FOREVER YOUNG

LYRICS sung by Audra Mae. "May God bless and keep you always, may your wishes all come true. May you always do for others and let them do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung---and may you stay forever young. May you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true. May you always KNOW the truth and SEE the light surrounding you. May you always be courageous stand upright and BE strong. May your hands always be busy, may your feet always be swift. May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift---and may your heart always be joyful, may your song always be sung, and may you stay forever young".AUDRA MAE --- THE RIVER --- I've done a bad thing, but its okay, I'm goin down to the river today...and the rivers gonna wash my sins away, till I'm born again tomorrow. Water get over my head, make me forget my sorrow. I'm goin down to the river alone, don't tell my daddy I'm gone. And if they cry when I don't come home, just lie, tell ma funnin --- water get over my eyes into the river wise...I'm runnin --- and I can't swim, but its alright, cause all my sin will drag me down even if I could, and if it were'nt for Jim in love that night, I'd be livin for the light like a good girl should, cause a good girl should. In this ole town I have my skin, I can't speak the trouble I'm in, so if I don't come back again, go light and east the willow, to where I carved my name, is where my soul remains, and I'm still gone. Though I can't swim, but its alright, cause all my sin would drag me down, even if I could, and if it weren't for Jim in love that night, I'd be loving the light like a good girl should. When I meet the Lord of kind, I'm gonna give Him a piece of my mind, and I'm gonna tell Him WHY or WHY He's so damn forgiving -- my daddy won't look in my eyes, and momma knows the lies I'm livin. Lord and I can't swim, but its alright cause all my sin would drag me down even if I could, and if it weren't for Jim in love that night, I'd be living for the light like a good girl should, like a good girl should. AMEN - We all need the Comforter and God's amazing grace.

A MAN CALLED PETER

Based on the true story of a young Scottish lad, Peter Marshall, who dreams of only going to sea but finds out there is a different future for him when he receives a "calling" from God to be a minister. He leaves Scotland and goes to America where after a few small congregations he lands the position of pastor of the Church of the Presidents in Washington, D.C. and eventually he becomes Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. A highly influential man for Christ.Richard Todd's interpretation is reasonably faithful to the way the Reverend Marshall preached. As a humane, broad-spirited man of understanding and tolerance, Peter reached out to others, including those of other faiths, and who took a non-discriminatory approach even to religion. Reverend Marshall was a man of gentle spirit, a vigorous man of God who used love and kindness to find common cause with those who differed with him, who sought understanding between men, and who preached -- and practiced -- love and forgiveness. He was definitely not shown to be someone of narrow views attempting to foist his particular beliefs on others -- not even his religious views, let alone his opinions on non-spiritual matters. As a biographical film, the viewer is called upon to consider their faith, their relationship with Jesus, and whom they choose to worship. Peter Marshall denied his will to be a captain at Sea to follow the will of God. Within 10 years of following His lead, God groomed Peter to play a significant and important role in a prim New York society and eventually in the Senate. Hollywood produced this film with full sermons which were needed in 1955, a time when Hollywood was under investigation for communism. The message contained in this rare film remains relevant as our current Senate and the intentions of our countries leaders are called into question. Praise God for His wisdom by enabling the voice of Peter Marshall to live on.

A RESOURCEFUL BLOG

Don't feel alone, like you are out on a wing with high hopes that your work will get published! This blog is a place to store all the resources found online for me, for you, for anyone who has the goal of writing, publishing, and selling their miraculous work! HOW to begin, WHERE to meet other writers, INSPIRATION, AGENTS, PUBLISHERS, and conventions that allow us to learn while we network with those wonderful wordy folks!

CHRISTIAN WRITER GROUP MEETS MONTHLY
Monthly - Thursday 9:30 am -12:30 ALL skill levels
Categories include Nonfiction
Location: Barnes & Noble
Montclair Plaza
5183 Montclair Plaza Lane
Montclair, CA 91763

The first hour we share personal news, marketing tips, and feature a topic for beginner writers. The second hour is hosted by a guest speaker talking or leading a workshop on various writing topics. The third hour we break into small groups for individual manuscript critiques.

EMAIL: Nancy I. Sanders: jeffandnancys@gmail.com
Website: http://www.chairs7.wordpress.com

JOSH WEIL

INSTRUCTOR: Josh Weil -Many great works of modern fiction have been novellas – The Old Man and the Sea; Of Mice and Men; Heart of Darkness; Brokeback Mountain – yet it’s a rarely explored form in contemporary writing. Why? What is a novella? What can it accomplish that’s different from what a short story or novel can accomplish? And, most importantly: How can we writers grab hold of this powerful form to tell our stories in fresh ways? Through lecture, discussion, and in-class exercises, this course will explore answers to these questions, leaving students equipped with a new way of telling stories. SAN ANTONIO, TX: Date: Sat Feb. 27, 9am – 2pm
Limit: 15 Participants
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, Feb. 24
CPE Credits: 4 Language Arts
Fee: $100 $90

About the instructor: Josh Weil is the author of the novella collection The New Valley (Grove, 2009), a New York Times Editors Choice selection for which he was honored with a “5 Under 35” National Book Award. His fiction and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Granta, Glimmer Train, Poets & Writers, and Narrative, among other publications. Since earning his MFA from Columbia University, he has received a Fulbright grant, a Writer’s Center Emerging Writer Fellowship, the Dana Award in Portfolio, and fellowships from the Bread Loaf and Sewanee Writers’ Conferences. He is the writer-in-residence at Gilman School in Baltimore.
REGISTER: GEMINI INK (LINK on the right)

TIM TINGLE

INSTRUCTOR: TIM TINGLE - Bring story ideas and a fresh mind and body. Through writing, storytelling, and readings, students will uncover elements of light in even the darkest narrative. From dark times or memories, students will craft a story, spoken or written, and be given the opportunity to either read or perform their writing. Tingle, a storyteller-turned-writer, will offer feedback in both mediums. Poetic images and evocative word choices will strengthen an oral performance; and a ready grasp of vocal rhythms will increase a writer’s ability to reach his audience. Students will leave the workshop with a plot-candle in the darkness, and a story ready for revision. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Date: Sat May 8, 9am – 3pm
Limit: 12 Participants
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, May 5
CPE Credits: 5 Language Arts
Fee: $66 Discounted Fee: $60

Tim Tingle is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a frequent speaker at tribal events. Author of six books, including the award-winning Crossing Bok Chitto (Cinco Puntos Press, 2006), Tingle was a featured storyteller at the Native American wing of the Smithsonian Institute in 2006 and 2007. At the 2008 American Library Association Conference in Anaheim, California, he performed on the multi-ethnic concert, “Many Voices, One Nation.” His first book, Walking the Choctaw Road (Cinco Puntos Press, 2005), is a fictional depiction of tribal history covering two centuries, and his upcoming children’s book, Saltypie (Cinco Puntos Press, 2010), is a family tale of 20th century Indian struggles and triumph.
REGISTER THROUGH: GEMINI INK (LINK on the right)

DIANA AND NORMA

Diane Gonzales Bertrand is a writer who grabbed inspiration from her many roles as daughter, wife, mother, and teacher. Although she has written stories and poems since childhood, it was her decision to study writing in graduate school at Our Lady of the Lake University that created an avenue for publication. As she read and studied literature from international authors, she gained confidence to write about her own Mexican-American heritage. She also discovered the editors of Arte Publico Press, who welcomed the style of her familia-friendly novels Sweet Fifteen, Lessons of the Game, and Close to the Heart. Encouraged by Texas librarians and her own two kids, Diane wrote the children’s novel Alicia’s Treasure, and two award-winning novels for middle school students Trino’s Choice, and Trino’s Time. Her published picture books Sip, Slurp, Soup, Soup/ Caldo, Caldo, Caldo, Family, Familia, The Last Doll, Uncle Chente's Picnic, and The Empanadas that Abuela Made have all earned “Best Bilingual Book” recognition from the National Latino Literary Awards. Recently, her first book with Raven Tree Press, My Pal, Victor/Mi amigo Victor earned the 2005 Schneider Family Book Award given by the American Library Association. Her collection of bilingual short fiction, Upside Down and Backwards, earned Honorable Mention in the Paterson Prize for Young Adults and was a finalist for the Writers League of Texas Teddy Book Award for children’s books. New titles include a children’s biography, Ricardo’s Race and a bilingual book for preschoolers, We are Cousins/Somos Primos. Her new novel, The Ruiz Street Kids, (2006) is both bilingual and written for readers 8-11. Diane is Writer-in-Residence at St. Mary’s University where she teaches writing, works with new authors, and continues to develop her own writing projects. She is a native of San Antonio, Texas and grew up in the Woodlawn Lake area.

Dr. Norma Cantú will conduct the workshop Telling to Live: Writing Your Life Story on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010 from 10 am – 1 pm. Dr. Cantú currently teaches at the University of Texas at San Antonio with teaching interests in Cultural Studies, Contemporary Literary Theory, Border Studies, Chicano/a and Latina/o Literature & Film, Folklore and Women’s Studies. Dr. Cantú has published articles on a number or academic subjects, as well as poetry and fiction. She has co-edited four books and edited a collection of testimonios by Chicana scientists, mathematicians and engineers. Her award winning Canícula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la Frontera (University of New Mexico Press, 1997) chronicles her childhood experiences on the border. (LINK GEMINI INK on right)

2010 SFO Convention

February 12, 2010 The San Francisco Writers Conference will be at the fabulous Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel perched high atop Nob Hill with spectacular views of San Francisco. A special SFWC rate of $139 per night could be shared with your best buddy writer. The fee to attend for three days is $650.00. Lectures, Publishers, Authors network with them all! Get inspired, hang out with word masters!REGISTER TO ATTEND SAN FRANCISCO WRITERS CONFERENCE:
http://www.sfwriters.org

DATE TO SAVE: FRIDAY February 12, 2010

7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registration
Sign up for Kevin Smokler consultations
Sign up for freelance editor consultations

8:45 a.m. WELCOME Michael Larsen

***UPPING YOUR PLATFORM:
Building Your Visibility Online and Off
Elisa Southard, Break Through The Noise;
Teresa LeYung Ryan, Love Made of Heart

***SOLUTIONS FOR AUTHORS:
The Print-on-Demand Option
Keith Ogorek, Author Solutions

***BOOMTOWN: Jumping on the Young Adult Bandwagon
Kristen Tracy, Lost It, and agent Regina Brooks

THE NEW FACE OF FICTION
Caitlin Alexander, Senior Editor, Random House;
Jaime Levine, Executive Editor, Grand Central Books;
Daniela Rapp, Editor, St. Martin’s Press. Moderator:
agent Rebecca Oliver

TWITTERPOWER: The 140-Character Connection
Matt Stewart, The French Revolution; Dom Sagolia,
140 Characters: A Style Guide for the Short Form

***BRANDING YOURSELF: How You Can Leverage the
Power of Hollywood, Publishing, and Publicity
Philippa Burgess, Entertainment Professional
and Partner, Creative Convergence

***NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME FOR WRITERS
Alan Rinzler, Executive Editor,
Jossey-Bass/John Wiley & Sons; Independent Editor

***FROM YOUR LIFE TO THE PAGE:
Writing Memoirs That Sell
Adair Lara, Naked Drunk and Writing

***HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Kevin Smokler, editor, Bookmark Now!


***USING PUBLICITY & MARKETING TO LAUNCH BOOK
Publicists Lynda and Jim O’Connor

MEET THE NONFICTION AGENTS:
Regina Brooks, Verna Dreisbach,
Wendy Keller, Jill Marsal, Andy Ross,
Katharine Sands, Robert Shepard,
Ken Sherman, Ted Weinstein.

KEYNOTERS:
Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of Deep End of the Ocean
Steve Berry, author of The Charlemagne Pursuit
Dan Poynter, author of The Self-Publishing Manual

Hotel reservations:
click into: www.san-francisco.intercontinental.com or call 1-415-392-3434.