Memorial Day - A Time to Remember

During the Saturday Writers open mic meeting on May 29, Jerrel Swingle read an essay that moved most of the roughly 30 attendees to tears. Before reading his piece, Jerry began with the quote "We who are left to die salute you." That phrase rang a bell, so when I got home I researched and discovered it was what gladiators said (in Latin) before entering the arena--it's probably familiar from reading about Caesar in high school Latin class.

Back to Jerry's essay. He described an encounter with an elderly veteran selling red buddy poppies in front of a supermarket. His poignant essay was also a tribute to those who have died in any war or who've came back from war broken, damaged, or changed.

Jerry spoke of the history of the buddy poppies after World War I, "the war to end all wars," and wove in the poem "In Flander's Field," written by Col. John McCrae of Canada. The poem describes blowing red fields among the battleground of the fallen.


In Flander's Field

by John McCrae

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead.
Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved and now we lie,
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw,
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us, who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow,
In Flanders Fields.

On this Memorial Day I remember young men from my youth who, in the words of President Lincoln during the Gettysburg Address, gave their "last measure of devotion," fighting for their country. From the City of St. Louis, Missouri, the names of 260 men are on the walls of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Here are four I knew:

James Donnelly, a classmate at Most Holy Name of Jesus School in North St. Louis, Missouri, was a shy, smart, and handsome boy with dark hair and dark eyes. He took me to Holy Name's eighth grade dance in 1962 on the steamship Admiral on the Mississippi River. Jim gave me my first corsage. He died in 1968 as an Army soldier in Vietnam.

William June was also a classmate at Holy Name and grew up in our North St. Louis neighborhood.

Ron Imperiali, a friend of my sister Kathleen, grew up in our North St. Louis neighborhood.

Michael Blassie was my date for the St. Alphonsus (Rock) senior prom in 1966. He went on to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy and was sent to Vietnam. In 1972 he was declared MIA then KIA after his plane was shot down. His remains were buried for several years in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier until DNA proved the remains were his. His remains were returned home for burial in 1998. My husband Walt (also an Air Force Vietnam veteran) and I attended the ceremony at Jefferson Barracks.

Eternal rest grant them, Oh Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon them.

ForeWord Magazine Announces Book of the Year Awards

Yesterday at a ceremony at the BookExpo America in New York City, ForeWord Magazine announced the 2009 book of the year awards and awards for independent publishers.

Among the winners was Sue William Silverman's Fearless Confessions, A Writer's Guide to Memoir, published by University of Georgia Press. Fearless Confessions won Honorable Mention in the Writing category.

Last August, Sue was a guest blogger on Donna's Book Pub. During her visit Sue talked about Truth in Memoir. You can read her guest post here.

David Lee Kirkland, of my writer friends and a founding member of Saturday Writers, was a finalist in the Fiction - Sciene Fiction and Category for his novel, The Last Dark Elf, published by High Hill Press. While Kirk's book was not among the top three winners in his category, being named one of the top 13 finalist out of the many books published in his category is amazing.

So, congratulations to Sue and Kirk on your wonderful accomplishments.

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend. God bless our military for keeping us safe and free to read, write, and speak without fear.

Amazing Short Fiction Contest from The Write Helper

My friend Amy Harke-Moore over at the Write Helper has an Amazing Short Fiction Contest going on until the end of July. For a $5 fee (per story, up to three) entrants have a chance to win $100, $50, or $25. Entries also receive a free critique, if requested. Optional line edits are also available for a small fee. Amazing!

In addition to all the extras Amy offers in her contest, what, you may ask, is an amazing story? According to the Write Helper website, an amazing story grabs at the throat, tugs at the heart strings, uses beautiful words with a lyrical quality, and is told by a master storyteller.

Word limit is 4,000. The contest deadline is July 31.

For complete details, visit the Write Helper website.

Full disclosure: Amy and I have been friends for over a dozen years, since we met at a critique group called Liars Ink in St. Peters, MO. We now belong to different critique groups, but we are founding members (along with Margo Dill, Lou Turner and David Lee Kirkland) of Saturday Writers. Amy is an award-winning and a multi-published writer whose work has appeared in The Writer, The MacGuffin, Chicago Quarterly Review, Grit, Permafrost, and others.

So, if you have an amazing story or can write one by July 31, here's your chance. Good luck!

The Tony Hillerman Writers Weekend in Santa Fe

I don't have a "bucket list," but I do have a conference dream list of writing events in cities, states, and countries I would like to attend. Near the top of my list is The Tony Hillerman Writers Weekend. This year it's in Santa Fe, New Mexico, November 12-13. New Mexico is really a land of enchantment. Featued speakers include:

* Margaret Coel, who will discuss "Creating Compelling Characters and Dynamic Dialogue." Coel was a speaker several years ago at OWFI, where she gave an informative and entertaining presentation on creating characters readers can root for when crafting your novel. (If I look hard enough I might be able to find my notes from her presentation.)

* Bill O'Hanlon, who has been a guest on Oprah, will present Show Me the Energy!Find the Fuel to Start, Complete, and Sell Your Writing Projects." Sounds exciting.

* Publisher and editor Judith Van Gieson will give optional first chapter and synopsis critiques. Sounds helpful.

* Keynote speaker Valerie Plame Wilson is a former CIA covert operations officer and an author. She is currently working on a spy novel. Sounds fascinating.

Other locations for writing conferences or events on my dream list are: Hawaii, Florida, Georgia, San Francisco, Chicago (I might get there some day), London, Germany, Greece, Ireland, and of course New York.

How about you? What are the locations of dream conferences you would like to attend?

Notes from Nature Writing Workshop

In yesterday's post I reviewed Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson, who gave a Nature Writing Workshop to Saturday Writers in April. Jen's workshop was inspiring and a great opportunity to stimulate the writing muscles, so I want to share some of my notes from the workshop.


To write a story about nature:

1. Sit quietly (or walk) and observe
2. Engage the five senses (see, touch, smell, taste, hear)
3. Notice the details (texture, color, weight)
4. Describe an object using two senses (for example, a clover field)
5. Describe the object as it evokes a memory (running through a clover field in the summer, making clover bracelets)
6. Combine the two parts (description and memory) to create a story
7. Be as specific as possible
8. Include a goal
9. Add conflict
10. Introduce a second character
11 Dig for emotion
12. Include Climax and resolution
13. Prune and tighten


In Jen's workshop I began a story about my mom's backyard. One woman wrote a piece about running through a field and making clover bracelets. Another wrote about scuba diving for shells. What really helped stimulate my imagination was holding the seeds and plants that Jen gave to participants.


Another suggestion was to keep a notebook or a journal to record details when you are out in nature. I also have found taking photographs helps stimulate my memory and heightens my senses to create a story or an essay with more vivid details.


Short Story Month Reminder and Challenge: How about writing a short story where nature has a strong presence?

A Recent Read - Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson

Last month, writer and environmentalist Jen Cullerton Johnson gave an inspiring workshop to members of Saturday Writers and dozens of children writers. During Jen's workshop she talked about her book Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace, a story about Wangari Maathal, a Kenyan woman who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 at the age of 64.

At the time of the workshop, Jen's book had not yet been published, but she promised to have her publisher send me a review copy as soon as the book came out. True to her word, the publisher Lee and Low Books in New York, sent a copy last week. Seeds of Change is a beautifuly written (by Jen Cullerton Johnson) and lushly illustrated (by Sonia Lynn Sadler) children's picture book with a powerful message.

The Seeds of Change opens with Wangari as a young girl in Kenya at the foot of a mugumo tree, where she learns from her mother to treasure and protect nature. Wangari is a curious girl and a quick learner. She learns much from her brother Nderitu, who attends school, and Wangari and dreams of going to school herself. At that time it is unusual for a girl to be educated, but Wangari's dreams come true after her parents save up to send her to the local school then later to fruther studies in Nairobi.

Education plants seeds of ideas and opportunities for Wangari, who loves science. She travels to America and and studies to become a biologist. In America, she does more than learn science, she also discovers a spirit of freedom and possibility that she wants to share with others in Kenya. No matter where she travels she carries a part of her family with her and remembers her promise to protect her land.

Cullerton Johnson's accurate depiction of facts, vivid descriptions, and authentic dialogue combine to create an inspiring story about Wangari Maathal, a determined woman whose actions took root in the Green Belt Movement and who became the first African woman and environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace, by Jen Cullerton Johnson, Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler, $18.95, ISNB; 978-1-60060-367-9, Hardcover, 40 pages, Lee & Low Books Ages 6 to 11

Note: While I received a free review copy of Seeds of Change from the publisher, I was not paid to give the book a favorable review.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Yesterday was a busy, but very fun day.

In spite of the rain and traffic I arrived on time at the library in Harris Elementary School in St. Charles to talk to more than 400 students in KG-4th grade about "The Life of a Writer." The visit was set up by Ruth Guffey from the Saint Charles City School District Partners in Education Program. The school's Literacy Leader Melissa Armbruster oversaw the program. (Thanks, Becky, for sending my name to Ruth.)

For the event I joined Sarah Weaver and Stephanie Bearce. Sarah is a young, an enthusiastic and an intelligent reporter who talked about some of her reporting assignments, including President Obama's visit to St. Charles in March. Stephanie is a vivbrant and knowledgeable retired teacher who has written several non-fiction books and is working on a fiction book.

The real stars of the program, however, were the students. What a joy it was to be in their presence! They asked great questions and had some charming answers when they were asked questions. I was amazed that the kindergartners knew the difference between fiction and non-fiction. All the children were attentative and appreciative and just so sweet.

After leaving Harris School, I met up with my sister Kathleen and friends Gerri and Patty to go to the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis. The four of us are volunteer gallery attendants for the Splendors of the Vatican exhibition which runs through September. The crowd wasn't as large as last Sunday so I had some time to examine some items in the collection more closely.

Last night I typed up several current event papers for Cari (that are due today) and didn't get to bed until early this morning--around 2 a.m.

Today is catch-up day. I'll be signing the kiddos up for two short summer day camps and Ill be updating the Saturday Writers website, which is long overdue. And housework is calling my name.

Tomorrow (and for the next 10 days) I'm hoping to receive more entries in my no-fee, easy-to-enter short story contest in honor of National Short Story month.

You can find complete guidelines on my May 3 post. In a nutshell, stories should be unpublished, in English, no more than 2010 words, and e-mailed to me (copy and paste in the body of an e-mail) dvolkenannt (at) charter (dot) net by May 31. Open to writers in the USA and Canada. First place winner receives a copy of the out-of-print Cuivre River Anthology (Vol I). Top three winners receive certificates.

Hope you all have a great weekend. I'll be back on Monday!