Category Archives: family memoirs

It is a Beautiful Thing!

1 Comment

“A child is an uncut diamond.” ~ Austin O’Malley from Keystones of Thought 

Don’t you just love it when you encounter a child who is filled with  excitement and passion for their world and they open up and invite you in to come along for the ride? That is exactly what happened to me on Thursday, as I sat down to meet with a third grader named Simone. 

Introduced to Simone’s mom, some time ago, she mentioned her daughter’s love of writing. She asked if I would be willing to get together with her and her daughter, to discuss the possibilities of independently publishing her child’s work. Finally we had a chance to meet and talk.   

Simone, smiling and proud, immediately placed one of her stories in front of me to read. As I perused the page, I went on a trip that if we hadn’t spoken another word, I knew what this little girl was all about. You could tell by the flow of the story and by her ebullient descriptions, this child is alive with a fun spirit and gushing with life. 

My thoughts were confirmed, as Simone began to speak. Her sparkling personality shined through. As she described her passion for writing, it was indeed reflected in the tale itself. 

As we departed, I said to Simone’s mother “Do all you can to keep that fire alive inside of your child. Let’s work together to see what we can do to work toward fulfilling her dreams.” I know first hand how rewarding it is to parent a child who has that kind of zest for life. It is a beautiful thing. 

I wish every child on this earth could find a teacher, a mentor, a parent or friend who could help them discover and nurture what moves them, what inspires them and makes them tick. 

If Simone follows her heart, there will be all kinds of good things springing forth from this child. I’ll bet she will want to share it with her readers, too. 

Keep on writing and reading, Simone. I enjoyed meeting you!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Explore a Future with Positive Growth

Leave a comment

“What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” ~ Napoleon Hill

Today, on All Things Fulfilling, we are going to turn our attention back to the very reason some readers return to this website time and time again.

The publishing industry is increasingly changing and we use this space to keep our readers up to date about new developments in independent publishing. Now at a time where independent publishing represents more than 50% of all publishing revenue, every day someone new decides to tell their story through the written word. No longer do you have to have an agent or a letter of acceptance from a publishing house in order to move forward with publishing a book. Anyone can be an independent publisher and sell their books, films or music through e-commerce and learn to promote it through e-marketing. For best results, however, some education is needed to learn how to become visible and effectively reach potential book buyers through the internet. 

 The Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA )is a great resource, and especially for beginning independent publishers. There are valuable downloadable webinars available that will provide you with a basic introduction to the industry and help you along the way. The webinars are affordable and will help you explore and navigate your way through the independent publishing process. To start you along the journey, take an 18 minute tour of “On the Fast Track: The Independent Publishing Industry.”  http://bit.ly/oIkV2g. 

Before you jump in with your publishing project, my advice would be to learn what you can through downloadable webinars, join an independent book publishers association in your State of residence and attend independent publishing conferences.

Here in Colorado, the Colorado Independent Publishers Association is at the forefront of developing a fulfilling relationship with libraries for e-book selling. Learn about this partnership, through this article http://bit.ly/dNEX6N.  

Check back with us tomorrow, and we will bring you more independent thoughts, words and views about an industry that is fulfilling the needs of many people who want to be visible through their written words.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Observing Darkness and Light

Leave a comment

“Every moment of dark and light is a miracle.” ~ Walt Whitman 

A Christmas tree gives rise to thoughts of darkness and light. Have you ever noticed how people’s interpretation of what makes a pretty tree is so opinionated and individual?

Many families argue while putting up a Christmas tree. Some like it simple, some more ornate. A modest nativity scene indicates to some that, indeed, Christmas is here. Others like their homes, properties and trees lit up like the night time neon lights of the Las Vegas strip. Some families like simple homemade strings of popcorn, and cranberries or perhaps pine cones sprayed with gold paint will do. An evergreen wreath hung on a door and lit by a single spot light is beauty at it’s best for some individuals. It is interesting how a certain holiday decorating style can be fulfilling to one, atrocious to another. It is all a matter of personal opinion. How about you? What is your idea of good taste? 

As we all know, a good way to tell whether the lights and ornaments are well-placed on a tree is to step back and take a look. You can find the spaces that are empty and fill them with shimmery light. 

It is like life. In order to move away from the darkness, we have to discover the light. In this upcoming holiday, find it – seek it! Stop and listen to the carolers, spend a day or evening walking Main Street. Join in the energy of the shoppers. Listen to beautiful holiday music. Bake a batch of Christmas cookies for an elderly person or a military veteran who has no family at all. It will lighten your spirit and brighten your day along with some one else’s, too. 

Watch out! You might just get caught up in the spirit and feel the swish of a magic stick over your world. What a fulfilling thought that is!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Bringing Behind the Scenes Looks

Leave a comment

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” ~ Gail Devers 

What do you get when you put together art, religion, crisis, history and architecture together? The basis for a great televised mini-series, of Ken Follett’s novel Pillars of the Earth, adapted for film. 

Tonight and tomorrow (12/2 and 12/3/11) , on the Channel known for bringing outstanding behind the scenes Specials about films to viewers everywhere, a look at the making of the Pillars of the Earth  mini-series will be featured! Don’t miss out. 

For broadcast times and channels, please visit the website of Reelz Channel. Here you go, I will hook you up! http://bit.ly/rYU4km. 

Congratulations go out to the crew that brings these Weekly Specials to broadcast on a regular basis! I am proud to say, our favorite filmmaker is part of the team, as lead editor. Way to go Marc! A Shout Out to you and the others dedicated at  Reelz to bringing outstanding productions to the viewers. For more information on the visual effects and film editing work of Marc R Leonard, please visit http://bit.ly/tWdLnk.

Have a great weekend everyone! I will be back on Monday with more independent words, thoughts and views on www.AllThingsFulfilling.com.

Stones Bring Fulfilling Thoughts

Leave a comment

“Art must unquestionably have a social value; that is as a potential means of communication it must be addressed, and in comprehensible terms, to the understanding of mankind.” ~ Rockwell Kent 

My travels over the Thanksgiving holiday led me to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I visited the site of some of the earliest forms of writing here in the United States at Petroglyph National Park. Approximately 24,000 images pecked into stones by the Utes, Apaches and Navajo people have been discovered in the park. 

As my husband, son and I wandered among the desert canyon lands and discovered stone after stone etched with symbols, we discussed what we thought the Indians may have been trying to convey. Some communication seemed to be through single, independent pictures. Trying to decipher and translate words associated with groupings of  symbols on individual rocks, was more difficult. Some etchings were clearly of plant life, animals and birds; others perplexing and more mysterious. On many boulders, we found iconic Native American designs that are found in books about Indian lore and legend.   

Although the images pecked into the volcanic rock are hundreds of years old, they are hardly the earliest fossils indicating written communication on earth. Mesopotamian pictographs dating back five thousand years are the earliest known forms of writing. Symbols carved into clay tablets communicate information about crops, taxes and life during the years before Christ (B.C). Conservators of these early tablets, often found in broken form, work at piecing them together to come to an understanding of the early messages that were left behind. 

One primitive etching, the three of us agreed, was of an Indian with bow and arrow in hand. It was not surprising to find such an image since hunting, fishing and finding indigenous food sources consumed the daily lives of the Indians. The hunter with his weapon made us realize how grateful we were for the food we had eaten the day before.  For us, obtaining the ingredients for a fulfilling turkey day dinner was only as far away as the grocery store. Amen!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Fulfilling Thoughts of Thanksgiving

Leave a comment

“Gratitude can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Unknown 

On this Thanksgiving Day, I am grateful for all readers who have visited this blog site All Things Fulfilling. I appreciate your encouraging comments and your interest in the independent thoughts, words and views that are posted on this site. This digital publishing format provides a way of learning about others in the world who also have faith in the growing  independent publishing industry and see  value and worth in providing a way for each voice to be heard.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Writers Who Grow as they Go

Leave a comment

“A fulfilling life is different to each person. You have to acknowledge your dreams, and not just wait for life to happen, and opportunities to come knocking at your door.” ~  Joan Lunden

The deadline for submissions to the Sante Fe Writers Project is December 15th  – just around the corner! Send in your books for consideration to their annual award contest now! Don’t wait. 

The Sante Fe Writers Project (SFWP) is an “independent press dedicated to the craft of writing.”  It was formed in 1998  as a grass roots trial to bring together a group of art advocates and writers. It has gained international acclaim for their literary contest and also, for their on-line journal which has been in existence since 2002. 

Published authors and authors who have never been published before are welcomed to submit to this contest. Submissions from small presses and self-published books are eligible in categories of creative non-fiction and fiction. To read the guidelines for submissions and eligibility requirements, please visit the following link http://bit.ly/bOmP26. 

 The organizer of SFWP, Andrew Gifford, (from the Writers Center in Bethesda, Maryland) has written an interesting article on independent publishing. Please visit this site to learn what he has to say about the industry.  http://bit.ly/tznXjF. 

Sante Fe and the neighboring city of Albuquerque, NM has a wealth of professional artists in the literary, visual and filmmaking fields who call those cities home. If you have never visited the area, it is filled with art and inspiration.

This blog mistress will be taking turkey day off. I will be spending the holiday with my favorite filmmaker and visual effects artist in the State that “Grows as it Goes!” I look forward to sharing more with you from the “Land of Enchantment” in upcoming blogs. 

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

 This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Sacred Writing

Leave a comment

“Every organized religion holds that certain behaviors, rituals, personalities, places, and/or books are sacred.” ~ Prem Prakash 

Looking for a writing program specifically focused on art and spirituality? Western Michigan University is offering a month long summer program in Prague, from June 30 to July 27, 2012. “Pitching the Sacred” has programs for visual artists, photography, yoga practitioners, Jewish Studies and for playwrights and poets, too.

This creative writing program fulfills requirements for credit hours, if you are working towards a degree. Note that scholarships are available, if you are financially in need. Early registration is suggested, this programs fills quickly.

Many independent publishers are writing books, producing films and music about the sacred and producing DVDs and music . Take advantage of this opportunity to study abroad with scholars from Central Europe and  with some of the finest American writers, too, please visit www.praguesummer.com. 

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Where is there Paradise?

Leave a comment

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of a library.” ~ Jorge Luise Borges

Where is paradise anyway? Is there a place free of tough life choices, family dilemmas and drama? 

On Wednesday, a new independent film called The Descendants featuring George Clooney hit movie screens in select cities across the United States. This movie has gotten solid reviews as a movie that will make the viewer laugh, cry and bring thought provoking issues, to the fore, about family inheritance and how it is to be used. 

The film is set in one of the most geographically fulfilling paradises in the world,Hawaii. Yet there is no exemption from stress, decision making and failed family communications found there, either.

To learn more about this newly released film and to watch a trailer, please follow this link http://imdb.to/99pqrz. 

Have a great weekend everyone! We will return on Monday with more independent thoughts words and views from Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC.

Beyond Name Brand e-Readers

Leave a comment

 “The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones.”
~ John Wooden 

Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes and Noble’s Nook and the Sony Reader are becoming household words in e-readers. However, there are other brands that are geared for specific uses and target markets, too. Don’t discount the lesser known e-readers that are available. Check all your options when searching for an e-reader, you might find one that may be better than the others at fulfilling your particular needs. 

For example, Jet Book K-12 from Ectaco, Inc. is a digital reader made specifically for schools. Standard applications include state reading lists from schools, Oxford English dictionaries as well as other language dictionaries, a handheld scanner that allows for documents to be scanned directly into the device and a scientific graphing calculator. 

There is also a recipe reader, the Demy by Key Ingredient Corp. for culinary customers who find it easier to go to a digital reader to locate recipes they are looking for rather than leafing through volumes and pages of cookbooks. This slim digital reader can hold up to 2500 recipes all on spot, in one small space atop the kitchen counter. No need to worry about splatters of food ruining pages of a cookbook, anymore. 

Looking for a digital note e-ink screen and touch screen, all in one combo.  The entourage eDGe allows users to write handwritten notes on one side and has an e-reader on the other. This dual-sided e-reader came out in 2010, and now has a downsized Pocket version as well. 

The Story HD from Iriver is called the world’s highest-resolution 6 inch e-reader. This is device supports ePub and PDF files and uses 63% more pixels for better resolution. 

One more gadget new to the market features a full color, non-reflective screen great for out-of-door reading. Mirasol’s PocketBook has a 7 inch screen and runs on Android 2.0 on a wireless network. 

Remember, if you purchase an e-reader, there are also lots of free independently published e-books on line. How do you locate free e-books? Here is a source http://bit.ly/14tUT. 

Happy e-reading, everyone! This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. Specializing in E-Commerce and E-Marketing for Independent Publishers.