearling, Illinois. The people and the emotions that drive their actions color and shape young Justina Pataky's perception of life. We see her sisters, her parents, her father's brother and his family, her friends and the other town folk all through Justie's lens, as she captures image after perceptive image of these people at their best, their worst and their quotidian.
Four years
ago, Justie's father was laid off his job with the railroad. But he has
recently started working in construction, providing her mother relief from
monetary worries as she manages the house and the children, while actively
participating in the goings-on in the community and in their St. Michael the
The oldest sister, Monica, is 20 years old and is in love with Billy Lundquist, a Swedish Lutheran. Their parents highly disapprove of the match, believing "people ought to marry and socialize with their own kind." So against Monica's wishes, they push her towards an appropriately suitable boy, one who is Slavic and a Roman Catholic, and who happens to be in love with her. In an act of defiance, Monica gets herself in the family way. However Billy, in a mad moment of loyalty to a friend, throws away all their plans and dreams and ends up in prison for 20 years. In the meantime, Monica's parents marry her off to the suitable boy. A few months of married life and the unfortunate death of Billy's baby in-utero, serve to draw Monica emotionally closer to her husband and her new life.
Katie, a year younger than Monica, is in love with a poor but suitable boy. She is the enterprising, practical one in the family and manages her life smoothly: work, relationship and marriage. Verna, the pious one in the family and four years younger than Katie, has a vocation for a religious life as a nun.
And that leaves the youngest, 11-year-old Justie —- a rebel, always in the thick of everything happening around her, insatiably curious, and who has always felt overlooked, misunderstood and lacking in the looks department. "Sorry. Pardon me for living," is how she thought of herself.
Zufa has a verve for characterization. From the first, she builds up believable, likeable people and effortlessly colors in their Slavic ancestry, not with up-front biographical details, but mostly through dialog and reactions to surrounding events interwoven throughout the story. The innocence of pre-pubescence works well for juxtaposing the behavioral vagaries of the adults. However at times, some of the social commentary sounds more appropriate to a 14-year-old.
The background setting of the marathon dance derby is a bit contrived. It pops up intermittently throughout the narrative without informing on the story or the characters. Overuse of italics —- paragraphs or pages of it -— makes for confused reading, and the few place where they could be used for emphasis are thus rendered unremarkable. The typography and lack of basic copyediting do an injustice to an author of Zufa's talent.
===
BIO:
===
Sonali T.
Sikchi is a Seattle-based freelance writer with feature articles and book
reviews published in national and regional magazines such as History Magazine,
Alaska Airlines Magazine, Horizon Air Magazine, Scribe & Quill, uncapped,
Citysearch and others. As a freelance editor and proofreader, she works with
authors, book publishers, magazines and nonprofit organizations. She can be
reached by e-mail at sonali_sikchi@hotmail.com,
or on the Web at sonali_sikchi.home.comcast.net.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
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One-stop shopping!
Need to finesse a book project before submission? Need a wordsmith to write professional innovative copy?
Seattle-based freelancer Sonali T. Sikchi can help you with the writing, copywriting, substantive and developmental editing, proofreading, querying, project management and research required for your project. Visit http://sonali_sikchi.home.comcast.net to find out about her professional career and services.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
"This
is the Place" by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Reviewed by: Judith Woolcock Colombo (judithcolombo@hotmail.com)
Publisher: AmErica House, Baltimore
ISBN: 1-58851-352-1
Rating: * * * Quills
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1588513521/scriquil/
A Japanese fan, lying on a table, is a simple unassuming object. However, in the hands of a dancer it pivots and twirls, opening gradually or with a flick of a wrist to reveal itself as a work of art, a kaleidoscope of color and movement. As the dance develops, the fan becomes more than an object in the hands of an artist. It is a gateway into a world both frightening in its strangeness and comforting in its familiarity.
"This Is The Place," Carolyn Howard-Johnson's excellent first novel, unfurls as the fan does developing from a simple coming of age story, filled with the music of everyday life, into a powerful novel about the search for individuality and the struggle against prejudice.
Skylar Eccles is the hero. The daughter of a Mormon father and a Protestant mother, she must struggle against the demands and prejudices of both sides of her family that mandate that she conforms to their religious views. She must also struggle against the constraints placed on members of her sex in 1950's Utha, that sent the message that "only in marriage would a woman be a complete entity." Even the love of a good man and the love of her family threatened to destroy her selfhood through the obstacles placed in her path in their attempts to mold and shape her into good wife, obedient daughter, and a child of the faith. "...Sky looked at her own life and saw the awful power of love hovering ready to shape -- maybe destroy -–her own reality."
The pain of
intolerance and the fight against bigotry is reflected in the lives of Skylar's
great-grandmother,
Beneath all
this emerges another story. It is the story of
Howard-Johnson's
language is vivid and vibrant, pulsating with the music and beauty of the land
she describes, burnt sienna, pumpkin and amber. Her words, like the music
that pours from grandma Harriet's piano, ties our souls to "the rhythm of
life in
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
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information and inspiration for writers -- you'll find all three for free when
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~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
FEATURED MOVIE REVIEW
Ladder 49 (October 2004)
Reviewed by: Mindy Phillips Lawrence (mplcreative1@aol.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Every professional and volunteer firefighter in my area came to the opening of Ladder 49 on October first. Jay Russell directs the viewer into the heart and soul of a ladder company, shooting down on long, red Seagraves fire engines curling through the streets of Baltimore, Maryland on the way to the next call. The movie flips between dangerous firefighting sequences, placing the viewer in the heart of the action, to the story of Jack Morrison, a rookie firefighter at the beginning, a decorated veteran at the end. It is the relationship of Morrison (played by Joaquin Phoenix) and Captain Mike Kennedy (played by John Travolta) that glue the movie together.
The scenes at the firehouse show the camaraderie and shenanigans of Company 33. In real life, it is the crazy pranks firefighters play on one another that balance the seriousness of the job. As the characters played tricks on one another on the screen, the firefighters in the audience laughed out loud, remembering their own initiations and rituals.
When fires start going wrong, trapping both residents of buildings and members of the company in them, the strain comes out between Morrison and his wife (well played by Jacinda Barrett). Morrison begins to doubt his commitment to the profession, caught between his love of being on the front line and his guilt about placing his family through incredible stress. It is this feeling of being trapped that pervades the entire film, leading to its heart wrenching conclusion.
Tempers become incendiaries when a firefighter is killed on the job. A comrade says he died because he wasn't paying attention. Another member of the company take exception to what he says and jumps on him. Captain Kennedy comes in, like a good firefighter, and douses the rebellion.
Travolta plays an understated, powerful performance. He is the father figure and leader of the company, party to the jokes and eulogizer at the funerals. Travolta is excellent when he must make a decision about one of his own, depicting both the leadership it takes to make an awful choice and the sadness it gives him. He pulls it off without overacting.
Joaquin
Phoenix is both the macho firefighter and a tenderhearted husband and father,
balancing both sides of his character with agility. It is fortunate that
powerful superstar Travolta moved out of the way enough to let
The life of a firefighter is a mixture of friendships, incidents and tragedies. Ladder 49 does a convincing job of showing all sides of the profession and takes its place as the heir apparent to Backdraft, director Ron Howard's paean to firefighting, shot in 1991. Ladder 49 is a convincing, heart stopping movie.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
LIVE TO WRITE. WRITE TO SELL.
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WRITER'S WIT:
My Bottom is an English Bottom
By Catherine Nelson-Pollard (cnp@bluewin.ch)
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
I have joined a writers group. I am a novice, new to the scene. Yet the group now knows me, not for my literary prowess but because of my derrière.
Once a month they have a routine of having lunch in a café with good food and wine. My first time there I was early, so took a seat in the middle of the long table. No sooner than I had sat down, I needed to go to the loo. On my return, my place was still waiting marked by my bag and wineglass. But now either side of this, were ten or so writers, comfortably settled and in full conversation. The only way of getting back to my place was to bend right over while squeezing myself and my behind along the now very long row of literary legs.
In the
afternoon session a travel writer approached me. After
introducing myself he said, "Ah yes, I recognise your backside."
If everyone didn't know who I was before, they do now.
My bottom
is average. It is not a cute little Claudia Schiffer million-dollar bottom.
Neither is it an olive-skinned bottom on a micro-skirted salsa dancer. If I
went to
It doesn't belong with the skinny ladies who "do lunch" only to toy with a lettuce leaf on their plate, but thankfully it doesn't wobble or flop over either side of a bar stool.
My bottom is an English bottom. It has just the faint hint of a tan around the legs as it only sees and feels the sun over 25 degrees once a year.
Over the years it has slumped on many sofas and has cellulite due to drinking gallons of tea and guzzling biscuits in front of BBC programmes. Usually period productions featuring English ladies with genteel posteriors.
My bottom is not blue blooded, more blue with cold as it has been covered up in layers of waterproof gear, and hiked up hills and dales in dismal teeming rain.
This is all that the members of my writing group know of me. It doesn't matter. Inspiration to creativity comes in many shapes -- some of them shapelier than others.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
THE LAST WORD --
RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR WRITERS:
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
Absolute
Write http://www.absolutewrite.com
Fiction Factor, http://www.fictionfactor.com
Food Writing, http://www.food-writing.com
OrganizedWriter.com, http://www.organizedwriter.com
Paying Writer Jobs PayingWriterJobs@yahoogroups.com
Sell Writing Online, http://www.sellwritingonline.com
SF Romance, http://www.sfronline.com
SpecFicMe Market Newsletter, http://www.specficworld.com/sfme.html
Vision: A Resource for Writers, http://www.lazette.net/Vision/
Worldwide Freelance Writer, http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
WritingAustralia.com eZine, http://www.writingaustralia.com
WriterAdvice http://www.writeradvice.com/
WriteCraftWeb, http://www.writecraftweb.com
WritersCrossing.com Newsletter, http://www.WritersCrossing.com
Writing for Dollars http://www.awoc.com
Writer Gazette, http://www.writergazette.com
The Writer's Hood, http://www.writershood.com
The Writer's Life, http://www.thewriterslife.net
Writer Online http://www.writeronline.us
Writing for Success, hhttp://www.writing4success.com/newsletter.htm
Write Success, http://writesuccess.com
The Write Way, http://www.write101.com
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
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