Saturday, October 21, 2017

"Will the Real Patricia Anne please stand up?"


A friend and client thought I should introduce you to the real Patricia Anne Elford, the one who this week discovered she hadn’t cashed a for-editing cheque after it had been sitting, sealed, unnoticed, under a bathroom countertop container for six months.

 When I go to the bank, rarely, I usually go towards the end of the day, often at the end of the week, after having, among other tasks, slaved over a hot computer, so that I'm in somewhat of a daze and a fluster, hair sticking out, black under my eyes and mumbling that my accounts end with such and such numbers and I think I have my client card with me.

The clerks make the mistake of asking me how I am and I tell them how I am, and why. I stop mid-sentence, grasping for words of polite conversation. Most of them know I'm a writer and, I think, consider me to be eccentric. They are kind souls who treat me with as much courtesy as if I had large amounts of money in their branch and they manage not to giggle or roll their eyes before I exit.

Quite often, this is also the state I am in when I go to the pharmacy or take Lickorish, our 18-year-old cat in for his biweekly respiratory-improvement needle. Why? Because I always try to work at my writing and editing when I am as fresh as possible. When I take husband/chauffeur/Robert’s oxygen tank to the car for me to complete our “outside world” tasks, I’m actually exhausted, having worked from early morning (sometimes, during part of the night, when the quiet soothes and my mind is free), and I am ready for a drop-dead-into-bed nap, not interaction with other human beings. Thus I scatter the breadcrumbs of my idiosyncratic reputation all over the community.

But, now YOU will know some of the ways I’ve been spending my time:

- I’ve been editing for several clients, work I thoroughly enjoy when they’re eager to do their best and are willing to take advice. I’m thrilled when they have been shortlisted or won awards for their books or single pieces. I’m equally as happy when they have produced a work that is well done and well-accepted by family and friends.

- I’ve been doing some periodic creative work for the Petawawa Grannies, that being my part while others are doing theirs.  

-  I’ve been writing and submitting, gaining a first for my already-published non-fiction piece with insights into The Lord’s Prayer, in the last InScribe Winter Contest and (interest was expressed re. possible future use of a poem written about my husband’s being on oxygen 24/7) and a third for a wedding message (which I misnamed a devotion and possibly created incorrect expectations) in the unpublished non-fiction area of their Fall contest.

One of my poems, “Christmas Memories, Past and Future”, was accepted for Christmas with Hot Apple Cider, a brand new anthology in the Hot Apple Cider Series, a great book I’m more than happy to promote.

- During my absence, I’ve written a couple of book reviews for books in which I wasn’t involved as an editor, though I don’t make as much time as I might to do more of that. I’m a fast reader but I take that responsibility seriously and can’t rush it.

 Also submitted a few pieces that were not published but publishers made encouraging noises. (After this length of time at writing and the compiling and editing of the Grandmothers’ Necklace anthology, I know the difference and am not nearly as put off by a lack of acceptance. Sometimes pieces can be good but just don’t fit.)

 I’ve happily kept my column commitments for the Pembroke Daily Observer and have had fun creating the accompanying unconventional artwork. Several commented on the last art piece. Links follow this post for you to take a look at the columns. I hope you will! You’ll also find other reasons for my absence from this blog if you read, or have read, the S.O.S one.

This is a lengthy post but it has been most of a year that I’ve been in absentia!   

Thank you very much for checking in. I truly appreciate it.

 What now? After a week of pretending to put the house and yard into a somewhat acceptable state of order and some medical appointments, I hope to do the following:

- Sell some of the woodworking machinery my husband is no longer strong enough to use. (He chose which ones. That was HARD.)

- Accept and complete another editing contract. I’m available! Have references; will edit.

- Get serious about getting my own book manuscript, The Cuddle of Cats—Talk to Me; I’ll Listen. Listen to Me; I’ll Talk, polished up for publishing. Among others, our veterinarian, who holds an important position in the CVMA, has read it and is happy to write an endorsement! I expect to donate a percentage of the book’s earnings to the local SPCA. Excerpts read in public reading events were well-received, so, there’s hope.

The Column Links:






May God bless you for persevering to the end of this post! Thank you.
 

Thursday, August 10, 2017

S.O.S. All Hands on Deck!

ONE QUICK UPDATE. DESPITE ALL INDICATIONS TO THE CONTRARY, I HAVE NOT LEFT THIS WORLD! If you follow the link below to my most recent newspaper column, you'll have a teeny idea of what might have interfered with my conscientious maintenance of this site. Once more, as a true Canadian, I can only say "I'm sorry!".
I'll return after I've completed more work for my editing client, to share some of my writing and publishing experiences during my prolonged absence from this site. http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2017/08/03/community-editorial-board-deluge-inundation-engulfment-submergence-sos 

Sunday, January 24, 2016

It's About Time!



Once again, because I have a story, present title, "Some Nights, I Wake up Crying!   Laila’s Story" in an anthology about illegal child labour, with a link to my blog, I'm prodded to update "Still Waters and Dancing Wings". It's that I have things published in new publications often enough to push me into bringing my blog up to date.

It's certainly also a very good thing that I'm not this tardy about meeting writing submission dates or completing editing contracts!

Hot Apple Cider with Cinnamon has indeed been released and is doing very well. At this link, http://www.njlindquist.com/books/hot-apple-cider-with-cinnamon/ you can see the list of contributors and the titles of their submissions, as well as some responses to the book as a whole.  

Because my piece (originally entitled "Hardly the Wisdom of Solomon") was so self-revealing, I hesitated to submit it. Then again, how could I not tell about the incredible undeserved Help with a capital H which I received as I lived through those life challenges? How could I not share my story's joy as well as its utter misery?  I do not walk alone, nor, readers can realize, do they.   

SOME OTHER WRITING PUBLISHED DURING THE COMMUNICATION GAP:

A little more about the Beachburg Fair Awards: I submit to publications world-wide, concentrating, for the most part, on Canada, and secondarily, on the United States. I also like to support local institutions which encourage the arts. This year I entered three pieces in the Beachburg Fair Writing Competitions. Results show up in the photo.

People do not have to live in the area in order to submit. I hope to submit the "Grandmother Remembers the Fair" story, suitable for mixed older adult and child reading together,  for publication somewhere. I would also like to submit the decrepit farm story. The judge's comments on both pieces were encouraging, particularly those on the "children's story". It has some humour in it. I think people appreciate that. (I do.)

 "Living and Dying of a Valley Farm" was triggered by the weekly sight of a local homestead slowly disintegrating. I've found it fascinating in a depressing way and have taken photos of it at different stages, one of which I used for my set of photo cards on sale to raise funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. I did some research on the history of the property and the persons who had lived there. Out of that arose a poem and a story. It felt as though I've lived through it by the time I'd finished. (A similar feeling emerged as I completed the "Laila's Story" manuscript).


Timmy and the book about himself
 
It's rather fun to have the ribbons in addition to the small financial prize. It seems in keeping with a country fair.

As I don't have a barn stall or harness to which to fasten them, I put the ribbons on Timmy, my son's chimp which I have on loan for as long as I need him. (Timmy is also the subject of one of my picture book manuscripts (written in French and English versions.)

During the run-up to the recent election, I was kept busy making and posting relevant FB posters, and writing to newspapers and various politicians on topic.

Participation in the 100% Possible environmental event in Ottawa prompted postings to encourage participation but, thus far, no article/column has arisen. It was VERY chilly on that day. (I took the photo on the right but I didn't take a "selfie".) We were to wear green if possible. Value Village supplied a dark green coat for a price and I assembled  a silly hat with green leaves and a green plastic (Clementine box) net veil on it. Robert, my husband, took a photo but it isn't available right now. (Translation: I can't find it.) 

As predicted in the last blog entry, a column did arise from my involvement in the Poverty Forum. Here is the link:
http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/10/29/editorial-board-pamela-t---only-one-face-of-poverty-in-canada  It uses the true story of one person to introduce people to some of poverty's reality in Canada. I was very pleased when a neighbor who had read the column was concerned enough to ask whether the young woman involved ever overcame the obstacles to find a decent job. (In this case, the accompanying photo wasn't mine. I was too busy elsewhere.)
 


The article I mentioned being asked to do concerning Advent for Glad Tidings was on page 4 in this November/December issue. It was called "Hit Pause". You can read it at http://www.wmspcc.ca/wp-content/uploads/Hit-Pause-ND2015.pdf.

I'm not sure why I didn't enter this in The Word Guild writing awards competition, but I didn't, and it is too late. 
==================

The Pembroke Observer Column on the same topic can be found here. If you're interested, you can compare the two Advent versions for similarities and differences. http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/12/02/ceb-advent--wait-wait-wait-wait-for-christmas   (Illustration mine)

Note: Daniel, the son whose writing was so well received at Janna's Café has been doing some more writing, as has his wife, Brenda. She writes what I think is called Fan Fic. We watch episodes of a particular series so we can understand what is going on when she writes about something that takes place in between the episodes, keeping the characters in character. It's interesting to see how she works with them. She really seems to get inside their heads and can provide rationale for anything they say or do.

Note #2: Our only granddaughter (the other four are boys) had received a book filled with empty frames of various shapes and she was to create a graphic novel style of story in it. She did. I have a photo of her reading it to Grandpa when we were there for our New Year's celebration of Christmas.  

                                   End of reporting re. 2015.

This week, I'm to participate in a town meeting about making our community more elderly-friendly. Time will tell whether a column will arise from it. My next assigned newspaper column is for Easter weekend, so it won't be then. 

The organizer suggested something about my being involved in the access study committee, a sub-group, I gather. It is of personal interest to me, of course, because my husband's emphysema necessitates his being on oxygen 24/7 and the effect that has on his ability to walk long distances from parking or long halls without any seating along the way (such as at the new Pembroke medical building), or to climb more than a few steps at a time.

However, for that same reason, I'm uncertain that I have the necessary time and energy to give to the committee work involved. I may, however, write a column for the local paper, using the information the committee gathers, if that will help. 

OTHER ACTIVITY: The faithful Petawawa Grannies continue to work to support the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers to Grandmothers in their actions of assisting the hard-working grandmothers raising, under extremely adverse conditions, children orphaned by Aids/HIV. 

One popular Pet Gran event is the GranAfrican Dinner.

In an Observer article (not mine) see photos taken at the 2012 version of the  dinner.  http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2012/03/30/grannies-supporting-grandmothers
                                                 ------
A talented member, Judy Cummings, conceived of and created attractive centerpieces for events until she was "centrepieced" out. For the 2015 dinner it was my second turn to make the centerpieces, using requested materials donated, for the most part, by other Pet Gran members or their friends.

<-- This is just a few of the 15 happy grannies (still without their jewellery) who sat with an electric candle on a coloured plate that had a circlet around it saying "Grandmothers Light the Way". Some people wanted to buy the figures but I wasn't quite ready to let them go.

This year, each of those grannies is to be joined by a figure of a baby, young child or teenager to represent the many children for whom the Sub Saharan grandmothers are caring. This year, at least some of the granny figures will be on sale, possibly by bid. 

There will be a poster with all the details for me to add here sometime soon.

This year's GranAfrican Dinner is on April 10, 2016 at the Legion in Petawawa!  Great food!  Great entertainment ...three different entertainers are back! Old favourite and new items are for sale at the market tables.

It's after 12:00 midnight. It's long past time for me to get to bed. Have many tasks to complete these days and I'm a rag (and sometimes "grumpy") without sufficient sleep.  


Some of Grandmothers' Necklace's clippings.
Grandmothers' Necklace continues to sell as people see it for the first time and new opportunities arise for sales. Expect some new readings in the valley when the snow clears.


I hope this update gives you enough information for now.

Oh, one more thing. I'm ready for another editing contract. Need an editor? Talk to me.  trishelford@hotmail.com













Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Well, Isn't This Nice?

It would seem that, at this particular stage of my life, I make blog entries once or twice per year!
If you don't remember me, I'm not surprised. NOT the way to win fame and fortune.   

For contributors to the Hot Apple Cider with Cinnamon anthology, due out in October, a bio was to be included. Room was provided for links to websites and/or blogs. I PROMISED that I would have my blog updated for when the book was released. So, although in the interim, babies have been born, people have died, political matters have moiled, both victories and horrors have occurred, finally, here I am, back again!






WHAT HAS KEPT ME SO BUSY THAT I HAVEN’T HAD THE COURTESY TO MAKE AN ENTRY OR TWO SINCE LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME?

WRITING & PUBLISHING Most of my writing is done for publication or in emails or, in occasional comments, on FB. I am not one of those “birds” who tweet or twitter, partly due to lack of time and interest, partly due to ignorance of the process. (Exception: When placing birdfeed and peanuts on the window frame and sill, I do occasionally attempt to mimic the calls of birds around me. Sometimes, jays, in particular, respond.)

Most Recent Newspaper Columns, Pembroke Daily Observer:
 Have continued with my newspaper columns as a member of the Pembroke Daily Observer Editorial Board. Please take a peek at them:
1) http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/08/19/there-once-was-an-old-woman-who-wrote-it   A piece about poetry, with my illustration showing part of my varied poetic approaches.



As mentioned in that article, my friend Heather Campbell (author of five books, two of which I edited), my son, Daniel Elford, (whose writing skill first evidenced itself by publication in a national magazine when he was eight) and I read our prose and poetry in Janna’s Gallery Café. I read a mix of published pieces, unpublished competition winners and excerpts from two of my book ms. We quite enjoyed ourselves and the appreciative audience—sufficiently appreciative that there have been requests for a repeat event. One of Daniel’s pieces, concerning prejudice, brought loud spontaneous applause. Proud Mom!


 
2. http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/04/06/where-in-your-world-is-the-risen-jesus-christ
Concerns the effect of the misuse/ignoring of Lent. Illustration of the empty tomb smothered in secular "Easter" gimmicks and treats.
           
3. http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/06/01/the-mosquito-has-landed-and-landed-and-landed A discussion re. the Petawawa battle against the hardy mosquitos and some suggestions for reframing the situation. Mix of serious and fun piece. Enjoyed doing both the article and the illustration. Didn't check to see how the mayor felt about my fountain suggestion.




4. http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/02/10/bagheera-the-cat-who-looked-into-our-souls A piece that told of living with Bagheera and sharing in his dying. Because of his death, I’ve put aside my (Working title: “The Cuddle of Cats--Talk to me I'll listen. Listen to me, I'll talk") book ms. for some time. Have recently reread the ms. and I expect to be back working on it soon, though, honestly, it still hurts to do so.

Next article is probably going to be about reducing/defeating poverty. Because I’m catching up on other matters, I haven’t made time to dig into it deeply, apart from participating in a recent day-long Poverty Forum (am awaiting the promised participants’ notes), nor have I considered what illustration I’d like to prepare. (Illustration is a self-reward when piece is completed, and the editor appreciates it..)

My Day Apart Writing/Editing Display
 

Photo for brochure
 
 February 7, 2015. Thoroughly enjoyed being keynote speaker at A Day Apart at Kanata Baptist Church, Kanata, ON, an event sponsored by the Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec for members and other interested women. I was treated very well by the organizers involved, encouraged to display my writing/editing wares, as you see above, and found the participants to be quite responsive.  (Note The Reluctant Caregiver there, above, on right.)

Sold Grandmothers’ Necklace copies and one or two copies of Bobbi Junior’s The Reluctant Caregiver, winner of The Word Publishing’s 2014 Free Publishing Contest and shortlisted for the best non-fiction award-winning book. It is having high impact in the Alberta health system with some repercussions here in Ontario. I have the reflected glory of having edited the initial manuscript. It was a joy to do so. Bobbi gifted me with a personal copy. We began our writer-editor relationship via The Word Guild, before we’d met. Later, we two introverts shared a room, at a Write!Canada conference and we’re still friends!

July Beachburg Fair:
Earned a 5th, a 3rd and a 1st in my writing entries. Appreciated the positive comments made by the judge, particularly those about the children’s story. Hoping I’ll think of a good place to have that published. The children's story came second in another year's competition. I revised it and resubmitted it with a new judge and, success.
Moto Cross picture from Beachburg Fair photos.


Not long ago received my cheque and my copies of The Word in Season, October, November, December issue 2015 (Augsburg Fortress Press), in which I have fourteen devotionals, as opposed to seven last time.

My, I like doing that work! It definitely is work, but I learn more each time I do the research and I feel so good about doing it. Preparation of every devotional, as with preparation of a worship service, is, in itself, a worshipful experience. Haven’t contacted them re. doing something new as yet because when I take that on, apart from when I am also editing a book, everything else is put aside and I MUST get caught up on other matters!

Also out, recently, is an anthology, Encountering Jesus, in which I wrote about a life-changing vision. Today I received my contributor’s copy, and I've seen the book advertised on Amazon, Now I'll get to see the exciting experiences about which others wrote. 

Have a ms. accepted for another of their anthologies. It concerns an unusual dream that our youngest son, Daniel, experienced. Understand there are a couple of other anthologies in the works. (Bethany House)




Was happy to receive a request for a piece about Advent for the November/December issue of Glad Tidings, a national (and international)  Presbyterian Women's Missionary Society publication. Have always enjoyed writing for this publication. Have had worship services, poetry, articles, book reviews, devotionals, short stories, etc. published there.  As the value and meaning of Advent is one of my pet interests, I was more than "glad" to submit this time. I expect the issue will be out in late October. Intending to write an article on the same theme (not same article!) in my November column for the Pembroke Observer.



 I’m committed to completing short stories for two different anthologies but am at the research stage for one of those.


EDITING:
Much of my time is spent in editing. This is one of my main sources of income. Fortunately, I enjoy doing it, am fast, and have happy clients.

As the Ink Flows, an anthology of devotionals (written for Christian writers by a group of Christian writers) which I edited, is to be released in April, 2016. It has a relaxed workbook component to encourage interaction.  I’ve also edited articles and short pieces for some of these contributors. The connection continues.   (This entry has been updated because I goofed on the year of release. I don't have a copy because it isn't out yet!)



Last week received a gift copy of Redemptive Love, Claudia Loopstra’s book. I was her primary  editor. It was a long-term contract, begun after we met at a Write!Canada conference. It lasted approximately three years with time gaps as needed. Claudia did a huge amount of work and we became friends as she developed the book, fitting all the pieces together. The author has been very frank about herself, her faith or the lack of it, and about the dramatically serious and amusing events (sometimes both at the same time) which unfold. It isn’t a book a reader will quickly forget.




At present, I have the ms. and am awaiting the go-ahead from a new writer, whom I met at a day conference presented by the Ottawa Christian Writers' Fellowship with The Word Guild assistance. This author’s work has an unusual style and flow that I think will appeal. Again, there is gentle humour. Though I edit serious and academic pieces, I particularly love reading or editing when there’s some humour—overt, subtle, dry or sly!

PROMO:

Grandmothers' Necklace: Have also been catching up on which places are still carrying copies, and, as a result, submitted some book sales funds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Hooray! There is still a huge need for the funding to deal with lack of medical, housing and educational assistance that is affected by, and contributes to, the AIDS/HIV pandemic.

Have eliminated some selling sites. Some, which were independent bookstores, have already been eliminated, unfortunately because of closures. Some great sites still remain, and I'm grateful. The newest site is Janna's, which hosted Pot Pourri. Am very grateful to several contributors who continue to promote the book when selling their own! The book is timeless and a great read. Some people asked permission to do a stage presentation involving some of the material. Some excellent monologue material in there. Contributors now have the copyright!

Present GN Selling Sites. www.valleyartisans.com/grandmothersnecklace.htm Full cost of book goes to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. No profit for writers or editor. PLEASE DO ME A FAVOUR. If any of these places ceases to carry the book, please inform me. Don't want people going on a wild goose chase. There is also Amazon but the stores are kindly carrying copies which are already printed and SLF receives the money through me.  Leslie White generously updates the website as we receive the information.






======================================================================
ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT!
In mid-October, I should be free to take on other editing, so, writers, whether new or with a publication history, if you are seeking an enthusiastic, experienced and informed editor, with decent writing credentials of her own, please keep me in mind.
Enquiries: Use trishelford@hotmail.com, which is the email I check regularly. That way, you won't get lost in the dust.

Soon I’ll post some of my written references from editing clients and from editors of national publications for whom I write/have written. Maybe next post? Or upon request.
=====================================================================
I should also get those up on The Word Guild site!

POLITICS & JUSTICE ISSUES
For much of this year, I’ve daily joined the “Davids”, sling-shot in hand, to spend much of my time, money and energy in trying to “save Canada” by supporting all the organizations, not just political parties, which have geared up to do so.

Patricia, this mini-earner, is bled dry as we struggle to un-do the un-doing of our country.

How can we watch Canada being dismantled and NOT act?! As a Christian and as a person involved in the arts who cares about  God's gift of a beautiful environment, who is concerned about enforced and continuing poverty and its devastating effects, particularly on women and children, etc., I can't ignore it.

Anyone who trustingly thinks destruction in almost every facet of Canadian life has not been happening, (suicide by government) hasn’t been paying enough attention. However, I am discovering there are more "Davids" than I had thought, and in some surprising places. (No, I don't foist political rants on my clients. This is my blog and I'll cry if I want to.)

Surely this is a year’s worth of info. about me. Thank you for browsing through it. Now, imagine yourself receiving a medal!!
Photo courtesy of Adventure Time Wiki



APPLAUSE FOR YOU!
 
 
 
.

 

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?

To anyone who has checked in periodically, hoping to see something akin to words of wisdom here, I apologize for the black hole. It isn’t that I haven’t been writing or editing or tutoring. It IS that I have been writing, editing, tutoring, AND promoting/supporting our fundraising events and products for the Stephen Lewis Foundation to work as a partner with the grandmothers in Africa who are raising grandchildren orphaned by AIDS/HIV. As a result of my husband’s March heart attack and my own high cholesterol level, I’ve also been learning how to make tasty meals that are low in salt and cholesterol. We’ve been managing to do without, or reduce the amounts of some of our favourite foods. Did you know you can use a vegetable peeler to produce a limited number of five-year-old cheddar cheese curls to give the illusion of still eating the huge chunks on which we used to snack? I’m becoming a very creative salad maker and we’re eating a greater variety of fish than we have for years. Tried making a simple coconut and shrimp dish for the first time and all who ate it gave it a thumbs up. Simple is important because when I edit or write for a day, I’m somewhat of a dishrag, no, make that I AM a dishrag, when it comes time to make a meal. That is the danger time! Easy usually means high calories or high salt. Our efforts seem to be paying off. Robert has just been told to half a blood pressure medication dosage, even with a fairly high intake of dark chocolate!! And, that habit is contagious. I hear the rustle, rustle of the paper, the snap of the bar being broken into small pieces, and even though my back is to him as I read in bed, I begin to salivate for chocolate. “Yes,” I say, before I’m asked, and I succumb, once more, to chocolate. EDITING Since I last made an entry here, I’ve been editing several manuscripts, one of which won Word Alive Publisher’s 2014 prize for best non-fiction manuscript, which means that talented author, Bobbi Junior, is having her book edited, published, promoted and distributed by a well-known Christian publisher. What a great prize! Another two articles which I edited for columnist and anthology contributor, Glenda Dekeema-De Vries, won two awards from The Word Guild’s Annual Competitions. Now, if I keep rubbing editing shoulders with these women, and others of their ilk, and actually get my own manuscripts in where they belong, perhaps, I, too, will be a star! Probably, of the four manuscripts which are poised on the verge, the one which would be of the most value in the Christian world is the one for about-to-be-married couples and the clergy who counsel them. It is a matter of getting it to the right place at the right time, and at my age, I’d better get a move on! My life is a prayerful balancing act, as is the case for many people. WRITING: Some publications of my own while you and I haven’t been in touch include: 1) >Meditations for The Word in Season, Augsburg Fortress Press, July, August, September 2014 issue. July 30th to August 6th inclusive. (One of my FAVOURITE things to research and write! Preparing devotions and worship services always takes me through times of worship myself, enriching the product and enriching my life.) 2) The Worship Service in the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Society’s Glad Tidings anniversary issue. For the 75th anniversary, in addition to writing the Go and Tell worship service, I had designed the logo for a competition. The concept came to me after a nap at Vancouver School of Theology while we were there for my husband’s study leave. It won and was refined by a professional artist to reach the hearts of many, being duplicated in pins, on tote bags and on banners. Penhold Presbyterian Church, one of two Alberta points where Robert was serving at the time, gave me great joy by surprising me with just such a hand-worked banner at the front of their church. 3) Several columns >(some of which are on line) as part of my year’s responsibility as a member of what is called the Pembroke Observer’s Community Editorial Board. So far, they’ve dealt with the importance of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a unique family-friendly theatre at Garrison (used to be CFB) Petawawa, Troyes Cinema, where the owner does a handstand before each showing, the trials of mammograms, and, last Saturday, abuse of women. 4) For the last two referenced, I did the accompanying art work, in the first case, a clay composition with other materials incorporated and, in the second case, a collage of photos with ink slashed across it to demonstrate life damage. 5) A couple of manuscripts have been submitted to anthologies and are expected to be printed, two of which have to do with experiences of God, one by the author (just notified that it is accepted and contract to follow) and one by a child. 6) Prepared my presentation manuscript,+ related illustrations, as well as my bio for the brochure for A Day Apart for Canadian Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec, in February 2014. I have the honour of being key note speaker. (I got to play with bubbles while getting my photograph taken for the brochure!) So, now you have it, a rough idea of why I have been so negligent about keeping my blog up to date. I apologize. I should probably put a note up on my face-book page when I make an entry here so that I am not mentally and emotionally banished to outer darkness by those who are kind enough to check in here.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

One Card Photo (see previous post)

Catching Up With You

Greetings, Thank you for dropping by. The original prime purpose of this site was that of promoting Grandmothers’ Necklace, an intriguing collection of short stories and poems compiled and edited by myself in order to raise funds to assist the grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa who have been persevering in raising their grandchildren—orphaned by AIDS/HIV under conditions that most of us could never begin to, nor want to, imagine. Many talented writers from Ireland, the USA and Canada contributed to this book. People have told me several times that this is a wonderful book to have in the bathroom, as long as one is not worried about line-ups of anxious people awaiting a turn in the reading room. I prefer to think of it as a bedside book, suitable for a few short, satisfying reads before it is time to turn out the light. As recently as last month, Katharine Fletcher, author of several books about tours and trips, in an Ottawa Citizen column, encouraged Ottawa day-trippers to travel to the Valley Artisans Co-op Inc.’s Gallery, in Deep River. Imagine our joy when we saw one paragraph devoted to the book itself, with a recommendation to check it out! The Valley Artisans Co-op Inc., first business in Canada to carry our book, also hosts a page on their FB site about the book and where else in Canada to buy it. The Gallery itself has beautiful original items, perfect for gift-giving. If you check their site at http://www.valleyartisans.com/ , you’ll have some idea of what I mean. Customers from other provinces and countries stop there regularly on their trips through the area. The Valley Artisans have renewed their book supply once again. . Also during this past month, I received $100.00 from sales at the Antrim Truck Stop. Their copies are all gone for now. Orders have just come in from Southern Ontario, persons who have received the book as a gift and now, having read it, want to give it as a gift to friends. The beauty of it is that the contents are not stale-dated and the money can continue to go to help those who are working so hard on their own. What is happening with me, in addition to a continuing interest in promoting the book? One more bit of news re.Grandmothers to Grandmothers. For the annual Grandmothers’Tea sales tables, I was able to create some blank note paper using photos I’d taken in this area and elsewhere. Felt a strong urge to do something a little different in addition to the book. If I can, I’ll put one of the photos on the site. The other Petawawa Grannies (and Grandothers) are doing all sorts of things to work as one with the grandmothers in Africa. They served at a local Boston Pizza for one night and will be doing so again soon. A percentage of all food sales during that time goes to the Grandmothers to Grandmothers. One person made a quilt for auction. There are homemade jams and jellies. My own time is devoted to editing some very interesting manuscripts, tutoring a very capable officer from Garrison Petawawa and to a variety of writing enterprises. One disappointment was that a project in New York City was cancelled due to “artistic differences” among the persons there who had started it. I had hoped to see the monologue I’d submitted presented on the stage off-Broadway. Ah, well. My “The Cuddle of Cats” manuscript continues to receive good reviews from readers. An area veterinarian, after reading it, has stated she’d be happy to write some good words in the introduction or on the back cover. I’m hoping to interest a particular agent in it early next year. If and when it is published, I’d like a portion of the earnings to go the SPCA. Not everything, as is the case with the GN book. This one has to earn some money for our household. A few health challenges for my husband and me keep us from being as active as we would like to be. Still, there’s something to be said for having to be quiet for periods of time. The cats are cuddled nearby, or going mad as the birds and squirrels, back-dropped by the tall pines, give a performance on the window sill. The electrical fireplace is cozy (no fire with an oxygen user!). The music playing is rich and dream-promoting. As one daughter often says, “All is good.”