Donna Volkenannt: MY Inspiration

        Yesterday I got my copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul Inspiration for Writers.

      Cathi LaMarche has a story in this collection. I won't give away too many details of her tale, but I will say I was yearning for a particular ending, and shazam! It finished just the way I wanted it to...it ended up being a combination memoir and fairy-tale-come-true. Cathi is one lucky lady. (You'll have to buy the book and read the story to find out why she is so fortunate in my eyes...)

      Donna Volkenannt is in the book as well. Donna had an integral role in my story and she's mentioned by name...several times. She pushed inspired me to do something that--without her prodding--I probably wouldn't have done. (It happened several years ago...way before I joined my critique group. Donna probably doesn't even remember or realize how she helped me.)

Donna Volkenannt--at one of her book signings in December 2012

     And hey! The WWWPs are mentioned (in my bio) as well. They have the label of "infamous." Perhaps "notorious" would be more apropos?

     Buy a copy of the book. It's one that every writer should have...

Something Old, Something New

          Getting new fronts for your cabinets gives a whole new look to your kitchen. And getting a writing piece resurfaced and the rough edges sanded off makes all the difference in the world, too.

       I had a story that I wrote about 10 years ago. I had sent it off, but got no acceptances. It was a tale about an experience my family had back in 1968. Ten years ago, I was a lot more unskilled--writerwise--than I am now.

       Also, I didn't belong to an effective writing critique group ten years ago.

       I was in Birmingham this weekend, and while I was out of town, I got an email that my story--after it had been dusted off and worked on and critiqued and "fixed" in many ways--has made the first round for Not Your Mother's Book On Holidays.

       Take a story. An old story. Dust it off. Look at it with new eyes, and increase the number of eyes that check out the tale. And watch what happens...