* KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED *

Yesterday afternoon, after a long day at work (thank the Lord for air conditioning!), I received an email from Chicken Soup for the Soul that a story I submitted had made it to the first phase of their selection round! (It's a book about forgiveness.) Wow! I had a story accepted for one of their doggie books in 2017, but this soon for another one is surprising. (It was back in 2007 and 2008 that I had four stories accepted. As I've mentioned many times, I just can't get back into it very much.)

So, anyway, don't know when I'll hear for sure, but for now I'm honestly putting it out of my mind, which isn't difficult because I'm so forgetful anyway. Ha!

Oh, this isn't what I was eluding to in my July 9th post, either! 😃

~~~~

Speaking of books...I finally made it to the library today...BUT I forgot to take my list of books and authors I wanted to find. Duh. (I've been blaming my forgetfulness and other silliness on the effects of anesthesia, but that might be getting too old, so now I'm going with the excessive heat we're having and it's not supposed to end anytime soon.)

I did get three books. One from a familiar author that I like, Elizabeth Berg, and 2 others I haven't heard of: Tara Conklin and Dana Bate. (Oh and I dropped off a copy of my memoir for them to send to their "marketing department" or something like that.)

I finished Good Riddance a couple of days ago. It was typical Elinor Lipman, a fun, not profound, easy read.

~~~~

This photo makes me really happy, for various reasons...

I want to visit Switzerland and/or Austria so much some day, to see sites like this, 

AND it makes me feel I'm in a much cooler temperature! 

Stay cool or warm, depending on your part of the world!!

* CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL *

 

Chicken Soup for the Soul is now offering these "Contributor Badges" for anyone who has had a story published in one of their many anthologies. They begin at 1+ and go all the way to 20+ (as in how many books your stories are in!) So, since I have stories in four books, I was able to choose the 3+ badge.

 

I only know a handful of writers who can proudly display the 20+ badge, and I'm happy to say that one of them is my friend, Linda O'Connell. AND Linda and I became friends because of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Linda and I both had stories in the 2007, Chicken Soup for the New Mom's Soul. When she read the authors' bios in the back of the book, she saw my name and that I too lived in the St. Louis area. She e-mailed me and a wonderful friendship began.....Linda was also my first writing mentor and I know with all certainty that I would not be the writer I am today if Linda had not reached out to me. She introduced me to other writers at St. Louis Writers Guild functions...and the rest is history!

 

Regrettably, I forgot to thank Linda in my memoir's Acknowledgements. Acckkkk! (As you can see, this has obviously bothered me for quite some time!) Linda, please remind me when I begin talking about publishing my next book, ok??

One more thing...if you've ever thought about writing and sending your story to Chicken Soup for the Soul, what is stopping you? Go ahead! Write it. Submit it. They're looking for quite a few stories right now, too. Go here to see the upcoming books.



"When nothing is sure, everything is possible." - Margaret Drabble

* IT'S DEFINITELY HODGEPODGE *

Somehow another Friday quickly arrived and soon will be phffft! (and I accomplished many things...didn't waste a lot of time ) As soon as I typed that funny word, I remembered there's a 1954 movie with that as the title. Can you imagine?? (It's a comedy with Jack Lemmon, Judy Holliday, Jack Carson, and Kim Novak as the main characters.) 

"Hey Becky. What movie are you going to see at the show this weekend?"

"Phffft!"

"Huh? What did you say?"

"I said, I'm going to see Phffft!"

My goodness, there must've been a lot of unintentional spitting going on when people spoke that word! 

(For trivia buffs, The title "Phffft" comes from Walter Winchell's column which was widely read during the 1950s. When a celebrity couple's marriage broke up, Winchell would describe the break-up as "phffft".)

~~~~~

Have you ever had those annoying "eye floaters"? I've had them off and on for years, but a couple of weeks ago one appeared that was larger and darker. So, I decided maybe I should see my opthamologist. My appointment was yesterday afternoon and I'm happy to report that mine isn't serious, just annoying! I can live with that!

The following is from Webmd.

Eye floaters move as the eyes move. They generally appear to dart away when you try to focus on them.
Eye floaters can appear in many different shapes, such as:

• Black or gray dots

• Squiggly lines

• Threadlike strands, which can be knobby and semi-transparent

• Cobwebs

• Ring shaped

Once you develop eye floaters they usually do not go away, though they tend to improve over time.

Causes of Eye Floaters

Most eye floaters are caused by small flecks of a protein called collagen.

The back compartment of the eye is filled with a gel-like substance called vitreous humor.

How do you like that?? I have "humor" in my eyes!  

~~~~~

Do any of you ever watch Live From Daryl's House on the cable channel Palladia? I stumbled across it a few months ago and I LOVE it! Daryl Hall is the other half of the famous Hall and Oates singing duo of the '70s & '80s. Daryl has other singers come to his house and they play music and sing songs from both their careers. I haven't seen a show yet I didn't like. 

~~~~~

Writing Contest: It's the annual Column Contest of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. You don't have to be a bona fide columnist to enter. There are categories for bloggers, too. Click on the link for full details. Deadline is April 1st. (and that's no joke!)

~~~~~

Yesterday I submitted a story for a contest that I'm really excited about. I worked on it for days! That's all I want to share at the moment, though. Send me some good karma, please!
                                                 ~~~~~

AND, I'm still working a lot on my memoir. When does the editing end?!

~~~~~

P.S. I received Carmelina's package and will share photos of my goodies on Sunday!

* Welcome to my two newest followers Wendy and Susie. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! * 

"Every day, think as you wake up: today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it." -- Dali Lama

Bylines Calendar for Writers

The 2012 Bylines Calendar is ready to purchase! I have one of the previous years and I can attest to the fact that it is an awesome desk calendar!

Here's some information from Sylvia Forbes, editor of Bylines:

The Bylines 2012 Writer's Desk Calendar is now available. The 2012 edition has 53 more great essays about the writing life, and includes even more literary holidays. It's a terrific place to keep track of deadlines and meetings, to list goals for the year, and to get inspired to write. Inside are listings of literary festivals, online writing resources, birthdays of famous authors, and more.

This year's Bylines features the desk of nineteenth century American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson on the cover. His desk is actually a round table, and he wrote sitting in a rocking chair. His complete study is recreated at the Concord Museum, in Concord, Massachusetts, where Emerson lived. Many high school English teachers still teach about Emerson and his writings, over 100 years later.

This year, writers are from 25 states, plus Ireland and the UK. The state with the most entries is Kansas, with 4; however, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Oklahoma each have 3 entries. This year, two poems are included in the book.

It can be ordered from Amazon or Bylines Calendar. Price is only $14.95, plus shipping.

*I can certainly use one of these calendars again this year. I have writing plans and goals and need something to keep me organized!*


NOTE: Sylvia is currently taking submissions for Bylines 2013. Deadline is March 1, 2012.
See Submission guidelines. 
 

Welcome to my newest follower, Nicole Ducleroir. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

“Goals are dreams with deadlines.” -- Diana Scharf Hunt

 

"A deadline is negative inspiration. Still it's better than no inspiration at all." -- Rita Mae Brown

** CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL **

Chicken Soup for the Soul; New Call Outs 

O Canada ;101 Stories Celebrating The Country and the People

If you are Canadian,*SEE BELOW* we are looking for stories from you! This book, scheduled for publication in the fall of 2011, will be written by and for Canadians. Chicken Soup for the Soul is very popular in Canada and it is once again time for a Chicken Soup for the Soul book by Canadians for Canadians.

Send us your inspirational, humorous, or heartwarming stories. They don't have to specifically be about Canada -- they just have to be Chicken Soup for the Soul stories that take place in Canada or are written by Canadians. If you are not Canadian but you have a great story that took place in Canada (examples would be American college student at McGill, stranded travelers in Newfoundland on 9/11, great vacation stories) that is fine too.

Your stories or poems need to be true and about your personal experiences or those of someone close to you. We prefer stories written in the first person and no more than 1,200 words. This book will be published in English so please submit stories in English. Stories should not have been previously published by Chicken Soup for the Soul or other major publications.

Here are some suggested topics, but we know you can think of many more:

Hockey

Growing up in Canada

Living and working in Canada

Moving back and forth between Canada and other countries

Food and culture of Canada

Holidays unique to Canada

Hockey

Parenting in Canada

Being a teenager in Canada

Vacations: Traveling in and around Canada

Olympic Adventures

Curling

Hockey

Any inspirational Chicken Soup story on any topic as long as it is *WRITTEN BY A CANADIAN OR TAKES PLACE IN CANADA*

If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio will be printed in the book if you so choose. You will also receive a check for US $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. You will retain the copyright for your story and you will retain the right to resell it.

SUBMISSIONS GO TO Chicken Soup for the Soul
Select the Submit Your Story link on the left tool bar and follow the directions.

DEADLINE IS JANUARY 30, 2011.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The website also shows other books accepting submissions:

Brides and Weddings

You are engaged! How lucky you are to have found that one person you want to share the rest of your life with. We are looking for stories about this very special experience in your life. From the proposal, to the planning, to actual wedding day events – both touching and hilarious - these stories will capture your heart and your emotions. Stories from the groom or the proud parents would be great too! Please share the memories that were created during this special time in your life. The deadline date for story submissions is April 30, 2011.


Devotional Stories for Times of Trouble
Life has always been filled with trials, including illness, job loss, grief, addictions, and much more. God never promised that our earthly lives would be without difficulties, but he assured us that he will always be with us to share our burdens. If you have a brief true story (up to 500 words) that shows God’s presence during a time of trouble, please share it along with an applicable Bible verse and a 2-3 sentence prayer. You will receive $100 for each published devotion. ($100 due to the shorter word count than our regular books.) The deadline date for submissions is February 28, 2011.


Marriage and Married Life
Whether you are newly married or have been married for years and years, the stories in this book will capture your imagination, inspire you, make you laugh and touch your heart. We are looking for stories that will celebrate the commitment two people make when they say their vows. Tell us about your relationship. What makes it work? How did the comfort of your mate guide you through challenging times? What is the most important thing in your relationship? How did you try to change your mate? Did it work?! The deadline date for story submissions is May 30, 2011.



Mothers and Daughters
Mothers and daughters… they are, at the same time, very similar and also completely unique. Mothers show daughters who they will become. Daughters live out mothers’ dreams. Through birth, childhood, teen years, adulthood, grandchildren, aging, and every step in between, this relationship can be the best, the hardest, and the sweetest. The deadline date for story submissions is December 31, 2010. This title will not publish until 2012.

Preteens
The preteen years – those years from nine to twelve can be rough from both a physical and emotional perspective. You are not a kid anymore but you are not yet a teen. There are so many issues to deal with and sometimes it feels like you are all alone. You are not! The stories in this book – almost all of them written by preteens just like you – will prove that to you. We are looking for stories that will inspire you, make you laugh, make you think and let you know that life is not as bad as it might seem. The deadline date for story submissions is October 31, 2010.

Teens
A completely new book on one of our most requested topics – TEENS. The stories in this book, written almost entirely by teens, will be stories that you will want to read again and again. They will serve as your guide on topics such as the daily pressures of life, love, school, friendships, parents and much more. We are looking for stories that will encourage you, inspire you, make you laugh, make you cry and show you that, as tough as things can get, you are not alone. The deadline date for story submissions is December 31, 2010.


Young at Heart
So, you’ve crossed that magic age and you are ready to retire or start a second career. But you’re not ready to stop living! You feel energetic and young and there is still so much to see and do and enjoy. We are looking for stories that will share with our readers humorous and fun adventures from those who are actively enjoying their "senior years!" Tell us about your new careers, your volunteer work, your sports and sports cars, your new love interest, your travels, your families and all of those things you always wanted to do that you are finally doing now that you have the time. The deadline date for story submissions is December 31, 2010.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, all you writers out there!! Here is your biggest and best chance to be published in books that are known world-wide! You get a nice check, plus free books, and you're a published author! Sharpen up those pencils, recharge those batteries....(both in your computers AND yourself!)....and get writing! No Excuses!
Let's keep track and see how many of us will get at least one story submitted! E-mail me or leave a comment on this post, after you've sent one in!

"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection."  - Anais Nin