Inspirational Stuff

Being an "Author in progress" keeps me writing and writing and writing...

As an aspiring writer, I appreciate the regular email newsletters I receive from a website called Writer’s Relief.

Writer's Relief, Inc. is a highly recommended author's submission service. Established in 1994, Writer's Relief will help you target the best markets for your creative writing. Visit their Web site at http://www.writersrelief.com/ to receive their FREE Writers' Newsflash (today, via e-mail) which contains valuable leads, guidelines, and deadlines for writing in all genres.

In a recent newsletter they state (and I quote) “We love to share our information with writers, and we're happy to pass some of these INSIDER'S SECRETS along to you. This FREE e-mail newsletter may help improve your writing and your acceptance rate! Feel free to print this e-mail to use as a reference. Pass this issue along to your writer friends. It's packed with great information this month! DATED lists of anthologies, theme issues, etc. are included in this newsflash.”

Personally I glean many valuable hints and tips on writing from them. For instance in last week’s newsletter, Writer’s Relief covered, among other things, the age-old confusion of contractions. For example: Its versus it’s and who’s versus whose.

A year ago I purchased a tee-shirt from Writer’s Relief. It has “Author in Progress” and the Writer's Relief website address printed on the front. Wearing it motivates me to sit at the computer and write; it also reminds my family what my vocation is!

Thank you Writer’s Relief for a truly inspiring newsletter and website.

To find out more about Writer’s Relief, please click on their link in the sidebar.

Hot off the press: Lynda Lukow's historical romance

While in keeping with the writing theme, I must share the following with you:

Last week I received a Hallmark E-card with Easter blessings from a published author, Lynda Lukow who lives in Pennsylvania and whom I’m honoured to call my friend. The same day Lynda also sent me a link for a competition in which a hardcopy and a digital version of her just-released book, Every Heart Has Its Day, could be won. I entered via the link and forgot all about it. Imagine my surprise and delight when I received a mail from Lynda to say that I’d won the digital version!

I got to know Lynda through the Internet. I “met” her in April 2004 on a Writing Board and have been corresponding with her ever since. Not only is Lynda a wonderful friend with a beautiful family, she also gives me invaluable advice on my writing. In 2005 I wrote an essay called “Rivers”. It is a true story about our experience during Cyclone Demoina. This phenomenon hit the east coast of South Africa in January 1985 and played out its worst fury on the northern Zululand coast where my husband, I and our young sons were living at the time. I submitted my writing to an exercise link on the Writer’s Exercise Board where Lynda was the co-community leader and she edited it for me. Later I entered Rivers in an annual competition with an American writing magazine, Writer’s Digest for which I received an Honourable Mention Award in 2006!

Lynda is always there motivating and encouraging me with my newspaper reporting. Last Saturday before I attended the quiz, which you can read about here)I confessed to her that I didn’t enjoy going to social functions without my husband. She replied and said “Remember, not only are you attending the quiz as a contestant, you are also going as the journalist. So be confident and enjoy your evening.” Well, as you can see by my post I had a wonderful time at the quiz and came back with photos and a story for the newspaper.

To read more about Lynda’s new book click here http://www.lyndalukow.com/ http://lovesfantasticjourneys.blogspot.com/