I Am a Writer

Book Review: "The Mystery of the Cross" by Judith Couchman

2009-12-11T15:02:00.000-08:00

Title: The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life
Author: Judith Couchman (http://www.judithcouchman.blogspot.com/)
Publisher: InterVarsity Press (http://www.ivpress.com/)
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8308-3539-3
Retail Price: $17.00 (many online sellers offer it at a discount)

As the author or compiler of more than 40 books and a teacher of art history, Judith Couchman knows her stuff. She was prompted to write her newest book, The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life (http://ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=3539) while studying early Christian art at mid-life. The more she studied, the more she realized how little she knew—not because she didn’t care, but because she didn’t know that the art, signs, legends, rituals, and festivals existed. Her church’s traditions hadn’t taught them, and the more she spoke with others about the superstitions, extra-biblical stories, and anecdotes she discovered, the more she realized how far the unawareness reached.

In the book’s Introduction, Ms. Couchman shares, “…The Mystery of the Cross invites you to read intriguing stories about the cross, ponder their meaning, and consider how these anecdotes speak to you. The forty short chapters can be read for art appreciation, historical information, personal meditation, spiritual formation, small-group discussion, Lenten observation or worship insights. Whatever the use, The Mystery of the Cross can help you understand and appreciate the cross’s spiritual work in the world and its power for everyday life. Most of all, I hope this book witnesses mystery.”

On her blog, http://www.judithcouchman.blogspot.com/, Ms. Couchman contemplates the biblical meaning of Forty Days: “Symbolically, forty days mark transition. From destruction to restoration; from ignorance to instruction; from weakness to power; from waywardness to renewal; from indifference to commitment; from death to life.” Reading The Mystery of the Cross one chapter a day can set the reader on a path of enlightenment, especially since one of the main purposes of the book is to unravel the mysteries of the cross, the Christian symbol of salvation.

The book is divided into seven Parts: Ancient Echoes of Christ: The Cross in Pre-Christian Times (Chapters 1-4); The Pain and the Glory: The Cross and the Suffering Savior (Chapters 5-9); Early Signs of Faith: The Cross and the First Believers (Chapters 10-16); The Great Conversion: The Cross an Early Religious Freedom (Chapters 17-21); Daily Signs of Salvation: The Cross in Ancient Everyday Life (Chapters 22-26); Ways to Worship: The Cross in Early Church Life (Chapters 27-33); and Enduring Mysteries: The Cross and Its Eternal Power (Chapters 34-40). At the beginning of each Part is a quote from a book used in researching the section; at the beginning of each Chapter are a scripture to enforce the chapter’s topic, and an illustration by Anne Elhajoui of different crosses and artifacts Ms. Couchman came across during her research.

The book’s history spans five thousand years, from the Standing Stones of Callanish in the Scottish Islands, to today. It includes such cross versions as the Healing Cross, the Latin Cross, the Shepherd’s Cross, the Proclamation Cross, Saint Peter’s Cross, the Chi-Rho Cross—to name a few—and gives the history of how they came about, the symbolism in each, and how they have affected Christian beliefs. It’s interesting to realize that 3,000 years before Jesus walked this earth, the pre-Christian cross foretold His arrival. Ms. Couchman states, “What a wonder. Before time began, God planned to rescue us.” I got goose bumps reading that statement, as I never thought of it like that before. Like Ms. Couchman, it’s not because I didn’t care, I simply didn’t think about it, nor was I taught it in my church or Bible studies. This book can change all that.

At the end of each chapter, Ms. Couchman ties in that specific cross’s history to her personal life—as a child and an adult—and how her own views and opinions have changed as a result of her newfound knowledge. In later chapters, she includes the history of folk art, inscriptions, reliefs found on sarcophagi and in catacombs, graffiti, mythical figures, signs of the cross, the shape of a church, oil lamps, superstitions, legends, balance scale and weights, coins, and even bread, with how all these symbols (or lack of) and their meanings have molded and shaped the cross’s history and what all of it means to believers. She challenges the reader with meditative questions about their own views and beliefs, making the book useful as a devotional or study book.

The amount of time and effort that went into this book boggles the mind. It is well-researched, well-documented, well-organized, and very informative. I was familiar with some of the topics discussed, but not their history and meaning. The way Ms. Couchman relates the artifacts or events to the history of the cross is a new approach, and I have a much broader knowledge of the cross and what it symbolizes. I also have a deeper appreciation for God’s love for me.

The sections I found most interesting:
• the story of Moses’ rod (page 46);
• Justin Martyr’s views of the cross in everyday life and in the human form (page 71);
• the parallels between Jonah and Jesus (page 80);
• the Absent Cross (page 92) versus the Gero Cross (page 94);
• the miscounting of the Holy Nails (page 104);
• Ms. Couchman’s metaphorical comparison of her personal spiritual journey to the cross in the desert (page 109);
• how oil lamps symbolize lighting our spiritual paths (page 124);
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s insight regarding following Christ (page 150);
• the clashes between “iconodules” and “iconoclasts” (page 172);
• the history/metaphor of seeking sanctuary (pp. 184-185, 187); and
• Jesus’ idea of living in an “inverted kingdom” (page 198).

My suggestions for improvement:
• Ms. Couchman’s research spans 5000 years. For visual persons, a condensed timeline would be helpful as a reference.
• Although the illustrations throughout the book are well done, larger pictures would allow readers to see more details, especially when the author refers to different symbols within the images.
• In Chapter 8, Ms. Couchman discusses Rupintojelis, a woodcarving of “The Man of Sorrows.” There is an illustration of what Jesus looks like as The Man of Sorrows, but actual photos (similar to the oil lamps on page 123) of the examples she came across in Lithuania would assist the reader in imagining these pieces of art.
• On page 98, an excerpt from Eusebius, Constantine the Great’s historian, confessor, and scribe, says the following about the Chi-Rho symbol, “…within this, the Savior’s name, two letters indicating the name of Christ by means of its initial characters, the letter P being intersected by X in the centre….” Nowhere is it mentioned what the “P” and “X” stand for; as an "uneducated Christian," I don't already know this information.
• On page 113, Ms. Couchman states, “Other excellent Celtic examples are the South Cross of Ahenny in Tipperary County and the high crosses at Moone County, Kildare. These sturdy crosses, and many others, prevail as memorials to missionary quests in Ireland.” I would’ve liked to see illustrations/photos of these crosses, as well as a description as to why she believes they are excellent examples (i.e. scenes from Scripture, lives of saints, etc.).
• In Chapter 23, Ms. Couchman discusses the Rotas-Sator Square, an acrostic discovered in two homes in Pompeii by archaeologists. She makes a reference to the "sower" and his "plough," (page 126) but doesn’t mention which of the words she’s referring to, doesn’t give a translation of all the words (not even in her Notes), nor what scholars believe the inscription means. I found the information on the Internet, but this should’ve been included in the book.
• For Chapter 25, when discussing the balance scale and its weights, in addition to the Petrie Weight illustration, an illustration of a scale would’ve assisted in hammering home Ms. Couchman’s point of how the scale relates to the cross as a trustworthy standard (page 135).
• In Chapter 33 "The Iconoclastic Cross," Ms. Couchman includes an illustration in the Khludov Psalter of iconoclasts whitewashing an icon of Jesus. I would’ve liked to see her delve into why the images couldn’t be viewed as “preserving history” as opposed to “idolatry.”
• Last but not least, and this is a personal preference, I prefer footnotes with superscripts over endnotes.

Overall, whether the reader is looking to deepen their understanding of the cross’s history and symbolism, use the book in their daily devotions, add it to their church’s library, or better appreciate what Jesus did for mankind, this book will inspire and educate.

The Mystery of the Cross: Bringing Ancient Christian Images to Life is now available in local bookstores, online booksellers, or on the InterVarsity Press Web site.

Writer Snobs

2009-10-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

How many times in your life have you voiced a desire to do something, such as enroll in college, try out a new career, or take an art class, when the person to whom you are speaking shoots down the idea and throws in a bit of criticism on top to make sure you got it?

Years ago when I shared with someone that I was toying with the idea of becoming a hair stylist, she said, "There's NO way you could handle standing on your feet for 8 hours a day!" When I talked about going to school to become a social worker, she said, "You can't even handle your own kids, let alone someone else's." Hmm, nice vote of confidence, there. During a phone company strike in the late 80's, I shared with someone else that I was working temporarily as a waitress so I could still pay my bills. Instead of congratulating me for my resourcefulness and ambition, she said I was "too slow" to be a waitress. Unfortunately, I believed what these people told me, and instead of proving them wrong, I never did anything to pursue my goals.

Over the years, I have been forced to build a filter in my mind. It has taken a long time, but now when I hear criticism, I am able to pick and choose, accepting the good while leaving the rest behind. If I listen with an open mind and see the good in what the person is saying, I accept it and make changes. But if I can tell they have no idea what they're talking about, I dismiss it and continue what I'm doing without letting pride or stubbornness be my downfall.

Recently, when I encountered some biased opinions at a new writers group, I was able to take what I knew as truth, and not let that person's comments bring me down or deflate me like so many times in the past.

One of our exercises was to define the following words: success, artist, writer, and speaker. Because I am the latter three shooting for the first one, I wrote down what my personal take was: Success is setting goals and reaching them, finishing projects that I've started, having a best-seller and going on book tours, that sort of thing. The facilitator announced I had one minute left to define the remaining three words, so I had to hurry: An artist is someone who creates works of art, a writer is someone who writes whether published or not, and a speaker is someone who speaks to audiences to educate and entertain using their own life experiences or research.

Obviously, we differ in opinion.

The facilitator said a writer, in her opinion, is someone who is published; otherwise, that person is "only" an ASPIRING writer. I beg to differ. Would she still be saying that if she hadn't gotten her one published book published? Just because a writer doesn't have anything published does NOT mean she is not a writer! If I sit down at my computer every day and work on my book, or even if I write once a week or once a month, I AM A WRITER!

Do my published magazine articles from the mid-90's count or are they too long ago that they're insignificant? How about the over 100 newspaper articles that have been published in YourHub and Fresh*Ink over the past two years? Or wait, maybe they don't count because I didn't get paid for them. What about winning two Journalist of the Year Awards in 2008--do those make me a writer? Or do they not count because it was "only" citizen journalism? Do the gift certificates I won substantiate me as a writer because they were enough to buy a new camera? Or do they not count because they weren't "real money"?

Bottom line is, she's a writer snob.

The second disagreement I had with the facilitator is about critique groups. She only wanted to be in one if all the writers were already published and knew what they were doing because she doesn't have time to "babysit" other inexperienced (read: unpublished) writers (getting a book published sure changes a person, doesn't it?). Unless, for example, there were 6 in the group, 5 of whom were published/established writers, and the sixth one was their "mascot." (Yup, that's the term she used--makes it sound like a football team or charity case.) The sixth person would be their "project," someone the others could take under their collective wings to show them the ropes. Thanks, but don't do me any favors--sure, I could benefit from a mentor, but don't pity or make an example out of me.

Don't get me wrong ... there are a lot of writers out there who don't know the basics of grammar, punctuation, verb agreement, plot, tension, character development, etc. Most of these can be learned, and the best way to do that is through college classes, writers groups, or writing workshops and conferences, perhaps purchasing Strunk & White's Elements of Style, but even that "bible for writers" won't teach you everything you need to know. SPOGG is a great place to visit when stumped with "lay-lie" conundrums. And I agree: if a writer is so off-base with his or her basic writing skills that every manuscript page is nothing but red marks, then that individual needs to educate himself and not expect a critique group to spend all of its time teaching him what he should've learned in high school English class.

With the exception of two or three people in the critique groups of which I've been a part, they all had a good grasp of basic writing mechanics. What we do struggle with, and even if it's a PUBLISHED writer, is clarity, or better sentence structure, or perhaps rhythm, hence the need for a critique group. If everyone had to be a published writer in order to be in a critique group, then that somewhat defeats the purpose. And just because the writer is published doesn't mean they know what they're doing, which is another writer snob misconception.

The last thing that irked me about this facilitator was that she kept interrupting me. Several times I attempted to share my opinion or talk about a project, only to have her cut me off. Mild-mannered that I am, I shut my trap instead of causing a scene. On one occasion, she said, "Can you talk about that after the meeting? I really want to stay on task." Well, excuuuuuuuse me! It was a WRITING project I was talking about, after all! It was as if I didn't matter, like I was wasting my time being there because she only seemed to want to converse with the other PUBLISHED writer, who has a dozen or so published books but at least she's not a snob about it. Even if the other published writer rambled about something, SHE didn't get interrupted or put off like I did.

I hate writer snobs.

In the past, I would simply dump the group, probably not even take the time to explain to the facilitator why this group was not a good fit for me, or provide feedback about what worked and what didn't, and what could she do to be more accommodating or understanding at future meetings? She at least deserves an explanation, right? But this time, I'm going to use my passive-agressive behavior to blog about it and hope she "happens" to recognize herself in this post so that she'll change her ways by the time we meet again.

Seriously, though, I'll probably send her an e-mail with my concerns, and ask how we can work together to improve her shortfalls and change her snobbish attitude. Or is it me who's being the snob? Maybe I just have writer envy. Either way, clique-ish attitudes like hers can be the bubble burster for any aspiring writer. All they need is for one person to tell them they'll never be a writer, or tell them their writing is lame, or chastise them in front of a large group. That's enough to make anyone put away their novel, possibly missing out on the next bestseller. Who are we to judge, anyway?

Maybe I'll just save some time and send her a direct link to this post and tell her I didn't use her name in order to protect her privacy. Yeah, that'll go over really well.

Eighteen years ago when I first started this writing journey, I came across a quote, wrote it down on an index card, and still have it to this day hanging on the wall next to my desk: "Stop thinking of yourself as a wanna-be. Begin today telling yourself and others who you are: 'I am a writer.'" In fact, it was that quote that gave me the title of my blog. Regardless if I'm published or not, I Am a Writer. The quote has been instrumental in the "filtering" process I mentioned earlier: telling myself I'm a writer (or that I'm a good mother, an artist, a public speaker, a photographer, etc.) makes it true, and I'm not going to listen to anyone else's criticism or them telling me I'm not.

And neither should you.

PPW Conference Reaction - Day 1

2009-04-28T00:53:00.000-07:00

Inadequate. Loser. Incompetent. Failure. Pitiful. Jealous.

What am I doing here anyway?

I have just completed the first night of the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. It's my third writers' conference but my first PPWC. I am overwhelmed with information and it's only the first night.

I have a hearing problem which makes it especially difficult to hear people in crowds or if there are other distracting noises around me. This problem doesn't help my feelings of insignificance as I listen to my writer friends schmooze the agents and editors gathered around the bar and in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel. I feel stupid and self-conscious because I'm missing half the conversation, and I can't cup my hands to my ears all night long--people will wonder what the heck my problem is. Not to mention I'll look like weird.

My writer friend Deb has been appointed as next year's conference director. I'm so jealous that I can't see straight. Don't get me wrong: I love her dearly and I'm very happy for her, but I wish it was me. Well, no, not really, but boy, would that designation look awesome on my query letters!

Another writer friend Anita won the VIP package door prize at the Write Brain Session on Tuesday and gets to go to the Staff Mixer with Deb. That leaves me and my self-described "overly-talkative malcontent" friend in the lobby by ourselves, eating tasteless potato chips and listening to the next wannabe best seller brag about his high IQ and his fantastic writing skills that somehow get shot down by everyone in his critique groups and all the agents and editors he talks to. In other words, it can't be that fantastic, especially since he's been working on it for three years and still can't get someone to say, "Send it to me."

I was so excited to be able to attend this conference, especially since a very generous friend paid my way. But now I'm feeling so inadequate that I'm bashing myself, my writing skills, my stupid idea for a book, and convincing myself that I'll never get published so I should just give up right now and go home.

I'm angry that I couldn't hear 80% of the conversations that went on at my dinner table where the agent I'm going to pitch to tomorrow is seated.

I'm angry at all those people who can roll off their log line effortlessly, yet I've revised mine thirty-two times and I'm still not happy with it.

I'm angry at the drunk lady sitting beside me at the dinner table. Not because she's so drunk and the smell of her martini breath is making my stomach churn, but because her slurred speech makes it even more difficult for me to understand her over the din of the other dinner guests.

I'm angry at the romance writer next to the bar who is dominating the conversation with the agent I'm pitching to tomorrow, not that I can hear what they're saying in the first place. And not that I'm brave enough to barge in and take over anyway.

I'm angry at the people who brag about "nailing" their R&C, who did "fabulous" reading their manuscript, or are able to say, "She asked me to send her my first three chapters!" after their pitch appointments.

I quietly excuse myself to the restroom. My ears ring as if I've just gotten home after a heavy metal rock concert. Afterwards, I meander through the lobby, trying to find some people who talk loud enough for me to actually hear what they're saying. I desperately want to fit in and laugh at the appropriate times, add a quip or two, and crack everyone up. Instead, I feel like a middle-schooler and sit at a small table, by myself, and read the schedule for tomorrow.

Tears sting my eyes. I wish I wasn't so introverted, so shy that I can't seem to broach the subject of my memoir, even with other writers who are as panic-stricken as I am. None of my friends seem to have this fear--they're rubbing elbows with the best of them.

I know that being a writer is hard work. I know that words have power. I know I have a message to get out . . . a story to tell.

But it also looks like "bleeding from the forehead" (as James N. Frey described in his keynote speech at dinner tonight) is as far as I'm ever going to get.

I wipe my tears, put my conference literature away, and sneak out of the hotel without saying goodbye to anyone, hoping that tomorrow goes better.

Ten Great Things a Writer Can Get Out of the PPW Conference

2009-04-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

Here is the article I wrote for PPW's NewMag newsletter this month. Deb Courtney said, "It was perfect! I didn't have to change a word!" and Mandy Houk said she LOVED it and asked if it was okay to feature as the cover story. Was it okay? Of course! I was blown away and completely flattered! I'll try not to let my head (ego) get big, but they sure are generous with their compliments!

Please leave comments and let me know what you think!

Ten Great Things a Writer Can Get Out of the PPW Conference
by
Stephanie R. Johnson

It’s that time again! The Pikes Peak Writers Conference is being held April 23-26, 2009—have you registered yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Here are ten great things you can get out of attending this fantastic conference:

1. Abbondanza! From mystery to mainstream, suspense to short stories, historical fiction to science fiction, there’s something for everyone. Not only will you discover what your genre is (if you don’t already know), but you’ll be able to talk shop with many others who share your passion. There will be plenty of literary agents, acquiring editors, authors, and specialists to speak on dozens of topics.

2. Brain Pickees. What better brain to pick than someone who “wrote the book” (pun intended) on the questions you have? Whether it’s screenwriting, magazine articles, proposal writing, or plotting, you won’t find better sources anywhere all in one place.

3. Creativity. Staring at a blank screen? You can’t go wrong with workshops that teach writing in a conversational tone to engage your reader, shaping and structuring your story, using a lowlife informant in your mystery novel to get information to your reader, expressing a theme without getting preachy, and much, much more. You can kiss writer’s block goodbye!

4. Do or Die. “I would rather die a slow death than pitch my book to an agent.” The Read & Critique and Speed Pitching sessions are a great way to overcome your fears, tighten your manuscript, and fine-tune your pitch. Don’t worry, you’ll survive just fine, even if you do break out in a cold sweat. You won’t find a safer environment anywhere else.

5. Elbows and Expo. This year features a new Trade Exposition for vendors, companies, and organizations that support the writing community (check the PPW Web site for participants and details). Elbow rubbing can occur at the Booksigning on Saturday, where speakers and PPW authors attending the conference will be more than happy to autograph your purchases.

6. Friendships. Being around like-minded people who live, eat, and breathe writing is what an author needs to be successful. The people I’ve befriended at writers’ conferences have told me about workshops, social events, writers’ groups, and critique sessions, where I made even more networking connections. There’s something to be said about the phrase, “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” and it especially applies to every person you meet at a conference—you just might meet your future agent this way!

7. Guidance. The keynote speakers, agents, and editors aren’t the only ones who want to see you succeed. There are other authors, published and aspiring, who want to see you make the bestseller list too! So if you can benefit from learning the essential elements to writing a novel that editors want to buy, are looking for an accountability partner, have questions about marketing, or haven’t a clue about where to start, someone at this conference can definitely point you in the right direction!

8. “High Attitude Writing: Cut to the Craft” is this year’s theme, and you will enjoy the keynote presentations: “The Most Important Elements of Success…,” “The Trick is to Keep Breathing,” “…A Humorous Look at Becoming a Novelist,” and “Keeping the Magic in Your Writing.” Special add-on workshops on Thursday include “Thinking it Through,” “Fleshing it Out,” and “Giving it Wings.”

9. Invitation. These agents and editors are looking for their next bestseller, so imagine the euphoria you’ll feel when one of them (or more!) extends a personal invitation for you to send them your manuscript. Take my word for it, this is a rare opportunity! Even if your work isn’t quite submissible, they can provide the feedback you need to get it there. Many agents and editors heavily rely on these conferences to find new authors, but you can’t be invited if you don’t attend.

10. Just Do It. Is money holding you back from attending this conference? In this recession, it will be hard for many of us to scrape together the registration fee (PPW members get a discount), but don't forget there's a limited scholarship fund available (deadline is Feb. 28th). Is it time? If you can’t call in sick, then call in dead. Or is it fear? Get over it! My point is, do whatever it takes to go to this conference.

Not only will you get all of this from attending the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, but you’ll also have a great time, get to stay up late to fraternize, and eat fabulous meals with others in the writing industry! It doesn’t get any better than this! Register today at http://www.pikespeakwriters.com/.

Did anyone notice I did the items in "alphabetical order"?

Please note: the scholarship deadline has passed, so don't get too excited. Besides, they had to pull the link early (as noted in my previous post) due to an overwhelming number of applications.

Schedule Conflict Leads to Generous Gift

2009-04-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve been a member of Pikes Peak Writers (PPW) for almost two years now, although I’ve considered myself a writer since the early 80’s when I was Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper and even more so in the 90’s when I wrote my first novel. I had been taking writing classes and attending conferences for over a decade when the PPW Conference arrived last April, but didn't go … mainly because I was a ‘fraidy cat and totally unprepared.

Not wanting to look bad in front of my peers, I blamed my lack of attendance on something more convincing: no money. After all, how could I admit that I was too scared to go, especially since I wasn’t a conference rookie? Was it because I resigned the previous year to work on my newest book and didn’t want to give an agent or editor the opportunity to reject it? To reject me? In addition, I was too chicken to apply for a scholarship, because what would I do if my application was approved? That would require attending the conference and--*gasp*--facing my fears!

By the time the April 2008 Write Brain meeting ended and we had practiced pitching, everyone else’s excitement rubbed off on me; I regretted making excuses, so I determined that next year, come hell or high water I would go.

Interestingly enough, hell didn’t come this year, but high water sure did: My husband Greg got laid off in January, and this time, I really didn’t have the $300 for the registration fees. Our tax refund went toward catching up our mortgage, and because I was still “just a writer” (and a non-published, a/k/a unpaid one at that), I was heartbroken that the 2009 Conference would pass me over once again. At least this year I had a legitimate reason.

Pikes Peak Writers shares space with Cottonwood Artists' School (n/k/a Cottonwood Center for the Arts) in downtown Colorado Springs, and the owners recently purchased a new building a few blocks away from their present location. They solicited PPW for volunteers to help paint and move, so I put my book on hold and showed up to help in any way I could. Two days later, I dragged Greg in with me to help.

The new building is HUGE, which means lots of walls to prime and paint! Because there have been so few volunteers, Greg and I have been there almost every day, putting in 6- to 9-hour days, helping them get ready for their Grand Opening on April 24-25. After all, if we're not working, there's no reason why we can't be volunteering.

Peggy Vicaro is the director at Cottonwood. She's not an artist, but does call herself a "wannabe writer." Getting to know Peggy and owner Kay Jeansonne over the past several weeks has been a privilege, to say the least. I was excited for Peggy when I learned she was going to the PPW Conference, as she's pretty new to the writing scene. I also got better acquainted with Chris Mandeville, Community Ambassador and past President of PPW, as she and her boys painted the new office. When she discovered I wasn't able to go to the conference due to our financial situation, she was disappointed. I optimistically said, “There’s always next year.” Besides, it was my own fault for not applying for a scholarship sooner, regardless that PPW had to pull the link early. It would be a lesson for next year to get online as soon as registration opens so that I won’t miss out.

The next day when Chris arrived to finish painting, she said, "I need to talk to you." Her tone of voice caused my stomach to flip, as I thought I was in trouble for something. I had just written the cover story for this month's NewsMag, so I thought I might've messed up on some details. When she met up with me in the Gallery, she smiled and said, "I have some news for you. You might want to sit down for this." Now her tone had me curious!

I expectantly faced her as she excitedly announced, "You're going to the conference!"

"What! How?" I asked, shocked.

"After I left last night, I was sad that you couldn’t go and there were no more scholarships available, especially since you’ve put in so many hours volunteering here. So I called Ron [Heimbecher, current PPW President], and told him we have to do something! Turns out Peggy can’t go because Cottonwood’s Open House is the same weekend, so she is giving her registration to you!”

Tears of joy immediately stung my eyes as I thanked Chris profusely for pulling some strings. “That is so generous of all of you! Thank you SO much!”

I was flabbergasted (and I don’t use that word often!). Just days before, I had prayed that God would make a way for me to be able to attend, and did He deliver or what? I was totally amazed at the huge sacrifice Peggy was making for me to go, at Chris’s determination to find a way to get me there, and Ron’s willingness to make an exception.

Volunteering is a simple way for me to give back to the community, to put my skills and talents to good use, and to bless others. I don’t volunteer with the expectation to get something in return; I do it out of a heart of serving. However, I have to admit that when it “pays off” like this, I won’t decline the gifts that others want to share with me.

When I went to the old location that Saturday afternoon to have lunch, I saw Peggy sitting on the floor with several other volunteers. I walked over to her, tears welling up again, and said, “I owe you a big thank you and a big hug!” I held out my hand to pull her up, and gave her a big squeeze!

“Oh, it was my pleasure,” she graciously responded.

“No, the pleasure was all mine! You have no idea!” I said.

Now I just gotta’ get my revised proposal done!

The Results Are In!

2009-04-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

My meeting to review my book proposal with Karen Linamen a few weeks ago went well.

Sort of.

First of all, I'm glad Karen is not the kind of person to sugarcoat the truth, and even though I realized before leaving that I would have to start my proposal over from scratch, I'm glad she was honest with me in getting me on the right track. After all, she's published over a dozen books now (I own 6) so I think she knows what she's talking about.

Secondly, Karen is a busy person, and before we left, she promised to e-mail me the template she uses for her own and her clients' proposals. It finally arrived today. I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds by having to e-mail her twice to request it, and normally I wouldn't be so pushy, but I am attending the Pikes Peak Writers Conference the weekend of April 24-25 (thanks to a very generous gift which I'll tell you about later), so I really needed the template in order to get started. After all, I didn't want to sign up for a pitch session without having my ducks in a row.

Allow me to share what Karen said about my proposal:

1. It's "unwieldy."

2. It has "too much info."

3. It's "too academic."

4. It "does not reflect my writing style."

After reading (skimming) 18 pages of proposal (12-page Overview and 6-page Synopsis) and 10 pages of sample writing, Karen shared that she didn't really get a sense of what my book was about until she got to my Sample Chapters. She said she kind of got an idea of my style from the Synopsis, but didn't realize how "great of a writer" I was until she read my manuscript. In fact, she was "surprised" at how good my writing was--I was thrilled. (At least some good came out of our meeting!)

Following the sample template in W. Terry Whalin's "Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success" wasn't good enough. I thought I scored a jackpot when the agent who requested my proposal in September sent me her guidelines and it was the SAME template Terry used (with two minor changes--the information was already there, I just had to move them to different places). Alas, in making my proposal as complete and thorough as I could possibly get it, I also made it boring. *yawn*

So, in using Karen's sure-fire example to write a proposal, I'm sure that not only will it be cut down by more than half, but it will also grab the agent's/editor's attention much better and faster than my first version did.

Some major/minor changes to start:

OVERVIEW

Part I: CONTENT

1. Change "Log Line" to "Snapshot" and revise in such a way as to grab the reader and slam them to the floor. Well, that "slam" part was me, but I discovered I'm really not as restricted as I thought to 25 words or less, or to what some people call the "Elevator Pitch" (pretend you board an elevator with an agent/editor--you have 30 seconds or less to pitch your story so you better get their attention before the doors to their floor open). There's a bit of leeway, but I shouldn't abuse it. I spelled out my Premise in a three-sentence (albeit long sentences) paragraph, but by combining the two and making it a Snapshot, I can tighten it up and get to the point much quicker.

2. Do not include the Back Cover example. That was my idea, and even though I agonized with revising it several times over many days, it's a space waster.

3. Narrow my USP (Unique Selling Proposition) from 12 to 6 bulleted items.

4. For the Overview, in summarizing Parts I-V, don't include so many bulleted items per section, which include 5-10 items each.

5. The Manuscript section needs to be briefer.

6. List my best three Special Features, not all nine.

Part II: MARKET

1. Age Group is fine as is, but Characteristics and Motivation sections need to be briefer.

2. Sidebars are fine (even earned a compliment).

3. Benefits section can be condensed to one paragraph from four.

4. Affinity Groups is good, maybe remove one or two.

5. For my "Competition" section, I listed nine separate books and their authors, compared each to my own book, spelled out how mine is different, and why mine is better. Karen suggested I change it to, "I researched 17 books on this subject, and my book is different/better because..." and limit it to one paragraph. This change alone will reduce the proposal by three pages. I actually researched more than two dozen books (it was hard to choose nine for the initial proposal), and though this major cut hurts because of all the time I spent on it, I know it's for the better.

6. Endorsements are good.

Part III: Author

1. Condense Background, Previous Writing, Kudos and What Others Are Saying sections (not that there are that many accolades, but be more selective).

2. Play up Personal Marketing (this section can make or break me). I have another "public speaking" engagement to add to my list, but when I look at all my other sections (Public Outreach, Support Groups, Internet, Magazines, Radio/Television), even I get overwhelmed, so I may cut it back to something more manageable.

SYNOPSIS

1. Not many changes. Karen mentioned that she got a much better feel for my writing style after reading the Synopsis, and that somehow, I need to let more of my personality shine through in the Overview.

So, that's the good and bad. I'll take it! It wasn't as bad as I expected, and now with the templates Karen has generously shared with me, I feel I have a much better chance of having a more polished product. Lots of trimming down and condensing needed, but overall it was a productive, helpful meeting. I'm grateful for the time Karen sacrificed to meet with me, and I'm hopeful that the revised version will impress at least one agent/editor enough to the point he/she invites me to send it in.

Now about that writers conference story...I'll save that for another entry.

Do you think there's hope for me? Feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, advice, and critiques.

There's Hope Yet

2009-02-28T20:58:00.000-08:00

After our Old Colorado City Writers Group meeting on Thursday evening at Agia Sophia (one of the best coffee shops in town!), I met with group founder and leader, Karen Linamen. I had met Karen several years ago at the American Christian Writers Conference and was instantly taken by her humor, so I signed up for all of her workshops and purchased several of her books (no, I'm not a stalker!). A few years later, I saw her again at the same conference, and this time her agent was a speaker as well.

After getting "rejected" by the first agent who asked for my proposal in September, the agent gave me several agents' names and suggested I query them. She also said I could tell them she recommended me, which is a good sign (see my previous entry). Knowing one of the agents is Karen's agent, I asked Karen if she could meet with me for an hour or so to review my proposal to see if there was anything I needed to change before I sent a query to her agent. She agreed to pencil me in, so we're getting together on Tuesday to review it and see what changes I need to make to improve my chances.

I have to say that writers are as interested in seeing other writers succeed as much as they are to see themselves succeed. The network of writers, the writers groups to which I belong, and the friends I've made are critical to me succeeding in the difficult world of publication (it's not what you know, it's who you know). Not only do writers "get" other writers, but they also help each other, willingly and without charge. Now don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for consultations and conferences, but when a published author takes time out of her busy schedule to help another aspiring author, that says a lot about her character, not to mention writers in general. For that, I am very grateful.

So, wish me luck on Tuesday, and send up a prayer or two that I'll be able to successfully query Karen's agent. And I'm hoping that because I've met him in person, sat with him at lunch at the conference, and am "Friends" with him on Facebook, that that will improve my chances of having him sign me on!

And who knows, maybe I will be the one taking time out of my schedule to help another aspiring writer achieve her dreams of becoming published!

Egads, Rejected!

2009-02-16T21:46:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks,

This update is way overdue, not because the agent took long, but because I'm just getting around to posting her answer! Here it is:

Stephanie,

I’ve been thinking through whether or not I think I could successfully work with you and place your book with a publisher. I think you have an important story to tell and you write well. What I’m sensing is that I currently have hit my maximum number of projects for right now and I don’t think I would be able to take on your book and work with you in a way that you deserve with a lot of time and attention given to your book.

I understand that you need someone who could dedicate that kind of time to you and I’m just not able to right now.

I hope that you will continue to pursue your book idea and to be able to minister to thousands of people who need to hear your message.

So, even though it's not the answer I was hoping for, it was good on many levels:

1. She didn't send a "form rejection letter" with a rubber-stamped signature.

2. She said the reason she couldn't take me on is because she has the max number of clients, not because I have a lousy topic, my writing is awful, or that was the poorest excuse of a proposal she has ever seen.

3. She said I write well.

4. She encouraged me to pursue my book and later asked me to keep her updated on its progress.

Here's a later comment she wrote:

I do hope you continue to pursue your book and I’d love to hear about it along the way. It is a unique book and that will serve you well as others review it.

So, I am hopeful. She also gave me several agents' names to contact (also a rarity!) and said I could mention that she referred me (good sign!). All is not lost, and I have my fingers crossed, so please pray that I can get these queries written soon and out the door, and that someone will "sign me up!"

How about you? Do you have any advice for me? Feel free to leave it in the comments section.

Waiting in the Wings

2009-01-06T10:59:00.001-08:00

Just an update.

I e-mailed the agent to whom I sent the proposal to let her know I mailed it (it went to a PO Box, so I'm not sure how often she picks up mail). She e-mailed right back, saying she's out of town, but said she'd respond as soon as she's had a chance to look it over. So, hopefully I'll hear from her before the week is out.

Ha! That's wishful thinking! LOL

Keep your fingers crossed that it's good news!

Starting Off the New Year on a Scary Foot

2009-01-03T19:05:00.000-08:00

I did it!

Believe it or not, because I can't even believe it myself! I told my husband I'd rather have open heart surgery because it would be less painful, but...

I FINALLY FINISHED MY BOOK PROPOSAL!

Last week at our Writers Write meeting, my fellow writers asked if my proposal was done yet. I hemmed and hawed, made excuses, avoided the subject ... you know, the usual avoidance. Jon Horton looked me straight in the eye and said, "January 2nd."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"January 2nd is your deadline to get your proposal done."

I gulped. "Um...okay."

I was terrified, yet excited. I knew that that's what I needed: Someone else needed to give me a deadline or I'd drag it out forever. Even after another writer friend, Anita Romero, "paid" me to get my proposal done, I still put forth a half-hearted effort because no date was attached to it.

January 2nd loomed large. There was Christmas, New Year's, parties, my son in town, Christmas cards to write (a two-day affair!), a painting to finish. There was NO WAY I could get my proposal finished by then! I had too many other excuses!

But somehow, Jon's demand "worked." I finished the proposal on January 1st! Added the finishing touches and final edits on the 2nd, and mailed it today, January 3rd. Since I didn't have any "takers" to proofread/edit it, I took comfort in Jon's words, "Just send what you have. If she doesn't like it, she'll have you make changes until it's good enough to send to a publisher."

So, after a few more changes and a prayer, I sent it off today: cover letter, 1 page; proposal overview, 12 pages; chapter-by-chapter synopsis, 6 pages; and three sample chapters, 7 pages. And of course, a SASE was included!

Now I'm going to pass the time by working on my book, and praying that the agent (whose name I'm too scared to mention for fear of jinxing myself) is so "wowed" by the proposal that she snatches me up lickety split!

Hey, it doesn't hurt to dream, does it?

How long before she responds? Not that I'm anxious or anything ... or that I expect her to get back to me right away ... or that my taking 4 months to write it has no effect on how long she gets to reply ... I'm just curious.

So, this first step of the New Year was definitely scary, not the same kind of scary as driving up switchbacks on a steep mountain in a foot of snow in pitch-black darkness, but scary nonetheless. Even as I stare at the quote I wrote on my office wall, "Stop hiding from success because you're afraid you'll fail," I can't help but wonder what I'm so afraid of?

One of my goals for this year is to get back to writing at least 4 hours, preferably 6, every day. Which means I must, must, MUST limit the time I spend on Facebook!

I haven't decided on my other goals yet, other than lose weight.

Oh yeah, I met a really cool chick at Writers Write, who blogs under the pen name "jane doe" (lowercase intentional). She's also an artist, so we really hit it off. But I have to be deliberate about my writing and not meet with her too often, as we have WAAAAYYYYY too much in common and find ourselves talking instead of writing! But I'm looking forward to this new friendship!

Happy New Year!

And hopefully my next post will be GREAT news!

Refusing to Douse the Scribe Fire

2008-11-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

Writing is my passion.

Over the last year, I have allowed painting to become an obstacle. Don't get me wrong, I got paid handsomely for completing a mural project and teaching some art classes, but writing is what I want to do first and foremost. I can't allow my artwork to get me so sidetracked that I fall off-course.

I started a memoir in 2002. While attending a writer's conference that year, I was chatting with a fellow writer and she asked me a question about my book. After sharing my emotional answer, she said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think you're ready to write your book yet."

She was right.

I put my book on hold and pursued other interests. I continued to research my topic, read books on the subject, surf the Internet, journal my feelings, and attend writers conferences, but didn't work on my book. The time would come when I could get back to writing, and when it did, I would pursue it wholeheartedly.

In April of 2007, the issue surrounding my book got resolved, giving me the clear mind I needed to once again pick up the pencil . . . er . . . laptop, and get back to work.

In August 2007, I discovered YourHub (http://www.coloradosprings.yourhub.com/) sponsored by the Gazette in Colorado Springs. It was the perfect outlet--posting dozens of stories about my neighborhood, family, church, and friends caused the scribe fire inside me to burn even brighter, awakening me to a Truth I've been snuffing out for years: I am a writer.

Getting married in 2005 provided an extra income I've never enjoyed before. I had been a single mother of three kids for 18 years before I married my husband, and never had the luxury of staying home to write full time. Being the supportive, hardworking husband he is, Greg gave me his blessing to resign in November 2007 to pursue my dreams, so I jumped at this chance to stoke the fire!

We knew we'd have to forego vacations, cut back on our spending, and that money would be really tight, but I didn't think it would get this bad. With the economy taking a nosedive, gas and food prices skyrocketing, and his summer hours being cut by almost half, we're facing a lot of challenges that we didn't take into consideration, even foreclosure.

I remember several years ago after my sister got married, her husband was frequently out of work while she worked two and three jobs to support him. At the time, I thought he was a slacker and a lousy husband for forcing her to be the sole provider--did she agree to this before they said "I do"? Why couldn't he just get a job to tide them over until he got his big break? He refused. His stubbornness paid off--seven years later, he's very successful in his field, they bought a new house in an upscale neighborhood in Burbank, CA, and she's a stay-at-home mother of two. Now that the shoe is on my foot, I understand why he did what he did and admire him for staying true to his dreams. And I admire my sister for her faithfulness even though at the time I thought she was a fool for staying with him.

I have so much to learn about marriage.

So, do I release the white-knuckled stranglehold on my dream and get a "paying" job, knowing we could lose the house because of my stubbornness? Or do I relax my grip just a little, maybe get a part-time job to help out for a while, but continue to write in the evenings, knowing things might come up that will force me to let go forever? How much longer do I persevere before my "big break" comes? I wonder how often my brother-in-law asked himself the same questions.

If I'm going "back to work," it's gonna' be something I really enjoy doing! I applied for a cake decorator job and got it! It's part time, I have to work Sundays (what a drag!), and have to rearrange my entire writing schedule and possibly miss some meetings because of my new job (bigger drag!). Last night, knowing I was reporting at 9:30 a.m. this morning, I could not fall asleep. I had many unanswered questions, I saw my writing dream floating away, and I saturated my pillow with tears.

But like a good new employee, I got up and reported on time for my first day. When I was told my starting wages, I was crushed! If I was going to make this big of a sacrifice, I needed to be well-compensated and this amount was not going to cut it. Granted, I don't have retail experience and the cakes I've done have been out of my home, but this was not an income that would make me excited to get out of bed every morning instead of staying home to write.

My book loomed before me. "Are you sure you want to sell out for this?" it jeered.

I informed the manager that I'd have to turn down the offer. She understood. Next time I'll ask what my pay will be before I accept!

I did cartwheels in the parking lot back to my car . . . well . . . at least on the inside I did! I felt like I had sprouted wings and could fly! I headed back home to my husband, to my book, to my dream!

My husband was surprised to see me back so soon. I explained what happened and he got a big grin on his face. "I don't know why you applied for the job in the first place! We'll be okay, Honey! I'll even work for the temp agency during the weeks I'm home. Now get back to your proposal!"

When I mentioned I wanted to write on the back patio for a change of scenery, he set up the patio table, umbrella, and a tarp to protect me from the sun (I'm taking advantage of the 66-degree November weather!). He gathered my laptop and books out of my upstairs office, set up a side table, got me a Diet Coke, and asked if there was anything else I needed. Hmm . . . let me think about that . . . just a kiss from the most amazing man on the entire planet!

My book is going to be dedicated to Greg Johnson! No one else believes in me and supports me the way my husband does! (Anita Romero runs a close second!) I am SO BLESSED to have him, and I certainly don't take him for granted. If he believes in me this much, what do I think I'm doing piping icing?

As I sat at the table, I took a brief moment to check my e-mail. My inbox contained messages from Tim Bergsten, editor of YourHub, and the man who emceed the YourHub Second Anniversary Party. I asked him for his "script" from what he said about me so that I could include it in my YourHub scrapbook, and possibly in my book proposal.

Here's his e-mail:

I’m pretty sure this person is the most prolific writer on YourHub, her byline has appeared right at 200 times online and she keeps the YourHub east papers filled with colorful feature stories. And her words are popular, I know because my phone rings off the hook with callers praising her stories. When you work at a newspaper, calls of encouragement are sometimes few and far between.

This summer we met with this lady and told her we were interested in stories about how people might be feeling the pinch from a slumping economy and the price of gas and what sort of actions people might be taking to save a buck.

She went home, jumped on her bike, and vowed to be a bicycle commuter. After a couple of rides, she wrote this limerick to start a story titled Gas Boycott Update… on YourHub...

Twelve miles to and from church I rode my bike,
To boycott the outrageous gas price hikes.
I need better shocks
And firmer buttocks
For this to be a ride that I like!

I could go on and on about her and before the night’s over, I might do that. But I am proud to present the YourHub East Zone Citizen Journalist of the Year Hubcap to Stephanie Johnson.

I was blown away because I hadn't posted 200 stories! Looking back now, after adding my blog entries and the stories about my husband, that number sounds about right.

Drifting among the clouds while hugging my Hubcap, I half-tuned out what came next for overall winner:

This was a tough decision because there are several people whose contributions, whose opinions and suggestions, have made YourHub successful.

This person has grasped the idea behind YourHub. She understands that YourHub was created for citizens to write about their neighborhoods, their clubs, school, their church. We call it hyper-local, the news from your street, the news about the people and places close to you.

The Citizen Journalist of the Year has written a detailed series of articles about a remodeling overhaul at her church. She created and wrote two series titled Inspiring Women and Women of Courage, telling us about Colorado Springs residents who have survived destructive relationships, drug and alcohol abuse to live the life they had dreamed of, stories of people who are raising their grandkids, who against the odds earned a college degree and are making it happen for themselves.

She’s written movie reviews, stories about teaching art at the Bemis Art School, and stories about new businesses she has discovered.

She is an excellent writer, using her head to write information that is valuable, and her heart to write with passion.

I don’t think things happen by accident, and though we didn’t know it at the time, I think we created YourHub for Stephanie Johnson. And it is my honor to present her with the Hubcap for YourHub Citizen Journalist of the Year.

When Tim began the introduction for overall journalist, I was excited to hear who would win. I didn't figure out he was talking about me again until he mentioned my "Inspiring Women" series! After that, I missed most of what he said because I was holding my sobbing in check so as not to cause too much commotion. I simply can't describe the tsunami of emotions that swept over me at realizing I had won overall Journalist of the Year, too! Reading it even now in black and white is causing new tears to flow.

Tim also attached a picture that a photographer captured of me accepting my second award. As Tim's accolades sink in and I see the look on my face that says it all, I realize I made the right decision by turning down the job . . . that I AM A WRITER, and writers write, not decorate cakes. Sure, I'll paint once in a while and do a cake for a friend now and again, but first and foremost, I am a writer, so I will continue to do just that.

Even if it means becoming homeless.

YourHub Awards

2008-11-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

This was an e-mail I just sent my friends about YourHub's Second Anniversary Party on 11/13/2008:

YourHub's Second Anniversary party on Thursday, November 13th, will forever be a night for me to remember--I'm still pinching myself! It ranks right up there with the births of my children and my wedding day! Yeah, it really was "that big" for me! I feel like my worth as a writer has been confirmed, that I'm on the right track, and that I need to keep doing what I'm doing.

Many of you already know that YourHub was the catalyst for me resigning from my full-time job last November to pursue writing my book full time and doing some painting. When the Gazette's YourHub editor, Tim Bergsten, "personally invited me" to the party, I told him I had already seen the ad in the paper and wouldn't dream of missing it. I fantasized about winning the East Hub's Journalist of the Year, but wasn't positive it was a real possibility--I sure didn't want to get my hopes up. But when he wrote, "DO NOT miss it," I thought I might have a pretty good chance.

Well, I'm THRILLED to report that I WON! I was presented with the "2008 Eastern Zone YourHub Citizen Journalist of the Year!" Yahoo! I was crying tears of joy, let me tell ya'! I was shaking with excitement as I went up to accept my "Silver Hubcap Award" (how clever!). Tim leaned over to shake my hand and said, "I'll be down later to give you a hug." How sweet! (Tim and I also attend drawing classes together at Cottonwood--he's an extremely talented artist and is currently taking oil painting classes.)

So, the night is wearing on and my fellow Hubbers, Dianne Perea (2007 Northern Zone Journalist of the Year recipient) and Earl Chang (who graciously attended Radiant's Grand Re-Opening Party in September to see my mural work), my husband (who just got home after 16 days on an oil rig in Rifle, just worked a 12-hour shift, and drove 7 hours from Rifle, to Grand Junction, then to Colorado Springs, should really have gone to bed instead of accompanying me! What a saint!), and I are munching on our crackers and cheese, and they start to announce the overall Photographer, Journalist, and Story of the Year.

I was only half-paying attention to hearing about the Journalist of the Year who had had "200 bylines" in the past year because I only have 98 stories so far (in 15 months), but when Tim began reading the limerick I wrote for my Gas Boycott story, I stopped mid-broccoli and began crying again! (Dianne snapped a few of me and Greg during this very emotional moment for me) Tim went on to mention my "Women of Courage Success Stories," "Inspiring Women Series," and even my "Radiant Church Makeover" stories.

Would you believe I won OVERALL Journalist of the Year as well??? I could barely walk up to the stage to receive my second Silver Hubcap Award because my eyes were overflowing with so many happy tears! This time Tim came down to give me a hug (When he said earlier that he would hug me later, I thought he was talking about after the awards part, not for my "second" award!)! I was totally blown away! What an incredible night!

Many people I've met "bash" YourHub because it's "citizen journalism": you don't get paid, your work isn't edited (except glaring mistakes, per Tim), nor does it "really count" (try telling that to anyone who's won an award or seen their stories in print!). But the euphoria I felt Thursday night was even greater than when my first article appeared in a magazine over ten years ago! I still get a rush every time I see one of my stories in the weekly insert--it will never get old for me. And I get "fan mail!" How cool is that? Many people came up to me afterwards and congratulated me, shook my hand, and asked me questions--I felt like a star! Who knows, my awards might look really good on a book proposal as well?

Writing for YourHub gives me good practice, I have a goal of posting at least one story per week on the Web site, and I'm honing my skills all at the same time (and the gift cards I won will pay for a new camera, so I guess I "got paid" after all!). So, if you haven't joined yet, I encourage you to do so: http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/. If you have already registered, I encourage you to make it a goal to post stories on a regular basis. Not only do you get to write to your heart's content about anything and everything (YourHub even publishes my UNCENSORED stories about my faith), but you also get to meet other fantastic writers, network/barter, and attend parties!

Here's the link to the announcement on the Web site if you want to check it out: http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/About-Town/Story~548289.aspx

So, I just wanted to toot my own horn for a bit. Thanks for indulging me (I hope I'm not coming across as vain!). I am so ecstatic, though, what a way to be validated as a writer! God is so good--I give Him all the glory!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

2008-11-02T16:20:00.000-08:00

Wow! Where on earth has all the time gone? I have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to update my blog! Shame on me! So much has been going on, I don't know where to start.

As an aside, I'm embarrassed that I thought blog.com and blogger.com were the same sites. No wonder I couldn't find my "I Am a Writer" blog when I signed in! I can really be dense sometimes, but I'm still so new to all this blogging stuff, so don't laugh, okay? I decided to consolidate all my blogs into one spot, so I copied and pasted my old entries and started this new one here.

So . . . let's see . . . where did I leave off . . .?

I formed Clio's Club in March and held our first meeting in April at Panera Bread on Powers next to Best Buy, and two other writers showed up. We talked about the projects we're working on, what we were looking for in a writers' group, possible topics to discuss, etc.

For the second meeting in May, no one showed! Bummer. I figured the meeting hadn't gotten the same exposure as the first in the Gazette YourHub insert, so I made use of the time by working on my book.

By the third meeting in June, I was really wondering if people didn't like me, so I checked YourHub Events only to discover I hadn't made it a "recurring event." DOH! I think it turned out better that way because I was too busy with other stuff going on for me to start up yet another writer's meeting. I decided not to continue.

Also in April, I was asked by Radiant Church to paint some classroom murals in the Early Childhood Wing as part of their Extreme Makeover (see my "Stephanie Johnson Murals" blog), so several months flew by as I worked on that project. In the meantime, I was still attending Old Colorado City Writer's Group, Pikes Peak Writers, and Springs Writers meetings.

OCCWG started a new critique group in June and I'd been attending those meetings in addition to the general monthly writers' meeting. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback and constructive criticism on my manuscript, and have implemented many suggestions. One author, Jon Horton, highly recommended I work the book into a magazine article, as the topic is very "hot" and could land me a nice chunk-o-change. I'll have to research the possibilities on that one.

The Co-Organizer of OCCWG, David Esker, relinquished his title and duties while I was out of town but I didn't get the e-mail, so when I found out, I volunteered for the position. After all, I take all the minutes during our meetings anyway, so it wouldn't be a problem for me to pick this responsibility up as well, especially after Karen gave me her blessing to start up OCCWG as a group on Facebook.

When Greg accepted a new job in August in Rifle, we were gone for the entire month of September, living in a tent at Rifle Gap State Park, and by the time I came "home," the critique group had disbanded. Deb Buckingham and Anita Romero, members of OCCWG, have continued attending the Writers Write Tuesday meeting of OCCWG, so we all go to that meeting faithfully.

Disappointed with the direction OCCWG was headed, Deb decided to form her own meetup group and "borrowed" the name "Writers Write." (The name comes from Karen Linamen, who constantly reminds us that "writers write," and encourages us to do exactly that.) Deb took the liberty of adding OCCWG's Tuesday meeting to her group's calendar as well, so now the meeting has double exposure. Deb added me as the Co-Organizer to Writers Write, but so far she hasn't delegated any work for me to do. Anita is the Meeting Facilitator, and does a fantastic job of guiding the meeting discussion.

Moving right along . . . another group I attend is Springs Writers, founded by Scoti Domeij. I first heard about her group from Ted Weaver when I attended the American Christian Writers Conference where I first met Karen Linamen several years ago and have attended ever since. In March 2008, Springs Writers had Shana Schutte as a guest speaker. She talked about "writing juicy," "mind-mapping," overcoming writers block, and the different "hats" that writers wear: explorer's hat, artist beret, construction hardhat, combat helmet, etc. I took copius notes.

I would frequently see Shana at the Pikes Perk at Academy and Vickers where we met for Writers Write, so one day I finally got up enough nerve to tell Shana how much I enjoyed hearing her speak, even showing her her own business card that I had picked up after her talk. She commented that I must've met her somewhere previously since I prounounced her name correctly. I introduced Shana to my fellow writers, and over the weeks, she would pop in at our table to say hi and ask about our projects. I, for one, was star struck.

Weeks passed, and one day when I arrived late for a meeting, Deb shared with me that Shana had come over earlier and asked her if she had an agent (Deb writes "chick lit," and is working on a book titled "Out of the Box"). Deb told her no, so Shana asked her if she wanted one. Well, of course! (Was that a trick question?) I was so excited for Deb and the possibility that Shana might be able to hook her up with her own agent.

About a week or two later Deb, Anita, and I were busily typing away when Shana approached our table. To Deb's dismay, Shana announced that her agent didn't handle chick lit, but was looking for a writer with a "platform." I blurted, "I have a platform!" Shana asked me to send her an e-mail with details, and offered to send it along to her agent. I had had her e-mail from her business card, plus I had her Web site marked as a favorite, so I knew how to get in touch with her. I quickly sent off a paragraph or two about the memoir I was working on and waited for a response.

Weeks passed, and I was beginning to worry. I had seen Shana at Pikes Perk, but didn't want to harass her about my e-mail. She'd get back to me when she had an answer. Another week or two later, she let me know that her agent's grandmother had passed away and was out of town for the funeral, but as soon as she heard anything, she'd let me know.

In the meantime, I busied myself writing my memoir, finishing up the murals at the church, and doing the family thing with my kids who were visiting for the summer. I sort of of gave up hope that her agent would be interested, and put getting a response on the back burner as life got in the way.

One day, I checked my e-mail and saw a name I didn't recognize. The subject line read "Referral from Shana" and I immediately thought my daughter, Shaina, had somehow gotten into trouble at school (but the sender had misspelled her name)! That was ludicrous! Not my straight-A student. It was probably someone at the school needing a reference letter for a college scholarship program Shaina was applying for or something to that effect.

As I read the e-mail, I nearly peed my pants! It was Shana's agent and she asked me to send my book proposal and a sample chapter! OMG! All this time I could've been working on my proposal, but I convinced myself there was no way she'd be interested, so I simply didn't think about tackling it. Ohmygosh, did I, a WRITER, actually say that??

Where to begin???

"Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success" by W. Terry Whalin was a good start. I immediately got busy. Would I be able to finish it in a reasonable time so as not to make "Agent B" think I wasn't interested?

Then several roadblocks came along. My husband accepted a job in Rifle and, being the supportive wife I am, went with him, thinking it would be a week. I would head to the library to write, take notes, do research, etc. Slowly but surely, the proposal was developing, but the book took on a life of its own, metamorphosing into a how-to book instead of a memoir as I considered what the book had to offer the reader.

One week in the campground became four, and we couldn't afford the gas for me to drop Greg off at work every morning, go back to the library or tent, then make the circuit a second time every evening. So I was stuck at the campground, writing everything in longhand, but at least I was working on it! I was becoming resentful of being holed up in this campground with no Internet, electricity, cell service, laptop. But that's another story.

After a month, I begged Greg to let me stay home to work on my proposal in the comfort of my office, and he relented even though he really needed my company. I was so happy to get back to Writers Write and see "my girls!" I showed my spiral notebook to Anita and Deb, filled with my rough draft proposal, bibliography, and notes. They were impressed, but I shared with them how overwhelming it was, especially since the proposal had created a new monster. I chided myself for not starting months ago, even before Shana offered to ask her agent about it.

The next week, Anita asked me if my proposal was done.

"No," I answered sheepishly. She didn't want to hear my excuses. When I shared how I was still trying to figure out how to do the synopsis now that the direction of the book had changed, she said, "I think you should keep it a memoir. And I think you're dragging your feet."

I hung my head in shame--she knew me well. I even have a quote written on my office wall: Stop hiding from success because you're afraid you'll fail." I wasn't living my quotes!

Anita suggested, "Keep it a memoir and pitch it as a three-book series."

"But I've written the proposal as a memoir/how-to combination, with my daughter's point of view as the companion book! I can't change it now!"

She insisted. I argued. I gave reasons. I justified the changes.

She expounded on the benefits of a three-book pitch. She reassured my by saying, "Pitch it as a memoir, how-to, and companion three-book series. If she likes your proposal but doesn't like the three books, she'll tell you and make you rewrite the proposal. Keep in mind that whatever you submit will get rewritten anyway, so it's better to send her something now before she loses interest."

Anita was right.

So that's where I am now. I am rewriting the proposal, hoping to WOW "Agent B" with my outline, but frustrated that I need to change everything!!!

I'm sure I'll be thanking Anita when the agent offers me a contract.

And I'll be sure to list Anita's name second in my Acknowledgments, after my agent, of course.

Emergency Leads to Big Break and Other Updates

2008-11-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to join a friend at a Career Fair at Wasson High School in Colorado Springs. She's the owner of a bakery, Creative Cakes, and taught me cake decorating which I now do as a side job. I was honored that she invited me, as I would be able to share insight with the students of being a "newbie" who was trying her hand at the business of cake decorating.

While there, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to write a story for YourHub, so I took out my pad of paper, pencil, and camera, and went to work taking candids and interviewing students and professionals (http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/Education/School-News/Story~434565.aspx). I met the editor of Hispania News, and told him that I was a writer as well. We chatted a bit about the stories I write, and he invited me to talk to the kids about journalism! I was flattered!

The really big break was when he received an emergency phone call and had to leave for a couple of hours, so I was on my own! This was such a terrific opportunity for me. I spoke to the kids about my magazine articles that were published, how I spoke to some elementary school students about a career in writing, the stories I've posted on YourHub, and the book I'm working on. I was on a natural high the entire afternoon and well into the evening, and I hope my enthusiasm for writing was encouraging to some of them about pursuing a career as a writer, reporter, editor, etc.

Another update: I have scheduled a date for my new writer's group to begin: March 19 at 6:30 p.m. is the big day, and I decided to name it "Clio's Club" (see http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/About-Town/Story~431684.aspx for details). I am looking forward to seeing how it goes, and how many people show up. I will be posting information on meetup.com soon, so check back often.

More news: I have conducted several interviews lately about a ministry I used to be a part of, plus I did an interview for an addiction recovery ministry at my church. I'm really liking the entire interviewing process and have several more scheduled this month. Here are the links:

Women of Courage - Debra: http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/Faith/General-Faith/Story~436628.aspx

Women of Courage - Santina: http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/Faith/General-Faith/Story~437886.aspx

Celebrate Recovery - Buck and Carol: http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/Faith/Church-News/Story~437246.aspx

Feel free to leave comments and let me know what you think. Our church is also going through some renovations, and I interviewed the artists at the company doing all the work and will be posting that story after I get more information from the church. Exciting times! I'll keep you updated on all that's going on.

YourHub Kicks Off Writers Groups

2008-11-02T16:07:00.000-08:00

I've been attending writer’s conferences for several years now. Last year, I joined two writer's groups in Colorado Springs: Springs Writers and Pikes Peak Writers. In August, I also became a "citizen journalist" on YourHub, a community website sponsored by the Gazette, our local newspaper. It is a fantastic venue to write about whatever you like!

Because YourHub is a "website community," I suggested to Kecia Seyb, the editor for the eastern Hubs, shortly after I joined that we start having regular meetings so we can meet other "Hubbers" (I coined that phrase to describe citizen journalists on YourHub) face-to-face to talk about ideas and socialize. She brought up the idea at their next staff meeting, and the folks at YourHub decided it would be a great idea.

This November, the Gazette hosted YourHub's "One Year Birthday" party and had a great turnout! They announced that they would start monthly meetings after the New Year. Also at the party, they awarded a laptop to the winner of Story of the Year (my story "The Popsicle Man," came in Third Place), and gave out certificates and gift cards for Writer of the Year and Photographer of the Year in each "Hub." (There are 15 total Hubs, separated into 4 regions.)

Wednesday, January 30th, was the kick-off meeting for YourHub's Writer's Groups. I was so excited to get a writer's group started in the Powers Hub that I couldn't sleep when I got home--I don't think it was entirely attributed to the mocha frappuccino I drank! Tim Bergsten with the Gazette opened the meeting and explained to the newcomers that "we" (the citizen journalists) can use YourHub any way we like to:

Talk about events in our neighborhoods
Solve neighborhood issues
Record our kids' achievements
Share recipes
Post photos
Document vacations
Tell stories
Sound off
Review movies and restaurants
Write blogs
Announce local events
List items for sale

Whatever we want! The sky is the limit and we have unlimited web space--we do have to keep it clean, of course.

Many of the stories are then pulled from the website and printed in the weekly insert that comes out on Thursdays and are in the subscription newspapers. I can still remember seeing my first story in print in the insert--it was a wonderful feeling! I wrote a story about a group of men playing football who left their trash behind in a brand new park in Colorado Springs, called America the Beautiful Park. It is home to one of the most amazing water fountains I've ever seen! Kecia loved the fact that I took pictures of the culprits, and the Gazette actually printed the photo in that week's insert. Here it is if you'd like to take a look: http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/Sound-Off/Im-Mad-About/Story~353327.aspx

Our guest speaker for this first meeting was Karen Linamen, one of my favorite authors and fellow Hubbers. Her topic was "Why Writer's Groups?" She explained how she formed the Old Colorado City Writer's Group (OCCWG) at www.meetup.com/822 and in a matter of weeks, they have 44 members. What does YourHub have to offer the members of OCCWG? Or any writer for that matter.

1. It's a chance to build a portfolio, online and in print.
2. It's a great way to give feedback to other members (she instructed to leave positive comments on the website, but constructive criticism should be sent privately).
3. It's a perfect opportunity to improve our skills, hone our craft, and meet deadlines.
4. You can connect with other like-minded creative people--she is amazed at the caliber of people, their skills, and the talent represented, not just in her group, but on YourHub too.

OCCWG meets once a month and follows a format. Nametags are important! Hershey's Kisses are given out as a reward for posting on YourHub in the past month (Karen doesn't go anywhere without chocolate!). Their first meeting was in November and the group's members have posted over 50 stories and 150 comments since then.

I am really looking forward to starting my own Writer's Group. I'll keep you posted with information as soon as it becomes available. Oh yeah, I'm thinking of calling it "Clio's Circle"--Clio being the Muse of History and Writing. Any other suggestions?

2008 Will be My Year!

2008-11-02T15:50:00.001-08:00

Just to prove how little I know about blogging, I thought this blog I set up months ago was the same blogging-sphere as blogger.com. How embarrassing! So to consolidate my blogs into one place, I am moving those entries all to this account so that I'm not so spread out across the blog world.

I was appointed Editor-in-Chief of our school newspaper at Stephen Decatur Junior High School in Clinton, Maryland, in the early 80's. I enjoyed the process of writing, editing, cutting and pasting (back then it was with scissors and Scotch tape, not with Microsoft Word), and printing copies of our newspaper, then selling them during all three lunch periods. I couldn't wait to hear the students' comments about the various stories, essays, comics, song dedications, and advice columns written by me and my fellow journalists.

When I entered Surrattsville Senior High School, we didn't have a school newspaper, so that was a big let-down. I didn't have the wherewithal to start one, so I busied myself with being a member of the Art Club instead. My twelfth grade psychology teacher, Marcia Moody (wow, how I miss her!), introduced me to journaling, and I've been hooked ever since.

After becoming pregnant in 1987, my goal of continuing with college ended and my dream of becoming a journalist and/or artist faded. I took creative writing classes at community colleges through the years, but didn't dedicate the time and effort to my writing until 1993 when I wrote my first book. I gave up getting it published after only 3 rejection letters (now I know to expect about 300!). The book is outdated now, and will possibly be rewritten into non-fiction, but for now, it gathers dust.

In 1994, I broke into publication with my first article, "Breaking the Chain," in Biracial Child magazine. Shortly after that, Interrace magazine, the parent company of Biracial Child, published my second article, "How Come I'm Not Gray?" The rush of emotions of seeing my writing in print was a natural high that I'd never experienced before, and was one I hoped to experience again and again.

I have attended several writers' conferences through the years and now belong to writers' groups . In August 2007, I discovered citizen journalism on "YourHub" at www.coloradosprings.com. After posting several stories and seeing my stories in print, the rush of emotions flooded back and ignited the writing passion again. Being able to write personal stories, persuasive essays, vent about certain topics, and blog about my weight loss journey (http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/~IncredibleShrinkingWoman) have contributed to building that passion into a fire out of control. I became grumpy at work because I wanted to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a writer instead of answering the phone and typing leases. I knew a life-changing decision had to be made. And soon!

I married the man of my dreams, Gregory Johnson, on July 7, 2007. At the age of 40, he knew how desperately I wanted to write full time, so in October, with his blessing, and YourHub being the catalyst for me to decide to pursue my writing passion, I turned in my resignation. On November 2, 2007, I officially became a "writer," and couldn't be happier. I had been working on a new book since 2002, but couldn't dedicate the time and effort it needed because I was working full time, raising three children (I was a single mom before I got married), and doodling with my art (see my arts & crafts website at www.nepneeart.etsy.com). But now, I could put my heart and soul into my writing (and into my painting too, if I felt so inclined) and I'm determined to land a contract, or at least an agent, this year.

Through Pikes Peak Writers, I attended a "Write Brain" workshop this month (Jan. '08) hosted by Cynthia Morris, author of Create Your Writer's Life: A Guide to Writing with Joy and Ease. She had us go through several exercises of writing down our goals, what steps we needed to take to make our goals happen, how to ignore saboteurs, and give ourselves deadlines.

By reading Cynthia's book, I have come to a new appreciation of my life as a writer, and have followed much of her advice. I have my "Sanctuary" all set up (I painted a large mural on my wall along with several quotes throughout my office to inspire me), my laptop, my books, my research material, etc. right where I need them so I have no more excuses. I have 5 chapters (14,000+ words) of my book written so far. This blog will be my journey through the process, and I am claiming 2008 to be "My Year."

Some of my goals for 2008:

Join a critique group by February.
Finish the rough draft manuscript of my book by July.
Find an agent by October.
Land a contract by December.

So, I'll be back to blog about all my ups and downs, pulling all-nighters, overcoming writers block, posting encouraging sayings, sharing things I've learned, giving advice to myself, etc.

Please check back often on my progress and feel free to leave comments.