500 words on one of the following of your [...]]]> Meeting Announcement: Our May “End of Year Party” will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at the home of Jackie Siglin, south of Alpine. (See more information below.)

Writing Assignment: Okay, Gang! Is third time a charm? These are GOOD topics! Let’s rock these!

500 words on one of the following of your choice:

• Good Old Days (past, non-fiction)
• The Devil May Care (horror, mystery)
• What Lies Within (faith, inspiration)

Refreshments: It’s a Pot Luck!

TMTW “End of Year Party“

Spring Potluck  May 21, 2013, 6 PM:  Our May meeting is always fun and full of sun!!   We’ll be at Jackie Siglin’s house.  The TMTW will furnish beverages and paper goods.  Please let Jackie know what you plan to bring so she can make sure we don’t have too much of something.  And don’t forget your writing opportunities:  Good Old Days (past, non-fiction), The Devil May Care (horror, mystery),  What Lies Within (faith, inspiration).  This is also the meeting where we elect officers for next year.  Please consider taking a job you haven’t tried before.  Our club needs all of us to keep it strong.

Please RSVP to me at *protected email* OR RSVP to TMTW at *protected email*, and directions will be emailed to you!

Hasta la vista,

Jackie

Is It May Already?

David and I have a joke between us, “Is it Friday already?” The weeks seem to fly, and it’s similar to the way this writers’ year has flown. (Addendum: When you are young, and working 8 to 5, you say, “Is it Monday already?)

We are writers, and as we look back, I hope we can feel good about what we have written this past year. Remember the magnetic button Texas Mountain Trail Writers gave everyone at our retreat that said, “First drafts don’t have to be perfect. They just have to be written.” If you weren’t at the retreat, you might like to print this in some large font and put it above your desk. Mine is clipped to my reading lamp by my computer.

LAST CHANCE to enter our Best and Worst First Lines Contest for 2012-2013. I’m going to present a gift certificate during our end-of-the-year Potluck Party on May 21 in each of the two categories to the persons who submit the best and worst lines they have found this year in books. This gives you a week to get your entries in to me  HYPERLINK “mailto:*protected email*” *protected email* . Be sure to specify whether you consider it the best or worst. Sometimes I can’t decide.

Our annual Spring Retreat in April at the Mountain Trail Lodge in Fort Davis was outstanding. Our attendees raved about the presenters, location, food, and organization of the retreat. Nina Amir, Juan Perez, and Bill O’Neal were such fun people to socialize with as well as furnishing us with great information and entertainment. We thank everyone for their praises, but also want you to know we study the evaluations carefully and will make a few changes that will enhance your stay next year.

Marian Frueh, the editor of our in-house publication, Chaos West of the Pecos, asked me to remind you to send her the stories you wrote for the retreat, as well as the haiku you wrote during Juan’s sessions. Earlier we reminded everyone who went on the early morning Haiku Hike to submit those. Marian’s email is  HYPERLINK “mailto:*protected email*” *protected email*.

Several members of our group are planning to meet unofficially during the summer months without officers or organizational business just to discuss some topic each time. Jackie Siglin is the contact person if you are interested. Topics may include settings, other worlds, characterization, or some other topic of interest to writers.

Have a great, prolific summer, and look for us again next September!

Reba

Reba Cross Seals
Texas Mountain Trail Writers, president 2012-13

What is Camp NaNoWriMo?

Based on November’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), Camp NaNoWriMo provides the online support, tracking tools, and hard deadline to help you write the rough draft of your novel in a month… other than November!

Camp NaNoWriMo was established in 2011 as a project of the Office of Letters and Light, the parent 501(c)(3) nonprofit to National Novel Writing Month and the Young Writers Program. 2013 Camp NaNoWriMo sessions will take place in April and July.

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel  (or screenplay, or whatever…) from scratch in a month’s time.
Who: You! We can’t do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let’s write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.
Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era’s most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties.
When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster. Writing begins 12:00:01 AM on July 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by 11:59:59 PM on the last day of the month. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

Come join us in the land of the bold, the ambitious, the relentless; come spend a month of wild literary abandon at Camp NaNoWriMo 2013!

NEW TMTW Members Listing

We are adding a new section to our website: TMTW Members Online Directory! And we invite YOU to be added to the Directory.

How? It’s easy! Simply let us know you want to be included in the online directory by sending us an email at *protected email* along with the following information:

• Your name as you wish it to appear in the online directory
• Link to your website
• A photo of yourself

You do NOT have to submit all of that information – just what you wish.

WHY would you want to be listed? A listing increases your visibility in the online world. A link to your website from another website (like this one) shows the search engines that you have “link authority” and helps improve your ranking in the search engines. Plus it’s a great marketing tool!

As soon as we have a few members to list, we will launch the online directory! Let us know if you have any questions.

Texas Mountain Trail Writers Meeting Minutes

April 23, 2013, Fiesta Room, Hallmark Apts

Reba called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.

Jackie reminded members minutes are available on the log and all should read them before the meeting.  Minutes were approved as posted.

Treasurer’s report – Feb 28- March31, 2013   Anne

Checking: Starting Balance:                5,254.68
Deposits:
Dues:                             192.50
Paypal transfer:                     500.00
Retreat registration:                                1,1001.00
Disbursements:
Chaos printing:                       1,100.00
Mailings:                        15.84
Planning lunch:                    60.90
Ending Balance:                          5,871.44

PayPal:
Starting Balance:                      392.65
Deposits:
Registration:                            1,734.78
Dinner guests/retreat:                            26.58
Dues:                               42.78
Disbursements:
Programs, buttons, name tags:        307.00
Cash to checking account:            500.00
Ending Balance:                 1,389.79

Additional notes:  Retreat final costs and a few refunds are still being collected and should be available with next month’s report.  I will create a full and separate list for the retreat in addition to the usual Treasurer’s report.  Dues are payable for the 2013/2014 club year.  Extra copies of the Chaos are available for 9.00 each.

The cost of the Chaos was less than what Anne gave to Marian so there will be a money coming back from that.

Old Business:

Kip needs the list of new emails for the log.  Anne will send those to her.  People are reading the log (maybe not the minutes or the writing opportunities).  After Kip sent out the notice on WordPress being hacked, she had a lot of questions.

We are always looking for new members.  Aleta suggested there be a link on the log to our PayPal way of paying dues.

Poetry Thursdays are still going at Front St. Books. There was a nice turnout for last week when members of the TMTW read.   Larry Thomas will read April 26.  Thanks to Jean Hardy Pittman for doing this.

New Business:

Kip will be traveling most of the summer.  She is thinking about starting a blog on her travels.  Nina’s talk was an inspiration for her.

Brags:  Great conference.  People come because we do a great job!

Summer meetings:  People interested – Jackie, Anne, Elaine, Kip, Eleanor?  Jackie will contact Eleanor re helping with these meetings.  Anne is interested in NaNoWriMo discussion.

Donna Greene made it safely to Louisiana.  We miss her.

Anne and Kip will arrange to sell extra tote bags, Chaos, buttons on our website, using PayPal.  Discussion was held as whether we as a non-profit can do this.  Anne said yes because we are trying to make back our costs, not a profit.  We paid retail for the items.  This is like a yard sale.

Discussion was held as to whether this will hurt people who have their articles in the Chaos.  If it is for sale outside of our membership, does that make it more than an in-house journal.  And does that mean that the article has already been published once.  All of our writers retain their rights and are not paid either with a book or money.  The publication is small – prints 100 per year which makes it insignificant.  We did not answer the question re is this considered a publication for purposes of contests, etc.

Conference:

A big thanks to all our members for doing the never ending tasks required to put on this conference.  We went over the evaluations from the conference – most things were positive.  The biggest problem seemed to be the amount of time for our individual readings.  It was suggested that we might change the schedule a bit next year and/or perhaps think about dividing the readings into sections. This year the weather was too cold for us to use the outdoor eating area and we had to start the evening speaker late.  Perhaps we could make sure dessert is served in the meeting rooms.

Possible topics for next year were discussed.  Several felt we needed to be sure we are balanced with fiction/non-fiction speakers.  Participants seem divided on whether they want teachers or entertainers (ideal world, the speaker can do both).  Interest is still there in research techniques.

The venue got great reviews, except for the bathroom situation.  Not much we can do about that.
We did have a mic setup this year and a handicap ramp.  A suggestion was made that those who bring dogs should have the rooms together.  Two years in a row the sweet dog left alone in the room next door barks its head off while the non-dog owners have to cope.

Publicity question shows people found us on the internet, through friends, and in newspapers.

Suggestion was made we consider having our Friday reception in Ft. Davis if we continue to use the Mountain Trails Lodge.  It would make less driving for all those who stay there.

Thanks to Elaine for bringing a delicious cheesecake.  Yummy!

Our next meeting will be our  spring potluck at  Jackie’s House.  May 21 at 6 pm.  Let her know what you are bringing.

Writing opportunities:

Good Old Days (past, non-fiction)
The Devil May Care (horror, mystery)
What Lies Within (faith, inspiration)

Respectfully submitted,

Jackie Siglin
Secretary

Join or Renew Your TMTW Membership

Membership in the Texas Mountain Trail Writers can help you grow as a writer, whether you write purely for fun or for a living. AND we accept dues payments online at our website! For more information, click here.

Final Note from the Editor:

Have news? Toot your horn, clang your bell, raise your roof! Tell us your news and stories – or writing news in general, such as publications you would recommend, contests, book events, etc. Send your Braggin’ Rights and Trail Bits to *protected email*.

Writing “Opportunity”: 500 words on one of the following of your choice:

Good Old Days (past, non-fiction) The Devil [...]]]> Meeting Announcement: Our April meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of the Hallmark Apartments in Alpine.

Program: 2013 Retreat in Review

Writing “Opportunity”: 500 words on one of the following of your choice:

Good Old Days (past, non-fiction)
The Devil May Care (horror, mystery)
What Lies Within (Faith, inspiration)

Refreshments: Delicious treats from Elaine Davenport.

President Chat

It’’s impossible to write a blurb for this month’’s Log of the Trail without babbling about the magnificent Spring Retreat we just concluded. We had over forty people in attendance throughout the weekend, and the presenters were fantastic, knowledgeable as well as entertaining. Nina Amir, blogging to book coach, Bill O’Neal, Texas State Historian, and Juan Perez, poet, kept the retreat fast paced and information filled.

Our reviews show how much the attendees loved the expertise of the presenters, the food, mild weather, nice rooms, scenery and camaraderie from new friends and old.

Our evaluations have already been tallied and we are paying attention. Any negatives mentioned will be thoroughly considered, but we are thrilled that most comments were extremely positive.

1st Line Contest: Entries were non-existent this past month and I, as club president, was so engrossed in preparing for the wonderful retreat that I neglected to ask for your entries. So, let’’s start again. Open your books and choose some first lines that wow you or make you shake your head. Then share by email them to me: *protected email*

Here are my choices for April.

Best First Lines: April, 2012-13

submitted by: Reba Cross Seals, Alpine, TX
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
Source: George Orwell, 1984

submitted by: Reba Cross Seals, Alpine, TX
“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.”
Source: Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

Worst First Lines: April, 2013

submitted by Reba Cross Seals, Alpine, TX
“It was love at first sight.”
Source: Joseph Heller, Catch 22

submitted by Reba Cross Seals, Alpine, TX
“The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger
followed.”
Source: Stephen King, The Gunslinger

NOTE from Juan and Malia Perez

For anyone who wants extra copies of the retreat handouts, or did not receive them all, please email us at *protected email* with your name and mailing address. We’ll be happy to drop them in the mail to you!

Braggin’s Rights

Eleanor Taylor is excited to announce the publication of her book “Wet My Mouth With Honey”. Lucky ones were able to buy a personally inscribed copy at this last weekend’s spring retreat. For the rest of us, the book is available on Amazon – both in print and on Kindle – and on Barnes and Noble websites. This book is the perfect read for women who lived through the turbulent late 1960s and for those who want a glimpse of the world at that time.

REMEMBER to support your fellow members! Buy their books! Cause you know, when you publish YOUR book, you’ll want them to buy it, too!

Nimrod Journal’s Writing Contest

Dear Writing Group Leader,

Greetings from Nimrod International Journal. I’m writing with some information about the 35th annual Nimrod Literary Awards: The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry and The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction.  The Awards offer first prizes of $2,000 and publication and second prizes of $1,000 and publication, along with a trip to Tulsa to receive the Awards and take part in our annual writing conference. The postmark deadline for this year’s Awards is April 30th, 2013.

The Awards are among the most distinguished literary prizes in the country. Past judges include Stanley Kunitz, Marvin Bell, Mark Doty, Olga Broumas, W. S. Merwin, Denise Levertov, William Stafford, Ron Carlson, Linda Pastan, and John Edgar Wideman. Past winners include Sue Monk Kidd, Diane Glancy, Daniel Lusk, Felicia Ward, Ruth Schwartz, and Gina Ochsner.

One of the oldest “little magazines” in the country, Nimrod has continually published new and extraordinary writers since 1956.  We are dedicated to the discovery of new voices in literature, and the Nimrod Literary Awards are a special way to reward talented poets and fiction writers.

I am including the contest rules with this email, and hope that you will make them available to the members of your group.  Feel free to pass the information along in any way you like—be it in emails, newsletters, or on your website. For more information about Nimrod, please visit our website at www.utulsa.edu/nimrod.

Thank you for your help in spreading the word about the Nimrod Literary Awards to the writers in your writing group. We hope to see your submissions soon!

Best,

Eilis O’Neal
Managing Editor

The 35th Nimrod Literary Awards
The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction &
The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry

Founded by Ruth G. Hardman

FIRST PLACE: $2,000 and publication
SECOND PLACE: $1,000 and publication

Contest Rules
Contest Begins: January 1, 2012

Postmark Deadline: April 30, 2013

Poetry: 3-10 pages of poetry (one long poem or several short poems).

Fiction: 7,500 words maximum.

No previously published works or works accepted for publication elsewhere.  Author’s name must not appear on the manuscript.  Include a cover sheet containing major title and subtitles, author’s name, full address, phone & email.  “Contest Entry” should be clearly indicated on both the outer envelope and the cover sheet. Manuscripts should be stapled, if possible; if not, please bind with a heavy clip. Manuscripts will not be returned.  Nimrod retains the right to publish any submission.  Include SASE for results only.  If no SASE is sent, no contest results will be sent; however, the results will be posted on Nimrod’s Web site. Submitters must be living in the US by October of 2013 to enter the contest.  Winners will also be brought to Tulsa for the Awards Ceremony in October. All finalists will be considered for publication.

Entry/Subscription Fee: $20 includes both entry fee & a one-year subscription (two issues).  Each entry must each be accompanied by a $20 fee.  Make checks payable to Nimrod.

Send to:

Nimrod Journal
Literary Contest–Fiction or Poetry
The University of Tulsa
800 S. Tucker Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74104

30 Days to Sanity Stories

Do You Have a Story?

Do you have heart-warming, insightful and powerfully moving stories about how to stay sane in this chaotic 24/7 world?  A co-author of the New York Times Best-selling book series Chicken Soup for the Soul is currently seeking stories to be included in 30 Days to Sanity, an online stress/resiliency program. Now you have an opportunity to contribute to this new online program by sharing your strength, insights, knowledge and wisdom.

What makes a good 30 Days to Sanity story?

A Sanity Story is an inspirational, true story, that opens the heart and re-kindles the spirit.  It is the personal account of an event, an obstacle overcome, a strategy to remain sane, or a lesson learned that helps the reader discover basic principles they can use in their own lives.

Some of the topics we will include are: Getting to Know Yourself, Your Needs and Your Dreams, Getting Your Priorities Straight, Learning to Listen to Your Heart, Discovering Your Passion, Setting Aside Time Just For You, Balancing Work and Family, Building a Soulful Community, Learning to Love Your Body, Taking a Mini-Vacation or Playcation, Setting Limits Both at Work and at Home, Putting Technology to Work for You, Making a Meaningful Contribution to the World, Growing From the Bumps in Your Life, Making Technology Free Times to Truly Connect, Creating a Space Just For You, Making Sacred Time for Your Family, Eliminating Time Wasters and Energy Suckers, Managing Technology, Banishing Your Guilt, Celebrating Your Gifts and Strengths, Expressing Appreciation to a Friend or Loved One, Asking for Help or Support, Discovering an Attitude of Gratitude, Using Life as Your Teacher, Cultivating Compassion or humorous stories about funny things you’ve done while stressed.

What we’re looking for are “teaching tales” that inspire the reader to draw their own conclusions and insights from the story itself.  We are looking for real-life anecdotes that are instructive—a personal wake-up call that is enlightening.  No preaching or philosophizing, no fables, just good old fashion storytelling that is based on true experiences.

If you have a great story and would like to be included in 30 Days to Sanity, please send your stories to: 30 Days to Sanity at Box 31453, Santa Fe, NM  87594-1453 (please keep copies as we are unable to return submissions). Or e-mail stories to *protected email*  The maximum word count is 1200 words.  For each story selected for the program a permission fee of $100 will be offered for one-time rights.  There are no limits on the number of submissions.  Stories must be received no later than May 1, 2013.

Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition 2013

Dear Writers,

We would like to offer information on the 2013 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition, now in our 33rd year:

Our competition is an internationally respected short fiction contest, now in its 33rd year. We are proud to say that many of our past winners (and honorable mention recipients) have gone on to make an indelible mark in the world of literary fiction. Each was then a fresh new voice yet to be heard, and when we think of new voices in fiction, we naturally think of creative writing and the groups that encourage them. With this unique and supportive relationship in mind, we would like to share some information about entry opportunities with you and your group.

The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition has had the honor of reading the early work of some very talented writers. Among them: Heidi Durrow, a first-place winner in our competition, whose novel, The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, won The Bellwether Prize for Fiction and was, in 2011, on The New York Times Bestseller list; Naomi Benaron, also a past winner, won The Bellwether in 2010. Her novel Running the Rift was published by Algonquin in January, 2012. The list is quite extensive, including National Book Award nominees and NEA recipients. We take fine writing very seriously and do not go by the rule books. New and unique voices are what we seek because theirs shall become the cornerstone of literary legacy. Our 2013 winner, Amelia Skinner Saint, will have her winning story “Ship Full of Beasts” published in the next print edition of Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts.

We realize you will want to verify our credibility before making information available to your group, so please feel free to look up our listings in Writer’s Market, Poets and Writers, and other literary references.

We encourage you to visit our website at http://www.shortstorycompetition.com/ for further background and listings of previous winners.

With sincere appreciation,

The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Contact: Eva Eliot:
Editorial Assistant: shortstorykw@gmail com

$2,500 Awaits Winners of Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Writers of short fiction are encouraged to enter the 2013 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. The competition has a thirty-three year history of literary excellence, and its organizers are dedicated to enthusiastically supporting the efforts and talent of emerging writers of short fiction whose voices have yet to be heard. Lorian Hemingway, granddaughter of Nobel laureate Ernest Hemingway, is the author of three critically acclaimed books: Walking into the River, Walk on Water, and A World Turned Over. Ms. Hemingway is the competition’s final judge.

Prizes and Publication:

The first-place winner will receive $1,500 and publication of his or her winning story in Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts. The second – and third-place winners will receive $500 each. Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise. Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts was founded by editor-in-chief Pamela Uschuk, winner of the 2010 American Book Award for her book Crazy Love: New Poems, and by poet William Pitt Root, Guggenheim Fellow and NEA recipient. The journal contains some of the finest contemporary fiction and poetry in print, and the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition is both proud and grateful to be associated with such a reputable publication.

Eligibility requirements for our 2013 competition are as follows:

What to submit:

* Stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 3,500 words in length. We have extended our word limit for the first time in thirty years to 3,500 words rather than 3,000. There are no theme or genre restrictions. Copyright remains property of the author.

Who may submit:

* The literary competition is open to all U.S. and international writers whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more. Writers who have been published by an online magazine or who have self-published will be considered on an individual basis.

Submission requirements:

* Submissions may be sent via regular mail or submitted online. Please visit our online submissions page for complete instructions regarding online submissions. Writers may submit multiple entries, but each must be accompanied by an entry fee and separate cover sheet. We do accept simultaneous submissions; however, the writer must notify us if a story is accepted for publication or wins an award prior to our July announcements. No entry confirmation will be given unless requested. No SASE is required.

* The author’s name should not appear on the story. Our entrants are judged anonymously. Each story must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet with the writer’s name, complete mailing address, e-mail address, phone number, the title of the piece, and the word count. Manuscripts will not be returned. These requirements apply for online submissions as well.

Deadlines and Entry Fees:

* The entry fee is $15 for each story postmarked by May 1, 2013. The late entry fee is $20 for each story postmarked by May 15, 2013. We encourage you to enter by May 1 if at all possible, but please know that your story will still be accepted if you meet the later deadline. Entries postmarked after May 15, 2013 will not be accepted. Entries submitted online after May 15, 2013 will not be accepted. Writers may submit for the 2014 competition beginning May 16, 2013.

How to pay your entry fee:

* Entry fees submitted by mail with their accompanying stories may be paid — in U.S. funds — via a personal check, cashier’s check, or money order. Please make checks payable to LHSSC or The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. Entry fees for online submissions may be paid with PayPal.

Announcement of Winners and Honorable Mentions:

Winners of our 2013 competition will be announced at the end of July 2013 in Key West, Florida, and posted on our website soon afterward. Only the first-place entrant will be notified personally. All entrants will receive a letter from Lorian Hemingway and a list of winners, either via regular mail or e-mail, by October 1, 2013. All manuscripts and their accompanying entry fees should be sent to The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition, P.O. Box 993, Key West, FL 33041 or submitted online. For more information, please explore our website or e-mail: shortstorykw@gmail com

Sincerely,

Lorian Hemingway
Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters

From James Stuart Bell:
You may recall my role as editor for story collections such as: A Cup of Comfort, Life Savors, Extraordinary Answers to Prayer, and Love is a Verb.  At present I am putting together a sequel volume of stories that will follow Angels, Miracles, and Heavenly Encounters, published by Bethany House Publishers in the first half of 2012.  The content will be similar to the original volume. The supernatural realm consisting of God and His angels, as well as evil spirits, is ever present in our midst.  On rare occasions this realm becomes visible or we see its direct effects that can in no way be explained in the natural realm. These stories will cover the gamut of supernatural encounters: from supernatural miracles including physical healing, angelic visitations, near-death experiences of the afterlife, manifestations of evil, apparitions, and miraculous rescues.  For the sake of authenticity, we are interested only in first-hand accounts in the first person.  The stories need to go beyond subjective or speculative interpretations of events and be as concrete as possible, so if presented in a court there would be no human explanation of hard evidence.

We’ll consider original, unpublished stories from 1,000 to 2,000 words. The stories should have a creative title, an attention-grabbing introduction, main body with a conflict or challenge, and a clear, satisfying resolution.  They need to be descriptive, rooted in time and place, with a realistic portrayal of the characters involved. They need to be substantive stories rather than mere testimonies or teachings, and the focus should not be on the supernatural realm alone, but rather the spiritual lesson learned.  Please include a personal biography of 30 words or less at the end of each manuscript.

The book will be released by Bethany House Publishers sometime in 2014. Your manuscript will be due no later than July 1, 2013, but we would prefer it much earlier.  Please send your manuscript attached to the e-mail rather than pasting text in the email window as a Word document.  Send your manuscript in normal manuscript formatting, with your full contact information–name, address, phone number, and e-mail address on the actual manuscript, not just in your e-mail.

We are offering a one-time fee of $50 for stories 1,500 words and over, and $25 for stories under that word count.

We will send you contracts upon the publisher’s acceptance and would need them back promptly. Payment will be made after all contracts have been received.

Please direct all inquiries and manuscript submissions to my colleague, Jeanette Littleton, at *protected email*.  If this e-mail has been forwarded to you, and you can’t submit to this call, but would like to hear about other editorial needs as they arise, please send us your e-mail address and we’ll add you to our notification list.

Blessings to you and yours,

James Stuart Bell

Texas Mountain Trail Writers Meeting Minutes

March 19, 2013

The meeting was called to order by President Reba Cross Seals. Minutes are available online. They were approved.

Treasurer’s report – January 31 – Feb. 28, 2013 Anne

Checking: Starting balance: 4554.68
Ending balance: Deposits: Disbursements:
Paypal: Starting balance: Ending:
Deposits; Disbursements:
5254.68 700.00 0.00 0.00
392.65 392.65
0.00

Additional notes:

• Chaos Printing pending: $1,100
• 17 people currently registered for conference
• Paypal payments were taken for many registrations in March and the current balance will be much higher for next month’s report. Anne will transfer the balances into our checking account over the next few months as the balance is higher than the transfer limit set by Paypal. Reba thanked Anne and Kip for getting the Paypal option set up on the website.

Treasurer’s report was approved.

April is Poetry Month. Reba reminded us that Front Street Books invites all poets within range of the store to participate in weekly poetry readings during April. The store would like poets to help coordinate the evenings and provide simple refreshments. Members of TMTW are encouraged to contact Jean Hardy Pittman at Front Street Books if they are interested.

Brags:

Edy – her eldest grandson won first place in his student division of the Cowboy Poetry contest. Joy Nord – has had her book published: Haunted Roads of Texas. Elaine, Reba, and Jackie have stories in the book.

Jackie and Reba – will have stories in the West Texas Christmas Stories collection. It will be published by Abilene Christian University Press and should be out in the fall.

Bob – the Cenizo will be publishing the best of the stories in the next edition. It means Bob will get paid twice for the same story. Yea!

Biggest Brag of the month: Eleanor’s novel: Wet My Mouth with Honey is out!! Ready for bookstores everywhere. Elaine had it on her Kindle already!!!

Conference:

Registrations are more than the 17 listed in the Treasurer’s Report (due to date of report), but we really need help in getting more participants. Discussion was held on people coming for a single session. We don’t do that because we need to pay for the conference. It is possible for people to pay for dinner and hear that speaker. This year it will be Bill O’Neal.

Reba and Jackie appeared on Marfa Public Radio’s Talk at Ten to advertise the conference.

Bob brought a clipping from the El Paso Times which advertised the conference. They have done a great job of publicizing us. Janith has also gotten good coverage in the local papers.

Reba brought the listing from the Shaw Guides. Aleta will get us a flyer to print out and distribute. If each person could print half a dozen to take to places they frequent, it would be great. Janith is also busy sending out teasers (she thanks Reba for the info). We need to contact the Midland writer’s group. Janith also recommended we save the addresses for the newspapers, etc. on a disc for next year.

Jackie handed out a list of retreat responsibilities. Members were asked to look over what they were responsible for and add or delete things as needed. We do not have to bring baked goods this year, but each of us are asked to provide 2 door prizes, flashlights (if you are staying at the lodge) and camp stools or chairs for the Haiku Hike.

The business meeting was adjourned.

Wonderful refreshments were provided by Aleta.

Our program was given by Eleanor Taylor – My Experience with E-Publishing. Eleanor tracked her progress, woes and successes, through getting her novel, Wet My Mouth with Honey, published. It was a wonderful program, lots of great advice. The best part of it all – seeing her book in print! In addition to the handout a few extra helpful hints: the more you have prepared in advance – manuscript ready, blurbs ready, cover art picked, the faster your progress will be using the e-publishing method.

A few quick reading assignments were read, the rest were postponed to next meeting

Our next meeting will be April 23 (that’s a week later than usual). Elaine will bring refreshments.

Respectfully submitted,
Jackie Siglin
Secretary

Trail Bits

Submitted by Reba Cross Seals

Reba: It occurred to me that mullygrubbing might not been part of your family vernacular…

For All You Mullygrubbers!

mullygrub (verb)
mullygrubs (moody noun)
mullygrubber (person to avoid)

The word mullygrubs came up on NPR recently and befuddled many people — both reporters and listeners. This is one of the best one-word descriptions alive (barely); it is attached to those moody, lackadaisical, gloomy, annoying people who just collywobble around, bringing negative energy to everyone.

If that isn’t enough to keep you away (or to keep you from becoming one), know that collywobble is a verb meaning to “belly-ache” (derived from “collic” and “stomach ache”). Got it?

Where the term mullygrub comes from is equally interesting (to us word geeks). An Aussie reports that a mullygrub is a cricket noun, referring to a bowled ball that “just rolls along the ground, keeping the batsman from scoring more than one run”, and therefore turning the defeated bowler into a collywobbler who resorts to any method to win with no consideration of long-term results. (Sounds as if it should be part of U.S. political grammar.)

Wait! There’s more! The word mully is a variant of muley, which refers to cattle with no horns. And how do hornless cattle behave without a means of defense? They get the mullygrubs, which turns them into very blah animals — thus mullygrubbers — blue, sad, down in the dumps.

Don’t be a mullygrubber! Forget the collywobbles and get out there and throw a party, ride a roller coaster, ask an attractive person out to dine, run naked through the stre… no, better skip that last one!

From THE ANARCHIST’S GUIDE TO GRAMMAR
What the hell is a Grammar Anarchist? You can be one! Since we don’t have a U.S. language, feel FREE to set your own rules — interpret grammar YOUR WAY. You’re not in England anymore. Join the anarchy of U.S. grammar! Make your choices and preserve them in YOUR STYLE MANUAL. —The Grammar Anarchist

Contact the Grammar Anarchist with your questions about grammar and language at *protected email*
Get a personal reply at *protected email*

Submitted by Reba Cross Seals

Wow! I’ve seen this with the letters out of order, but this is the first time I’ve seen it with numbers.

Good example of a Brain Study: If you can read this OUT LOUD you have a strong mind.

And better than that: Alzheimer’s is a long, long, ways down the road before it ever gets anywhere near you.

7H15 M3554G3
53RV35 7O PR0V3
H0W 0UR M1ND5 C4N
D0 4M4Z1NG 7H1NG5!
1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5!
1N 7H3 B3G1NN1NG
17 WA5 H4RD BU7
N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3
Y0UR M1ND 1S
R34D1NG 17
4U70M471C4LLY
W17H 0U7 3V3N
7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17,
B3 PROUD! 0NLY
C3R741N P30PL3 C4N
R3AD 7H15.
PL3453 F0RW4RD 1F
U C4N R34D 7H15.

To my ‘selected’ strange-minded friends:

If you can read the following paragraph, forward it on to your friends and the person that sent it to you with ‘yes’ in the subject line. Only great minds can read this. This is weird, but interesting!

If you can raed this, you have a sgtrane mnid, too.

Can you raed this? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this forwrad it

Even if you are not old, you will find this interesting…

This is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your neurologist. Your brain is great and you’re far from having a close relationship with Alzheimer…

Final Note from the Editor:

Have news? Toot your horn, clang your bell, raise your roof! Tell us your news and stories – or writing news in general, such as publications you would recommend, contests, book events, etc. Send your Braggin’ Rights and Trail Bits to *protected email*.

Writing “Opportunity”: 500 words on one of the following of your choice:

Young [...]]]> Meeting Announcement: Our February meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 19, 2013, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of the Hallmark Apartments in Alpine.

Program: “Plot and the Plot Whisperer” - presented by Anne VanLoon

Writing “Opportunity”: 500 words on one of the following of your choice:

Young and the Restless – Romance
The Secret Storm – Mystery
Edge of Night – Science Fiction

Refreshments: Delicious treats from Darrell White.

No President Chat. Instead, NEW UPDATED INFORMATION about our wonderful Writers Spring Retreat! Click Here to Read!

2013 TMTW Spring Retreat Featured Speakers

Juan Perez: Haiku, horror, 2011-2012 Poet Laureate for the San Antonio Poets’ Association,
comic books, self published six poetry books, & science fiction
 
Bill O’Neal: Texas State Historian, western researcher of gunfighters and ghost towns,
non-fiction children’s author, country music & baseball books
 
Nina Amir: Non-fiction editor, proposal consultant, blog-to-book author,
34 years publishing experience

–>Click Here for ALL of the Details!

From the SLO Night Writers

Hello Fellow Writers!

Attached is a flier for the SLO NightWriters 24th Annual Writing Contest.

Pass the information on to any interested writers.

The basics are:

Short Story/Memoir – 750 word max
Poetry – 40 line max
First Line or Theme:  A Perfect Storm (Interpret as broadly as you like)
Entry Fee: $10 per entry
Prizes:   $200-First Place,  $150-2nd Place,  $75-3rd Place,  Plus Honorable Mentions
Deadline:  March 31, 2013

ALL WRITERS ARE WELCOME!

See the flier for more details and/or
Visit our website   www.slonightwriters.org

Sharyl Heber
SLO NightWriters Vice President
Contest email -  *protected email*

WEST TEXAS WRITERS
Midland, Texas

SHORT-STORY CONTEST
CASH AWARDS TO THE TOP THREE ENTRIES

Entries postmarked JANUARY 1, 2013 through April  1, 2013

No specific theme required, no adults only, no erotica
Original work unpublished

1000 to 2500 words

One copy, typed, double-spaced, one side only – 8-l/2 x 11 white paper, 1” margins
Times Roman font, l2 point or Courier, 12 point

ON COVER PAGE ONLY – Author’s Name, complete address, telephone number, email address and WORD COUNT – Judge(s) will not know who entrants are.
Each page with header of title and page number

Multiple entries accepted – $ 5.00 entry fee for each short-story payable to: West Texas Writers, P. O. Box 51083, Midland, TX 79710

Include SASE if you wish your entry to be returned to you. All other entries will be shredded.

Decisions of  judge(s) are final. Not responsible for late or lost entries.

WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT “CELEBRATION OF WRITERS” on
Saturday, June 1, 2013, at The Midland County Library, Midland, TX, 2-4 pm

For more details: Debbie Pelham, *protected email*

*protected email* OR www.westtexaswriters.org

A Request from Glenn Dromgoole

Reba, Thanks for speaking with me this morning. The book project I’m working on is West Texas Christmas Stories, an anthology to be published in the fall by Abilene Christian University Press. I’m looking for stories/essays about Christmas in West Texas, or with a West Texas theme or by a West Texas writer. Length of the stories I’m finding varies from a few hundred words to a little more than a thousand words. So far I have stories on a wide range of topics, some humorous, others more serious, or warm & tender. I prefer stories rather than essays, but will consider both. Not poetry however. Payment is a copy of the book and publication credit. I’m hoping to make my selections within the next week or two (Ed. 2/14/13), so time is of the essence. My e-mail address is *protected email*.  Thank you for considering my request.

Glenn Dromgoole
Abilene

TMTW Minutes of January Meeting

January 15, 2013 Ft. Davis Library

The meeting was called to order by President Reba Cross Seals. We had ten members present and three guests – Terry Allison, Kitty Siboyan, and Kathy Bencomo.

Minutes were accepted as printed on the Texas Mountain Trail Writers’ website.

Treasurer Report November 1 – December 31, 2012: Anne

Starting Balance: 4,524.68
Ending Balance: 4,554.68
Deposits: 30.00
Disbursements: 0.00

Report was approved as read.

Old Business:

Reba reminded us to participate in the first line contest on our website. Send in the best and worst first lines you find in books to her. She will forward them to Kip for the website.

Conference: Aleta

We have one speaker confirmed, Juan Perez. The committee is working on the other two speakers. Members gave some suggestions. The date is confirmed, April 12, 13, 14 and the lodge has been confirmed. The theme of the conference may be Where the Wild Things Write. Aleta and Janith are co-chairs of the conference, Kip is doing promotion and advertising. Jackie volunteered to be the contact with the lodge and take care of all issues there. Other volunteers will be needed for other jobs.

New Business:

Anne recommended a way to streamline our membership dues.

1. The TMTW would have an official membership period from April 30 of a year to April 29 of the next year. The year would begin after the annual conference. This would make things easier for the treasurer, the Chaos editor, and our members. It would eliminate questions from members regarding submission eligibility and allow easier record keeping.
2. Chaos submission dates be finalized – April 30 of the year to February 28 of the next year. Any pieces submitted after February 28 would be eligible for the next year’s Chaos, assuming the author is current with dues.
3. A person could join the TMTW during the middle of the membership period and, if they pay dues, have full membership benefits for the remaining of the membership period. They must pay dues again at the beginning of the official membership period to remain current. (Example: A person chooses to join in January and pays their dues. They may have all benefits – publish in Chaos, etc., for January through April 29 of that year. To remain a current member, they must pay dues again on April 30.)
   1. Members who are not paid in full will continue to be ineligible for publication in the Chaos until dues are current.

A motion was made and seconded to approve this plan. The vote was in favor.

Anne and Marian will work with the list for this year. We will start the plan as of April 13, 2013.

Chaos – Aleta.

She does not have copies of volume 4, 5 or 6 for our history. Elaine is working to see that the Archives at Sul Ross have a copy of each year.

Next meeting will be February 19 at the Hallmark Apts. Darrell will provide refreshments. Jackie will bring paper goods from our cache.

Reba asked if we would consider having a meeting once in awhile at the Front Street Reading Room. The group was in favor. Marie will ask Jean Pittman if this would be possible.

Next month’s writing opportunities:

Young and the Restless – Romance
The Secret Storm – Mystery
Edge of Night – Science Fiction

Brags:

Marie announced the publication of her book, a memoir, Let Go of the Rope. She is working on marketing, has it for sale on Amazon, hopes to have book signings at Front St., and the Marfa Book Co. She is doing social marketing. She had 100 copies printed.

Announcements:

Reba announced a publication opportunity with Hidden Brook Press. She had a story printed in their Christmas anthology. This year’s are Family Times Anthology and Father and Grandfather Anthology. They do not pay, but give one free copy. Other copies may be purchased.

Jackie announced the WLT Editors and Agents Conference will be June 21-23 in Austin. She and Barbara Blake will attend. More information is on the Writers League of Texas website, www.writersleague.org

Meeting was adjourned. Delicious refreshments furnished by Eleanor and Marie were enjoyed by all. Reba presented our program, Three Simple Stages of Self-Editing. It was very informative and well-received.

Respectfully submitted,
Jackie Siglin
Secretary

 Braggin’ Rights

Vivian Morrow Jones’s  essay, Star-Crossed Soldier, was published in Ten Spurs, a literary journal from UNT’s  non-fiction program. The story is about her uncle, a young Marfa soldier who was a victim of friendly fire during WWII. Thanks to all the TMTW members for help with research!

Found on Facebook

The Dos and Don’’ts - By James V. Smith Jr.

Don’’ts

1. Don’’t introduce any new characters or subplots. Any appearances within the last 50 pages should have been foreshadowed earlier, even if mysteriously.
2. Don’’t describe, muse, explain or philosophize. Keep description to a minimum, but maximize action and conflict. You have placed all your charges. Now, light the fuse and run.
3. Don’’t change voice, tone or attitude. An ending will feel tacked on if the voice of the narrator suddenly sounds alien to the voice that’s been consistent for the previous 80,000 words.
4. Don’’t resort to gimmicks. No quirky twists or trick endings. The final impression you want to create is a positive one. Don’t leave your reader feeling tricked or cheated.

Dos

1. Do create that sense of Oh, wow! Your best novelties and biggest surprises should go here. Readers love it when some early, trivial detail plays a part in the finale.
2. Do enmesh your reader deeply in the outcome. Get her so involved that she cannot put down your novel to go to bed, to work or even to the bathroom until she sees how it turns out.
3. Do resolve the central conflict. You don’t have to provide a happily-ever-after ending, but do try to uplift. Readers want to be uplifted, and editors try to give readers what they want.
4. Do afford redemption to your heroic character. No matter how many mistakes she has made along the way, allow the reader—and the character—to realize that, in the end, she has done the right thing.
5. Do tie up loose ends of significance. Every question you planted in a reader’s mind should be addressed, even if the answer is to say that a character will address that issue later, after the book ends.
6. Do mirror your final words to events in your opener. When you reach the ending, go back to ensure some element in each of your complications will point to the beginning. It’s the tie-back tactic. Merely create a feeling that the final words hearken to an earlier moment in the story.

By James V. Smith Jr.

 Final Note from the Editor:

Have news? Toot your horn, clang your bell, raise your roof! Tell us your news and stories – or writing news in general, such as publications you would recommend, contests, book events, etc. Send your Braggin’ Rights and Trail Bits to *protected email*.

Writing “Opportunity”: 500 words on one [...]]]> Meeting Announcement: Our November meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2012, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of the Hallmark Apartments in Alpine.

Program: eBook Publishing – Pros, Cons & Kindle vs Nook – presented by Kip Piper, Internet Marketing Expert & Trainer

Writing “Opportunity”: 500 words on one of the following of your choice:

A Turkey Defense
Love in Fall
Hot Time in the Old Town

Refreshments: Delicious treats from Elaine Davenport.

President Chat

Thankful for November and Thankful for Texas Mountain Trail Writer friends!

Seems the older I get the more thankful I become; however, the less I want to decorate my home and prepare huge feasts. Is that an oxymoron?

Congratulations to our writers who are participating in NaNoWriMo at this time. My tang gets tungled when I try to say it, but it means National Novel Writing Month, and that month is November. If you are participating, please comment through the Log of the Trail or email me,  *protected email*.

Our November meeting is a week early this month to avoid conflicting with Thanksgiving plans. It will be in Alpine, November 13, 2012 at the Hallmark Apartments on Hwy. 118 north. The program is one that is of great interest to writers in the current printing and distributing climate, e-book publishing. It will be presented by Kip Piper who has a number of years of business experience on the internet. Refreshments will be provided by Elaine Davenport.

Darrel White, vice president has named our writing opportunities for the November meeting as 500 words or fewer on your choice from this list:

A Turkey Defense
Love in Fall
Hot Time in the Old Town

The Best First Sentences and the Worst First Sentences just got serious! The club voted to award a $25 gift certificate for the Best and a $15 gift certificate for the Worst (redeemable at Front Street Books for locals and an online book store for out-of-towners). Send your nominees to me,  *protected email* to compete. Winners will be announced in the May Log of the Trail.

Here are some that may make you go, “Hummm, wish I’d written that,” or perhaps you see some that make you groan aloud.

Best First Lines:

submitted by Marian Frueh, Fort Davis, TX

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled
with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with
nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means
comfort.”

source: J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

submitted by Reba Cross Seals, Alpine, TX

“Let’s make this fast. I was molested when I was a child and then I wasn’t any
more and then I skated competitively as a kid and then I quit skating and started
drinking when I was a teenager and then I started therapy when I was an adult and
then I married and then I still had therapy and then I had children and then I still
had therapy and finally I decided I was tired of all this therapy, all this talking
like a talk machine.”

source: Amy Fusselman, New York Times essay, “Feet to Brain”

Worst First Lines:

submitted by Reba Cross Seals, Alpine, TX

“She slinked through my door wearing a dress that looked like it had been painted
on…not with good paint, like Behr or Sherwin-Williams, but with that watered-
down stuff that bubbles up right away if you don’t pierce the surface before you
slap it on, and—just like that cheap paint—the dress needed two more coats to
cover her.”

source: Sue Fondrie, It’s a Crime

submitted by Reba Cross Seals, Alpine, TX

“Chapter One: I am born.”

source: Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

If you find these pique your interest, please participate by sending me your choices. It’s interesting that sometimes I’m pondering if some first lines are the best or worst. Do you have the same problem?

Reba Cross Seals

NaNoWriMo

Hello All!

I wanted to share what one author just said in an interview about writing and about Nanowrimo. I think he really has solid points about writing in general and I liked how he phrased it all.

“All the stuff I learned and relearned was the stuff that NaNoWriMo participants are familiar with—that you should just write it now and polish it later, that a writer’s search for perfection can be self-defeating, and that waiting for a brilliant idea gets you nowhere; that you have to seize the day, and if you have a problem, to think of a quick solution and keep going; that your audience wants you to succeed, to entertain and transport them, and they’re not always as worried about holes and coincidences as you are; that the most humdrum idea written down beats the most sublime idea in your head, every time… you want me to go on?   “

So, who’s joining me in November for Nano? It’s crazy, but it doesn’t have to be “good” writing either. Plus there are prizes and bragging rights!

If you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is or want to look into it a bit, check it out at www.nanowrimo.org.

Feel free to pass this along to anyone.

^_^ Anne VanLoon

TMTW Minutes of October Meeting

October 16, 2012

Eleven people were present in the library in Fort Davis. One was a guest, George Pitlik, who expressed interest in rejoining next month in Alpine.

The minutes of the previous meeting were in the Log of the Trail, so were not repeated. Anne Van Loon, treasurer was absent.

Under old business, president Reba Seals skimmed the retreat evaluations compiled by Jackie Siglin. The results were mostly positive, even exuberant. Some were ones over which we have no control like the size of meeting room. Others were more valuable suggestions and will be considered, such as renting a sound system. Numerous compliments were received on the quality of the retreat. Participants’ feedback was appreciated.

Under New Business it was decided to change the November meeting date up a week to Nov. 13, and it will be in Alpine. The previous date was two days before Thanksgiving. Elaine Davenport volunteered to bring refreshments.

At the suggestion of club president, Reba Seals, the group voted to award a $25 gift certificate (redeemable at Front Street Books) for the winner of the “Best First Sentence” in the current contest instituted by Reba. A $15 prize will be awarded to the winner who finds the “Worst First Sentence.” Trail Writers are urged to send Reba your suggestions for the best and worst first sentences you find in your own works, in books you are currently reading, or as Vivian Morrow did, from a book you loved from your childhood. Current offerings are in the October Log of the Trail published by Kip Piper. A list for your vote will be sent out in May at the end of our standard organization year. Prizes will be awarded then.

Aleta Belcher with spokesperson, Kip Piper, offered suggestions for our next retreat. They have been busy brainstorming, and came up with several ideas. The group voted to remain at the Mountain Trails Lodge in Fort Davis and to secure keynote speaker, Juan Perez, 2011-2012 Poet Laureate for the San Antonio Poets’ Association, humorist and poet with a fantasy/gothic slant. He also does traditional haiku, and is willing to speak about the publishing of poetry. Two dates in April are available at this time, both at the Lodge and with Mr. Perez, and it was noted that we need to secure one. Dates available were April 12, 13, 14 or April 26, 27, 28.

The program was presented by Bob Miles, local western writer and historian. He told of his background, his research, and means of publication. He discussed considering a compilation of his historical essays, but does not feel he has enough for a book yet. His presentation was secured by David Seals.

A break for coffee, cake, and popcorn was taken. David Seals had Porter’s Thriftway bake and decorate a Halloween motif cake for the club with the words, “Happy Writing” inscribed. Aleta brought the popcorn.

Story readings were given by Elaine Davenport, Eleanor Taylor, Darrell White, Kip Piper, and Reba Seals.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:45.

Reba Seals, acting sect.

 As Seen on Facebook

submitted by Reba Cross Seals

submitted by Kip Piper

Cliches for Writers

by Mark Nichol

1. After hours: In the evening or at night, or late in the day (referring to standard daytime hours that most businesses are open)
2. Banker’s hours: A relatively short duration (from the onetime tradition that banks were open for a limited number of hours compared to other businesses; therefore, one who keeps banker’s hours has a light work schedule)
3. Bat/wink/twinkling of an eye: variations of an idiom referring to a period of time so brief that it passes while one’s eyelid moves
4. Eleventh hour: occurring late in a given time frame (from the fact that the eleventh hour is the last in the day before midnight)
5. Flash: an instant (from the fact that a flash of flame is short lived)
6. Heartbeat: an instant (from the duration between one heartbeat and the next); usually seen in the expression “in a heartbeat”; by contrast, a phrase beginning “a heartbeat away from” refers to someone being in line for promotion if the heart of that person’s immediate superior stops beating — that is, if the other person dies
7. Jiffy: an instant (perhaps from slang for lightning); also shortened to jiff
8. New York minute: a brief time (from the notion that minutes in the hectic milieu of New York City pass more quickly than those in more relaxed locales)
9. On the hour: at the beginning of every hour
10. Shake: a very short period; usually employed in the phrase “two shakes” (a truncation of the idiom “two shakes of a lamb’s tail,” alluding to the typically rapid motion of the young animal’s tail)
11. Small hours: the early morning (from the low numbers on the clock that indicate the time during that period)
12. Split second: a fraction of a second (from the notion that a second can be split, or subdivided); a split is also a fraction of the total elapsed time for a race
13. Tick: a moment (from the ticking of a clock); a tick is literally a mark used for measure, as on a clock
14. Trice: a short period of time (from a word meaning “pull”); often seen in the phrase “in a trice”
15. Witching hour: midnight or the middle of the night (with the connotation that unsettling or unusual things happen then, from the superstition that witches are about at that time)

submitted by Reba Cross Seals

Final Note from the Editor:

Have news? Toot your horn, clang your bell, raise your roof! Tell us your news and stories – or writing news in general, such as publications you would recommend, contests, book events, etc. Send your Braggin’ Rights and Trail Bits to *protected email*.

Meeting Announcement: Our September meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the home of Reba and David Seals in Alpine. (See more info below in the President Ramblings.)

Format for Meeting: Potluck Party and Writing Round-Table (See more info below in the President Ramblings.)

President Ramblings

Welcome Texas Mountain Trail Writers to a new year of honing our craft while encouraging and enjoying each other from your new president, Reba Cross Seals. Food and writing, two staples in the life of writers, are openers for the first meeting of the new season. A Potluck Party will be at the home of David and Reba Seals in Sunny Glen, Alpine, September 18 at 6:30. All members, guests, and area writers interested in the organization are invited.

A writing round-table game is planned under the oak trees, along with great food. Please notify Reba at 432-837-2919 as to what you would like to bring in your pot and how many guests on your arm. There will be no business meeting, but there will be some fun announcements.

As your new president, I’m wearing a hat other than the one you’ve seen me in the last few years. I traded the retreat/conference responsibilities to two wonderfully capable women, Janith Stephenson and Aleta Belcher. In return I accepted the presidency and will do my best for you. Darrel White is our v.p. in charge of programs and almost has his slate completed. Secretary is Jackie Siglin; treasurer is Anne Van Loon. Kip Piper agreed to continue her job as webmaster and editor of Log of the Trail. Marian Frueh will be our Chaos West of the Pecos editor for another year. These are all big jobs and I’m proud of the quality people we have filling the slots.

A reminder to send me the best first lines (or the worst!) you find in any book or even your own WIP. (See “Fun Contest for This Year Announced” below.) Thanks, Marian, for starting us off with one. We will announce current entries in the First Lines Contest at the party, then we’ll publish them all in the Log of the Trail. Be sure to site where you found it and the author. We’ll be sure to give you credit for the find. *protected email*  See you soon.

Reba Cross Seals

Fun Contest for This Year Announced!

The first thing writers are taught is to make your first sentence of a story, article, or book hook ‘em and grab ‘em so firmly that agents, editors, and all readers will be immediately engaged. This year we are going to have some fun with that. Each month in the Log of the Trail we will publish some of the best (and worst) first lines you can find. They may come from your own WIP (work in progress) or from something you’ve read, current or ancient. Fiction or non-fiction are both fair game.

This will be enjoyable as you search and jot down the first sentence, name of the story or book, and the author. Tell if you think it should be nominated under the best or worst category. The difference might not be as obvious as we think, and some might disagree. We will publish several each time for your pleasure. Please send them to me at *protected email*

Here is, perhaps, the best known classic for our beginning. I thought you might enjoy reading the history. (And no, Snoopy did not originate it.)

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.”

Author was novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, 1803-1873. The following information is copied from Wikipedia.

Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC (25 May 1803 – 18 January 1873), was an English politician, poet, playwright, and novelist. He was immensely popular with the reading public and wrote a stream of bestselling dime-novels which earned him a considerable fortune. He coined several phrases that would become clichés, especially “the great unwashed”, “pursuit of the almighty dollar”, “the pen is mightier than the sword”, as well as the famous opening line “It was a dark and stormy night”.

Marian Frueh and Frank Carden have send me a couple of good ones. The rest of you, start digging!

Reba

Trail Bits

Top Punctuation Howlers – Quotation Marks http://blog.ezinearticles.com/2012/08/top-punctuation-howlers-quotation-marks.html
From Kip Piper

I really like this site. Thought I would share with you. Lots of good ideas in it. I get this newsletter free once a month or so. – Aleta Belcher
HomeMadeSimple <*protected email*>

As seen on Facebook – from Reba Cross Seals

From Doris Rangel (as shared by Donna Greene)

Dear All

Today is the first day of school and I am not there.

Well, actually, it’s the second day of school.  The first was Saturday, September 1.  Here school begins September 1 whether it’s Saturday or not.  First Bell, it’s called.  All very ceremonial but, to my mind, wonderful, a genuine appreciation and respect for the forthcoming educational journey.  Everyone dresses.  I mean, DRESSES!  The teachers always dress (I’ve had to spiff up my look), even on workdays, but for First Bell they dressed as we would dress for a wedding.  Anything that could shine, shone; anything that could glitter, glittered; anything that could frill, frilled.  Heels were high, nails, toe and finger, polished, jewelry ornate.  Then there were the students, dressed as nicely as their parents could dress them.  Suits for the boys, or at least shirt and ties, or their very best tee shirts if that’s all they had; girls in nicest dresses, the young ones in white tights with their rhinestoned mary janes, white gauzy rosettes in their hair.

First Bell is when the first graders are welcomed into the school.  The seven 9th graders, the top class in my school, did the honors. They were on the stage to begin with, a few of them had pieces to say, mostly about how important education is.  Then the 10 first graders marched out, each carrying a trio of red, white, and orangy-gold balloons – the colors of the Armenian flag.  A tape of the Armenian national anthem played as we all stood.  A few more remarks by the 9th graders, still on stage, and a remark or two by the incoming first graders, now on the stage with them.  Then the principal welcomed everyone and also had a few remarks about the benefits of education, the pride of Armenia in its scholars, etc.

And then, those of you teaching or who are former teachers will love this, each 1st grader had to swear in a memorized piece that essentially he or she would do all their school work, listen to their teachers, and in general be well behaved boys and girls till they graduated from high school.  One little one, almost swallowed by his 3 piece suit, said his piece at the top of his lungs; the little girl beside him rolled the hem of her dress up and down as she swore her promises in a slightly quieter tone of voice. (Call me cynical but it’s a good thing no tiny hands had to rest on a Bible.)  Then the 9th graders gave each of the young ones a gift bag with a few school supplies in it – notebooks, pencils, eraser, ruler.  After which, the 1st graders gave each of the 9th graders a gift bag.  It had a picture frame in it, but I don’t know what else.

The school buzzer buzzed and everyone cheered.  Then one of the first graders was given a beribboned ceremonial handbell.  A 9th grade boy picked her up and held her high so she could ring it, then pass it on; every new 1st grader was held aloft and rang the bell for all they were worth as everyone clapped; then the 9th graders took each by the hand and led them to the first grade classroom.  No wonder everyone I’ve talked to remembers this day in their own school careers.  And though the ceremony clearly centered around the oldest and the youngest students, the whole school was there to witness the occasion.  Quite a few parents, too, but I imagine mostly the 1st and 9th grade parents.

As I said, it was wonderful and I was teary-eyed.  Certainly the message was clear, in a way I feel we don’t make it clear as a society in the US:  education is one of the most important aspects of anyone’s life – of a nation’s life.  A time to be treasured; a gift.  Perhaps Armenia is more cognizant of this because they have had their freedom as a modern nation only for about 20 years and still have an awareness and an eagerness for things they want to accomplish; no sense yet of ‘been there, done that’ boredom that can undercut a nation’s flow.

And now it’s Monday, the first real day of classes, and I’m not there.  All prepped and excited and ready to be a real PCV, and here I sit at home.  Seems the teachers at my school – I don’t know about the rest of Armenia – only work 4 days a week.  The students go Monday through Friday, but each teacher has a day off in that span.  Turns out my counterpart’s, the English teacher’s, day off is Monday.  Well, rats!  My hostess’ day off – she’s the Russian teacher – is Tuesday, so I’ll go tomorrow for my first day all by myself.  I won’t even know what class to head to first because my counterpart hasn’t yet given me her schedule – I’ve asked twice.  That’s a problem because it’s the teachers who travel.  The students stay in their respective classrooms as the teachers rotate.  It will all work out, I know, but I HATE looking as lost as I really am in front of everyone.  All the little things one picks up or knows enough to ask from the conversations going on around you, I don’t hear; and my counterpart often doesn’t realize I don’t get about 90% of the information everyone else is getting on the fly.  And I know, it’s up to me to get it.  I can hardly wait to get settled and get a language tutor.  For one thing, I’m missing all the gossip, and definitely all the subtleties.

No word on housing yet.  I was shown a perfectly lovely place, just one street beyond my hostess’ house, but they wanted 80,000 dram for it.  That’s a little over $300 for a fantastic 2 bedroom house.  Flush toilet, hot water, a WASHING MACHINE, central heating, the works!  Great if I were on American money.  Unfortunately, I’m on the PCV Armenian dram.  The Peace Corps tops me out rent wise at around 25,000 dram.  It is looking more and more as if I will have to live in Spitak proper and commute.  I’ve even begun considering staying where I am for the winter, if my hostess will have me, just so I won’t have to learn a new living area all over again.  There’s a lot to be said for someone leading you around by the hand – sometimes literally – and showing you how things work.  My bedroom is just so darned crowded, however, with other people’s things, and I hate not being able to spread.  So we’ll see.

Even in my laborless state, I hope all of you are having a wonderful 3 day holiday.  I keep up with the national headlines via internet (yahoo and msnbc for what that’s worth) and the occasional English language Russian TV (for what THAT’S worth), but so enjoy hearing your news.  Thanks for writing.

Doris *protected email*

 Demystifying Writers’ Demons One at a Time

One by One -  by Joan Upton Hall

CONFUSING WORDS—Shone / Shined

Frequently mixed up depending on whether its past tense is transitive  (has a direct object to receive the action) or intransitive (does not have a direct object)

• Shined (past tense/transitive) – Amy shined the silver.  (has a direct object)
• Shone (past tense/intransitive) – The silver shone from her effort. (no direct object)
• Shined (past tense/transitive) – Bob shined his car to a high polish. (has a direct object)

• Shone (past tense/intransitive) – The moon shone brightly. (no direct object)
• Shined (past tense/transitive) – Bob shined his flashlight at the house.  (has a direct object)
• Shone (past tense/intransitive) – From the window, a mysterious light shone back. (no direct object)

Do demons bedevil your writing? Similar, confusing words? Grammar, punctuation, or capitalization rules? “The Demystifier” will clear up the mystery (primary reference unless otherwise noted: Garner, Bryan A. Dictionary of Modern American Usage. N.Y.: Oxford University Press). Address questions and comments to freelance editor, Joan Upton Hall at: moc.loa@llaHumj. More problems like the above are demystified in the booklet, 50 Writers’ Tips. Find more at http://www.JoanUptonHall.com/books.htm.

Final Note from the Editor:

Have news? Toot your horn, clang your bell, raise your roof! Tell us your news and stories – or writing news in general, such as publications you would recommend, contests, book events, etc. Send your Braggin’ Rights and Trail Bits to *protected email*.