Writing for a weekly newspaper provides valuable lessons for writers of all genres.
My first writing break came when I was in high school. The local weekly newspaper asked if I would write a first-person sports feature about a Univeristy of Nebraska football player who was friends with my family.
I was 16 years old, determined to go to law school and eventually, write the Great American Novel.
Fast forward four decades. I'm a full-time freelancer, working the regional beat for the area's daily newspaper. I write for other publications, too, but when you write from the comforts of your home office, you develop your own rhythm.
In July, the local weekly (which owns three weekly papers covering four communities) asked if I could cover a few stories. In November, I was named managing news editor of the Clearwater Record-Ewing News. Now, these two towns are separated by approximately eight miles on the highway. One has a population of approximately 387; the other, 419, based on 2010 census records.
Working on this weekly newspaper has taught and reminded me of several key lessons that are pertinent to writers of any genre.
Know and use the stylebook. No matter what publication I write for, they use a specific stylebook (AP, CMS, etc.) and some take it to another level and have their own stylebook based on the original. If you are unsure of a writing rule, use the stylebook. It will make the proofreader's job so much easier!
Determine your audience. The weekly has a wide age range of readers. We cover school events of all sorts, we cover town news stories (think human interest), and we cover what I consider breaking news items - fires, accidents, etc. Since a locally-owned weekly paper is the core news source representing the town, it's important to include a wide variety of coverage.
Build your online presence. Have a website, update it frequently, and use social media to promote your work.
Network, network, network. Since I live near both communities, I knew a number of "officials" from the area, like town clerks, police and fire chiefs, school officials. Now, I talk with school officials weekly to receive updates. I know who to call for information if there's a fire on Thanksgiving Day or if the town is holding a special election. Keeping those communication lines is important, not only for the current story, but for future reporting.
Be accurate. It's a basic rule of Journalism 101: Check and double check facts.
Creativity counts. Even if you're covering the city council meeting, you can use creative lede to draw reader attention.
Localize a national news story. Application of journalism at its finest. Look for a local angle to national headlines. When you personalize reporting, you increase readership. And trust me, there's been a lot of national news lately that affects everyone.
Writing for a weekly has made me a better writer. Perhaps it's the perfectionist in me, but I used to agonize over a story's lede, let it simmer for an hour - or even a day - before I'd commit to the details of the story.
Not any more. Writing for a newspaper has forced me to focus on the immediate story, collect my thoughts, and prioritize. It's a good push for any writer.
You don't have to work at a newspaper to put into practice the lessons I've learned. Apply these principles to your writing and writing career, and you'll notice a difference.
Friday Speak Out!: Celebrating Success, Guest Post by Kaila Weingarten, M.S.
Well, that is sort of how I feel now. That is how I get accepted? I am I really legit? Do I really know what I am doing? Of course, I do. That little voice in the back of my mind tells me to continue writing. However, it's nice to finally have the proof.
After thirty plus emails, five months (from initiating the idea until acceptance from the editorial board) with my baby born in between, more than fifteen hours, and over four thousand words, my article is ready to be published in a professional early childhood magazine. As both an educator and writer, this has been my goal and dream for a long time. Actually, make that a very long time.
I am a voracious reader, and writing has been a part of my life since I learned how to write. My diaries still make an amusing read, and discovering school compositions bring back fond memories. I won some local writing contests as a child, and write often in my adulthood. Whether for my job (notes, policies, articles for parents) or as freelance jobs, writing is something I savor. It is a treat when I can sit down and write. However, I was waiting for the real thing, which for me meant seeing my name in a big publication--a "grown up" one. I am finally here.
Now the wait starts--it can take twelve to eighteen months for it to be published. I am not partying until the check is in the bank. However, I will keep my champagne glass ready, and a bottle of wine in the fridge. And I definitely will keep on writing!
Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours! I was tickled pink to find out I was writing the blog for such a fantastic day; so thank you WOW! for this opportunity! Before I get down to business, I want to tell you a bit about Thanksgiving on our farm. The turkey is stuffed with my mother-in-law's recipe that includes pork raised right here. We have two meats each year and our ham is also raised right here. The potatoes were grown just a few yards from the front door (right next to the clothesline) and the milk in those potatoes is raw from the bulk tank and the eggs in the corn casserole are only hours old. I am thankful for everything that has been provided for us and most of all I am thankful for the family that fills the rooms of our house making It a home.
I was busy preparing for tomorrow's celebration and as I stood chopping celery and onions, our older children (5 and 6) were discussing the play they participated in at school earlier in the day. The teacher had separated the classes into groups to demonstrate the history of Thanksgiving. My son (5) was in the group of Explorers and my daughter (6) was a Settler. It was exciting to hear the discussion of who did what and their banter inspired today's post; another thing I am most thankful for – so enjoy!
As writers, we have an opportunity to do our own settling and exploring. It is quite different from the pilgrims during the harvest of 1621…or is it? The Puritans were preparing for winter; they were busy gathering anything they could find, including supplies and food. The Explorers were learning about their new surroundings in Cape Cod and were trying to familiarize themselves with the native plants and animals. Writers are generally found behind a computer as opposed to out in the woods, but aren't we still gathering information and ideas as well as tools of the trade? Don't we familiarize ourselves with what is hot and what is not in the writerly world?
I feel I am constantly settling and exploring; asking for feedback and ideas while reading the work of others as I attempt to improve my own story. I want to know what has worked for other authors and what has not. It is my hope to learn from their experience to make my own pilgrimage a success. I mean no disrespect when comparing my writing journey to that of the pilgrims. A pilgrim by definition is someone who travels to a sacred place for religious reasons. I am not physically going anywhere, but my mind and heart travel each time I write and as the words flow to the paper, I feel calm and peaceful. That said, writing is definitely a pilgrimage for me.
Today as I sit down with family and friends and we bow our heads to pray I will be thinking of each of you who I am also thankful for. Thank you to the publishers who have patiently explained things to me. Thank you to my writers group for your encouragement, the laughter, and the awesome snacks! Thank you to the writers who allow me to read and review your works. Thank you to the bloggers who participate enthusiastically in the WOW! Blog Tours. Thank you to Angela and Jodi at WOW! for taking a chance on me. Thank you to each person who reads, comments, and encourages me and others along the way. Thank you to my husband who is my biggest fan. You are all part of my pilgrimage and I couldn't imagine settling and exploring without you by my side.
1) What is a favorite Thanksgiving tradition for you and your family?
2) How does reading or writing play a role in your life's journey?
3) What or Whom are you thankful for today?
Get Involved! (Remember what I said about being thankful for bloggers?) If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.
I want to start this post out by saying that when I first began freelancing about 10 years ago, I never imagined myself seriously writing fiction, much less trying to sell any books. Sure, I've always had a dream of becoming a novelist, but I really didn't allow myself to plot out how I would actually make that dream happen.
Fast forward to today, Nov. 27, and I am just a few thousand words away from completing my first attempt at National Novel Writing Month. I've always heard people talk about NaNoWriMo and I pretty much scoffed, saying to myself, That's the worst time of year for me to possibly try to complete a novel! And while that might be true, I also know that I can't finish a big project such as a novel without some kind of fanfare, so I signed up.
It has not been easy. I got behind on day one of NaNoWriMo because we went out of town to visit friends and I didn't want to be sitting in their house with my laptop working when we only get to see them once or twice a year. I fell a little more behind because the magazine I edit was going into production, and I needed to write copy and proof the magazine before we went to the printer. Throw into that mix a few other freelance deadlines, and I began wondering around day fifteen if I should just throw in the towel. This past weekend I powered through and with the help of my family, locked myself in my office and almost got caught up on the word count.
As luck would have it, WOW! Put together a "Best of Fiction" issue just in time for this month! I was reading Novel Writing: Choosing a Method That Works Best for You by Margo Dill and it made me think about how I write novels.
When I wrote my first novel several years ago, I used a method similar to NaNoWriMo where I completed 60,000 words in a month by focusing on a three-act structure. This time around, I'm rewriting that first novel into a YA, so I've used the first book as sort of an outline although quite a bit of it has either been cut out or scaled back.
Last November I did my own modified version of NaNoWriMo and completed a first, very rough draft of a middle-grade novel. I am now in the process of submitting it. For that book, I used the "Chapter Summaries" method where I wrote the synopsis and then a few paragraphs about what happened in each chapter and used that as my outline.
This has all been a learning process. I never studied creative writing in college and have participated in my fair share of trial and error. But honestly, I can't think of a better way to learn. What methods do you use when writing nonfiction or novels?
Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who blogs at Renee's Pages.
Drafts, drafts, and more drafts from my first attempt at a novel.
Once upon a time, there was a children's book blogger (that's me) who was asked to participate in a blog hop. She said, "Yes," because she is always looking for ways to spice up her blog, drive traffic there, and meet new people. Part of the blog hop was finding other bloggers to tag and participate, too. Here's where she ran into a problem. When she would ask her friends in the kingdom of Blogville whether or not they wanted to participate in the blog hop, an overwhelming amount of them responded with, "What is a blog hop?"
So, that blogger decided to write a post about a blog hop to help her fellow bloggers understand what it is and how to get involved if it sounds interesting to you!
First, a blog hop is defined as a group of bloggers posting about the same topic, event, set of questions, book, etc. for a set amount of time. It allows readers to hop from blog to blog to find out more about this topic/book, etc. For example, blog A, B, C, D, and E are all blogging about the new Catching Fire movie and giving away a movie poster sometime during the week that the movie comes out. Readers can read each post that week and enter to win any giveaways.
Most of the time with a blog hop, bloggers have to tag a certain amount of bloggers to participate and put links to these people's blogs on their posts.
Does this sound like something you are interested in? How do you get involved?
1. Create your own blog hop and ask bloggers you know to participate.
4. Google "Blog Hops"--you will be amazed at all the resources that pop up!
A blog hop is fun, helps you meet new people outside your circle, and hopefully drives traffic to your blog. If you are interested in trying a blog hop, then don't delay. Look for one you can do during December!
Have you ever participated in a blog hop? How did you like it?
Just in time for the holidays, Linda Joy Myers, Kate Farrell and Amber Lea Starfire launch their anthology Times They Were A-Changing: Women Remember the '60s and '70s. The book is the perfect gift for opening discussions with friends and family members and illustrating what a powerful time the '60s and '70s truly were.
Forty-eight powerful stories and poems etch in vivid detail breakthrough moments experienced by women during the life-changing era that was the '60s and '70s. These women rode the sexual revolution with newfound freedom, struggled for identity in divorce courts and boardrooms, and took political action in street marches. They pushed through the boundaries, trampled the taboos, and felt the pain and joy of new experiences. And finally, here, they tell it like it was.
Through this collection of women's stories, we celebrate the women of the '60s and '70s and the importance of their legacy.
Times They Were A-Changing: Women Remember the '60s & '70s is available in print and as an e-book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and She Writes Press and Indie Bound.
To win a copy of Times They Were A-Changing, please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. The giveaway contest closes Monday, Dec. 2 at 12:00 EST. We will announce the winner on the same day using the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
Kate Farrell earned a M.A. from UC Berkeley; taught language arts in high schools, colleges, and universities; founded the Word Weaving storytelling project in collaboration with the California Department of Education with a grant from the Zellerbach Family Fund, and published numerous educational materials. She is founder of Wisdom Has a Voice memoir project and edited Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter's Memories of Mother (2011). Farrell is president of Women's National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter, a board member of Redwood Branch of the California Writers Club, member of Story Circle Network and National Association of Memoir Writers.
Linda Joy Myers is president and founder of the National Association of Memoir Writers, and the author of four books: Don't Call Me Mother—A Daughter's Journey from Abandonment to Forgiveness, The Power of Memoir—How to Write Your Healing Story, and a workbook The Journey of Memoir: The Three Stages of Memoir Writing. Her book Becoming Whole—Writing Your Healing Story was a finalist in ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award. A speaker and award winning author, she co-teaches the program Write Your Memoir in Six Months, and offers editing, coaching, and mentoring for memoir, nonfiction, and fiction. Visit her blog at http://memoriesandmemoirs.com.
Amber Lea Starfire, whose passion is helping others tell their stories, is the author of Week by Week: A Year's Worth of Journaling Prompts & Meditations (2012) and Not the Mother I Remember, due for release in late 2013. A writing teacher and editor, she earned her MFA in Creative Writing from University of San Francisco and is a member of the California Writers Club in Napa and Santa Rosa, the Story Circle Network, National Association of Memoir Writers, and International Association for Journal Writing. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors. Visit www.writingthroughlife.com.
WOW: It's obvious while reading this book how much work must have gone into the writing, submissions and editing process. Can you take you take us through the making of this anthology? How did the idea emerge and how did you go about finding contributors for the book?
Kate: Linda Joy had wanted to do an anthology of the era for some time, but preferred to produce it as part of a team with professional colleagues who were as moved by the '60s and '70s as she was. It was at the Story Circle Network Conference in Austin, Texas, April 2012, where Linda Joy, Kate, and Amber's minds and memories synchronized. Each of us brought years of experience in editing and publishing to the project and formed an editorial partnership to produce the book.
The anthology theme and subthemes were inspired by political and social history, but we were clear that we didn't want essays or eyewitness accounts: "I was there at Woodstock…" We wanted to highlight the craft of memoir in creating a time, a place, and a feeling. We were curious to discover how women participated in key movements and events of the time, and how these experiences changed them. Once we developed our editorial guidelines, we were ready to solicit submissions.
Using the submittable.com online service, we combined a contest with an opportunity for publication. The contest allowed us to advertise in publications that featured contests, while the opportunity to be published appealed to a wider reach of writers. We placed ads in venues that catered to women's writing and memoirs, including WOW! Women on Writing, our niche market, and placed two ads in Poets and Writers. Submissions started slowly and peaked at the deadline with almost 300 blind submissions from across the country.
WOW: Younger generations of readers (such as myself!) might think they won't be able to relate to the issues and topics in this book. Why do you think Times They Were A-Changing is an important read for adults born in the 1980s and 1990s?
Linda Joy: The future is built upon the progress and developments of the past. The '60s and '70s created a tsunami of social change and shifts in consciousness. What was acceptable in the past was no longer tolerable: racial prejudice and inequality, the brutality of war, and the idea that women had no voice and no control over their bodies. I've heard young women say, "I read about the '60s and '70s, but it's just a few lines in a history book. I don't really know what it was like." In order to understand the power of those two decades to shift consciousness and political decisions, it's also important to understand how the world was before all the changes. In this book, you learn how each writer came from where she was raised to become a part of something. The era evolved as each person's participation helped to create it. The stories take you into the body and minds of each person. You taste the tear gas, smell the fear in the South, and tingle with the joy of freedom on the road.
WOW: I was excited to read essays by each of you in the book. All three of them were very powerful but also very different. How difficult was it to decide which of your own pieces to include in Times They Were A-Changing?
Amber: I had actually written a version of "Altamont" two years ago intending it to be included in my upcoming memoir, Not the Mother I Remember (to be released in January 2014). But I cut it from the memoir when I realized (admitted) it didn't move the narrative forward. When we editors decided to include our own work in the anthology, I knew right away I'd found a home for this story.
Kate: In San Francisco, the '70s ushered in many non-political movements that nevertheless sought social change though personal transformation. Though I was fortunate to live in San Francisco from the early '60s on and experience much of that decade's counterculture and political activism, I found the '70s more to my taste. Fewer drugs, less violence held the promise of a peaceful dawning of the Age of Aquarius through conscious practice and spiritual direction.
However, that dream soon faded, as had the political, idealistic dreams of the '60s. Greedy, abusive cult leaders, gurus, and madmen attracted followers, true believers who were hungry for self-fulfillment and who gave all, their free will, even their lives to the cult, the Jonestown massacre being the most tragic—spawned in the SF Bay Area.
As submissions to the anthology came in, I noticed none from women who had direct experience of these cult-like groups, and I wanted to add that radical cultural dimension to the book. My vivid recollections of working within Werner Erhard seminar trainings (est) were a rich enough source, but I was hesitant, even afraid, to write about them. Such is the lingering power of a forceful personality. I was encouraged by my co-editors to develop "Getting It" and continue to write the essay as an authentic, first hand experience. How my understanding of est was finally resolved through intense Jungian dream work was a positive counter balance. I remembered that personal insight was a true joy: an inner vision without drugs or a mindless following.
Linda Joy: I had written some versions of "Baptist Girl" before, but was too embarrassed to develop it. This time, having a strict word count helped me to construct the piece so the reader could go back and forth in time to understand my dilemma with breaking away from the past while still being caught in it. The problem with the era was that many of us acted in ways we felt we were supposed to act, but we still hadn't resolved our deeper issues. In order to understand the era as I experienced it, I have to write about where I came from and the kind of perpetual shock we were all in during those years of protest, violence, and opportunity. I came from a small town that was safe, quiet, and very conservative. The era took us so far away from our roots, it was like being on a 20-year, roller coaster ride. Great in many ways, and tragic in others.
WOW: Amber Lea, your essay "Altamont" is a great example of using rich and sensory details in memoir writing. Do you have any advice for writers struggling to express themselves in such a lyrical fashion, especially when describing events that happened years earlier?
Amber Lea: As my writing teacher and mentor, Lowell Cohn, used to say, "Slow down. Slow way down." The key to remembering the sensory details central to your story is to focus on the key image—the one that has the most emotional resonance—and then, in your mind's eye, begin to look around: what did you smell, taste, feel and hear in that moment? Remembering these details triggers additional memories. Also, focusing on your senses other than sight brings you into the physical, in-your-body facet of memory. And I believe that's where the real power of any story resides.
WOW: Linda Joy, your essay "The Baptist Girl" paints a portrait of a young girl struggling to become a person with a voice to be reckoned with. Since then, you've made "finding your voice" your life's work! You also wrote a blog post for the book discussing how writers can get past their fear of exposing themselves through memoir writing. How do you suggest writers take steps to do that without abandoning a project out of fear of repercussions?
Linda Joy: I still struggle with how to break past the chattering inner critic in my own work. Choose small pieces you can wrap your mind around and get them on the page. You have to tell yourself over and over again that this is your "sh--tty first draft"--thank you Anne Lamott! Keep your work private while you're working on it. Don't tell your family you're writing a memoir. Write all the way through the first draft, which will allow the tough emotions to surface and give you room to be with yourself and your truths. After your feelings have been aired on the page, then you can see what needs to be edited or changed, and then decide how to handle the people you have put in the book. Every writer suffers with this, so you are not alone. Read about the explosions in Pat Conroy's life after The Great Santini came out—and it was fiction. What made it fiction, he tells us, is that his father was more over the top violent than what he wrote. Every family is unique and only you can decide where your ethics are and how to handle your book and your relationships.
WOW: Kate, your bio talks about your discovery of self-actualization through mediation, yoga, Tai Chi, etc. Can you talk to us a little about how these practices have helped shaped and influence your writing over the years?
Kate: By the beginning of the 1970s, I had become a traditional storyteller, part of the folk art revival that included folksongs, blues, and jazz. It was a groundswell movement that merged in my mind with the other disciplines I pursued. Storytelling techniques in performance are similar to meditating out loud and draw from the universal archetypes espoused in Jungian theory. My storytelling practice was mostly confined to school library work in the San Francisco public elementary schools. Nevertheless, I was able to "hold the space" with only my voice and my inner concentration for audiences of large numbers of at risk, inner city students. Along the way, students learned the elements of story, could retell stories, act them out, and eventually read and write them.
Writing memoir is another way to form a storytelling bond with the listener/reader. The power of sharing through story is easily translated to the printed page. I continue to explore ways that a short memoir piece can combine with archetype to create a universal experience so that images become symbolic in a natural way—another layer of meaning.
WOW: I absolutely love the historical timelines you put together on the book blog under the topic of "themes." One of the themes in the book is Second Wave Feminism. I'd like to ask each of you if there any women in particular who inspired you to stand up and embrace women's rights, and what was it about them that inspired you the most?
Kate: Enlarging that question to include women who fought for human rights, and later became active in women's rights, I have to list Joan Baez, Bettina Aptheker, and Angela Davis as three women who stood large for me.
Joan Baez was a powerful voice that reached millions early in the 60s, part of the coffee house scene, folk music, and poetry. When I first heard her plaintive voice in the song, "House of the Rising Sun," I identified with its somber, minor chords, and bluesy rendering of the plait of the common prostitute. Along with my college roommates in San Francisco, we learned to play the chords on our shared guitar and sing the lyrics that to me were the first cry of feminism.
Bettina Aptheker was the co-leader of the Free Speech Movement in UC-Berkeley along with Mario Savio; she took the microphone near Sather Gate in such a commanding way that she became an immediate legend to me, a small, articulate young woman who would not back down. Her later speeches against the war in Vietnam and at the trial of Angela Davis were an inspiration.
Angela Davis exemplified all that was powerful in a woman activist: brilliant, beautiful, scholarly, willing to risk her career and fight against a system of control that spanned her academic life, civil rights, and women's rights. She was the ultimate feminist. All three of these women were historically connected, centered in the SF East Bay.
When my time came to attend UC-Berkeley graduate school in '69-'70, I did not hesitate to participate in the protests against the war. When the campus closed with a student strike in spring 1970 with the invasion of Cambodia, I was one of four leaders (some called us the Four Horsemen) who organized classes off site, rewrote the curriculum for Library Studies graduate school, and sponsored activities in public libraries. We put our degree and tuition on the line to advocate within and without the university for more relevant library services. Of course, 90 percent of my peers were women.
Linda Joy: I loved the folk singer women too—Joan Baez and Judy Collins especially. By the '70s, I was reading Anais Nin, whose journals were all the rage, and though we know now she edited them, they were an example of the courage it takes to write openly of very personal things. From Ms. Magazine, which one of my boyfriends tore into shreds, I learned about ideas, power, and the possibility of a fine-tuned political discussion that assumed women had a voice worth listening to. I didn't know or believe that then. I was taught to be quiet and not make waves, but the era, and the arts, told us we could. Artists were important to me: Eva Hesse's sculpture, Joan Mitchell's huge canvases. "The Dinner Party" sculptures by Judy Chicago were mind blowing and brave. The poetry of Denise Levertov and Adrienne Rich changed my life.
WOW: What are some of your favorite memoirs from other writers that you've read in the past five years?
Kate: In researching this project over the last two years, I found these three memoirs to be unforgettable—in particular how these gifted, lovely women were often overshadowed by their male counterparts, husbands, or lovers: Joan Baez, And a Voice to Sing With: A Memoir, Deborah Santana, Space between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart. Grace Slick, Somebody to Love? A Rock-and-Roll Memoir.
Linda Joy: I inhale books and read everything from fiction, especially historical fiction—based on true stories—to memoirs. I'm reading Pat Conroy's Death of Santini now, and loved all of Mary Karr's memoirs, Virginia Woolf's Moments of Being, and Wild by Cheryl Strayed.
Stop by for an interview with Linda Joy Myers, Kate Farrell and Amber Lea Starfire and enter to win a copy of the book.
Learn more about the consciousness-raising movement of the 60s and 70s with this guest post by one of the contributors of Times They Were A-Changing.
Stop by Words by Webb for a review of Times They Were A-Changing.
Jerry Waxler from Memory Writers Network interviews the editors of the anthology Times They Were A-Changing.
Immerse yourself in the world of 60s Beat culture, poets, folksingers and coffeehouses as part of the Times They Were A-Changing blog tour.
Find out how the anthology Times They Were A-Changing can engage discussions with younger generations with this guest post.
Read about what Author Trisha Slay thought of Times They Were A-Changing and enter the book giveaway!
Want to read an excerpt from Times They Were A-Changing? Renee Roberson will feature one on her blog Renee's Pages and give away one copy of the ebook.
Want to learn five things about publishing and writing for anthologies? Jodi interviews the editors of Times They Were A-Changing at Words by Webb.
Visit Memoir Writer's Journey to read a guest post on "Lessons We Learned from the 60s and 70s That are Important for Women Today." Also, enter to win a copy of the book!
Susan Weidener shares her thoughts on the storytelling found in Times They Were A-Changing on her blog.
Stop by the Found Between the Covers blog to read Sherrey's review of Times They Were A-Changing.
The ladies discuss what the legacy of the 60s and 70s was for women and how it relates to women today as part of the Times They Were A-Changing blog tour. Stop by for the chance to win your own copy of the book!
Read a guest post on the "Age of Aquarius: New Age Disciplines and Consciousness Raising" as part of the Times They Were A-Changing blog tour. Also, enter to win your own copy of the book!
Suzanne Purvis hosts the editors of Times They Were A-Changing as they give you an insider's perspective on "The Making of an Anthology" on her blog.
To view all our touring authors, check out our Events Calendar. Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following us on Twitter @WOWBlogTour.
Get involved! If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.
Book Giveaway Contest: Enter to win a copy of Times They Were A-Changing! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Make sure you have the latest version of Java Script updated in your browser. If you're still having problems entering the form, you may leave a comment and we will enter you in the giveaway, and tweet about this giveaway for an extra entry. We will announce the winner in the Rafflecopter widget on Monday, Dec. 2.
Maybe it's because writing is a solitary task, but we writers love programs and challenges that hold us accountable. Sign up and you have a public statement of your goals and a group of writers to hold you to them. There are several programs to help you get your ideas and initial drafts down on paper.
NaNoWriMo. This one is going on right now and is for novelists. National Novel Writing Month challenges writers to draft a new novel in one month. Because novels can vary in length, that's 50,000 words or just under 1700 words/day.
12 x 12. This program is run by Julie Hedlund. In it, she challenges authors to write a finished first draft of 12 picture books in one year. Ideally, writers can break this down into one manuscript a month but I didn't spot any monthly deadlines.
PiBoIdMo. Picture Book Idea Month, obviously, is another one that targets picture book writers and author/illustrators. As the name suggests, everyone is challenged to come up with 30 picture book ideas by the end of November. They can be ideas for characters, plots, titles or all of the above.
While these three programs are good, they do after all, provide external deadlines and accountability, they don't provide it in the area that I most need it. I'm a champ at idea generation. And first drafts are tons of fun. After all, the idea is still perfect until you get it on the page. That's when you realize you have more work to do and you face a decision. Revise or start something new?
If you are anything like me, you have file drawers and computer files full of drafts. Some of them are first drafts. Others just need that final polish. But there they sit while we run off in pursuit of the next perfect story. Fortunately, there are also groups that hold us accountable in our attempts to rewrite.
ReviMo 2014. This is a one week program organized by fellow Missouri author Meg Miller. Throughout the week of January 12-18, she challenges participants to write (as in complete) picture book revisions. Half a revision doesn't count. To add your numbers to the total, you need to start and finish a revision and you are encouraged to do more than one revision over the course of the week.
NaNoEdMo. National Novel Editing Month provides novelists who participated in NaNoWriMo with an opportunity to spend 50 hours revising what they drafted in November.
While none of these programs guarantee a submission ready product, they do get you one step farther along.
If you know of any other programs that provide some level of accountability, add them in the comments below.
Sue Bradford Edwards blogs about writing at One Writer's Journey.
This morning, I sat at my kitchen table and as usual, gazed out at the backyard view from my picture window. But there was something unusual out there, by the fence. Something I hadn't noticed. Do you see those trees? The ones bursting with fall color?
I'd never seen them before.
Now, how in the world could I have missed something as spectacularly beautiful as those trees? And then I realized that for as long as I'd lived in my house, we'd had two other trees—massive trees—blocking the view. My husband had insisted we take them down this past summer before they fell down, and I was not at all happy. I loved those trees.
I loved their towering strength, the full and lush canopy of green that shaded my deck, the sturdy branches that housed squirrels and backyard birds. But the trees were infested with a creeping rot on the inside and in the last few years, the canopy was less lush, the branches more bare.
Still, I'd resented the felling of those trees. That is, until I looked out my window and saw the new beauty that had been hidden from my view. Once again, I fell in love with a couple trees.
And because I'm a writer, deep into a revision during National Novel Writing Month (with only a week to go!), I couldn't help seeing the metaphor. I thought of all the lovely paragraphs—whole passages, entire chapters—that I've cut from my manuscript.
Oh, I know that expression, "kill your darlings." I'm well aware that we fall head-over-heels for our words. After all, we've lovingly crafted them and pressed them to our bosom. We have a relationship! So, yes, it's hard to kill our darlings.
But goodness! This hasn't been a 'darling' here or a 'sweetie' there that I've chopped out of the manuscript. It feels as if I've gutted the story, and in the process, I've gutted me. And yet, I knew when I started the rewrite that I'd be getting rid of most of the manuscript. I wasn't at all happy.
The day we cut the trees, I was just…forlorn. Pitifully sad, as the dictionary defines it. And every time I cut massive chunks from my manuscript, I feel the same way. But I know that the only way to get to the story I want to tell is to start fresh, to quit relying on original passages I loved. To stop fiddling with the old words trying to make something new of them.
It's a drastic measure, rewriting an entire novel. And if you're in the midst of a rewrite—or questioning whether one is needed for your current work-in-progress, I feel for you. Consider carefully before you start cutting, but don't be afraid to get rid of what's not working.
Because beneath the cuts, you might find new beauty—and once again, fall in love with what you see.
Recently, I spoke with an editor of a lifestyle and entertainment magazine I'd done work with several years ago. I looked the editor's publication up beforehand, to refresh my memory about their guidelines, and to get a feel for what new trends the magazine was incorporating since I'd last visited their publication.
Confident that my work as a motivational columnist was a step up from the published article in the entertainment section from days of old, I decided to reconnect with the editor and pitch a new idea for the premiere issue of the magazine. Needless to say, the interchange went well. It was agreed that I would pen a "motivational moment" column for the magazine for which I would be compensated.
When the contract arrived, however, there was one slight eye-opener that I hadn't bargained on. The editor selected the title for my agreed upon column, from which I was expected to write the article! I was dumbfounded to say the least and a bit disappointed. But, I signed on the dotted line and produced the column with the magazine's headline.
In the end, the transaction with the editor went off without another hitch. I was paid for my work and asked to contribute to the magazine on a regular basis. In declining the offer (in lieu of paying markets) I asked that the editor to consider spreading the word about my expertise in the personal development and empowerment genre, to which she readily agreed.
The few nuggets of magazine etiquette I've learned over the course of several years of writing for magazines could fill a very small hole, but, they are valuable pieces of gold that's worth it to any writer trying to break into the print magazine market.
1. Make sure your pitch stands out by answering the editor's question of "What's in it for me?" In other words, what's the take away value that will guarantee the editor's satisfaction and outshine your competitors who are vying for the same gig?
2. Maintain a polite and professional attitude.
3. Be open to suggestions and don't quibble about the magazine's intent for your piece. I admit I had several titles to choose from for my article, but, accepted the magazine's title which complimented their vision. My column title remained intact, so the article's title wasn't something to make a big deal about.
4. End the experience on a positive note and offer to write for the magazine again. Also spread the word about the positive treatment you received from the editor and always address them by their names!
5. Continue to write and hone your skills as an expert in the areas of your interest and don't be afraid to approach editors with your article suggestions that will help make their magazine sparkle. And, if you do get rejected? No worries, just hit them up again the following year with an even better pitch.
Clara Freeman is a freelance writer, motivational author and coach. A former nurse, certified in leadership and coaching, she parlayed a longtime nursing career into a business brand for women empowerment, where she serves as advocate and mentor to women on the path to living authentic lives. Her articles have been published in numerous magazines, including Costco Magazine, Working Nurse Magazine, and Women in Business 101 Magazine and Today's Chicago Woman Magazine.
To learn more about Clara's work, visit her website at http://authentic-woman.net . You can also download a copy of her popular eBook, "My Life toward Authenticity-My Authentic Woman Story.
Follow Clara on Twitter @ C50something.
We have a great read and giveaway for you today. If you're a fan of Alice Hoffman's bestselling novels, you'll be delighted to discover she's written her first inspirational nonfiction book! This book will lift your spirits up this winter and it makes a wonderful gift for your loved ones.
Wise, gentle, and wry, Alice Hoffman teaches all of us how to choose what matters most.
Alice Hoffman is the author of twenty-one novels, including The Dovekeepers and the forthcoming The Museum of Extraordinary Things. Her inspirational nonfiction, Survival Lessons, was released last month by Algonquin Books. Her novels, many of which have been New York Times bestsellers, have received mention as notable books of the year by the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, Library Journal, and People magazine. Alice's advance from Survival Lessons will be donated to the Hoffman Breast Center at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Below you'll find a visual excerpt from Survival Lessons entitled, "Choose to Look for Magic." Enter to win a copy of this gorgeous book at the bottom of this post by filling out the Rafflecopter form.
Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman is available for purchase as a hardcover, ebook, and audiobook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and at your local independent bookstore.
Enter the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Survival Lessons!
The NCWN conference packet and schedule.
Skills Can Be Important. Before I headed into my session, I chatted with a woman who had self-edited her manuscript. She studied English and technical writing in college, but she said even she found editing her own work difficult and a more lengthy process than she thought it would be when she started. Even with her skills, she continues to find errors and wonders why she didn't catch them when she edited.
Editing Styles Are Important, but Not Essential in Self-Editing. During the workshop, different editing manuals were mentioned. One group of attendees started asking about the variations and how to learn the styles. With self-editing, one of the things we stress is keeping work consistent and clear. Readers generally notice the inconsistencies and lack of clarity in writing, not which style you've applied to your writing.
Readers Are Great, but Know Their Limitations. We all need readers and having friends read through out manuscripts is a super idea. But don't confuse having a reader with having an editor. The majority of readers are not reading to make sure you've used the Oxford comma consistently. One issue that one attendee discussed was having six friends reading his work and often agreement was lacking among the six when it came to punctuation.
Lots of Options for Editing. One attendee mentioned that she has hired the author of eighty books for her manuscript. Another person uses the manuscript services provided by the writers' network. Hiring an editor and self-editing are not for everyone. Know your limitations, but also understand what you are getting when you are paying for any of the services. Other attendees questioned hiring the author of the eighty books simply because they wondered who had done her editing and if such a writer could be a good editor.
Genres Matter in Editing. I believe I can absolutely edit most anything that crosses my desk. But do I want to? No. I've never really enjoyed reading science fiction, so I'm not going to be a good fit for science fiction writers. But I can be a good resource for getting recommendations for you because I know editors who work in different genres. If you are self-editing, be aware of the conventions for your genre.
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and editor living in coastal North Carolina. She wishes everyone a terrific Thanksgiving and she feels thankful for WOW!
Bonnie Milani, author of Home World, a Sci-Fi Love Story, launches her blog tour!
Home World is a fast paced, well written story about the power and price of love. This story takes place amid the ruins of a post-apocalyptic Waikiki. Jezekiah Van Buren thinks he has found a way to restore Earth—Home World—to the other worlds of the human commonwealth. His goal is to restore his home to her lost glory.
Ingenious even by the standards of the genetically enhanced Great Family Van Buren, Jezekiah has achieved the impossible: he has arranged a treaty that will convert Earth's ancient enemies, the Lupans, to her most powerful allies. Not only will the treaty terms make Earth rich again, it will let him escape the Ring that condemns him to be Earth's next ruler. Best of all, the treaty leaves him free to marry Keiko Yakamoto, the Samurai-trained woman he loves. Everything's set. All Jezekiah has to do is convince his xenophobic sister to accept the Lupan's alpha warlord in marriage.
Before, that is, the assassin she's put on his tail succeeds in killing him. Or the interstellar crime ring called Ho Tong succeed in raising another rebellion. Or before his ruling relatives on competing worlds manage to execute him for treason. But Jezekiah was bred for politics and trained to rule. He's got it all under control. Until his Lupan warlord-partner reaches Earth. And suddenly these two most powerful men find themselves in love with the same woman. A woman who just may be the most deadly assassin of them all.
Home World is available as a print and e-book at Amazon.
Book Giveaway Contest: To win a copy of Home World, please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post. The giveaway contest closes this Friday, November 22 at 12:00 AM EST. We will announce the winner the same day in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!
About the Author: Bonnie vividly recalls the book that helped her decide she could out-write another writer: it was a junior reader's biography of Sir William Harvey, the 17th century English physician credited (in the West) with discovering how blood circulates. After about 30 pages of telling herself "I can write better than that!" she grabbed a crayon that just happened to be blue and started editing. She was all of seven years old at the time. Unfortunately for her juvenile bottom it was a library book. She followed the dream through college and after grad school, freelancing feature articles for newspapers along the East Coast. Milani even wrote a cover story for Science Digest! Alas, life and grown up responsibilities caught up with her and by her late twenties she put writing away with so many other dreams while she followed a 'career track'. After losing her entire family, she realized story telling wasn't just a want but a need and a gift God gave her. So here she is, a self-declared "middle-aged pudge" working on getting back into a writer's kind of real life!
WOW: Bonnie, I love the bio story about the blue crayon and I love that you've had a passion for reading since a very young age. What book was most influential in your decision to become an author and why?
Bonnie: Hum...y'know, I can't really say it was any one book so much as just being a story-teller. Every bunch of kids on the planet plays tag or hide'n seek. That always bored me. So I'd script a story to give the game a reason. Found out the hard way that kids are born actors and that every actor thinks he's a bluidy critic. Wouldn't have minded the criticism so much if the kids objecting to their roles hadn't been physically chasing me down.
WOW: I bet those same kids will be chasing you down again—but this time it will be for your autograph as you climb the ladder of success as an author! Speaking of life as an author, how did you decide which genre was best for you and what appeals to you most about sci-fi fantasy?
Bonnie: I Think the genre chose me. The every-day world has never interested me all that much—I see it every day, so why invest precious time writing about it, too? But sci fi or fantasy, now... ah, THERE'S a universe where my imagination can be set free.
WOW: It's great to hear that you feel free when writing, because Bonnie, I can't imagine where you'd find the time otherwise. I had a feeling it was more fun than work for you.
Seems to me you must be a master of time management. Where do you find time for writing, running an insurance business, and keeping up with all the changes in the insurance world?
Bonnie: You are so sweet! THANK YOU for even THINKING I can keep up with all the changes in the insurance world! Personally, I don't think it can be done—soon as you learn one set of rules... the government changes them. The upside, though, is you never get bored. As a broker, I really do get to see that I've genuinely helped people, because when you do insurance right, it's a whole lot more about taking care of folk than it is about sales. So if one of 'my people' has a problem with a doctor balance billing, for example, they call me. Most of the time they just need an explanation of how the insurance really works. Sometimes, though, I've called the doctor's office myself. Those conversations tend to be short and sharp—but they generally end with a corrected bill for my client. That matters tremendously to me.
You're totally right about time management, though. First thing I learned when I decided to go back to writing was that you will never find time to write. You make time. So my writing time is from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. After that, it's off to the gym, then on to the office. 'Cause once the insurance work day starts, everything else goes out the mental window.
WOW: Well Bonnie, I'm so glad you found time to contact WOW! and set up this tour. From our first email I just knew this was going to be fun. I only wish you lived closer, I'd invite you to my book club.
Speaking of which, do you belong to any writing or reading groups in your area? What are your thoughts and feelings about networking among authors and readers?
Bonnie: I'm a long term member of The Two Roads writer's group. We meet Weds nights at a small theater in Studio City, CA, in the Los Angeles area. The great advantage to being here in LaLa Land is the chance to have working editors—and out here, that means folks who work for companies with names like, oh, Warner Brothers, Fox Studios, Disney... So I've been blessed with feedback from professional editors who are hellfire on wheels when it comes to story structure. Not to mention character development, throughlines, logic, world-building... I am more grateful for the guidance I've received than I have words to express. Coming from an insurance broker, that says a lot!
That said, I have to place a caveat on my generally whole-hearted endorsement of writer's groups. I've run a group myself and I've conducted private writers workshops, so I've had the joy of seeing the lights come on when some element of story-telling clicks home for someone. But I've also attended groups where members were permitted to indulge in some truly savage rants. So I'd say it depends on the caliber of the group you're in. If you're in a group that's either essentially a kaffee klatch, or one that permits members to savage each other—then GET OUT OF IT. NOW. There's never an excuse to try to destroy another writer's ego.
I can't even imagine how any newbie's ego could withstand the kind of tear-downs I've seen some writer group members deliver. It's hard enough pulling a story out of your sweating, swearing soul to start with. Even harder to learn to take a GOOD critique. A mis-guided or just flat-out cruel one can easily make even a talented writer with no other source of feedback give up and crawl away.
WOW: I have to say I am thankful that my writer's group isn't like some of those you describe. I think I'd be in tears. Glad you found a group you enjoy!
Bonnie, not everyone knows your since of humor like I do—but you always make me laugh so I'm hoping you'll share something with readers about your 'funniest author moment' if you wouldn't mind?
Bonnie: Ummm...I don't know that I can come up with a funny 'author moment', but I think my record for embarrassment, at least, lies with a presentation I was doing for the Independent Brokers Association. I was giving a presentation on Long Term Care service utilization projections (really exciting stuff—honest!) to about 300 industry agents, managers, and actuaries. Now I'm an Irish Aries and a broker to boot, so I normally LOVE strutting my stuff in front of a crowd. I didn't even know I was nervous. Until I got up on the podium. Then I didn't just forget my speech. I forgot my damned name.
WOW: Well, it's my hope that after this tour and after reading Home World, it will be impossible to forget the name Bonnie Milani (even for you dear).
So, what's next for you? I'm assuming you have something in the works already? Can you tell us a little about it?
WOW: Bonnie, that certainly sounds interesting. I hope you'll keep in touch so I can have first dibs at reading that too!
Now, from a fun subject to something a bit edgier...if you don't mind my bringing up a delicate subject, in your bio you mention you lost your entire family. Would you be willing to share more on that topic?
Bonnie: No, it's been enough years I'm okay now. It was losing my mom that finally made me realize I had to start writing again. She was my best friend. We lived on opposite coasts, so I didn't see her a lot. But she used to come to visit us in CA at least 2 – 3 times a year, just to hang out, catch up, and do girlie stuff together. I knew she'd been sick, but she told me she was doing fine and was coming out to enjoy the sunny CA weather. I didn't know till they had to carry her off the plane that she'd come out to die.
Turned out she had lung cancer, emphysema, uncontrolled diabetes, AND congestive heart failure. (My mom never was one to do things by half measures!) So for the last few months of her life, I got to find out what it means to be a full-time wife, full-time employee, and a full-time care giver. Was not a happy time. When she died, I very nearly came apart. In retrospect, that probably wasn't a 'nearly', but I didn't know enough to recognize a break-down in myself. Took me a good three years to come back to myself.
WOW: Bonnie, it's amazing how sometimes our darkest moments eventually become those giving us the most clarity. I appreciate your honest answer and thank you for sharing.
What has been your biggest struggle in going from writing to publishing and what advice would you give others who aspire to publish?
Bonnie: Wow (sorry—no pun intended!) that's a good one. I'd say it REALLY depends on just how much time and talent an individual author has to dedicate to learning the publishing trade. I've been agented before, many years ago, but that didn't get that particular book sold. Just getting the agent, though, took months of query letters—and, of course, even more months enduring rejection letters. Or worse, just being ignored altogether. So when I FINALLY had 'Home World' ready to submit I realized I absolutely did not want to invest another year of my time chasing somebody else's tail. Hesitant as I was about indie authoring, I knew I couldn't possibly do less for myself than an agent or trad pub house would do for me as a new author.
Only it didn't take me long to realize that I am a techie disaster. I can punch keys on the keyboard (and occasionally just punch the board...) but that's about the extent of my competence. The more homework I did on the who-how-what-where of physically producing ANY kind of book, the more I realized that it would cost me more in lost production time on my day job than I could ever hope to make back. So I split the difference. By using a combination book service/publisher in Promontory Press, I've been able to keep costs down by managing the elements I can handle with a 'little' help from my friends—editing, marketing (uh, well, kinda-sorta), proofing, artwork, etc—while turning the things I'd have to learn from scratch over to Promontory for a fee. So far, it's worked out quite well.
WOW: Bonnie, I wouldn't call you a 'techie disaster' at least I haven't found you to be a problem—it's been very enjoyable working with you!
Is there anything else you'd like to share? Where are you living and do you have any pets? Anything like that?
Bonnie: Husbands count? Afraid I'm one of those dreadfully boring folk: no children, no pets, no family aside from one very cute husband. On t'other hand, I live in Los Angeles, and that's like living in a sci fi world all by itself. I'm about the only native speaker of English on our block (English is my hubby's fifth language). So social get togethers out here give the U.N. competition: we have friends from Armenia, Mexico, Iran, Germany, France, the Phillipines, Cuba, and I forget where else off the top of my head. Most of my husband's family were raised in France, but the clan itself is spread across Iran and Turkey, so they use all three languages—with an occasional aside into English—interchangeably. And we won't even get into the curl-your-hair culture clashes.
So, overall...I manage to keep grinning.
Stop by for an interview and book giveaway!
Bonnie Milani gets the spotlight today at The New Book Review—find out more about this science fiction/Fantasy novel Home World.
Home World giveaway and chance to chat with author Bonnie Milani as she speaks candidly on the topic of "The Importance of Networking for Authors."
Bonnie Milani, author of Home World (Sci-Fi Fantasy novel) answers the question "Where Do You Get Your Ideas" and offers readers an opportunity to win their own copy of her new book!
Join Bonnie Milani as she answers "So, Who are You Anyway" in a guest post and visit with fellow author Lauren Scharhag at Blue House Review. Bonnie has just released her debut work Home World and offers readers a giveaway of this sci-fi/fantasy love story!
"Writing Your Way to Health" guest post by Bonnie Milani as she shares her thoughts as well as her debut sci-fi/fantasy novel Home World. Don't miss this post and fabulous opportunity at a book giveaway—good luck winning your very own copy of Home World!
Join Anjanette Potter as she reviews the Sci-Fi/Fantasy book Home World by Bonnie Milani and enter to be part of the giveaway so you can read this great book for yourself!
Bonnie Milani introduces her sci-fi love story Home World to the readers at the Book Bag and also offers a guest post "Voices" and a giveaway of this fabulously received debut book!
Bonnie Milani shares insights into "What Makes a Good Critique" and offers Choices readers the opportunity at the giveaway of Home World.
Bonnie Milani and Emily Havens spend time together chatting it up and Emily reviews Bonnie's debut sci-fi romance Home World. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the ladies also offer a giveaway for Home World; this is a stop you won't want to miss!
Join Bonnie Milani as she chats with Audry about "Finding Writing Time" and offers a giveaway of her exciting sci-fi fantasy book Home World.
Bonnie Milani talks to Jerri about "Dealing with Rejection" and shares more about her debut sci-fi love story Home World while generously offering a giveaway as well. This is a blog tour stop you won't want to let slip by!
Bonnie Milani answers "How Do You Deal With Rejection" and offers a giveaway of her newly released sci-fi fantasy book Home World!
Join Vicky as she reviews the Sci-Fi love-story Home World (#World) by Bonnie Milani and get in the giveaway of this ever popular debut publication!
Get Involved!If you have a website or blog and would like to host one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.
Book Giveaway Contest: Enter to win a copy of Home World! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. We will announce the winner in the Rafflecopter widget THIS Friday, November 22nd.


If you're like most people, you probably feel some sort of discomfort speaking to groups or going up to someone you don't know and introducing yourself. As you can imagine, you're certainly not alone as you'd be surprised at how many people are deathly afraid of either of these situations. But the good news is that there are things that you can do to deal with your fears – and they're not as scary as you might expect them to be.
There is at least one rule that applies to all aspects of communication: the more you do it the better you become and the more comfortable you become. If you're really in a pinch to overcome one of these fears, the best thing to do is just go out there and give it a whirl. If you're trying to overcome your fear of public speaking, volunteer yourself for ten speeches in the next month (you can easily do this by joining Toastmasters, contacting local service organizations or volunteering at work). I can promise you that after giving those ten speeches, you'll feel a lot more comfortable speaking to groups.
This even works with cold calls – the biggest challenge that people in sales face. Grab a phone book and start dialing. Don't stop until ten people have answered the phone when you call. Those first few calls will be extremely tough, but the tenth one will definitely feel easier (even if just by a little bit). Do this for ten days and you'll feel like a pro.
The aggressive approach isn't for everyone and if you're the type that gets easily discouraged or can't deal with rejection, then that approach can scare you off. That's where the small successes come in. I like to use the analogy of building a big snow ball. You start with a small snowball and roll it on the snow covered ground. Which each revolution the snowball gets bigger, picking up more snow than the prior revolution.
Success in communication is a lot like rolling that snowball. You start with something small – a small success such as making eye contact with someone you don't know. Then you gradually take bigger steps, each one boosting your confidence and pushing you beyond your comfort zone. As you grow and grow with each step, you've suddenly conquered your fear.
A dead horse that I like to beat is that you cannot become a better communicator just by sitting on your couch watching DVDs, listening to CDs or reading books or articles related to communication. Yes, these materials will help you – but only if you go out and practice them in the real world. You won't push your comfort zone or get a confidence boost unless you actually go out and do it.
Every time you get out there and do it, you gain experience. It's like those video games where you fight the little bad guys until you gain enough experience points to get power ups so you can face the big bad guys. Each time you put yourself in a challenging situation (such as giving a speech) you grow and your comfort zone expands. You have another success under your belt – and if it didn't go well, you have a war story.


text:
Namara Marketplace
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http://www.10news.com/news/18285582/detail.html
12-hundred block of Mountain View Road in Harbison Canyon, San Diego
A mudslide in the Talmadge area Monday afternoon prompted fears of evacuations. Mud flowing down the hill in the 47-hundred block of Aldine Drive was threatening a large Eucalyptus tree and worried some residents. The heavy rain was causing street flooding Monday afternoon near Midway Drive and Rosecrans. County road crews were sent to the 12-hundred block of Mountain View Road in Harbison Canyon to clean up a minor rock slide that temporarily blocked the road.
Harbison Canyon
1240 KLYQ
http://klyq.com/forest-roads-damaged-by-wet-conditions/
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Landslides - Selway River Road 223
Wet conditions have caused rock slides and have toppled trees in area forest roads in Idaho, west of the Bitterroot Valley. Three roads on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests were reported impassible last week, according to a notice from Christine Bradbury of the Idaho forest. In the Moose Creek Ranger District, at least two roads were affected. Pictured is Selway River Road 223, which was blocked by boulders at milepost 13.1. Motorists are advised to stop at O'Hara Bridge, because there is no safe turn-around between the bridge and the rock slide.
Selway River Road 223, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, IDY:46.086845 X:-115.513358
rock_fall
above_road
http://klyq.com/files/2017/03/idaho-forest-road-slide.jpg?w=630&h=420&zc=1&s=0&a=t&q=89
Exact date not known, approximated from article date and mention of "last week"
13wham
http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Honeoye-Homes-Damaged-By-Flash-Flooding/hjuewa7ZLUCjeJNzj1-MCA.cspx
West Lake rd (CR 36), Honeoye lake, Honeoye, NY
Honeoye, NY- The storm hit Tuesday but two days later, Cathy Crane is still digging out from the mudslide in her yard. The heavy rains also washed mud and debris on the roads, closing West Lake Road in Honeoye for a short time.
2.canada
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=cb101a3e-4988-4012-98ba-75898e860bd6
Qualicum Beach, BC
Heavy rainfall is to blame for two landslides in Qualicum Beach early Friday, which led to evacuations and a risk warning to residents. City officials are warning people who live near steep slopes to be on alert after a landslide knocked a Seacrest Road home off its foundation around 4 a.m. Friday. Nearby homes were evacuated. An hour later, another slide hit the Ocean Sands Condominium, causing an evacuation and some damage.There were no reports of injuries.
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=f35f029f-1163-4583-8e38-c604cf4d5452
west edge of Gabriola island, across from Duke Point ferry, BC
February 16, 2011 A rockslide on the western edge of Gabriola Island left a muddy scar in the bluffs facing the Duke Point ferry terminal during the weekend. Gabriola Fire Rescue chief Rick Jackson responded to the reports of a landslide on Sunday. Upon reaching the scene, Jackson said he saw evidence of a large slide that sent rocks, trees and mud plunging into the ocean 130 metres below. The picturesque island has been the scene of slides in the past, but nothing as violent as the rocky bluffs coming apart like this, said Rodney Grounds, a patrol officer with the Nanaimo Port Authority. Natural Resources Canada said that there was no earthquake activity reported on the weekend, although tremors shook Duncan and Saltspring Island Tuesday morning. No one was hurt and properties near the slide were too far away to have been affected. "I found nobody in danger, it was just a little bit more Gabriola into the ocean," Jackson said. Some residents had complained about feeling the gr
2.hickoryrecord
http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/news/2011/mar/10/us-321-mudslide-repairs-may-cost-tens-thousands-do-ar-852188/
rt. 321, above Kirby Mountain rd, north of Lenoir, NC
It will cost "tens of thousands of dollars" to repair the damage recent rains have done to U.S. 321 north of Lenoir, according to early estimates, said Resident Engineer Frank Gioscio of the Department of Transportation. Engineers are working to determine the extent and cause of the damage. A mudslide near Kirby Mountain Road between Lenoir and Blowing Rock damaged the road and the guardrail Sunday. DOT workers poured green die into a storm drain to find out if water from the other side is seeping under the highway. "The only thing we could tell right now is the water came from the other side of the road and apparently it's going underneath ground," Gioscio said. "Our goal is not to stop traffic, and we've got a brand new road here. That's why we opened it up – to keep people moving," DOT workers say the contractor who widened the roadway is not responsible for the slide. They believe it formed under the old roadway and it will be up to the state to pay for the repairs. ----- Th
2.timesdispatch
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2011/jan/17/TDMAIN04-safe-housing-sought-for-mudslide-survivor-ar-778642/
Outside Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro state
Continued rains set off a fresh mudslide in an isolated town outside Petropolis on Sunday morning, according to O Globo newspaper, which reported three fatalities. Continued rains set off a fresh mudslide in an isolated town outside Petropolis on Sunday morning, according to O Globo newspaper, which reported three fatalities. City officials did not answer phone calls seeking to confirm the report.
2.tricities
http://www2.tricities.com/news/2010/aug/18/p-ar-461524/
Hilemon Ranch rd, just off I-26(rt 23), Unicoi county, TN
Heavy rain caused a landslide of sorts in Unicoi County Wednesday night. It happened around 7:30 p.m. on Hilemon Ranch Road just off Interstate 26. Crews on the scene told 11 Connects all the dry weather earlier this summer caused a dry cavern. When intense rains fell Tuesday and Wednesday, they filled the cavern with water causing a "blow out" on the side of a mountain. The blow out caused debris, including dirt, boulders, trees and a power line, to fall across more than 100 feet of the road. Water continues to gush onto the Roadway and anyone living beyond the slide are either stuck at home, or have no other way to get there.
Banner Hill
http://www.20minutes.fr/toulouse/1655175-20150721-pyrenees-cinquantaine-voitures-bloquee-apres-eboulement
D76, Oô
The walk to Lake Oô , in the south of the Haute-Garonne, could drag on Tuesday for tourists who come to discover the site of the Pyrenees . Around 16 h 30, a landslide on the D76 blocks the descent vehicle. Helicopter overflight of the gendarmerie Fifty cars is well stuck, without any wounded being identified.
http://www.eng.24.kg/incidents/180594-news24.html
125-132 km of Osh - Aidarken highway, Kadamdzhay district, Kyrgyzstan
One of four mudslides on the road triggered by same rainfall event. Mudflows hit Kadamdzhay district of Kyrgyzstan again on May 28. Press service of the Emergency Situations Ministry reported. According to it, strong hail and heavy rain at 5.00 p.m. resulted in mudflows in four areas of the district between 125-132 kilometers of Osh - Aidarken highway. As reported, at present the road is temporarily closed.
Batken
Orozbekovo
24.kg
94th km, Osh-Sary-Tash-Erkeshtam road, Alay District, Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan
Estimated Location. A mudslide blocked Osh-Sary-Tash-Erkeshtam road in Alay district, Osh region. Press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. According to it, a mudslide came down on June 20 at about 5.00 p.m. on the 71st, 76th, 83rd and 94th km of the road due to heavy rains and completely blocked the road. As reported, at about 9.30 p.m. the emergency workers have managed to clear the roadway for two-way traffic but the road is still cleared of mudflows.
Gul'cha
territory of Jumgal, Naryn region, Kyrgyzstan
According to the ministry, the similar effects of the mudflows were also registered on the territory of Jumgal and At-Bashy district of Naryn region. Due to heavy rains on June 27, farmland was damaged in five villages along with internal roads, it flooded orchards and farm buildings. Reconstruction is carried out.
Chayek
24.kg News Agency
http://www.eng.24.kg/community/182328-news24.html
Zardaly village of Kara- Bak rural district
According to the ministry, heavy rains in Zardaly village of Kara- Bak rural district on July 29, 2016 resulted in landslides. As a result, a footbridge that connected the villagers with the district center was destroyed.
Tayan
Bishkek-Osh road highway between the 430th and 435th kilometers, near Tash-Kumyr town, Kyrgyzstan
One of seven landslides in this area triggered by the same rainfall event. Bishkek-Osh road is temporarily closed because of mudflow. Press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. According to it, heavy rain on June 16 in Tash-Kumyr town at about 9.20 p.m. resulted in a mudflow, which blocked sections of the strategic highway between the 430th and 435th kilometers in seven places. No casualties were reported. As noted, DEP №38 carried out a clean-up, as a result, one side of the road was opened at 01.30 a.m., cleaning of the roadway is being conducted at the time.
http://www.eng.24.kg/uploads/posts/2016-06/1466135664_2.jpg
Jalal-Abad
Tash-Kumyr
http://www.3news.co.nz/Landslide-crashes-into-Dunedin-house/tabid/423/articleID/342263/Default.aspx
Queen Street, Dunedin
Five students living in a Dunedin house had an early wake-up call this morning when a mud bank gave way and crashed into the side of their flat. The slip occurred around 4am, prompting police to evacuate the five students who were sleeping at the time. The landlord of the Queen St property says he had warned authorities about the potential for a slip after heavy rain over the Easter period.
3VB
http://www.3yb.com.au/articles/landslip-closes-road/
Lower Darlington Road, Gnarpurt between Gnarpurt Road and Collins Lane
A number of other road closures are also in place including the Lower Darlington Road, Gnarpurt between Gnarpurt Road and Collins Lane and Grists Road - between Linton Road and Lismore-Pittong Road.
below_road
3YB
Grists Road - between Linton Road and Lismore-Pittong Road.
Delacombe
http://www.3news.co.nz/Landslide-leaves-Wellington-couple-temporarily-homeless/tabid/423/articleID/159623/Default.aspx
home of Suze Randal(85 Sidlaw St.), Wellington
A Wellington couple has been forced to leave their home after heavy rain caused a landslide, and left their house teetering above the slip. Suze Randal says she and her husband knew something didn't look right when they were driving home late yesterday afternoon. A huge chunk of her property and council reserve has slipped away onto the road below. In pouring rain today contractors spent hours clearing tonnes of dirt from the road below.
4 Southern California
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Mud-Debris-Flows-Reported-in-Glendora--247820991.html#http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Mud-Debris-Flows-Reported-in-Glendora--247820991.html
1311 Pebble Springs Ln Glendora, CA 91741
People in Glendora struggled to keep water out of their homes as a big storm hit. John Cádiz Klemack reports for the NBC4 News at Noon on Friday, Feb. 28,/2014.
5 News KFSM
http://5newsonline.com/2015/06/16/highway-23-in-franklin-county-closed-due-to-landslide/
Highway 23, Franklin, Arkansas near Mulberry Mountain
Adams said there was too much pressure due to the rain, and efforts to stabilize the water were unsuccessful. "A slope supporting the roadbed on the east side of the highway continues to slide and has caused large cracks to form in the travel lanes, rendering both impassable," said information officer Danny Straessle in a release.
continuous_rain
natural_slope
http://58.32.217.4/expo/api/list.php?id=21813
Shuangbai, Chuxiong,Yunnan
Two villagers have died and one is missing after a mudslide hit Shuangbai county in southwest China's Yunnan province on Wednesday morning, said a statement released by the county government.At about 3:20 a.m. Wednesday, a mudslide caused by continuous rainfall destroyed the debris dam of the county's village of Xinchang, said the statement.As of 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, one villager remained missing. Meanwhile, three villagers have been sent to hospital and with non-life-threatening injuries.
Tuodian
http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/01/25/09/22/argentine-hiking-group-almost-buried-alive-by-andean-rockslide
A hiking group trekking through the Argentinean Andes has narrowly escaped being buried alive thanks to a quick-thinking guide, who spotted the imminent rockslide and shouted a warning. The "Inout Adventure" troupe was trudging its way up Aconcagua, the highest peak outside Asia, when suddenly a gout of gravel began to well beneath their feet, as if the earth had sprung a leak. Though rapid, the stream of rock and dust was non-threateningly small at first, and several hikers skipped over it on their way up the incline. Thankfully one of the guides who'd gone ahead was able to sense the danger from his vantage point, and began bellowing for the stragglers to get clear. The half-dozen or so who were all but standing on top of the deadly earthen well-spring heeded the call in double-time, just managing to get clear before the trickle became a raging torrent of pebbles, stones and boulders, wiping out the path they were about to tread. Worryingly, the landslide occurred on the oft-t
Mendoza Province
http://www.9news.com/news/rockslide-closes-hwy-40-at-byers-canyon/454882176
Rockfall obstructs Highway 40
HWY-40 blocked by rockfall near Byers Canyon, cleared after a few hours
Byers Canyon, Colorado
no_apparent_trigger
http://www.9news.com/img/resize/content.9news.com/photo/2017/07/07/byers%20canyon_1499428511528_9991656_ver1.0.jpg?preset=534-401
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=98275&catid=339
Colorado 67 at mile marker 97, near Deckers, Colorado
occurred in evening, extended 40 - 50 yards wide and 4-5 feet deep
http://www.9news.com/news/article/276723/339/Mudslide-closed-Colorado-Highway-24
U.S. 24 nr Tennessee Pass, Leadville
The Colorado Department of Transportation closed U.S. 24 near Tennessee Pass on Monday after the washout and several hours later managed to get one lane open. One lane is open after one of the main highways to Leadville had to be closed after the road washed out following heavy rains.
Leadville North
http://www.9news.com/news/local/article/200937/346/Teton-County-highway-reopens-after-landslide-?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Ct
US 14 near Sundance, WY
7:26 AM, May 31, 2011 Another mudslide in northeast Wyoming, near Sundance, has closed part of U.S. Highway 14.
AAP - Ninemsn
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=265394
Central Vietnam, Nghe An Province
3 killed, 13 injured - Nghe An is 300km south of Hanoi
Con Cuông
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/mudslide-buries-tracks-halts-train-service-seattle-29668344
between Seattle and the city of Everett, about 25 miles north
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas says the latest slide hit Monday afternoon, but the debris has been removed and freight trains are moving again.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/man-dies-landslide-bosnia-bad-weather-hits-balkans-29433253
central Bosnia
A man died Friday in a landslide in Bosnia as a wave of storms also closed down roads, flooded villages and disrupted power supplies throughout the Balkan region still recovering from record flooding last year.
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-02-08/rain-fuels-flash-floods-across-north-qld/287590
Kuranda, north of Cairns, Queensland
State Emergency Service (SES) crews are cleaning and sand-bagging homes in Cairns after 178 millimeters of rain fell on the city last night, causing flash flooding in several suburbs. Regional director Wayne Coutes says the SES received 92 calls in Cairns last night and nine homes were flooded. The excess water also caused a mudslide at Kuranda, north of Cairns. The Australian Defence Force is to deliver four and a half thousand ration packs to flood affected areas of north Queensland. Flooding is in its seventh day as torrential rain continues to fall. Parts of Cairns flooded last night with falls of more than 100 millimeters and excess water caused a mudslide at Kuranda, north of Cairns.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-16/an-floods2c-landslide-leave-17-dead-in-northern-india/5675282
Pauri district of Uttarakhand
Fourteen people were killed when their houses were buried by a tide of mud and trees, emergency official Piyush Rautela told AFP.
debris_flow
http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/5675284-3x2-940x627.jpg
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/23/3251407.htm?site=gippsland&section=news
Foster Mirboo Road in South Gippsland, Australia
The Foster Mirboo Road in South Gippsland could be closed for up to six months because of a landslide. The road was undermined by steady rain earlier this week and has collapsed about one kilometre from the South Gippsland Highway. The South Gippsland Shire Council says drivers will need to use Ameys Track or the Stony Creek Dollar Road instead.
http://www.kltv.com/story/29356021/major-oklahoma-texas-highway-partly-reopened-after-landslide
Interstate 35 connecting Oklahoma City and Dallas
A rockslide including a large boulder has forced the closure of a portion of one of Oklahoma's busiest thoroughfares after a night of heavy rains.
tropical_cyclone
Tropical Storm Bill
http://media.nbcdfw.com/images/652*367/Rock-Slide-070715.jpg
ABC 30
http://abc30.com/traffic/mudslide-closes-hwy-140-near-entrance-to-yosemite/871948/
El Portal, Highway 140 near the entrance to Yosemite National Park
Highway 140 near the entrance to Yosemite National Park is closed because of a mudslide Tuesday night in El Portal.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CKiT5cQWIAAb5IV.jpg:large
ABC 7
http://abc7.com/weather/rain-triggers-mud-debris-flows-in-colby-fire-burn-area/433549/
800 block of North Rainbow Avenue
Glendora's four debris basins are still able to handle more rain, with 70 percent capacity available, according to a city news release. Public Works crews are working to clear various storm drains and facilities until 6 p.m.
burned_area
Glendora Ridge Road
Glendora Mountain Road at the gate, Glendora Ridge Road and Big Dalton Canyon Road were also closed due to debris.
east side of Ridge View Drive in Azusa
"When it rained last week, loosened it. So when it comes now, it's 1,000 feet closer, it is ready to go and when it comes, it comes really fast because it's built up so high now," he described.
http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/33/55/30/7263760/5/628x471.jpg
ABC Channel 30
http://abc30.com/traffic/highway-198-along-fresno-and-monterey-counties-reopens-after-rock-slides-forced-closure/1717317/
Highway 198 Mud and Rockslides between Fresno and Monterey Counties
A portion of Highway 198 was shut down after mud and rockslides caused by days of heavy rain, forced officials to shut it down between Fresno and Monterey Counties Sunday evening. "This happens to be a corridor that has a significant amount of materials that will come off the hillsides and end up on our road decks," Todd Barosso with Caltrans said. The road closure meant some students had to miss school in nearby Coalinga.
CA-198, Coalinga, California, 93210
-120.3895855
ABC Channel 7
http://abc7.com/news/hollywood-hills-homes-power-lines-damaged-in-debris-flow/1728961/
8100 Block Laurel View Drive Mudslide near Crescent Heights Blvd
A hillside gave way in the Hollywood Hills Monday evening, sending mud and debris tumbling down into the yards of at least two homes and knocking out power in the neighborhood. The landslide buried two power poles and took down power lines. The backyard of a home on Hillside Avenue slid down onto the front yard of two homes on Laurel View, officials said, but did not enter the homes. The debris did bury at least one vehicle. The Los Angeles Fire Department estimated more than 20 tons of earth came down the hill.
8115 Laurel View Dr, West Hollywood, California, 90069
http://www.ocregister.com/wp-content/uploads/migration/okn/oknpfx-b88887622z.120170131101435000g6qle2rh.10.jpg?w=810
http://abc7.com/news/landslide-in-beverly-crest-unleashes-mudflow-into-backyard/1752925/
Briarcrest Road Mudslide from Ruptured Water Line
A landslide in the Beverly Crest neighborhood of Los Angeles on Monday afternoon sent a river of mud and debris into a backyard and residential street. A hillside in the 2400 block of Briarcrest Road was compromised amid flowing water from a ruptured 2-inch PVC water line, possibly an abandoned sprinkler pipe. No one was injured in the incident.
2400 Briarcrest Road, Los Angeles, CA
leaking_pipe
http://media.foxla.com/media.foxla.com/photo/2017/02/14/Ruptured_water_line_causes_mudslide_in_B_0_2746835_ver1.0_640_360.jpg
http://abc7news.com/traffic/drivers-on-high-alert-after-rockslide-on-i-580-in-livermore/1777681/
I-580 Rockslide in Livermore
Huge rocks tumbled onto westbound I-580 at 5:15 a.m. Two lanes were then shut down in unincorporated Livermore just before Grant Line Road for nearly four hours while they worked to clean it up. The drivers were not hurt.
I-580 E, Tracy, California, 95377
ABC Channel 7 News
http://abc7news.com/weather/mudslide-washes-away-section-of-road-in-colfax/1697923/
Morton Road Washes Away near Alta Exit of I-80
A section of roadway washed away in the Sierra Foothills community of Colfax Wednesday. The CHP shared pictures and video of the chunk of Morten Road falling into a gap following heavy rains in the area in the past week. The road is located near the Alta exit of Interstate 80.
Morton Road, Dutch Flat, California, 95714
earth_flow
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/content/kgo/images/cms/1697943_630x354.jpg
ABC Fox
http://www.abcfoxmontana.com/story/25833030/another-landslide-in-village-greens-week-before-hearing
Part of a Kalispell subdivision now sits in a pond. Record rainfall helped push a part of the hillside overlooking the Village Greens subdivision into the runoff pond below Thursday morning. Four years ago, the same thing happened just a few homes north. In April, Flathead county commissioners backed out of a FEMA grant that would have stabilized this bluff. They were stopped short by a district judge and a hearing is set for June 27.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-01-27/fresh-warnings-after-storm-kills-26-in-southern/274060
South of Naples
A young woman was swept to her death Sunday by a wave as she walked on a beach, while torrential rain triggered a mudslide on the main highway south of Naples, killing two people and injuring five.
ABC7 Eyewitness News
http://abc7.com/weather/dangerous-thunderstorms-trigger-mud-flow-in-la-county/1035397/
San Francisquito Canyon Road
Severe flooding and thunderstorms in north Los Angeles County left cars stuck in a major mud flow in areas including Lancaster, Green Valley, Lake Hughes and more. Crews worked to free vehicles that were trapped in mud in and around Castaic, Lancaster and other areas in the county throughout the afternoon Thursday. "It's so bad, it's like a lake," said John Hall at Ruben's Bar and Grill in Lancaster. "This is wild and it's not only dirty water, I have no idea what's in this water." In Green Valley, cars were stuck in a deep mud flow along San Francisquito Canyon and Lake Hughes roads. Water was rushing down near cars traveling just north of Castaic, causing a portion of the canyon to shut down and Lake Hughes to get washed out.
http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/content/kabc/images/cms/1035439_630x354.jpg
http://www.abplive.in/videos/bus-falls-in-lake-due-to-landslide-in-karnataka-s-gadag-rescue-operation-on-527810
Landslide in Gadag
Landslide appears to have knocked bus into river. Source is a video that isn't in English (most likely in Kannada), and the pictures in the video only show the bus half-submerged in the water; hard to tell the specifics of this potential landslide event. Date approximated as the date of article due to the headline "breaking news."
above_river
Unknown injury/fatality figures, video shows a rescue operation underway.
ABS CBN
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/06/16/miracle-in-cebu-woman-survives-landslide-that-destroyed-her-home
Landslide hits home in Sapangdako
A 78-year-old woman escaped death after a landslide destroyed her home in Sapangdako, Cebu City late Saturday. Elominada Taburnal's home is in shambles after heavy rains triggered a landslide near house Saturday evening. According to Taburnal, she heard the sound of something big hitting her wall. It was so sudden that a big tree beside her home fell and smashed the house. Her neighbors immediately went to rescue her but found her lying on her bed unharmed. Taburnal believes it is not yet her time to go and that God has other things for her to do. Meanwhile, continuous rains have softened the mountainside and left some parts of Sitio Lupa, Sapangdako impassable due to falling rocks.
Sapangdako, Cebu City, Philippines
ABS CBN News
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/15/17/elderly-man-dies-in-cebu-landslide
Kalunasan Landslide in Cebu City Kills Elderly Man
A 78-year-old man died in a landslide triggered by prolonged rain in Kalunasan, Cebu City on Saturday. The fatality, identified as Calixto Taburnal Sr., was cleaning his backyard in Sitio Lokana around 12 noon when huge rocks and soil crashed down from a cliff near his house, his son and namesake said. Taburnal was sandwiched between the debris and the wall of his house.
Kalunasan, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you are unable to make payments on your home, foreclosure is not the only option. In fact, it should be your last resort. A short sale is when the lender allows you to sell your home for the actual value rather than what is owed to the bank. A short sale is often allowed when the value is close to what's owed on the house.
The first step in short selling your home, which will help you avoid bad credit, bankruptcy and financial ruin, is to hire a qualified short sale agent. Working with the right short sale agent who has experience and is familiar with properties in your area is extremely important.
A short sale agent's role is more than just selling the home; the agent has your best interest at heart and will negotiate with the lender on your behalf. Also, the short sale agent will help you fill out all the necessary paperwork and obtain information that will help you and the agent sell the home and avoid foreclosure. The sales agent will also help you avoid unnecessary and extremely expensive fees.
Prior to making a decision, it is important that you closely examine the short sale agent's track record and experience. Just like in any relationship, trust is a big factor. You should feel comfortable and confident in your agent's skills and qualifications.
The Short Sale Agent Finder is a great place to start when trying to locate a short sale agent in your area. ShortSaleAgentFinder.com allows you to search for the closest short sale agent, view his or hers credentials and make an educated decision on who to contact to help you short sell your home.


text:
Dr. Perez and Dr. Belen Rosales at GATMO's meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 2019.
By Steve Blanchard - October 09, 2019
Hispanic Heritage Month is a unique experience for Dr. Lia Perez. The longtime Moffitt Cancer Center hematologist who does bone marrow transplants is a native of Argentina, which she describes as a melting pot of 19th and 20th century immigrants who make it a culturally rich country that focuses on hospitality.
"I read an article that talked about the hospitality found in Argentinians, and it said, 'Even doctors greet their patients with a warm embrace,' " she said. "I found that so uplifting, especially for patients with cancer. All Hispanics share that positive attitude to life. You don't let problems get to you and you go around them every day. Life is too precious and we celebrate it all the time wherever we come from."
Staying connected to one's roots is a common goal of many Hispanics, she said, adding that her heritage and ability to speak English and Spanish have helped her provide better care to her patients.
"I have found that patients are more comfortable when they can hear about their diagnosis and treatment in their native language," Perez said. "That way things don't get lost in translation."
For 16 years, Perez has been doing bone marrow transplants and working as a researcher at Moffitt, making her one of the longest-serving doctors at the cancer center. She says she's proud of Moffitt's focus on patients and its research efforts.
Dr. Perez discusses bone marrow transplantation complications with colleagues during the Argentina Society of Hematology Meeting in Buenos Aires in September.
"I witnessed Moffitt's growth and it gave me the opportunity to support my research activities and provide care for a great proportion of patients of Hispanic background," she said.
Perez is a long way from home. She was a medical student at the University of Buenos Aires and followed her training at Yale University.
"As I got more immersed in medicine, I started to value it more," she said. "I read a sign that said 'bone marrow transplant unit' and through exposure to the day-to-day activity of Yale's team, I found my true passion."
She said she chose to focus on hematology and the BMT field because of the science behind it and the care she provides to patients with serious problems in need of sound recommendations.
"I consider myself a positive and cheerful person and I enjoy engaging with people," she said.
Perez is happy in Tampa and at Moffitt, but she still has family and friends in Argentina. Every few years she travels back to reconnect with those who are still close to her and their shared heritage.
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Hematology Team Member Stories Diversity
Steve Blanchard PR Account Coordinator 813-745-1718 Email the Author More Articles
Steve Blanchard
PR Account Coordinator
Steve Blanchard grew up near St. Louis and spent 16 years as a print journalist, covering a wide range of topics, from sports and entertainment to cops and courts. He joined the Moffitt team in 2015 as a PR account coordinator, just one month after his mother lost her battle with breast cancer. When not writing about the amazing advances in cancer research and treatment at Moffitt, Steve enjoys the Florida weather in his Jeep Wrangler, taking his dogs on long walks through area nature trails and spending his money at Florida's many theme parks.
Email: Steve.Blanchard@Moffitt.org Phone: 813-745-1718
Moffitt Ladies Night Empowers Women A Disability Does Not Mean an Inability Exercise May Help Cancer Patients Live Longer Her Positivity Is Her Patients' Inspiration Salud! Moffitt Empowering More Hispanics
Moving Towards Recovery
10/22/2019 12:00:00 AM.ToString("MMMM dd, yyyy")
Moffitt Ladies Night Empowers Women
Can Fungi Drive Pancreatic Cancer
World Blood Donor Day gets a Boost Thanks to Facebook
The social media giant created a new blood donations feature which incorporates its partnerships with several blood centers.


readable. Must be thinking of something else.
command interpreter, depending on what editor you are using.
bkf files\Backup-%NAME%-Data-%TYPE%.bkf" /j "%NAME% %LNGTYPE% Data Backup"
Nice Find. Do you have a reference?
NT system, so it might be a function of the NT command interpreter.
ever cmd.exe comes with Win XP Pro SP2.
below), with your preferred email address I will pass it to him.
an NT system, so it might be a function of the NT command interpreter.
On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 09:05:47 -0000, "Stephen Ford"
This is a Win98 group.
CMD.EXE that comes with XP is _very_ different than DOS that comes with W98.
what ever cmd.exe comes with Win XP Pro SP2.
address below), with your preferred email address I will pass it to him.