The Writer’s Plot Writing Conference
The Story Continues...
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Furman University
3300 Poinsett Hwy, Greenville, SC 29613
Keynote Speaker: Harold Underdown
Early Bird Special Price: $80 until June 16th
Regular Price (after June 16th): $100
Manuscript Critique: $45 (first 10 pages)
Special Critique with Harold Underdown for rejected manuscript consultation: $45 (first 10 pages)
Deadline for submission: June 16th
Register online: www.thewritersplot.com
10% discount for TWP members for all prices
Presenters include:
Harold Underdown – consulting editor, former vice president & editorial director at ipicturebooks, former editorial director at Charlesbridge, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books
Edie Melson – social media marketing expert, author of best-selling ebook, Social Media Marketing for Writers and a devotional, Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle
Vonda Skelton – author of Seeing Through the Lies (for women), three Bitsy Burroughs Mysteries (for children), and numerous magazine articles for adults
Patricia Thomas – author of 7 picture books, including “Stand Back,” said the Elephant, “I’m Going to Sneeze!”
Pam Zollman – award-winning author of 40 children’s books, hundreds of short stories and articles (for adults and children), and former editor at Highlights Magazine.
Alan Gratz – award-winning author of six children’s and YA books, short stories, magazine articles, plays, and several episodes of A&E’s City Confidential
Jessica Alexander – Associate Editor for Peachtree Publishing
Katya Jensen—Editorial and Subrights Coordinator for Peachtree Publishing
Monday, June 11, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
There’s truly no place like home, wherever that is.
I’ve been on the road for the last couple of days moving my youngest daughter, Kaitlyn, from Kansas City, Kansas back to South Carolina. It was a fun road trip as we talked and laughed the entire drive home but it was also exhausting too. Too many hours in a car, one night in a hotel room with weird pillows, roadside food, traffic and did I mention too many hours in a car?
I know the adjustment for Kaitlyn will be hard to go from living on your own to living back home and I also know it is temporary. I’m trying to make the transition as smooth as possible for her by backing waaaay off and letting her find her own way. On the other hand (and there always is another hand!) it is weird for me to have her back in the house again. Hello, sharing a bathroom with another female? Lol.
As I crossed over the border into South Carolina again and I knew I was an hour from home, I was relieved to have nearly finished the journey but I also felt like I had made it home. For most of you, that’s no big deal. You lived in your parent’s home growing up and then moved out for college or living on your own or for marriage. You may have moved a handful of times in your life. You knew exactly where home was.
As a preacher’s daughter in a church that moved pastors on a whim, I had moved 30+ times by the time I was 19 years old and left my parents for good. During my entire childhood I never felt that I had a home. The parsonages didn’t belong to us and the places were temporary and short lived. It isn’t good to not have roots and a sense of belonging. My daughters lived their childhoods in two houses. And though I have only moved 3 times in the last 25 years, I still struggle with feeling at “home.” Finally, I feel the area is my home even if I’m not entirely sure about the house.
And that is a pretty amazing feeling – a home at last.
I know the adjustment for Kaitlyn will be hard to go from living on your own to living back home and I also know it is temporary. I’m trying to make the transition as smooth as possible for her by backing waaaay off and letting her find her own way. On the other hand (and there always is another hand!) it is weird for me to have her back in the house again. Hello, sharing a bathroom with another female? Lol.
As I crossed over the border into South Carolina again and I knew I was an hour from home, I was relieved to have nearly finished the journey but I also felt like I had made it home. For most of you, that’s no big deal. You lived in your parent’s home growing up and then moved out for college or living on your own or for marriage. You may have moved a handful of times in your life. You knew exactly where home was.
As a preacher’s daughter in a church that moved pastors on a whim, I had moved 30+ times by the time I was 19 years old and left my parents for good. During my entire childhood I never felt that I had a home. The parsonages didn’t belong to us and the places were temporary and short lived. It isn’t good to not have roots and a sense of belonging. My daughters lived their childhoods in two houses. And though I have only moved 3 times in the last 25 years, I still struggle with feeling at “home.” Finally, I feel the area is my home even if I’m not entirely sure about the house.
And that is a pretty amazing feeling – a home at last.
Lost and Found...
No, not the show...I never did understand that one since I missed the first few shows...just I feel like I've been lost to my blog. It has been over a year since I posted and not because I didn't have anything to write about but because I had TOO many things to write about.
First, my health (ever the gorilla in the room), I am HEALTHY! And yes, I am shouting. Oh sure, I have minor issues...we all do, but I have my illness under control and am off meds and doing just fine, thank you.
Next, I'm busy. I'm still working full time with occasional travel and I've gone back to school full time as well with no travel. :) I'm returning for my degree now that the kids are grown and gone and it is my turn for me. I'm studying Organizational and Business Managment and after I complete my degree in July 2013, I plan on going for my Project Management certification.
I'm now on the Board of Directors for the National Docketing Association as the Education Chairperson and again, further proof of healthiness, I have the energy and stamina to keep all the balls up in the air (most days-lol). It has been a long rough road and I've made drastic changes to diet, exercise and spiritual well-being but all the changes have been positive. I still need to make some more tweaks but I feel that I am on the right path.
Finally, I'm content. Not giggly joyous, dancing around happy - a bit too manic for my tastes - but I can truly say I am content. I still have areas to improve and I'm working on those but I've learned contentment without settling. An interesting place to be.
So now, I'm not lost any longer. I'm found. You could even say I was rescued...by me.
First, my health (ever the gorilla in the room), I am HEALTHY! And yes, I am shouting. Oh sure, I have minor issues...we all do, but I have my illness under control and am off meds and doing just fine, thank you.
Next, I'm busy. I'm still working full time with occasional travel and I've gone back to school full time as well with no travel. :) I'm returning for my degree now that the kids are grown and gone and it is my turn for me. I'm studying Organizational and Business Managment and after I complete my degree in July 2013, I plan on going for my Project Management certification.
I'm now on the Board of Directors for the National Docketing Association as the Education Chairperson and again, further proof of healthiness, I have the energy and stamina to keep all the balls up in the air (most days-lol). It has been a long rough road and I've made drastic changes to diet, exercise and spiritual well-being but all the changes have been positive. I still need to make some more tweaks but I feel that I am on the right path.
Finally, I'm content. Not giggly joyous, dancing around happy - a bit too manic for my tastes - but I can truly say I am content. I still have areas to improve and I'm working on those but I've learned contentment without settling. An interesting place to be.
So now, I'm not lost any longer. I'm found. You could even say I was rescued...by me.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
This is Who I Am
I’ve read with interest posts lately from all sides of the spectrum online of my friends, family and classmates. They are Christian, Atheist, Hindu, Buddhist, White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Right Wing, Left Wing, Gay, Straight, homeschool or public school or private school and they all seem to have a message of my way is right and everyone else is wrong. I understand that belief or the lack of belief is a very personal thing and we all become emotionally involved when others don’t go along with what we believe.
So, here I am ready to offend the universe at large but I have to say who I am.
I’m a Christian. To me that doesn’t mean I’m Republican or Democrat. It means I follow the teachings of Christ. Not a church. Not a pastor’s interpretation. Jesus Christ. It is my personal belief that many of the things Jesus taught have been twisted and confused through churches. He taught love. And grace. And mercy. He cried. He went to parties. He made wine. Not cheap wine either; it was the best at the party so I’m pretty sure he drank since Welch’s wouldn’t keep in pre-refrigeration days. He became angry but didn’t sin and wasn’t abusive. He cleared the temple of the money makers who were making a mockery of church. He hung out with undesirables like prostitutes, adulterers and the lowest of the lows – tax collectors :) and he knew rich and powerful people as well. He was ignored by His family and loved by His followers. He knew joy and pain.
He was mocked, scorned and ridiculed. He still granted love and mercy. If you don’t believe in Him, that’s your choice but please don’t mock my choice as some uninformed panacea to the masses. I have the right to be intelligent and have faith. I don’t mock others who don’t believe as I do because Jesus wouldn’t have. He would have loved them no matter what. That was His message. I do believe He can save me but if I’m wrong, I’ve lived in love, mercy and grace. There are worse things I could choose to believe.
I don’t believe that Obama is the anti-christ or gay marriage will destroy the world. I don’t believe voting Republican will necessarily get America “back on track.” I also don’t believe voting Democrat will necessarily get America “back on track” either. I’m tired of hearing that right or left, gay or straight or republican or democrat or any other “way” is the cause of all that is good or the cause of all that is bad. It just is a part of the universe at large and the only thing that really matters is how you react to it. I’m reacting in love. I love you no matter what you do or do not believe. I love you no matter your sexuality or stance on drinking, abortion, or state’s rights.
It’s not that I don’t have an opinion on these issues because I do. But the point is no matter what you do or say, Jesus loves you and I think that is a good thing for me to do as well.
Please my friends, family and cohorts, stop beating each other over the head with your “isms” whatever they may be and learn to show love and compassion with one another. Life is too short to not be kind no matter what you believe.
And that’s just who I am.
So, here I am ready to offend the universe at large but I have to say who I am.
I’m a Christian. To me that doesn’t mean I’m Republican or Democrat. It means I follow the teachings of Christ. Not a church. Not a pastor’s interpretation. Jesus Christ. It is my personal belief that many of the things Jesus taught have been twisted and confused through churches. He taught love. And grace. And mercy. He cried. He went to parties. He made wine. Not cheap wine either; it was the best at the party so I’m pretty sure he drank since Welch’s wouldn’t keep in pre-refrigeration days. He became angry but didn’t sin and wasn’t abusive. He cleared the temple of the money makers who were making a mockery of church. He hung out with undesirables like prostitutes, adulterers and the lowest of the lows – tax collectors :) and he knew rich and powerful people as well. He was ignored by His family and loved by His followers. He knew joy and pain.
He was mocked, scorned and ridiculed. He still granted love and mercy. If you don’t believe in Him, that’s your choice but please don’t mock my choice as some uninformed panacea to the masses. I have the right to be intelligent and have faith. I don’t mock others who don’t believe as I do because Jesus wouldn’t have. He would have loved them no matter what. That was His message. I do believe He can save me but if I’m wrong, I’ve lived in love, mercy and grace. There are worse things I could choose to believe.
I don’t believe that Obama is the anti-christ or gay marriage will destroy the world. I don’t believe voting Republican will necessarily get America “back on track.” I also don’t believe voting Democrat will necessarily get America “back on track” either. I’m tired of hearing that right or left, gay or straight or republican or democrat or any other “way” is the cause of all that is good or the cause of all that is bad. It just is a part of the universe at large and the only thing that really matters is how you react to it. I’m reacting in love. I love you no matter what you do or do not believe. I love you no matter your sexuality or stance on drinking, abortion, or state’s rights.
It’s not that I don’t have an opinion on these issues because I do. But the point is no matter what you do or say, Jesus loves you and I think that is a good thing for me to do as well.
Please my friends, family and cohorts, stop beating each other over the head with your “isms” whatever they may be and learn to show love and compassion with one another. Life is too short to not be kind no matter what you believe.
And that’s just who I am.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)