tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38848136913277166082024-03-12T22:05:46.901-04:00Grateful WriterThe Blog of Writer Sandra WarrenSandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-55986322332929528372023-09-24T16:32:00.000-04:002023-09-24T16:32:27.044-04:00I BINGE READ A "WRITING BOOK!"<p>I binge read a book about writing! Seriously, I did. Who does that? What could be more unexciting than the verbiage in a writing book, especially when a stack of highly recommended novels sit on my bedside table waiting to be read? </p><p>The book arrived on my doorstep after agreeing to write a review for an author I had not previously known. The title and sub-title intriqued me; TIME TO WRITE: Inspiring Lessons and Practical Skills for Writing The Novel You've Always Wanted, by Emily Winslow. My husband retrieved it when the mail came, opened the package and left it on the counter. Later that evening, I picked it up, just to get a feel for what I was up against and thumbed through it. My eyes lit on the first page of chapter one, and I was hooked. </p><p>Unlike most "how to" books that concentrate on the discipline of writing everyday and completeing X number of words per day, this author emphasized the importance of rest and daydreaming. </p><p> <i>"This is because there are lots of steps to writing a book and writing is only one of them. Daydreaming, brainstorming, and what-iffing are parts of an essential foundation that count as a form of progress." A Time To Write, Chapter 1, Page 1.</i></p><p>The book is divided into eight parts: Getting Started, Writing Skills, Storytelling Skills, Technical Skills, Facing The Middle, Being Understood By Others, The Professional Life, and Your Future, with multiple chapters in each part. Intriqing chapter titles like Day Dreaming and Discipline, Grocery Bags and Maypoles, Wonder and Worry, and Tasting The Ginger, give you a flavor of her sense of humor and creative ways of sharing the information. Writing skills are masterfully separated from storytelling skills as are all skills, in short chapters using clear-cut examples and analogies. This is just a small part of what drew me into binging this book. Oh, and I might add, I highlighted something on almost every page! </p><p>You don't have to be writing a novel to learn from this book. There is something, many things, inside for every writer no matter where they/you are in their/your writing, publishing journey. </p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvt-fL9d4_o6Cs50mjnhc6tNZz96HlJ0Zwueku6hiRvmqZd4LXfzkFem9zF0LNKxDUg85SzN7M1UUAZU2_UZUaPpI5VSue3U_jelMVfmofhVH0RPh4TAOyr5T5cbtDAvn2reIuNjt58A8irLRWFWheh4SghWEXoRZQ5UY4o9TN44mZ6vIqCYw7LbWSfKzL/s3050/20230923_165955~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3050" data-original-width="1983" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvt-fL9d4_o6Cs50mjnhc6tNZz96HlJ0Zwueku6hiRvmqZd4LXfzkFem9zF0LNKxDUg85SzN7M1UUAZU2_UZUaPpI5VSue3U_jelMVfmofhVH0RPh4TAOyr5T5cbtDAvn2reIuNjt58A8irLRWFWheh4SghWEXoRZQ5UY4o9TN44mZ6vIqCYw7LbWSfKzL/w113-h174/20230923_165955~2.jpg" width="113" /></a>If you can only buy one book on writing, make it "TIME TO WRITE: Inspiring Lessons and Practical Skills for Writing the Novel You've Always Wanted, by Emily Winslow. Here is the link to Emily Winslow's website and books: <a href="http://bit.ly/48t8uqP" style="font-family: "proxima nova extrabold";"><span style="font-size: small;">bit.ly/48t8uqP</span></a></p><p>I'd love to hear from you if you find this book as useful as I did. Well, not just if you read the book. I'd love to hear from you anyway. </p><p>Happy Writing! </p><p>Sandra Warren is the author of books in several genres. https://www/sandrawarren.com https://www.arliebooks.com</p><p>Contact: Email: sandra@arliebooks.com </p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p> Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-48057077267532272422022-01-20T13:00:00.000-05:002022-01-20T13:00:06.261-05:00Prejudice Begins In The Home<p> Note: Can it really be a year since I blogged? My goodness! As the world shut-down for COVID in 2020, many writer's were inspired to write with their new found time at home. I, on the other hand, was among those who shut-down mentally. Now, as we begin our third year of concern and semi-isolation with this horrible virus, I'm happy to say my creative juices are finally getting back on track. And although I'm not a prolific blogger, I vow to be better in 2022. </p><p>* * * * * * * *</p><p>This week, as we celebrate the legacy and historical contribution of Martin Luther King Jr., I'm reminded of my youth growing up and attending an integrated school in Michigan. That remarkable school, South High School, functioned, for the most part, like society should function; accepting and respecting the differences of others no matter their ethnic background, religion or color. It was a school in a factory neighborhood that was a melting pot of multiple nationalities including Dutch, Latvian, African American, Irish and German, to name a few. There were athletes and scholars and artists and musicians of all colors and creeds. It wasn't a perfect place by any means. There was prejudice, but it wasn't rampant. There was no them and us. Most grew up going to school with each other so attitudes were formed while very young. I was one of them. </p><p>My earliest recollection of racial differences that I can remember came about in first grade surrounding a birthday party for my friend, Edna Mae. She had a birthday party and I was the only one who showed up.</p><p>I was thrilled to have the story selected for inclusion in the first <i>Chicken Soup For The Kid's Soul </i>book. You can read all about it in the book, on page 46. "Edna Mae, First Lesson In Prejudice" has provoked interesting discussions among groups where children and adults gather; in classrooms, churches and recreational programs, to name a few.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiia51tOo1e2UKu9ZthfcSyeVM2f4G0tlWR_IwaOKiaYoZtlvOJxfug-s4RbjxzEQxLo4lM9vqR7LqatO374lIt43ZH2Qwj73d6c9XyAiQMAwHZdvAVO8nAqBT-vyuj26OBLPLVwoQ8I34F3woGPl029qkVcGO7ic1QB0SVPQ0AFUu3MpGP8qxGops4Uw=s1269" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="854" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiia51tOo1e2UKu9ZthfcSyeVM2f4G0tlWR_IwaOKiaYoZtlvOJxfug-s4RbjxzEQxLo4lM9vqR7LqatO374lIt43ZH2Qwj73d6c9XyAiQMAwHZdvAVO8nAqBT-vyuj26OBLPLVwoQ8I34F3woGPl029qkVcGO7ic1QB0SVPQ0AFUu3MpGP8qxGops4Uw=w134-h200" width="134" /></a></div>Like most things, our attitudes are shaped by our environment and our earliest environment is the home. As parents, the first teachers our children know, we need to be mindful of the thoughts and ideas they <br /> are picking up from our behaviors. Like the old saying, "manners are caught, not taught," so too is prejudice. <p></p><p>Do you remember your first encounter with prejudice? </p><p>***************************</p><p>Contact Sandra Warren at www.sandrawarren.com </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-19591524689274917912021-02-11T16:25:00.001-05:002021-02-11T16:38:49.931-05:00Hit and Run: An Interview with Australian author Dr. Bob Rich<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congratulations to Joan Edwards. She won a copy of <i>Spivey's Christmas Web</i> for commenting on my last blog. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">***************************</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But the greatest
of these is LOVE! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">That's all I could think of as I neared the end of reading <i>Hit and Run </i>by Dr. Bob Rich.<i> </i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hit and Run</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, the underlying themes of compassion, forgiveness and
especially love propel the characters forward following a tragic murder where
multiple children lose their lives. Led by 84-year old, Sylvia Kryz, a near
victim herself, parents of the children who perished are challenged to set
aside their grief and anger against the young perpetrator and help him become a
reformed member of society.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mSx51jtfZ4g/YCVk5vmhqwI/AAAAAAAANJM/bU9Jp-vxRYsQEiXt_axXQzcU5JZUGDCpACLcBGAsYHQ/s518/Hit%2Band%2BRun%2BCover%2Balso.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="343" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mSx51jtfZ4g/YCVk5vmhqwI/AAAAAAAANJM/bU9Jp-vxRYsQEiXt_axXQzcU5JZUGDCpACLcBGAsYHQ/w133-h200/Hit%2Band%2BRun%2BCover%2Balso.JPG" width="133" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The emotional side of
this story will stay with you and force you to contemplate how you would react
given the same set of circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Dr. Bob Rich has
masterfully woven believable characters into a tale that models for us all the
power of love and that's why I was compelled to know more about the author. His responses to my questions do not disappoint. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span>1.</b> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>W</b></span><b>here did the idea for <i>Hit and Run</i> come from?
Your comment at the end made me think you might have a personal connection to
the story.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I read an
inspirational story in the newspaper. A man’s daughter was raped and killed.
After the criminal was convicted to 30 years imprisonment with a non-parole
period of 15 years, he was so outraged he started a petition to have the death
penalty reintroduced in Australia. His campaign was effective enough to get
tens of thousands of signatures, although this was before the internet had
taken off.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One day, he visited
the criminal in jail, basically to gloat and rub it in. To his surprise, the
person he met wasn’t a monster, but a damaged, hurting man whose only wish was
to die. At first curiosity, then compassion, then even friendship replaced the
bitterness and hate. He publicly retracted his campaign, trained as a social
worker, and the newspaper article reported his first job in that jail, working
to rehabilitate criminals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is no such thing
as coincidence. A few days later, a blind old man was referred to me under a
victims of crime scheme. A bunch of teenagers had bashed him up, and even hurt
his old seeing-eye dog.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You can’t guide
someone out of his hole by jumping in and joining him. In order to work with
this poor man, I needed to get rid of my outrage. A standard psychological
technique for that is “displacement.” I invented a far worse crime by a
teenager: 14-year-old Chuck driving over 6 little kids and the crossing guard.
I thought this would be a short story of just retribution, so I could focus my
emotion there and maintain “professional distance” with my client.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">I needed a witness
within the story, so added an old lady he’d barely missed. That was Sylvia. Only,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZryI7COXFU/YCVmdFHEgSI/AAAAAAAANJo/kHKJPmKlFBoMKoR4dHMbrdxBJx9Aqgh4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Hit%2Band%2BRun%2BSylvia%2BKryz.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="477" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZryI7COXFU/YCVmdFHEgSI/AAAAAAAANJo/kHKJPmKlFBoMKoR4dHMbrdxBJx9Aqgh4gCLcBGAsYHQ/w149-h200/Hit%2Band%2BRun%2BSylvia%2BKryz.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>once she came alive in my computer, she dictated the contents, and I was merely
her scribe. The entire book is her record of the remarkable 9 months of contact
between her and the young killer.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What was the most difficult part of the story
to write?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sandra, one of my
personal clichés is, writing is the chocolate icing on the cake of life. When I
write, I can get stuck, then simply allow the story to cook in some 7th
dimension and come to me when it is ready. There were periods like that, but such
things are just normal writing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">S: I love your cliché! </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> <i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">WRITING IS THE CHOCOLATE ICING ON THE CAKE OF LIFE! </span></b></i></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>2. Con't:</b><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hit and Run</span></i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> reports on several court hearings, and I needed to research these.
Advice from three lawyers was very helpful. Having to correct the details could
perhaps be called a difficulty. (Isn’t English a fun language? Do difficulties
come when you call them?)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I also needed to
change the names of a few important secondary characters. There is a
12-year-old girl who is in a foster home because her mother is dying of cancer.
When she came to me, her name was Petra. But later, Sylvia told me that her
abusive father was actively searching for her, and a relatively unusual name
would be easier to trace. So, she became Jenny. It took me quite a while to get
used to the new name. My characters didn’t mind, because electronic people are
fortunate to have a delete button. Don’t you wish us humans did too?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">S: I know what you mean about changing a character's name. Midway through my last novel I did that and it was extremely difficult to picture that same character in the same way with the new name. I never would have believed it had I not been a writer. </span></p>
<h4><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">3.</span><span style="font-size: medium; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Y</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">ou could not have written such a story without
exhibiting some of Sylvia Kryz’s characteristics yourself. Did life experiences
shape compassion and forgiveness on your part or were you born with it?<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Oh no. As a young
fellow, I was a passionate bully-basher. All my fights as a teenager were when
protecting someone from victimization, but my reaction was violence rather than
compassion. In my final year in high school, one of the other kids punched a
teacher — an overweight man in his 60s, waiting to retire. I converted the
boy’s face to hamburger and broke a few of his bones before others restrained
me, and this taught me the lesson that two-way violence is twice as bad as
violence one way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is one of the
stories in my novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ascending Spiral</i>,
which is my fictionalized autobiography. I’ve</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vrrOI0VZLK0/YCVnHfbBWVI/AAAAAAAANJw/2ld1r4Ej5gMjP3eMsdQqAt0o0l-ARd5vwCLcBGAsYHQ/s510/Ascending%2BSpiral.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="341" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vrrOI0VZLK0/YCVnHfbBWVI/AAAAAAAANJw/2ld1r4Ej5gMjP3eMsdQqAt0o0l-ARd5vwCLcBGAsYHQ/w134-h200/Ascending%2BSpiral.JPG" width="134" /></a></span></div><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">changed details for two reasons:
first, it protects the guilty so I am less likely to be sued; second, my hero,
Pip, faces the same life events I did, but handles them in the way I wish I had.
That’s a standard therapeutic technique I describe in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From Depression to Contentment: A self-therapy guide</i>.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the early days of
my counseling practice, I could only work with a repentant bully. But then, as
you suggested, I grew, and like that man who became a mentor for his daughter’s
murderer, I realized that evil is what people do, not what people are. My task
is to point to the path to a good life, and invite the other person to walk
along it. Then it’s their choice whether they do or not. The outcome is not in
my hands, but I can and should do the best I can.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here is another of my
personal clichés: all sentient beings are apprentice Buddhas, apprentice
Jesuses. We are here to grow spiritually. Every human and other animal on this
planet, perhaps even every complex plant, is on a rung along a very long ladder
to enlightenment. We are all caterpillars feeding on the green leaves of
experience, until we graduate into butterflies. A graduate is someone who
intuitively, automatically, without effort, reacts to every other living being
with the unconditional Love St. Paul describes in Corinthians 13. However, this
is not a specifically Christian message. Have a look at </span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="http://bobswriting.com/bill/metta.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">http://bobswriting.com/bill/metta.html</span></a></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> to see what I mean.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">4. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If it was innate, did it cause you problems
growing up among children who tend to be egocentric?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hmm. You just have to
read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ascending Spiral</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I have two answers to
that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">First, I was the
shoulder to cry on. When a kid’s parents fought, he came to me for consolation.
I didn’t tell him he was lucky to have parents — mine were on the other side of
the planet, and I lived isolated in a migrant hostel. When a kid had girlfriend
trouble, he unburdened himself to me. I didn’t tell him I’d never had a
girlfriend, and was sure I never would. My problem was too much empathy. Often,
I worried more about other people’s problems than they did themselves. That’s
why I couldn’t be a therapist until training as a nurse toughened me up. (“It’s
not your pain. You are not there to share it but to relieve it.”)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Second, perhaps
paradoxically, I was (and am) a loner. I don’t know how to chat, prefer
solitude and quiet to crowds, noise and parties, and am much less fun in real
life than with my writing. Oh, I have the skills to get up on a stage and
inspire an audience, or make them laugh, or teach them, but that’s a learned
skill; a sort of a second skin I put on. For some lucky people, conversation is
lubrication. They can amusingly talk with anyone about anything (or nothing).
For people like me, conversation is information. When I have something to say,
I can say it well, but... But tell me to “Go and sit there next to Sandra, and
have a chat with her,” I’ll sit there like a dummy, unless you ask me questions
to unplug my information reservoir.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h4><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">5.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Y</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">ou tend to wear many hats which reflect your
desire to impact the world with positivity and love. If you could only wear one
of those hats, which would it be?<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I am trying to
visualize this. Are those hats each on a separate head? In that case, I can eat
LOTS of chocolate, with all those mouths! Or are the hats on top of each other?
I’d better be careful, walking through a door.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Actually, I only have
one role in life. Everything else I do is subsidiary to it. This is being a
Professional Grandfather. Anyone born after 1992 qualifies as my grandchild;
anyone after 1967 as my child. They merely need to apply. Trivia like
nationality, skin color or religion don’t matter. Many hundreds have applied,
and been adopted with love.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The job specification
is that everything I do is working for a survivable future, and one worth
surviving in. Both are equally important.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A survivable future
means environmental action. We are in the 6th extinction event of earth, and
when we unravel the web of life, we also fall through the hole. One worth
surviving in means a society of decency, cooperation, compassion instead of the
global culture we now have, which is ruled by greed and conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">6.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When all is said and done, what do you want
folks to remember about you? </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not that fussed about what other people
think of me. It’s more like, “I am going this way. It’s a good path, come with
me. If you do, welcome, if not, have a good life.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The only place to live
in is THIS MOMENT. There is nothing else. If this moment I am in nirvana, then
I am in nirvana. If this moment I am of benefit, then I am of benefit. So, I
need to remember this, and shape this moment to be that of an apprentice
Buddha.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you go to my blog,
Bobbing Around </span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">https://bobrich18.wordpress.com</span></a></span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> you will find a lot more along lines that will
enable you to improve your life, regardless of your circumstances. The most
important thing is to read my essay, “How to Change the World,” but there are
many other goodies as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Among my stories,
you’ll find two relevant to your questions: “Forgiveness,” and “Jarro.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And there is a list of
my published books too.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’d like to mention <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sleeper, Awake</i>. I wrote this last
century, and it won an international award in 2001.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b9FJh2RX4mk/YCVscwNWjtI/AAAAAAAANJ8/HGEUOHWC-VsUegsVny7yFRMV2atZkYbSACLcBGAsYHQ/s500/Sleeper%252C%2BAwake%2B2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="336" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b9FJh2RX4mk/YCVscwNWjtI/AAAAAAAANJ8/HGEUOHWC-VsUegsVny7yFRMV2atZkYbSACLcBGAsYHQ/w134-h200/Sleeper%252C%2BAwake%2B2.JPG" width="134" /></a></div>It’s just been reissued by
a new publisher, and the passage of 20 years has not reduced its value to
entertain, to surprise, and when you’re not looking, to educate. Currently I am
offering a free PDF copy to every follower of Bobbing Around, and every
subscriber to my monthly newsletter. So, your visitors need only do one of
those two things, and they have earned a free copy of a page-turner. Well,
there is a payment requested: <b>please write review.</b><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">S: Let me repeat in case you missed what you just read.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Dr. Bob is offering a FREE PDF download of his award winning novel Sleeper,Awake for the price of a REVIEW! </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No contest! No random.org! Just sign up for his blog, </span><span lang="EN-AU"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/">https://bobrich18.wordpress.com</a>,</span></span> request the PDF and share your thoughts in a review. It couldn't be easier than that. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Thank you! Thank you Dr. Bob Rich for your candid and insightful responses to my questions. Learning the backstory to <i>Hit and Run</i> enhances its message and meaning and has increased my respect for you as a human being, a writer, a teacher and friend. I look forward to reading <i>Sleeper, Awake</i> and <i>The Ascending Spiral. </i> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Good stories move you. Great stories stay with you and won't let you alone. <i>Hit and Run</i> will remain with you long after you close the back cover. </p><p class="MsoNormal">* * * *</p><p class="MsoNormal">YOU WIN whether you leave a comment or not! I'd still love a comment or two. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Contact Sandra Warren arliebooks@gmail.com or sandra@arliebooks.com https://www.arliebooks.com or http://www.sandrawarren.com </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-3803952929974873952021-01-25T12:06:00.000-05:002021-01-25T12:06:07.161-05:00There really is nothing new under the sun! <p><span style="font-size: medium;">Congratulations to Carol Baldwin and Joan Edwards. They both won a copy of <i>Obsessed By A Promise! </i>by leaving a comment on my last blogpost! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">* * * * </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have often heard the quote from Ecclesiastes 1:9, "There is nothing new under the sun," but never thought much about it until recently when one of my critique partners sent me a link to an article about a spider. Let me explain. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Years ago, I had an idea for a children's story about a very creative spider who is tired of spinning ho hum barn spider webs and wants to create her own more intricate designs. Mocked for her new designs, the spider would retreat to a window high in the barn loft where others couldn't see. It would take a family moving into the barn and one bright star shining through the new web, to make the others see that having different ideas can have surprising results. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I had never read a children's story about a spider besides E.B. White's, <i>Charlotte's Web </i>and thought there might be room for another spider book. When I shared my idea with other writers I received very mixed comments. Many folks liked the idea but a fare amount did not. One person even said, "Eww! Spiders are scary. Nobody likes spiders!" But my spider, Spivey, I called her, would have an important job to perform. She would spin a creative web that would calm a very special baby lying in a manger. Spivey's story would have a surprise Christmas story ending. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHla-TTCZLU/YA7lmkYQ3zI/AAAAAAAAM_Y/qtM67XNLMh0nPr-08btHrBc-zKZbWBDLwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Spider%2BThat%2BSaved%2BChristmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1607" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHla-TTCZLU/YA7lmkYQ3zI/AAAAAAAAM_Y/qtM67XNLMh0nPr-08btHrBc-zKZbWBDLwCLcBGAsYHQ/w157-h200/Spider%2BThat%2BSaved%2BChristmas.jpg" width="157" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Spivey's Web</i>, arrived on the market in 2017 and was retitled in 2020 as <i>Spivey's Christmas Web</i>. Just before Christmas, 2020, I received an article about author Raymond Arroyo and his new book, based on an ancient Eastern European legend, titled, <i>The Spider Who Saved Christmas.</i> Arroyo came across the legend while doing research for a middle-grade series. In his beautiful book, illustrated by Randy Gallegos, it's Nephila, a cave spider whose web saves the Christ child and his parents from Herod's men. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another version of the legend tells the story of a pinecone that falls to the floor in a hut occupied by a poor widow and her children. The pinecone takes root and grows into a tree but at Christmas time, the widow couldn't afford to decorate it. While the family slept, spiders in the tree spun webs that sparkled in the morning sun, a gift for the widow and her brood. Since that time, throughout Eastern Europe, it has been the tradition to decorate Christmas trees with spiders. It is also believed that those spider webs are the reasons we decorate with tinsel to this day.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Who knew? I certainly did not. I thought my idea about a spider helping the Christ child was original, a figment of my creative mind. But you see, it wasn't. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There really is nothing new under the sun! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">* * * * *</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Leave a comment by February 5th and I'll put your name in to win a copy of <i>Spivey's Christmas Web</i>. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Check out the <i>Spivey's Christmas Web</i> book trailer here: </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://goog_1642935863/&source=gmail&ust=1611671907636000&usg=AFQjCNFcR-EcSLUAQdwfjJ7lwV8PdCaUQA" href="http://goog_1642935863/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"> </a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DaWxu-vSpuRI&source=gmail&ust=1611671907636000&usg=AFQjCNHYkyXgpjflaRqKKwG-wBR3LXEizA" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWxu-vSpuRI" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>youtube.com/watch?v=aWxu-<wbr></wbr>vSpuRI</a></p><p>Contact Sandra Warren </p><p><a href="https://www.arliebooks.com">https://www.arliebooks.com</a> </p><p><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com">http://www.sandrawarren.com</a> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-44527170510565729622021-01-15T11:05:00.001-05:002021-01-15T12:54:45.148-05:00Firebird Book Award<p> I've never been big on contests but when one of my books comes up a winner, it's easy to change my tune. </p><p>Yesterday, I was notified that my historical fiction novel was awarded a FIRST PLACE in the HISTORICAL FICTION category for the SPEAK UP TALK RADIO FIREBIRD BOOK AWARDS. I entered the contest because the sponsors were sending all the proceeds to a worthy cause, a group that makes pillow cases for wounded veterans and their families. I always hoped my book, <i>Obsessed By A Promise</i> would be recognized but I never expected a First Place Award. I am thrilled, of course! </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fKq0JkPfwIY/YADyliGa0bI/AAAAAAAAM6Q/tfrjcsEJNB4-QsrTs_aEQd-kx_MK3wITgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1595/Mock%2BSandra%2BWarren%2B3.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1595" height="144" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fKq0JkPfwIY/YADyliGa0bI/AAAAAAAAM6Q/tfrjcsEJNB4-QsrTs_aEQd-kx_MK3wITgCLcBGAsYHQ/w218-h144/Mock%2BSandra%2BWarren%2B3.png" width="218" /></a></div><i>Obsessed By A Promise</i> is different than the other Orphan Train stories in that it is told from the point of view of a family member not from the child taken; a big brother charged with taking care of his little brother and the life long fifty-year search that ensues when the older brother loses him to the Orphan Train movement. The story is about family and how it transforms when a child is lost. <p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y4eDDoGXHTs/YADyjPsRXwI/AAAAAAAAM6M/6GM32sfTsxwMkjr5ckWt2d55mF35UbaFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/FB%2BCert%2BSandra%2BWarren.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="165" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y4eDDoGXHTs/YADyjPsRXwI/AAAAAAAAM6M/6GM32sfTsxwMkjr5ckWt2d55mF35UbaFQCLcBGAsYHQ/w220-h165/FB%2BCert%2BSandra%2BWarren.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>If you enjoyed other Orphan Train stories, you need to check this one out and hopefully, like many other readers, you won't be able to put it down. <p></p><p>Here's how to win a copy of the awarding winning <i>Obsessed By A Promise:</i> Leave a comment by January 20th and I will award Two Lucky Readers an <u>UNEDITED</u> copy of <i>Obsessed By A Promise, </i><span style="background-color: white;">autographed if you like. A review on Amazon and/or Goodreads is always appreciated. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Obsessed By A Promise </i></span><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Obsessed-Promise-Sandra-Warren-ebook/dp/B07VV16ZC2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Obsessed+By+A+Promise&qid=1610726107&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Obsessed-Promise-Sandra-Warren-ebook/dp/B07VV16ZC2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Obsessed+By+A+Promise&qid=1610726107&sr=8-1</a></i></p><p>*******</p><p>Contact Sandra Warren: <a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com">www.sandrawarren.com</a> and/or <a href="http://www.arliebooks.com">www.arliebooks.com</a> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><br /></p><p></p>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-59976923871716008242021-01-06T05:00:00.001-05:002021-01-06T05:00:07.551-05:00Unexpected Writer Gifts From The Heart! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4yepi0rlH1E/X_OeTyeq6eI/AAAAAAAAMz4/whRsRVkobLgJahbt_Xroujp7OsPWqmIDwCPcBGAsYHg/s2800/IMG_20201227_122934343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2182" data-original-width="2800" height="122" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4yepi0rlH1E/X_OeTyeq6eI/AAAAAAAAMz4/whRsRVkobLgJahbt_Xroujp7OsPWqmIDwCPcBGAsYHg/w157-h122/IMG_20201227_122934343.jpg" width="157" /></a></div> As I reflect on this past year, as well as other years gone by, I'm reminded of </span><span style="text-align: left;">the many people, known and unknown, who have stood by me and cheered with each new book and supported me in so many ways. Unexpected were the many gifts related to particular books I'd written, that came my way; many from complete strangers.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p></p><p></p><p></p>After writing <i>Arlie the Alligator</i>, my story-song picture book, alligators started to invade my house. Today, I have too many to count, from stuffed animals, necklaces, earrings, ceramic alligators, coffee mugs, alligator puzzles, a cement alligator for outside, two custom made alligator cookie cutters and even an alligator cookie jar, to name a few! <div><br /></div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymZIijMKHZI/X-jRq0e-o9I/AAAAAAAAMq4/R55OFGRBtaMQ_X6NECAAAgVDaYbzTEZmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B4.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1498" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymZIijMKHZI/X-jRq0e-o9I/AAAAAAAAMq4/R55OFGRBtaMQ_X6NECAAAgVDaYbzTEZmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w146-h200/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B4.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><div>Christmas 2020 brought me a most unusual gift: an infinity scarf imprinted with the complete text, including song lyrics from the <i>Arlie the Alligator</i> mini-musical. Here is a photo of the infinity scarf and a close up of the story text with lyrics. A most wonderful gift. </div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZmCrOME5as/X_N_2dLCHaI/AAAAAAAAMw8/bNpR5c-cTLsnBnhnQk0nncIDmFJtgI4rgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2020%2BXmas%2BScarf%2BText%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="170" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZmCrOME5as/X_N_2dLCHaI/AAAAAAAAMw8/bNpR5c-cTLsnBnhnQk0nncIDmFJtgI4rgCLcBGAsYHQ/w127-h170/2020%2BXmas%2BScarf%2BText%2B.jpg" width="127" /></a>. <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oS_kJATi1H8/X-jWW5vqa4I/AAAAAAAAMrw/mpK6wTzmBiM3ZUEi8wudzsSoJJHCtP4BgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2020%2BXmas%2BArlie%2BScarf%2B.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1433" height="171" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oS_kJATi1H8/X-jWW5vqa4I/AAAAAAAAMrw/mpK6wTzmBiM3ZUEi8wudzsSoJJHCtP4BgCLcBGAsYHQ/w120-h171/2020%2BXmas%2BArlie%2BScarf%2B.jpg" width="120" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After writing <i>Spivey's Web</i>, which became <i>Spivey's Christmas Web, </i>the story of a barn spider tired of spinning barn spider webs, who spins a web of her own design that creates stars that calm a tiny baby lying in a manger, I received a wonderful wire web to hang in my window as well as a spider mug that says, "Welcome to our web!" <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3YrHOI9M4jY/X_OKU-Rf1AI/AAAAAAAAMxI/pIPE63zrGlIe0-Omyh5o7YyVzCoUCJRpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3YrHOI9M4jY/X_OKU-Rf1AI/AAAAAAAAMxI/pIPE63zrGlIe0-Omyh5o7YyVzCoUCJRpgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h133/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Then there was the gentleman from Virginia, the husband of a caterer</div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI36HkB4oho/X_OTr81udBI/AAAAAAAAMzM/JWX6h_jgB9kweMrOsj4B3JaeKmwCyW9nwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1667" data-original-width="2048" height="175" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI36HkB4oho/X_OTr81udBI/AAAAAAAAMzM/JWX6h_jgB9kweMrOsj4B3JaeKmwCyW9nwCLcBGAsYHQ/w215-h175/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B.jpg" width="215" /></a>catering a reception for the dedication of a historical marker that resulted from the book, <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber,</i> who hand hammered a WWII B-17 Bomber out of metal to make bomber cookies for the reception. Following the reception, he gifted me with the cookie cutter. <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oTIf_xTHdgQ/X_ONlGpsAnI/AAAAAAAAMxo/dY2m-AuBK50_Lg63tI9pxo6J32sF8gtdQCPcBGAsYHg/s2615/IMG_20210104_164106522.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2615" data-original-width="2516" height="135" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oTIf_xTHdgQ/X_ONlGpsAnI/AAAAAAAAMxo/dY2m-AuBK50_Lg63tI9pxo6J32sF8gtdQCPcBGAsYHg/w130-h135/IMG_20210104_164106522.jpg" width="130" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Several cherished gifts came from my wonderful critique group. In addition to helping me become a better writer, they've stood by me through thick and thin and were always there to offer honest and sometimes brutal advice that made each manuscript shine.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9TtNKm6gODs/X_OSyjbLF3I/AAAAAAAAMzA/6Jq_bJAOjYE6euo7mQ4Cgn43vFZ1eImaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="173" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9TtNKm6gODs/X_OSyjbLF3I/AAAAAAAAMzA/6Jq_bJAOjYE6euo7mQ4Cgn43vFZ1eImaQCLcBGAsYHQ/w129-h173/2020%2BWriter%2Bgifts%2B2.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>I'll never forget receiving the coffee mugs that make me laugh every time I use them. I particularly like the one that says, "My critique group understands me!" and "Writer: powered by chocolate!" Oh how well they know me. I'd be remiss to not mention the SCBWIC (Society of Children's Writers & Illustrators) hoodie or my latest writer gift that makes it all official..."I'm the Writer Elf!" </div><div><br /></div><div>As wonderful as all these gifts are, nothing beats a letter, a drawing or a story from a child who really enjoyed Spivey's Christmas Web or Arlie the Alligator and were inspired to pen something of their own. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hearing from a stranger, who took the time to write a review and said things about your adult historical fiction novel like, "It's one of the best novels I've ever </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zrQZulJTZ_M/X_OTdMi2KDI/AAAAAAAAMzI/7c0FYPGTf-sBN0HMnNhJx70IL2ZGvN2WgCPcBGAsYHg/s1843/IMG_20201219_161137516_HDR%257E3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1843" data-original-width="731" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zrQZulJTZ_M/X_OTdMi2KDI/AAAAAAAAMzI/7c0FYPGTf-sBN0HMnNhJx70IL2ZGvN2WgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20201219_161137516_HDR%257E3.jpg" /></a></div>read!" or "I couldn't put it down," is perhaps the best gift of all and makes the long hours of frustration and enlightenment, creative inspiration and writer's block, emotional lows and highs that make up the writer's journey, worth every minute. <div><br /></div><div>None of the above mentioned gifts were expected. Some arrived on gift giving days like a birthday or holiday but most arrived out-of-the-blue. </div><div><br /></div><div>There's something funny, almost mystical about giving gifts to writers, at least in my experience, most arrived at the precise moment when I needed them most, when writer's block was at it's worst or when I couldn't figure out what to write next and the thought of giving up crept into my head. Writer gifts from the heart to the heart. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you dear friends, critique partners, family and most of all readers for giving me the the kind words that keep me writing. </div><div><br /></div><div>What kind of gifts have you been given to keep you going? </div><div><br /></div><div>*********************</div><div>Books referred to in this blog:</div><div>Arlie the Alligator - PB/Kindle/ DVD & Audio Cassette</div><div>Spivey's Christmas Web</div><div>We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of A Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The </div><div> Blue Ridge Parkway</div><div>Obsessed By A Promise</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sandra Warren can be contacted through her website.</div><div><p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>www.sandrawarren.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><div><a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a> <br /><a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC</a></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/</a></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author<br /></a></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><div class="separator"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><br /></div></div></div>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-69155872163741758632020-08-16T17:56:00.000-04:002020-08-16T17:56:39.047-04:00With A Little Help From My Writer Friends<p> Ask any writer how they developed their writing skills and you'll get a wide range of answers from degree programs to writer's conferences, workshops, webinars and books written on that very subject. Everyone's path is different and no one path is better than the next. </p><p>It's also safe to say that every writer develops their own circle of writer friends, those they admire and study and trust to give them the feedback they need to improve their skills. I have been extremely fortunate in the forty years since my first book came out, to have many writer friends along the way who have encouraged, inspired, taught and even critiqued my work, sometimes brutally, to make me a better writer. Because of my writer friends, my writing and story telling skills have significantly improved. </p><p>One of my favorite ways of learning has been to attend writing conferences; conferences that today have all been either shut down or forced to go digital. And although the quality of information being given won't suffer, I as a conference goer will miss the camaraderie of meeting and interacting with other writers more skilled than I. </p><p>But adapt we must and adapt we will. </p><p>Many opportunities are opening up that will allow us to learn from home in front of our own computers. One great opportunity is being offered by "Write 2 Ignite, a Christian writers group dedicated to helping writers provide excellent books for children and adults," as per Carol Baldwin's blog. Here is the information: </p><p>MASTER FICTION WRITING Taught by award winning author, Joyce Hostettler </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AupY0XudsoY/XzmgoTW--nI/AAAAAAAALxQ/ZvlGoX18XScDUbpZ7pA9XzzgI5s4ctvgACLcBGAsYHQ/s464/Joyce%2BHostettler.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="464" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AupY0XudsoY/XzmgoTW--nI/AAAAAAAALxQ/ZvlGoX18XScDUbpZ7pA9XzzgI5s4ctvgACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Joyce%2BHostettler.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div></div><div>Includes 3 talks by Joyce:</div><div>Creating Memorable Characters</div><div>On Writing Plot: What's The Problem</div><div>View Point and Dialogue</div><div><br /></div>September 19th <div>9:00 am to 5:30 pm (recorded and password protected for 2 months) <br />$79</div><div>Register: www.Write2Ignite.com REGISTER NOW</div><div><p>*****************</p><p>If you are unable to attend a workshop, webinar or conference, remember to tap into the knowledge of your writer friends. They will not only inspire and challenge you, they'll be there to pump you up when you need it most. Having said that, I need to give a shout out to my critique partners, Debbie, Teresa and Gretchen who have been the writing friends I've needed during the last decade of writing journey. </p><p>What part have your writing friends played in your writing journey? </p><p>******************</p><p>Contact Sandra Warren </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>www.sandrawarren.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><div><a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a> <br /><a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC</a></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/</a></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author<br /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-12421089846673196352020-08-12T15:43:00.000-04:002020-08-12T15:43:26.203-04:00Movies about Writers! <p> I've noticed lately that many movies have been made with a writer as the main character or one of the main characters. Not only on the big screen but also television channels like Hallmark Movies tackle ways to involve book writers or song writers into their screenplays. What I didn't realize was how many movies have been made with a writer as a main character. </p><p>Google <i>movies about writers </i>and be prepared to view lists and lists; 10 of the Best Movies about writers, 20 of the best movies about writers, movies about real writers, movies about female writers, horror movies about writers, screenwriters, etc. There are even lists of movies that motivate writers and movies that teach writing. The lists go on and on. Who knew? </p><p>My interest in this topic came from watching <i>Finding Forrester,</i> a wonderful movie about an award winning one-book-wonder author who mentors a young black teen. Forrester, played by Sean Connery, is said to be loosely based on the life of J.D. Salinger. What stuck with me was a line from the movie that I shall never forget: "The first draft you write from the heart, you revise from the brain."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AfNKX9vtejA/XzLHa0GkhYI/AAAAAAAALwg/elH3cmets50UffiytBlJ6n86GlOtbFVBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s444/Finding%2BForrester%2Bimage%2B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AfNKX9vtejA/XzLHa0GkhYI/AAAAAAAALwg/elH3cmets50UffiytBlJ6n86GlOtbFVBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/Finding%2BForrester%2Bimage%2B.JPG" /></a></div><p>After reading the synopsis of multiple movies about writers, I've learned that many of them have tidbits of writing advice woven throughout their screenplays. What a great way to learn as you watch and listen, especially during these COVID 19 quarantine times. </p><p>I seem to naturally gravitate toward movies about writers, sometime knowingly and sometimes by accident. Either way it's always a pleasant surprise. Even so, I'm surprised that I've seen so few of the recommended films.</p><p>The list of movies I want to see has grown substantially since I began this post. It's been surprising to me that there are so many. But, rather than give you my choices for 'gotta-see' writers flicks, I'll challenge you to Google. "movies with writers" or "movies about writers," and make your own list. </p><p>What movie or movies about writers has inspired you? What tidbits about writing, if any, have you gleaned from watching a movie? </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>*****************</p><p>Sandra Warren has published products in multiple genres. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="gmail_default" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Contact her at: <a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;" target="_blank"></a></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;" target="_blank">www.sandrawarren.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span></span></p><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a> <br /><a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></span></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC</span></a></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/</span></a></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author<br /></span></a></div>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-63536639681544541312020-06-17T04:30:00.001-04:002020-06-17T12:56:24.852-04:00Of Grief, Garlic & Gratitude - A Book Review <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Rarely does a book come along that everyone, and I mean everyone, should read; a book that teaches us how to comfort those who have lost loved-ones, especially those who've lost children, and how to make it through each day if the family involved is yours. </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">* * * * * * * * * * * *</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Do you remember what you were doing on October 9, 2013? Probably not. It's a date that the Franceour family and their friends will never forget. The date is forever embedded in their minds and hearts as the day they received the terrible news, news no parent should ever receive, news that their charismatic, happy, friend-to-all-son Sam, passed away. </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"></font></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DLykcB6Ni98/XujyiEwmmJI/AAAAAAAALoM/jTOtuChN3aATJBH-mAREOJ7rzptS7f0VwCK4BGAsYHg/s3141/Grief%2BGarlic%2BGratitude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3141" data-original-width="2118" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DLykcB6Ni98/XujyiEwmmJI/AAAAAAAALoM/jTOtuChN3aATJBH-mAREOJ7rzptS7f0VwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/Grief%2BGarlic%2BGratitude.jpg" /></a></font></div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></font><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Of Grief, Garlic and Gratitude</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> takes you on an unthinkable journey with Kris
Franceour as she shares her day to day struggle to accept the fact that her
fun-loving, caring, twenty-year old son is never coming home again. Through raw
emotion and inspirational thoughts, Franceour reminds us that nothing compares
to the death of a child and, even though love is everlasting, pain also follows
for days, months and even years beyond the passing. The book ends with
thoughtful suggestions for those who suffer a similar loss as well as those
left to comfort the bereaved. There is much to learn from this brave and
heart-wrenching story.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><font size="4"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;">You may not think this book will have value for you. It's not a fun read, but it's an important read that is also inspirational. Years ago, within a two year period, my husband and I were friends with six families who lost children; five boys and one girl. Four months ago we learned of another. All were unexpected. All were devastating. I wish I had, had the suggestions listed at the end of, <i>Of Grief, Garlic and Gratitude</i> to know how to be a better positive source of comfort for each of those friends.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;" /></font><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42170271.Of_Grief__Garlic_and_Gratitude_Returning_to_Hope_and_Joy_from_a_Shattered_Life_Sam_s_Love_Story" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #00635d; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" title="Of Grief, Garlic and Gratitude Returning to Hope and Joy from a Shattered Life―Sam’s Love Story by Kris Francoeur">Of Grief, Garlic and Gratitude: Returning to Hope and Joy from a Shattered Life―Sam’s Love Story</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">_______________________</span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="1"><span class="gmail_default" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Contact Sandra Warren <a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"></a></span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="1"><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">www.sandrawarren.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></font></p><div><font size="1"><a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a> <br /><a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></font></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><font size="1">http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC</font></a></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/" target="_blank"><font size="1">https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/</font></a></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author" target="_blank"><font size="1">https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author</font></a></div>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-55087215028695080422020-06-03T04:30:00.001-04:002020-06-03T04:30:10.635-04:00FLY GIRLS MADE ME ANGRY!<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Never have I read a book that made me angrier than <i>Fly Girls</i> by P. O'Connell Pearson. </span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The story itself is the amazing true account of the 1102 women who became WWII WASPS (Women Air Force Service Pilots) risking their lives on a daily basis, flying planes their male counterparts wouldn't fly and accepting missions the men refused to take, with little thanks and support from from the male dominated Army Air Corps. They bought their own uniforms, paid for their own meals and housing, paid their own way back home after delivering their assigned bombers to bases all over the country and parts of Europe, all while keeping quiet about what they were doing so as to not undermine the egos of the military male pilots. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Whereas the men were trained and flew only one type of aircraft, the WASPS flew and were expected to fly all different types, sometimes on a moments notice, flying in a cockpit they'd never seen before with the directions in their laps. Some pulled targets behind their airplane so soldiers on the ground could practice with live ammunition hitting flying targets. And yes, several WASPS lost their lives to men who failed to hit the target and brought down the plane instead. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">It would be 35 years before the WWII WASPS were granted full military status after years of battling the chauvinistic military establishment and Congress. Prior to the bill being passed, arguments were still brought forward claiming WASPS were not under military discipline when they flew. This was hogwash since all the WASPS received the same training as the U.S. Army Air Corps male pilots and all of their missions were ordered by the U.S. Army Air Corp. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">This story is dear to my heart because a women who graduated from the high school I later attended, Jane Baessler Doyle, was a WASP. I had the privilege of meeting her prior to her passing, at 97-years of age. Up to that time, she was clear minded and youthful. You have only to Google her name to see and hear her story profiled on many television spots. My greatest regret is that I didn't interview her when I had the chance and offer to document her story.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rAdLEZVA3fY/XtK98qSs2VI/AAAAAAAALl0/fZPjUVtj1gwQEXKnvH2v-nKWBjunEPlbwCK4BGAsYHg/IMG_20160830_113538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2246" data-original-width="4027" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rAdLEZVA3fY/XtK98qSs2VI/AAAAAAAALl0/fZPjUVtj1gwQEXKnvH2v-nKWBjunEPlbwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20160830_113538.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><img border="0" data-original-height="3159" data-original-width="2432" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2LywLHhaV1k/XtJ_2FN9rQI/AAAAAAAALlY/-WVFwmNrAZgh6bRw_WJp6yk2kFLMHmwoACK4BGAsYHg/s320/Jane%2BBaessler%2BDoyl.jpg" /></div></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">If you have a relative or neighbor or church member who served in WWII, please sit down with them and record their stories. You don't have to write a book about them. Just record their stories and send them to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Hats off to ALL our service personal but especially the WWII WASPS who are still living. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">To read more about these amazing women, check out the National WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater, Texas. www.waspmuseum.org. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><font color="#181818" face="Merriweather, Georgia, serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">**********</span></font></div><div><font color="#181818" face="Merriweather, Georgia, serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Sandra Warren has written has written a WWII story about what children accomplished during that war; <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of A Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as, </i></span></font><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">two biographies of Army Reserve nurses who served in the Persian Gulf War; </span><i style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">When Duty Called: Even Grandma Had To Go</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"> and </span><i style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Hidden Casualties: Battles On The Home Front</i><i style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">. </i></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0px;"><font size="1"><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"></span>www.sandrawarren.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span></font></p><div><font size="1"><a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a> <br /><a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></font></div><div><a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><font size="1">http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC</font></a></div><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/" target="_blank"><font size="1">https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/</font></a></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author" target="_blank"><font size="1">https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author<br /></font></a></div></div>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-49763552106313059172020-05-22T05:00:00.000-04:002020-05-22T05:00:03.356-04:00FREEDOM ISN'T FREE! Memorial Day is just about here and I thought I would share a poem written by my brother, Don Dieleman, a Navy veteran. On this special day of remembrance, if you can't attend a service or parade, at least give thanks to those who have gone before us as well as the young men and women serving now to protect our freedom. In this day of isolation and the battle with COVID-19, the poem also seems relevant and applicable to those fighting this virus on the front lines.<br />
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<i>FREEDOM ISN'T FREE </i>(copyright, Don Dieleman, 2004)<br />
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<i>Freedom isn't free</i><br />
<i>Look around and you will see</i><br />
<i>Some are crippled some are lame</i><br />
<i>With their stories to proclaim. </i><br />
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<i>Some have scars you do not see</i><br />
<i>Cutting deep in memory</i><br />
<i>They gave their all for you and me</i><br />
<i>So that freedom we can see.</i><br />
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<i>It's hard for young to comprehend</i><br />
<i>When family goes to war</i><br />
<i>But one day they will understand</i><br />
<i>What they went fighting for. </i><br />
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<i>We enjoy so much of everything</i><br />
<i>In a land of liberty we sing</i><br />
<i>Help us Lord to always see</i><br />
<i>That lives were lost for you and me. </i><br />
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<i>We seem very out of touch</i><br />
<i>With many places that have not much</i><br />
<i>Especially freedom that they seek</i><br />
<i>May we always freedom keep.</i><br />
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<i>So pray that where our troops may go</i><br />
<i>To distant lands away from home</i><br />
<i>That they will always lead the way</i><br />
<i>To help spread freedom everyday. </i> (Copyright, Don Dieleman, 2004)<br />
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When you see a man or woman in uniform or just wearing a military hat, thank them for their service and say a little prayer that the negative memories embedded during their service will diminish, give them peace and a sense of pride.<br />
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I never served in the military but I had the privilege of writing two memoirs of Army Reserve nurses who served in the Persian Gulf War; then 2nd Lt. Dianah Kwiatkowski, <i>When Duty Called: Even Grandma Had To Go, </i>and Sgt. Sara Raye (pen name)<i>, Hidden Casualties: Battles On The Home Front, </i>as well as the WWII story of home front America and what a group of children from one school accomplished, <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of A Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The Blue Ridge Parkway. </i><br />
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<i>Please SHARE and leave a comment before May 30th and I'll put your name in to WIN the book of your choice from above. </i><br />
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<i>Sandra Warren has published works in multiple genres. For SKYPE/ZOOM visits and/or CONTACT information see her website: www.arliebooks.com or www.sandrawarren.com </i><br />
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<br />Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-46507714396019239972020-04-25T13:33:00.000-04:002020-04-25T13:33:01.189-04:00KEEP ME AT IT! "Keep me at it," is a mantra that applies to just about everything I start during this pandemic isolation. After over almost two months in quarantine, as I sit among boxes pulled out of my closet, I worry about my inability to stick with or to any one task. Like a humming bird flitting from flower to flower, I'm flitting from job to job. It seems to be my new normal as I struggle to adjust to these strange times.<br />
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Clear out and clean out is a worthy goal, but I'm finding it difficult to complete one task before starting another, consequently, there are boxes opened, some emptied, contents piled on tables in every room in the house. My office, a large second family room in our lower level, is almost impassable as I try to unload years of files filled with proof that being a wife and mother was just one of many hats I used to wear. Things on my computer aren't much better. Another distraction. Am I alone? <br />
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In one of the files I was emptying, I found a letter from Anne Cox, a long ago. acquaintance, that contained words of inspiration; words I needed to hear at that precise moment; words by Marjorie Holmes that inspired me and I hope may inspire you. <br />
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KEEP ME AT IT by Marjorie Holmes<br />
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God, give me due respect for the abilities you have given me.<br />
Don't let me sell them short.<br />
Don't let me cheapen them.<br />
Don't let me bury my talents through indecision, cowardice or laziness.<br />
Plant in me the necessary determination.<br />
Keep me at it!<br />
Rouse in me the fires of dedication.<br />
Keep me at it!<br />
Give me the energy, strength, and will power to bring your gifts to their proper fruition.<br />
Keep me at it!<br />
When I falter or fall, lift me up and set me back on my destined path.<br />
Keep me at it!<br />
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KEEP ME AT IT, seems especially pertinent to those of us who write or illustrate; a profession with so much rejection. If we give up, so many stories and wonderful pieces of art will never be told or shared. So KEEP AT IT!<br />
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Look around you. Whatever you've started or haven't started but know you should, whether it's cleaning or sorting or writing or painting or exercising or cooking or resting, remember Marjorie Holmes's words of wisdom to KEEP ME AT IT! If you do that today, then I will too. Now, I'd better get hopping or I'll never be able to clear a path out of my office.<br />
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Sandra Warren has published works in a variety of genres. She lives and writes in the NC mountains.<br />
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Contact Information:<br />
<a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.sandrawarren.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a><br /><a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
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Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-16051358154923398822020-04-01T03:00:00.000-04:002020-04-01T03:00:11.997-04:00Consider the "What ifs?"One of the things we're told to do when developing stories is to consider the "what ifs?" We look at an incident, behavior or personality of a character and think about changes that can move a story forward, add interest and an opportunity for character growth. Many times we don't want our characters to change, especially if that changed is forced upon us by an editor or critique from a writer we respect, and even when we know the change will improve our story, sometimes it's just hard to cast aside our original concept and respond to the "what ifs?"<br />
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The "what ifs," I'd like you to consider has nothing to do with the development of story but more about life itself. If we've learned anything from the pandemic we're all living through, it's that life is precious. With everything shut down, we've been given the gift of time to reflect and share with our spouses, children, family and friends in ways we've never done before. And all though we don't want to think about it, what happens if our family is hit with the virus and loses a loved one? And, what if that loved one is you? </div>
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What if it is you? Have you left clear instructions as to how to access your computer files, your works-in-progress, contact information for the important people in your career; agents, editors, publicist, lawyer, publishers? If published, does your spouse or loved one know which publishers to contact regarding royalties and for which books? Royalties don't stop when you're gone. </div>
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I could go on and on with more "what if" questions but I think the idea is clear. We all need to have a plan. We all need to prepare for the "what ifs!"<br />
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Have you ever considered this? Do you have a plan? I'd like to know.<br />
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Sandra Warren is the author of books in multiple genres. Contact via her website listed below.<br />
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<i><b>Obsessed By A Promise: <span style="font-size: x-small;">A Childhood Promise! A Lost Brother! The Orphan Train! A life On Hold!</span></b></i><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">She Started It All</span><span style="color: blue;"> - middle grade historical fiction of bomber story</span></span></b></i><i style="color: blue; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"> </i></div>
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<i><b>We Bought a WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of a Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The </b></i></div>
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<i><b> Blue Ridge Parkway! </b></i><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Book Trailer: </i></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmxqhIpadI" rel="noreferrer" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: x-small;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmxqhIpadI</a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Spivey's Web!</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Book Trailer:</span> </span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wtJESsIxXE&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wtJESsIxXE&feature=youtu.be</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">www.sandrawarren.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a><br /><a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
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Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-70592275256097309382020-03-25T04:00:00.000-04:002020-03-25T04:00:03.414-04:00Pandemic: A Time to Pull Back, Reflect & Write! Who among us could have ever imagined a time when everything, and I mean everything would shut down; churches, schools, movie theaters, Broadway shows, sports events and restaurants, and live television shows where the announcers and commentators are broadcasting from home? Where folks over 60 are told to stay home to stay safe? Where those that have to be out and about are told to stay six feet apart, bump elbows instead of shaking hands and absolutely no hugs? It sounds like a movie script about the future; fictitious words no one would believe. And yet, here we are in the middle of a World Wide Pandemic!<br />
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Writing, for those of us who love to create stories, will be the escape we so desperately need in these challenging times. Intellectually, we all know that what makes a story great are the trials and tribulations our characters face and overcome. That's where our characters change and grow, hopefully for the better.<br />
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Life has given us all the opportunity to model those positive changes in our own lives. We need to record and remember that the emotions we're feeling, the highs and the lows, the fears and bright spots along the way, words of encouragement and words that depress, can all be applied to the characters in our current works in progress, or in characters in stories to come.<br />
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Positive, extraordinary things can emerge from the most horrendous experiences.<br />
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Write on, writer friends. Write on!<br />
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<br />Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-43417887346572229982019-12-31T11:18:00.002-05:002019-12-31T11:18:57.895-05:00Unearthing & Celebrating HistoryI hated taking History in school. I don't know why--well, maybe I do. Events, dates, causes and consequences didn't interest me. For the most part, I couldn't relate. Too many things were going on in my teenage life. I didn't care about what happened years ago even if, as my teachers tried to explain, the past allowed me to have the freedoms I take for granted.<br />
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Today, we live in an era of technology where the Internet has given us access to information through videos, documentaries, nonfiction as well as narrative non-fiction, podcasts and blogs, Internet radio and even "Alexa" where you only have to ask "Alexa" to get the answers to most anything. The way History is taught no longer needs to be boring.<br />
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Whether or not a student clicks in will depend, I believe, on their sense of curiosity and timing; curiosity to begin to explore a topic in new and different ways or appreciate those that do and did, and timing that connects them to some part of the story. If I had heard about the Orphan Trains as a teen, I'm not sure I would have been as horrified with the process as I was years later as a Mother of three. The story certainly wouldn't have resonated with me in the same way.<br />
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In the early 1990's, while working for an educational publisher, I came across a little book called <i>The Orphan Trains. </i>Intrigued, I sat down and read it cover to cover. For days, weeks, no months, I couldn't get the information I had read out of my mind. I kept thinking of the "what ifs?" My father had passed away when I was six and we were quite poor. What if my mother hadn't been able to care for me and my brother? Would she have been forced to give us away? Could that have been us? What if my brother and I had been separated? What would my life or his have become? Slowly but surely, through all the thinking and imagining and researching, a story emerged; a story that would evolve over the next twenty-plus years before culminating in a book.<br />
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First titled,<i> My Brother's Keeper</i>, and then, <i>They Called Me Blue,</i> <i>Obsessed By A Promise </i> follows the lives of two brothers separated in the Spring of 1929. The youngest is taken and eventually sent out west on the Orphan Train to a new family while the oldest is frantically searching for him. Devastated by the loss of his little brother, the elder dedicates the next fifty years of his life to the search.<br />
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Strangely, history also played a major role in one of my other books. <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber </i>centered on a historical accomplishment of students during World War Two. Doing research for that book unearthed a seventy-year old mystery, made history in a small town that had forgotten the important event, and resulted in the placement of two historical markers in two different States.<br />
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Experiences writing these two books have taught me to pay attention to the world around me. What is current today may be significant history tomorrow. Had you told me back when I was in school that history would become an important part of my future as a writer, I wouldn't have believed you. I hated History classes in school so it's very strange to me that I enjoy writing about it today.<br />
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To celebrate the NEW YEAR, I'm giving away an autographed copy of either <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber</i>, or <i>Obsessed By A Promise</i>. Leave a comment by January 5, 2020 and one winner will be able to choose their book of choice.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"></span>www.sandrawarren.com</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<i> </i>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-40806602912939102632019-09-25T17:48:00.000-04:002019-09-25T17:48:19.361-04:00Old Books Keep Coming Back! The other day an author friend of mine said to me, "Once you publish a book, it's always with you. You never know when it will unexpectedly pop-up again." The comment was prompted by unexpected orders that arrived out-of-the-blue for the purchase of several of her books that hadn't sold a copy in months.<br />
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Her comment made me laugh because last November, I received a call regarding my children's mini-musical story book, CD and DVD package, <i>Arlie the Alligator</i>, asking about purchasing multiple copies for an alligator preserve's gift shop. I was thrilled, of course, and somewhat amazed. Although <i>Arlie the Alligator</i> has received modest success over the years, I never expected a bulk order at this time.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qS3ca6Hah_M/XYvVQ89_QXI/AAAAAAAALEY/KfbJKzWtyncWIO1J9HvRJQFP3JgvC8koACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Arlie%2Band%2BCD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qS3ca6Hah_M/XYvVQ89_QXI/AAAAAAAALEY/KfbJKzWtyncWIO1J9HvRJQFP3JgvC8koACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Arlie%2Band%2BCD.JPG" /></a></div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLEy6ZvqXN4/XYvZXqBUkeI/AAAAAAAALE0/LBcTpxY8_646SWQXWk_Qu-okWrlPjm1DwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Original%2BArlie%2BCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1229" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLEy6ZvqXN4/XYvZXqBUkeI/AAAAAAAALE0/LBcTpxY8_646SWQXWk_Qu-okWrlPjm1DwCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Original%2BArlie%2BCover.jpg" width="153" /></a>The original <i>Arlie the Alligator </i>came out in the early 1990's as a hard back book and audio cassette package. Then, in 2000 a CD replaced the audio cassette. The book was brought out in paperback with updated illustrations in 2013, and in 2014, a DVD was produced. By traditional publishing standards, <i>Arlie the Alligator</i> would have been relegated to the cancellation pile, but because it was independently published, it has remained on the market selling one book, CD or DVD now and again. So, you can imagine my surprise and delight when I received the request for a bulk order. Amazingly, thirty-eight years after it first hit the market, <i>Arlie the Alligator </i>has been given a new chance to continue delighting children in story and song, in a Texas gift shop.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5jyXbYp-J3s/XYvb6UVIknI/AAAAAAAALFA/jAymZsJpg5Q0TIDQ0FmocR-W5_EKm24-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/If%2BI%2BWere%2BA%2BTable%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1218" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5jyXbYp-J3s/XYvb6UVIknI/AAAAAAAALFA/jAymZsJpg5Q0TIDQ0FmocR-W5_EKm24-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/If%2BI%2BWere%2BA%2BTable%2B.jpg" width="151" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ijqwt-eN2Vg/XYvYlkIHipI/AAAAAAAALEs/QJVlXbyeO4E56Z3sbLtQ2UT1hLBmogNaACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Reflections.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="997" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ijqwt-eN2Vg/XYvYlkIHipI/AAAAAAAALEs/QJVlXbyeO4E56Z3sbLtQ2UT1hLBmogNaACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Reflections.JPG" width="124" /></a>This happened with two other books of mine, also. In 2016, publisher Royal Fireworks Press, re-illustrated and republished, <i>If I Were A Table </i>and<i> Reflections On Being Gifted, </i>a title change for<i> </i>a book originally called,<i> Being Gifted: Because You're Special From</i> <i>The Rest</i>. Both of these updates and returns to market were surprises to me since both books had original publishing dates on them of 1981 and 1986.<br />
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You never know when you put your heart and soul into a book or an idea if it will find an audience and have a lasting impact.<br />
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It's like my friend said, ". . . You never know when [a book you authored] will unexpectedly pop-up again."<br />
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Sometimes books are like volunteer flowers in the garden that surprise you in the Spring. They pop up to delight when you least expect them.<br />
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Has interest in any of your books popped up again after many years?<br />
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Leave a comment by October 10th and Sandra will gift one lucky winner with a copy of <i>Arlie the Alligator. </i><br />
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Sandra Warren is the author of books in several genres.<br />
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Contact her at:<br />
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<br />Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-19592968009727940952019-03-06T04:30:00.000-05:002019-03-06T04:30:05.079-05:00Sharing Your Secrets In Presentations<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While planning a weekend presentation, it occurred to me that my audience might like to hear more than a synopsis or a reading of the book. I know I do when I attend an author event. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don't read me a page from your book. I can do that myself, later. Tell me something not in the book, something I learned from being at your presentation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Things like: Where the idea came from and what inspired you to pursue it? How long it took to write? Did you have to do research? Are the characters based on someone you know? What was the hardest part of the story to write? How many times did you rewrite it? Where did the title come from? Sprinkle in your personal writing experience too; Is this your first book? Did you always want to write? Who is your favorite author? Who is your biggest supporter? Where do your other ideas come from? </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have a critique group?</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> And so on and so on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This weekend I will be speaking to group of adults and young adults at a local library about my newest work of historical fiction, <i>She Started It All</i>. But rather than talk about the story as written, I am sharing my secrets about how I turned a nonfiction story into the historical fiction they came to hear about. As interesting as I think the story itself is, I believe it's more interesting to share how I determined what facts from the nonfiction needed to be in the historical fiction. What pitfalls I faced? If I use real character names? Why or why not? Stuff like that. In my humble opinion, this will be much more interesting than merely telling the story. </span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9A2yo3ovB4/XH7X4goBzOI/AAAAAAAAKxY/j4X5Ocvpe10r9qljFhn-0piVpqeXg7BLACLcBGAs/s1600/Final%2BBomber%2BCover%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="428" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9A2yo3ovB4/XH7X4goBzOI/AAAAAAAAKxY/j4X5Ocvpe10r9qljFhn-0piVpqeXg7BLACLcBGAs/s200/Final%2BBomber%2BCover%2B.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Za42b08kJJU/XH7X0TPBpTI/AAAAAAAAKxU/8a-HO5EL140xMDseoBi_oNyHtSWPG5zRwCLcBGAs/s1600/MG%2BCover%2BShe%2BStarted%2BIt%2BAll.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="447" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Za42b08kJJU/XH7X0TPBpTI/AAAAAAAAKxU/8a-HO5EL140xMDseoBi_oNyHtSWPG5zRwCLcBGAs/s200/MG%2BCover%2BShe%2BStarted%2BIt%2BAll.JPG" width="124" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The flyer for my presentation reads like this: <b>From A Bomber Story to <i>She Started It All</i>: Creating Historical Fiction From Nonfiction.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you're out and about near Morganton, North Carolina around 2:00 pm on Saturday the 9th, stop by and critique my presentation. I'd love to see you! </span><br />
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<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span>Author of Arlie the Alligator and other books for children and adults!<br />
<a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a><br />
<a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com</a><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>SandraWarrenNC</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/<wbr></wbr>sandrawarren_author/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>SWarren.Author</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-20628168630685154102018-11-07T18:54:00.000-05:002018-11-07T18:54:08.752-05:00SURPRISE GIFTS FROM THE HEART! Throughout my journey as an author I've learned to accept the ups and downs of the profession. I know that everyone won't love my work or "get it," whatever the "it" is built into the particular story they've just read. I expected to get reviews and prayed they'd be good ones. I've come to realize that my readers, children especially, think it's pretty special to meet me. What I never expected were what I call, <i>gifts of the heart</i>, that I've been blessed to receive from my readers.<br />
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It all started years ago with my Arlie the Alligator: Story-Song Picture Book. Although designed for primary children, preschoolers caught on to the catchy tunes and insisted on playing the audio tape and then CD, over and over again. They loved to BELLOW with Arlie, much to their parents dismay. One three year old boy named Bryan, insisted that his mom buy Arlie's Mom, he called me that, an alligator necklace that he saw in a store. It was totally unexpected and I cherish it to this day. <br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kr3UZPQDpwQ/W-NihRhX2uI/AAAAAAAAKm4/TGFmg5Qn6S0JCajMxMSsEj-RJIrvv5SqQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20181107_155206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kr3UZPQDpwQ/W-NihRhX2uI/AAAAAAAAKm4/TGFmg5Qn6S0JCajMxMSsEj-RJIrvv5SqQCEwYBhgL/s200/IMG_20181107_155206.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-06D-aP_o7C8/W-NiEP89WmI/AAAAAAAAKl8/gGAC8rnEVZgmme0hjnJCnNddtwoUs96FgCLcBGAs/s1600/Arlie%2Band%2BCD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-06D-aP_o7C8/W-NiEP89WmI/AAAAAAAAKl8/gGAC8rnEVZgmme0hjnJCnNddtwoUs96FgCLcBGAs/s1600/Arlie%2Band%2BCD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="214" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-06D-aP_o7C8/W-NiEP89WmI/AAAAAAAAKl8/gGAC8rnEVZgmme0hjnJCnNddtwoUs96FgCLcBGAs/s1600/Arlie%2Band%2BCD.JPG" /></a> Other alligators followed. I've received stuffed alligators, and wooden ones, puzzle alligators and ones made out of metal. Here are two more clever fellows that look just like Arlie. Inside their mouths sits a tiny bird. I named the bird, Odetta, and plan another Arlie adventure based on her. They were given to me by a friend who saw them in a jewelry display and had to buy them for me. I wear them when I do school visits. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o0cV0UnxkgU/W-NigAOTUPI/AAAAAAAAKm4/_h47PDAXZZ4Zy8Z2aMppmIx_2AESzYkdwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20181107_154509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o0cV0UnxkgU/W-NigAOTUPI/AAAAAAAAKm4/_h47PDAXZZ4Zy8Z2aMppmIx_2AESzYkdwCEwYBhgL/s200/IMG_20181107_154509.jpg" width="200" /></a>Although my new book, Spivey's Web, is less than a year old, <span style="text-align: right;">I've already received related gifts. One friend saw this cute mug and said she just had to get it for me. Another gifted me with this unique spider's web that I have hanging in my office window.</span></div>
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An exact replica of the B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber was also gifted to me complete with the correct tail numbers #229577 and the name given to the bomber by the students who raised the money to purchase it, <i>The Spirit of South High, Grand Rapids, Michigan, </i>painted on the fuselage. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TOYUHVWRowE/W-NiiryxKfI/AAAAAAAAKm0/tLJ4YvxsZwgKqnqe3SGh7acAtpS8OAx3wCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20181107_155542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1418" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TOYUHVWRowE/W-NiiryxKfI/AAAAAAAAKm0/tLJ4YvxsZwgKqnqe3SGh7acAtpS8OAx3wCEwYBhgL/s200/IMG_20181107_155542.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: right;">A real surprise gift came in the mail a few days ago from the caterer of the reception that followed the Dedication of the Wayside Historical Marker placed on The Blue Ridge Parkway, October 1st. For the reception, the caterer's husband made a B-17 bomber cookie cutter so she could make gingerbread bomber cookies. Two days ago a box arrived with a bomber cookie cutter inside. I am thrilled! What a wonderful surprise! It arrived in time for me to make bomber cookies for the November 20th Book Launch of <i>She Started It All,</i> the middle grade historical fiction version of the bomber story.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YibpAPvz9YU/W-N0TqvPUII/AAAAAAAAKnU/myf8NH4-sqcJpMzQifH5sOLObkWYdIe1QCLcBGAs/s1600/MG%2BCover%2BShe%2BStarted%2BIt%2BAll.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="447" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YibpAPvz9YU/W-N0TqvPUII/AAAAAAAAKnU/myf8NH4-sqcJpMzQifH5sOLObkWYdIe1QCLcBGAs/s200/MG%2BCover%2BShe%2BStarted%2BIt%2BAll.JPG" width="124" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xB9zcfhoCxw/W-NibXOYLZI/AAAAAAAAKms/zk3-BUh4J3ovShT3SnsWASB-dRalE84xwCEwYBhgL/s1600/DSC_0140.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xB9zcfhoCxw/W-NibXOYLZI/AAAAAAAAKms/zk3-BUh4J3ovShT3SnsWASB-dRalE84xwCEwYBhgL/s200/DSC_0140.jpeg" width="133" /></a><span style="text-align: right;">And last but not least, I can't forget to mention the wonderful cape made for me by the daughter of one of the gentlemen from Meadows of Dan, Virginia, who came forward to show me the spot where the B-17 bomber, <i>The Spirit of South High, </i>crashed.<i> </i>He was an 11-year old boy at the time, heard the crash and went running to the site. Unfortunately, he passed away a few months ago and wasn't able to witness the dedication of the marker. Linda Fain surprised me with this beautiful fleece cape. </span> </div>
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All of these were SURPRISE GIFTS FROM THE HEARTS of my readers. Each and every one was totally unexpected. </div>
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Have you received GIFTS FROM THE HEART? I'd like to hear about them. </div>
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Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-16290869158767834072018-10-03T04:30:00.000-04:002018-10-03T04:30:04.949-04:00UNEXPECTED<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When an author's book finally hits the market they hold their breath hoping that the reviews will be glowing and sales will be swift. They have expectations that their baby in print will delight and inspire and captivate readers. What no author can prepare for is the unexpected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In 2015, I was privileged to write a nonfiction book about an incident that occurred in my high school during WWII. It involved a funding program that put a tangible face on money Americans spent on United States War Bonds and War Loan Stamps. The largest of these programs was called the "Buy A Bomber" or "Bonds for Bombers" campaign. Students in my school, South High School from Grand Rapids, Michigan initiated War Bond sales totaling $375,000, earning the right to name a a small Pursuit Fighter and a B-17 Flying Fortress. They named them both "The Spirit of South High School. War Bond sales paid for 57% of the cost of WWII, after taxes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My purpose in writing the story was solely to tell the alumni from the school, what happened to their bomber. For 71-years they had no idea. One of my classmates, Joe Rogers, found it on a crash report that said it came down stateside in a small mountain Virginia town located on The Blue Ridge Parkway. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Monday, October 1, 2018, a Wayside Historical Marker was dedicated on The Blue Ridge Parkway at Mabry's Mill, near the sight where that bomber crashed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Approximately 150 folks attended including 15+ alumni from that high school in Michigan. Media from three television stations attended as well as newspaper reporters. Those attending enjoyed a reception at the Meadows of Dan Community Center courtesy of the Patrick County Historical Society and the VFW Organization. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was overwhelmed to say the least. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the reporters asked me what I hoped students and adults will get out of seeing and reading the marker. Here's what I said: "I hope folks will be reminded and impressed with the importance of Americans working together for our country. WWII was a time when patriotism was the norm and permeated our great country. If ever we needed that kind of patriotism, it's now. I also hope students see that they can achieve great things and make a difference. I pray readers will catch the "Spirit of South High School" exhibited there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The marker is beautiful! If you're ever on </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, Milepost 176.2, at Mabry's Mill, stop by and see it and know that wonderful and unexpected things can happen when your book comes out. </span><br />
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H<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ere is the link to one of the broadcasts:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Historical-marker-memorializes-WWII-plane-crash-in-Patrick-County-494848691.html">https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Historical-marker-memorializes-WWII-plane-crash-in-Patrick-County-494848691.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>We Bought a WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of a Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The Blue Ridge Parkway! </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">2017 State History Award: Private Printing Category, Michigan Historical Society </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2016 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Book Trailer: </i></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmxqhIpadI" rel="noreferrer" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmxqhIpadI</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Available: </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bought-WWII-Bomber-Sandra-Warren-ebook/dp/B014JYB542/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538480158&sr=8-1&keywords=we+bought+a+world+war+ii+bomber">https://www.amazon.com/Bought-WWII-Bomber-Sandra-Warren-ebook/dp/B014JYB542/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538480158&sr=8-1&keywords=we+bought+a+world+war+ii+bomber</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Middle Grade Historical Fiction version: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">SHE STARTED IT ALL!</span></span></div>
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</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/She-Started-All-Sandra-Warren-ebook/dp/B07GYLSL3F/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538480233&sr=8-1&keywords=she+started+it+all">https://www.amazon.com/She-Started-All-Sandra-Warren-ebook/dp/B07GYLSL3F/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538480233&sr=8-1&keywords=she+started+it+all</a></u></span></div>
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Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-89643952702629126252018-09-19T04:00:00.000-04:002018-09-19T04:00:06.794-04:00Making History: YOU ARE INVITED!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, confirmation of a date for the Dedication of the placement of a Wayside Historical Marker on The Blue Ridge Parkway honoring the events surrounding the non-fiction book that was written in 2015 titled, <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of A Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The Blue Ridge Parkway </i>and the newly published middle-grade historical fiction<i>, SHE STARTED IT ALL.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's an extraordinary thing that is about to happen and YOU are invited!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When: Monday - October 1, 2018 -(The 74th Anniversary of the crash!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where: Milepost 176.2 on The Blue Ridge Parkway - Meadows of Dan, VA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time: 1:00 pm followed by a Reception at the Meadows of Dan Community Center, 2858 Jeb Stuart Parkway, Meadows of Dan, VA 24120</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So how did I get from there to here you ask? Let me explain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Following the completion of the research for the non-fiction book mentioned above, it seemed only natural that the next step should be the placement of a historical marker near the site. Research indicated that the Superintendent of the National Park System was the decision maker and you had to prove via articles and primary and secondary resources that a site qualified as historical.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Armed with that information, I rationalized, what would be better; a letter containing proof of historical significance from one little old lady or a letter containing proof of historical significance along with petitions signed by a multitude of folks indicating they would support a historical marker at the site? With a historical marker as a goal, I started collecting signatures on petitions where ever I shared the story of the students, the campaign, the bomber and the crash; from aviation museums to Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, historical societies, senior communities and libraries and to audiences of all ages. Armed with over three hundred and twenty-five signatures, I put a presentation package together. Within that package was a letter of introduction indicating why I felt the incident should be considered for a historical marker, the non-fiction book about the bomber that told the entire story and the stack of over three hundred twenty-five signatures on the petitions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two months after sending the letter, I received notification that my request had been approved. A Wayside Historical Marker would be place at Mabry's Mill on The Blue Ridge Parkway. Two months after that, a site for the marker was approved. That was in 2016. Now, two years later, after the designing and the fabricating and the shipping and the installing, the dedication is at hand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Multiple alumni from the Michigan school involved, will make their way to milepost 176.2 on The Blue Ridge Parkway. Together with the good people of Willis and Meadows of Dan, Virginia, they will mingle and share this wonderful event. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I look forward to seeing YOU as well as my neighbors, friends and writer friends in Meadows of Dan on October 1st!</span><br />
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<b>SHARE THE DATE! </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For more information about the story, check out the <span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"></span>Book Trailer<i>: </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmxqhIpadI" rel="noreferrer" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmxqhIpadI</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AND THE BOOKS:</b> </span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">NON-FICTION </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> NEW Middle-Grade FICTION</b><br />
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"></span>Author of Arlie the Alligator and other books for children and adults!</div>
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<br />Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-79938997859524590072018-06-06T04:00:00.000-04:002018-07-24T11:39:39.560-04:00Taking a Story From Non-fiction to Historical Fiction<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YnO_lIUeNEk/WwRBvaDk3WI/AAAAAAAAKXY/I7h013cYPxgB7vktMvzYiETDguF6-BVxgCLcBGAs/s1600/Final%2BBomber%2BCover%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="428" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YnO_lIUeNEk/WwRBvaDk3WI/AAAAAAAAKXY/I7h013cYPxgB7vktMvzYiETDguF6-BVxgCLcBGAs/s200/Final%2BBomber%2BCover%2B.jpg" width="130" /></a>The success of my book, <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of a Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The Blue Ridge Parkway, </i>took me by surprise. Even though I wrote it to tell the alumni from the high school that I attended, what happened to the bomber they bought by instigating sales of War Bonds and Stamps of over $300,000 during WWII, I never could have imagined the story would resonate throughout the country as a symbol of the patriotism that permeated the country during that Great War, nor did I realize at the time it was the only book written about the "Buy a Bomber" or "Buy a Plane" funding program.<br />
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Because the book was written for students who are now adults in their senior years, I didn't occur to me to tag the story as a middle grade or young adult non-fiction, when in fact, the extraordinary accomplishment attributed to these adults was instigated when one of them was an eighth grader and achieved when they were in junior and senior high. It seemed only logical that the next step would be to write a middle-grade historical fiction version of the story.<br />
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Where to begin?<br />
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I began with looking at the facts I wanted to incorporate.<br />
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Two separate communities in two different States and in two different decades make up the true story.<br />
1. First there was the 1943 Grand Rapids, Michigan story of the junior high and senior high students at South High School who raised the $300,000 to buy the bomber.<br />
2. Second there was the 2015 discovery of the crash in Meadows of Dan.<br />
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I wanted to make sure the story of how the students instigated $300,000 in War Bond sales, was told in as much detail as possible, as well as the part that unfolded decades later connecting the bomber to a small mountain community in Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway.<br />
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Where and how to connect the two was the big question?<br />
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Here's how I turned my Non-fiction into Historical Fiction.<br />
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I chose an Advanced History, middle-school classroom in Patrick County, Virginia as the setting. (Fictitious.) Patrick County is where Meadows of Dan resides. (Fact.) To carry on long established tradition, these students must study and create a poster as well as give a presentation on a specific era in history. This years project centers around WWII. All is well until the teacher assigns the school's math whiz, a young boy, United States War Bonds and Defense Stamps, and assigns WWII aircraft to a girl. That sets up a secondary plot as the two students are at odds with each other and the teacher because of their unwanted topics.<br />
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In the story, the young man, a model airplane builder and lover of WWII aircraft, won't be happy until he discovers the Grand Rapids, Michigan story of the South High students and the "Buy a Bomber," program. He will do the research I had to do when discovering the facts of that story.<br />
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Meanwhile, the girl learns, by chance, that her great, great aunt was a WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilot) and that there had been a crash of a B-17 bomber in their own town of Meadows of Dan, in 1944. The Virginia part of the story will unfold for the girl like it did for me through my research.<br />
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The big question then was, how to make the stories come together?<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEHFbsg16YU/WwRCYROIBoI/AAAAAAAAKXs/mtVB5B-VV1cKpi-xoKhRCvqRW3RwtzgiACEwYBhgL/s1600/23%2BQueen%2BPilot%2BMulder%2BBrown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1600" height="155" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEHFbsg16YU/WwRCYROIBoI/AAAAAAAAKXs/mtVB5B-VV1cKpi-xoKhRCvqRW3RwtzgiACEwYBhgL/s200/23%2BQueen%2BPilot%2BMulder%2BBrown.jpg" width="200" /></a>I decided that each Advanced History student had to give a report, first to the other eighth grade classrooms and then to parents at an evening event. The boy presents first. He tells the Grand Rapids story and shows the model airplane he's built; an exact replica down to painting the identification numbers on the tail and the name chosen by the students, <i>The Spirit of South High, </i>on the fuselage <i>. </i><br />
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Meanwhile, the girl gives her report about her great, great aunt and the story of the unknown crash of a B-17 bomber that landed near the old mill in Meadows of Dan on The Blue Ridge Parkway. In the summary of her report, she mentions the tail numbers of that bomber.<br />
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At that exact moment that the boy realizes they've been reporting on the same bomber! Chaos breaks <br />
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out as both students realize their reports are about to make history; he's solved a 72-year mystery for the students at the Michigan high school, and she's unearthed the story of a crash that even the Patrick County Historical Society knew nothing about. (Back to facts again.)<br />
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Turning my non-fiction into a middle-grade historical fiction novel was as much fun, or more, as uncovering the facts for the non-fiction book. I can't wait to share it with you. Look for, <i>She Started It,</i> to come out this August.<br />
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It's time to think about turning your favorite non-fiction into Historical Fiction.<br />
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Leave a comment by August 1st (updated from June 20th) and I'll send you a copy of the non-fiction, <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber </i>from which <i>She Started It </i>was adapted. </div>
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Sandra Warren is the author of books for children and adults. Check out her other publications on her website.<br />
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<br />Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-75411588258118547752018-05-23T04:00:00.000-04:002018-05-23T04:00:00.446-04:00Seeking a Publisher? Don't Overlook The Smaller Presses The manuscript you've been working on for eons is finally finished. Beta readers have critiqued it. You've revised it multiple times and are ready to send it out to publishers. Now what do you do? Do you submit to agents or directly to publishers? Where do you begin?<br />
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Every author dreams of being picked up by their number one agent, you know, the one with all the connections to the major publishing houses; the one who represents your favorite author; the one who can get you a huge advance and a book tour throughout the United States. Yes, that one. It could happen for you and I sincerely hope it does, but if you are like most authors, rejection will be your experience. Along the way you'll need to be persistent, do a great deal of research and submit multiple times before finding that perfect manuscript to publisher match.<br />
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On the way to finding that perfect match, don't overlook the thousands of mid-sized and small presses out there. It might be the best choice when first starting out. Years ago, after my fourth rejection from major publishing houses, I turned to a small press and found success.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZPUG40aTYU/WwNl19PS3WI/AAAAAAAAKW0/hasf-GfO7QEaT8WXDzJ0dd8JK6BdHNWuACLcBGAs/s1600/Bridge%2BCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1248" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZPUG40aTYU/WwNl19PS3WI/AAAAAAAAKW0/hasf-GfO7QEaT8WXDzJ0dd8JK6BdHNWuACLcBGAs/s200/Bridge%2BCover.jpg" width="155" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oX5OQ2db89A/WwNl3eFOPlI/AAAAAAAAKW4/q3HOmnOVfNUwjPLmBkRAljC33eZhxIWTQCLcBGAs/s1600/If%2BI%2BWere%2BA%2BTable%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1218" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oX5OQ2db89A/WwNl3eFOPlI/AAAAAAAAKW4/q3HOmnOVfNUwjPLmBkRAljC33eZhxIWTQCLcBGAs/s200/If%2BI%2BWere%2BA%2BTable%2B.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
<i>If I Were A Road </i>was followed by <i>If I Were A Table</i> and then <i>The Great Bridge Lowering</i>. The year was 1980 and 1981. All three books are still being used in classrooms. This year, 2018, <i>If I Were A Table</i> was updated with more modern illustrations. It's the same great book with a different look ready for another thirty plus years. That same small publisher went on to publish five more of my manuscripts.<br />
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Unless you've created a classic, it's safe to say it would be unusual to have three books on the market for over thirty years with a major publisher.<br />
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Small to mid-sized publishers often accept unagented manuscripts. No agent necessary. Their submission guidelines, however, will be similar to larger publishing houses so it's important to study those guidelines and follow them completely.<br />
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That means knowing:<br />
1. Proper manuscript format.<br />
2. The components of a proper Book Proposal.<br />
3. Details of a great synopsis?<br />
4. The difference between a Cover Letter and a Query Letter.<br />
5. Whether to send a partial manuscript or full manuscript.<br />
6. Whether to email or snail mail the manuscript.<br />
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After you've isolated several publishers you feel are right for your manuscript, it's time to look further. study their list of published books. Note how many they publish a year? Email a couple of their authors and ask what it's like to have them for a publisher? Are they, the editor/publisher easy to work with? Do they respond to questions? Are royalties paid on time?<br />
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One concern not only with small publishers but all publishers is their viability to stay in business. Do your homework before you submit. It's easier to do it prior to acceptance than after. Once you hear "yes" from a publisher, you will be too excited, relieved and happy to even think about checking them out or turning them down.<br />
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After you've isolated several publishers you feel are right for your manuscript, it's time to look further:<br />
1. Study their list of published books.<br />
2. Note how many books they publish a year.<br />
3. Email a couple of their authors and ask what it's like to have them for a publisher? Are they, the editor/publisher, easy to work with? Do they respond to questions? Are royalties paid on time? Ask what the pros and cons are with working with the publisher? Would they choose that publisher again?<br />
4. Note how many years each publisher has been in business.<br />
5. Do they pay an advance? (Many small publishers do not. That's not necessarily a bad thing.)<br />
6. What kind of marketing do they do...catalog, Internet, bookstore, conferences? <br />
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Throughout the 30 plus years the three books mentioned above have been on the market, they were cancelled from one small publisher and then picked up by another who several years later went through Chapter 11 reorganization and opened up with a new name. That publisher has been going strong ever since.<br />
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Don't give up on your dreams. Do your homework and be persistent. A small publisher may not be what you imagined when you envisioned seeing your name on a book, but one could be your ticket to years of success as a published author.<br />
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Leave a comment before June 10th and I'll put your name in a hat to win a copy of either <i>Spivey's Web </i>or<i> We Bought A WWII Bomber. </i><br />
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Check out more from Sandra Warren at<br />
www.arliebooks.com<br />
www.sandrawarren.com<br />
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Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-44555110241599559362017-12-13T05:00:00.000-05:002017-12-13T07:52:29.561-05:00Between Authors & Illustrators <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This past weekend I was proud to announce the publication of SPIVEY'S WEB, a picture book with a Christmas twist at the end. More than a holiday book, Spivey's Web is about developing your talents against all odds and having the courage to forge a new path, because when you do, you just might be surprised with what wondrous things might result. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Writer's are like Spivey. They begin with a concept that's original and develop it until it's ready for production. Then, they go through the hoops to find the perfect publisher. And some end up self-publishing because they believe so strongly in what they've created despite rejection. They write because they have to write. And like Spivey, they won't be happy doing what everyone else is doing. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Spivey's Web germinated in my brain about 15 years ago. It's been so long I'm not sure where the idea came from, but it was an idea that wouldn't let go. I wasn't sure if it would ever get published until I met Susan Fitzgerald, a Fine artist by reputation, who had a dream of illustrating a children's book. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I was reading a recent blog post written by author Marion Dane Bauer in which she talked about the illustrator of her new picture book, <i>Winter Dance.</i> What she had to say about the unique relationship between authors and illustrators couldn't have been said better. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>"The writer has to come up with the idea, and the idea is key, of course. But without the artist’s bringing another whole world of ideas to the page, the story would be only half born."</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i> Marion Dane Bauer</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i> Just Thinking: Riding Piggy Back</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Spivey's Web was half born until Susan Fitzgerald worked her magic bringing Spivey, her friend Marintha and all the other characters to life. I couldn't be more pleased!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Thank you Susan Fitzgerald and ALL ILLUSTRATORS everywhere! The work you do interpreting our words is an awesome task. We never know where your creative endeavors will take our story. You make it fun to be a writer! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Spivey's Web is available on Amazon - just in time for Christmas! </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Buy it Now: </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Books+Spivey%27s+Web">https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Books+Spivey%27s+Web</a></span></span><br />
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Sandra Warren is the author of <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Arlie the Alligator </i>and other books for children and adults!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.sandrawarren.com</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a><br />
<a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></div>
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<a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC</a></div>
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Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-33506751373522722222017-11-28T05:00:00.000-05:002017-11-29T07:45:26.961-05:00Learning NEW Technology: The Ugh! Then The Ahhhhh!Is there anything more frustrating than trying to learn a NEW piece of software, something you either need to use or just want because a trusted source recommended it? Unless you're young and grew up in the technology age, your mind is just not programmed for this kind of understanding. Well...I guess I should speak for myself. I really have to work at it to make it happen. And the learning curve is always rather bumpy.<br />
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Last summer, blogger guru, writer and friend, Carol Baldwin asked me and one of my critique partners if we would learn WIKI, a collaborative website that allows you to communicate directly sharing files and conversations, even class assignments and homework. At the time, Carol was preparing a presentation for a September, Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators<br />
(SCBWI-C) conference and she wanted to be able to use our experiences as new WIKI users.<br />
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"It's really easy," Carol insisted, "once you get the hang of it."<br />
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Well, isn't that true of everything?<br />
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With a certain amount of reluctance, I agreed to participate. Timing was perfect because I was in the process of working with critique partner, Gretchen Griffith, to combine a presentation related to my <i>We Bought A WWII Bomber </i>book, with new research she had just completed involving the City of Lenoir, North Carolina's WWII contribution to the war effort. The Historical Society of Lenoir had offered us a meeting date and we were excited to be working together on the project.<br />
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Our first WIKI lesson involved learning to share messages back and forth. Unlike Dropbox, at least what we knew of Dropbox, WIKI allowed us instant back and forth as if we were talking face-to-face. As soon as I saved a comment, Gretchen was able to see my comment and give an immediate response. Our initial discussion centered on where her research would fit into my PowerPoint presentation slides and what visuals would we use.<br />
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Next we had to learn to share the PowerPoint slides. It didn't take but a few minutes, with Carol's expert guidance, to post, insert and even change my slides to accommodate Gretchen's work. Later it involved tweaking those changes and even the PowerPoint slides for consistency.<br />
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To our surprise, WIKI was working well, almost better than if we were sitting side-by-side, making the decisions and initiating the changes. The best part was we were able to do all this without one of us making the hour long trek to the others home, and fitting our time working together within a specific schedule. We were able to do it all at our convenience each sitting in our own home office.<br />
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For our project, Gretchen and I just touched the surface of all WIKI has to offer. Carol utilizes it to a much great extent when teaching writing classes, to keep track of students, their work and grades as well as a direct avenue to read, correct and critique assignments. She, as the administrator, can critique one-on-one or allow the entire class to see and critique each others work.<br />
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WIKI can also be used when sharing work in a critique group. Each critique partner can view, read and insert their suggestions for a given body of work.<br />
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So if you're looking for a way to share information, teach a class or collaborate on a project, you might give WIKI a try.<br />
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Thank you Carol for forcing me out of my comfort zone to learn a new program.<br />
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Favorite WIKI resources posted by Carol Baldwin following her SCBWIC presentation:<br />
http://www.pbworks.com<br />
Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY<br />
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Check out Carol's amazing blog:<br />
<a href="http://carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.com/">http://carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.com</a><br />
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Sandra Warren<br />
<i>We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of a Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The Blue Ridge Parkway. </i><br />
www.arliebooks.com<br />
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<br />Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3884813691327716608.post-56074644253632567282017-11-22T05:00:00.000-05:002017-11-22T05:00:37.953-05:00Oh The Places You'll Go...One Author's RealityLife as an author is never what you expect, at least that's been my experience.<br />
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Years ago, when I first dreamt of becoming a published author, I had visions of television interviews and paid book tours, stops in big cities and long lines circling book stores anxiously awaiting my arrival. That does happen and has for one or two of the many authors I know. But the vast majority of authors, myself included, experience a different reality; one that involves ingenuity and creative marketing strategies to keep their books in circulation and in the forefront of prospective book buyers.<br />
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<i>Never give up an opportunity to promote your work! </i></div>
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In my 25+ years as a published author, I've had the pleasure of speaking and exhibiting my books in a number of very different venues from book stores to libraries, historical museums, aviation museums, senior communities, schools, book clubs, colleges, book fairs, Spring, Summer and Fall Festivals, Holiday Bazaars, churches, a luxury resort and even a coffee shop or two. The quirkiest place and the one where I sold the most books ever, was a Donut Den in Wyoming, Michigan!<br />
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<i>Think outside the box when identifying interest groups for your book! </i></div>
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In search of an audience, I've shared my books and writing journey with multiple organizations including veterans groups, church groups, all the typical community groups like Rotary, Kiwanis and Ruritan, historical societies, senior groups, elementary, middle school and high school students, life-long learning groups, retired nurses and even to members of an aeronautical historical society. Audiences have included all age groups from preschool to great-grannies with attendance numbers from two to in excess of two hundred.<br />
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<i>Always give the same presentation for two as you would two hundred! </i></div>
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One of my most memorable speaking engagements involved a female business owner friend of mine. She invited me to be the luncheon speaker to her "little business group." I didn't realize what I'd gotten myself into until we were riding up the elevator in a very swanky office building, crowded with gentlemen wearing three-piece suits and wing-tipped shoes. My friends "little business group," turned out to include all the movers and shakers in a major city, a group in which she was one of two female business members. I quickly revised the speech I had prepared and talked about the similarities between being an author and a small business owner. Afterward, all I could think of was, thank goodness I wore a suit that day!<br />
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<i>Promoting a book is the job of the Writer not the publisher or agent! </i></div>
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When you have a book published, it's up to you, the author, not the agent or editor, to do everything in your power to see that your book remains in circulation. The only way to do that is to get out there and promote your work and yourself.<br />
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<i>An author without a box of books in their trunk isn't doing their job!</i> </div>
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Being an author has taken me places I never would have imagined, throughout the United States, from Florida to Alaska, London, England and British Columbia. I can't wait to see where it leads next.<br />
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<i>No one can promote your book better than you can! </i></div>
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Where is the quirkiest place you've promoted your work?<br />
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Leave a comment before Dec. 1st and I'll send one lucky winner a copy of my new picture book, <i>Spivey's Web</i> which is due out mid-December.<br />
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Contact Sandra Warren at one of the following:<br />
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<a href="http://www.sandrawarren.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.sandrawarren.com</a> </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<a href="http://www.arliebooks.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.arliebooks.com</a><br />
<a href="http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
<a href="http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC</a></div>
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<br />Sandra Warrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06680755110645856989noreply@blogger.com7