Everyone Has A Story to Tell

Today in St. Peters, MO: Drizzle, high 49 degrees. A good day to stay inside and write.

Lately I've met some people who have led fascinating lives. During my talk last Saturday, I met writers from outstate Missouri, West Virginia, Washington State, and Arkansas, and briefly talked with man wearing a Pearl Harbor survivor cap--wish I would've gotten to talk with him longer.

Ann, the woman from Arkansas, was a Senior at Little Rock High School during the Little Rock Nine historic event, when President Eisenhower ordered the National Guard to enforce integration at the high school. She shared a bit of her experience with us, but the clock was ticking and she seemed reluctant to say more.

While we were on the subject of high school experiences last Saturday, I mentioned that I went to an all-girls' Catholic school in St. Louis, where we had to invite our dates for prom. My date for senior prom was Mike Blassie, who was headed for the Air Force Academy after graduation. Mike later became a pilot. In May of 1972 his jet was shot down in Vietnam, and Mike was declared missing in action. Flash forward to 1998, when DNA testing determined Mike's remains were those which had been interred in in the Tomb of the Unknown back in 1984. In 1998 Mike's family made the decision to move his remains to Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis. My husband Walt, also a Vietnam Veteran, and I attended the ceremony, and I wrote about the experience in my story "Welcome Home" in A Cup of Comfort for Military Families.

A gentleman in our Coffee and Critique group is working on his memoir. When he joined our group I recognized his name immediately. He is a local singer and songwriter of some note (no pun intended). He is a wonderful storyteller who can weave words magically, yet he is soft spoken and not sure of his gift. Yesterday after critique he causually talked about the night he met a local crime boss while he was performing at a night club, although he didn't realize who the man was at the time. Then he talked about the time Elvis Presley pulled a gun on him while he was a Marine stationed in Memphis--that event made the headlines.

A while back, another critique group member told a few of us about the time she was living and working in Dallas in November 1963 and was questioned by the FBI about a co-worker, who later fled the country. While living in Texas she also came into contact with mass murderer Richard Speck--how frightening is that. This woman is a novelist, but has lived a fascinating life and met some famous--and infamous--folks along the way.

The lesson I've learned from all this is to take time to listen. I never know what I might learn because everyone--even the quiet ones, or maybe especially the quiet ones--has a story to tell.

Alice Muschany's "One Damaged Headlight" is Unbeatable

Today in St. Peters, MO: Showers likely, high 55 degrees.

Drum roll, please!

It's official; out of scores of entries, Alice Muschany's essay "One Damaged Headlight" won first place in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Unbeatable Contest. In her essay, Alice pays tribute, with eloquence and humor, to her husband Roland for his love and support during her diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer. Congratulations, Alice, for your courage and humor--and for sharing your gift of story.

With Alice's permission, here is her winning essay, "One Damaged Headlight":

"When I was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, my husband--my best friend—called for referrals, scheduled appointments, and gave me tender, loving care. His love and humor lifted my spirits.

After I completed four months of chemotherapy, the doctor performed a partial mastectomy.

From the beginning, my husband assured me all that mattered was that I win the battle against cancer. But when it was time to remove the bandage I worried, will he feel that way now?

He gave me a gentle hug and said, 'Honey, you remind me of my wrecked ‘55 Chevy.'

'Just what’s that supposed to mean?'

He quickly explained that he and his brother used the truck for raccoon hunting since its damaged headlight shone upward and assured a successful hunt. When I broke out in a fit of giggles, he supported me in his arms, and we laughed until it hurt.

I knew then he’d support me the rest of my life." Alice Muschany, Wentzville, MO

My Talk to Writers Society of Jefferson County

Today in St. Peters, MO: Mostly cloudy, high 51 degrees.

Last Saturday the weather outside was brisk, but inside I was greeted to a warm welcome by the members of the Writers Society of Jefferson County. The group meets at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Festus, Missouri. My hands-on presentation, which focused on revision, was titled "Thirteen Ways a Bad Haircut Can Make You A Better Writer."

I'm always excited to get out and meet other writers, and the members of WSJC are a creative and lively bunch One gentleman in the back of the room sported a cap that read "Pearl Harbor Survivor." I wish there would've been more time to talk with him. Verna, who set up the meeting, was a charming host. She met me at the door and escorted me to the meeting room. She mentioned she attended Afton High School, where George Clooney did part of the filming of his latest movie. Ann, the WSJC president, mentioned she attended Little Rock High School during the "Little Rock 9" historic event, when President Eisenhower sent in the National Guard to ensure integration in the high school. What an amazing group of writers--each with a fascinating story to tell. I wish we got to visit more, but we got down to the business of writing.

Several members dazzled us when they read their on-the-spot writing exercises. During my wrap-up I encouraged them to attend workshops, network wth other writers, and enter contests. I reminded them of the Saturday Writers Workshop with Pat Carr and Regina Williams on Oct 24. I hope to see some of them there so we can visit some more.

Speaking of the Saturday Writers workshop, acclaimed writer Pat Carr will talk about "Vision, Voice, and Viewpoint." Storyteller Magazine editor Regina Williams will give tips on "Writing Query Letters" and will take pitches during the workshop. The early-bird deadline to register for the workshop and enter the contest is October 15. For details, visit the www.saturdaywriters.org website.

Novel Contest from Smoke City Narrators

Today in St. Peters, MO: Scatter showers, high 51 degrees. I hope the weather clears tomorrow. Tomorrow is Cari's first high school homecoming parade and dance and Michael has a soccer game.

Here's a novel contest from an organization I hadn't heard of before--the Smoke City Narrators in Pell City, Alabama. An e-mail showed up in my mail box asking me to share this information with other writers. This is not an endorsement of any kind; I'm just passing along information to other writers.
NOVEL PITCH & 1st FIVE PAGES of a NOVEL CONTEST Sponsored by Smoke City Narrators DEADLINE: Postmarked by Saturday 10/17/09
$8 ENTRY FEE
AWARDS: 1st - $150 2nd - $75 3rd - $40 6 Honorable Mentions.
*Novel Does Not Have to be Complete.
* First 5 pages of a novel, 1,500 words max.
* One-sentence pitch for the novel, 20 words max.
Judged by Cindy Dyson, author of THE LAST QUERY: A New Approach to Crafting a Novel Query Letter.
The contest guidelines are quite specific, so visit the blogsite for complete details.

Zero Ducats Seeking Submissions

Today in St. Peters, MO: Rain and thunderstorms, high 61 degrees.

I'm always looking for markets I've never heard of before for my blog. My writing friend Julie is a goldmine for markets and submission opportunities. She recently forwarded an e-mail about a submission opportunity from Zero Ducats, which is now accepting submissions for its 2nd issue. Zero Ducats is both a print and online journal of poetry and flash fiction, comprised entirely of recycled and pilfered materials and distributed for free. There is nothing subtle about the photo (left) on their submission page. I guess they are seriously seeking submissions.

Shade Tree Creations Contest

Today in St. Peters, MO: Mostly sunny, high 69 degrees. Chilly nights, sunny days; the leaves are starting to show their brillant colors.


Speaking of trees, here's a contest from Shade Tree Creations out of Oklahoma City, sponsored by Barbara Shepherd and Art Affair. According to the website, Art Affair is a private organization which encourages writers of poetry, short stories and, especially, Western short stories, to work at their trade and be recognized and rewarded for their efforts. To accomplish that goal, Art Affair holds three annual contests--one for poets, one for western short story writers, and short fiction writers. The contest fee is $5 per entry. The deadline is October 15. For details, visit their website. Good luck!

Burning the Midnight Oil Poetry Contest

Today in St. Peters, MO: A 90% chance of thunderstorms, high 69 degrees. It's already storming outside.

A stormy day like today is a good time to stay inside and clean house--no wait--that's no fun. How about walking on the treadmill? Nah. Writing a poem? Much better! Just in time for Halloween here's a contest with a spooky title: Burning the Midnight Oil Poetry Contest. Amy Harke-Moore at The Write Helper has been sponsoring this contest for a few years now.

Amy is an award-winning poet and writer as well as an editor. She is also a long-time writing friend and one of the five founders of the Saturday Writers chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild. Entry fee if $5; visit The Write Helper website for complete details.

The Burning the Midnight Oil Poetry Contest deadline is appropriately on Halloween, October 31. Moo Haa Haa Haa.