Category Archives: women’s historical fiction writing

Literary Project in Baltimore

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“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.” ~ Descartes 

Last week’s blog about author F. Scott Fitzgerald triggered one of my regular blog readers to e-mail me and ask whether “I was familiar with The Baltimore Literary Heritage Project?” I was not. It did stir my curiosity, however. 

There is a wealth of authors that have come from the Baltimore area, and an interesting project is being organized by the Baltimore Literacy Heritage Project. Imagine going on a self-guided tour to visit the homes and locations where some of the most significant novels in America’s history have been penned? 

The tour, guided by a CD, gives insight into the writer’s life, their genre of writing and their publications. Authors highlighted by this on-going literacy program may include: 

  • Upton Sinclair
  • F.Scott Fitzgerald
  • H.L. Mencken
  • Edgar Allen Poe
  • Frederick Douglass
  • Edith Hamilton
  • Emily Post
  • Leon Uris
  • John Waters
  • Billie Holiday 

The University of Baltimore, School of Communications Design, is sponsoring this endeavor. The school, a part of the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts, offers five unique interdisciplinary majors in writing.

To read more about this ambitious and educational project, and to learn about other writers who called Baltimore their home, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/SgsRid. 

Although many of these authors are long gone, they will never be forgotten, thanks to this very fulfilling literacy project.

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

Truly Committed to the Indies

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“The follow-your-gut mentality of the entrepreneur has the potential to take you anywhere you want to go.” ~ Bill Rancic 

Today, I’ll tell you about my ride to Telluride over the weekend. What gorgeous scenery and a charming town, also. 

 Did you know that Telluride is home to the American Academy of Bookbinding? http://bit.ly/s29fjg. Although the Academy was not one of the primary reasons I visited Telluride, I found out a lot about this village that made me understand why it was recently awarded a grant from the Creative Colorado Industries. http://bit.ly/fXkoNC. 

One of the reasons I visited was to take a look at  Between the Covers. It is a quaint, well-stocked bookstore, well arranged from floor to ceiling. As soon as I walked into the space,  I noticed the Indie Best selling books, front and center. Proudly displayed and identified as such. They were not hidden away, as in many bookstores, like the black sheep of the family. Instead of the NY Times list of best sellers that you usually see in bookstores across America, prominently displayed was the Indie List of top independently published, hard covers and paperbacks. IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) Award winning books were displayed with full cover out rather than with spine only. I was so glad to see it. This bookstore takes selling indie books seriously – it was so refreshing! 

I got a head start on my Christmas shopping for my favorite filmmaker in the family. Between the Covers Bookstore has a nice variety of books on cinema and movie production. I didn’t bypass the nice selection of books in the language arts section without noticing it was at the heart of the store, in the middle. 

Just as we were ready to leave the bookstore, I spied a sign that caught my eye. It read “We prefer being a community partner much more than a showroom.” 

“How apropos!” I thought. This bookstore obviously embraces and is proud of being a partner in the community of independent booksellers and publishers.” Take a peak into Between the Cover’s website. Follow this link http://bit.ly/QK8K5F.   

Next week, I plan to return to this fulfilling small town of  Telluride in my blogging writing. I want to tell you more about the grant it received from the Creative Industries of Colorado. Follow this continuing blog series on Telluride, next week!  

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

Gem Stone Village Discovered

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“I’m also looking for gems that the average reader might have missed.” ~ Terry Windling

“My, oh, my, isn’t it gorgeous?” I said to my husband and son, as we drove into Ouray, Colorado on Saturday. “Didn’t I tell you, Mom?” my son said “that’s why I said you have to come see it.”

Ouray, nestled between high, high peaks in the San Juan Mountains is called “Switzerland of America©.” The “alpine-like” village is a gem. Outstanding ice climbing and summer rock climbing and the healing hot springs are just a few reasons that this little town is so busy with tourist activity.

On Saturday morning the center of town was the starting place for the Imogene Pass half marathon. Fifteen hundred runners faced a challenging course that climbed from altitudes of 7,700 elevation to 13,000, over an unpaved mountain pass from Ouray to Telluride.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the relief and pride I felt as my saw my son cross the finish line after running seventeen grueling miles. It takes guts and grit to tackle it. He did well for himself, finishing 14th in his age group. But, he said many of his competitors were “seniors who looked older than the mountains and really put him and the younger people to shame.” I noticed that as I watched.

Ouray has so much going for it! Well cared for Victorian buildings, art galleries and quaint little shops, the Ouray Hot Springs, and charming bed and breakfasts, historic hotels.

It was second Saturday Art Walk, and we made the rounds. We stopped into Buckskin Booksellers. They have a large and outstanding collection of books of regional interest on Colorado, Western history and of geological subjects such as mineralogy, mining, fossils, rock hounding and the like.

I also noticed some outstanding art books scattered in different retail establishments throughout town. You could not help but notice them because some were like tomes – oversized, beautifully crafted, filled with magnificent images. I spied John Fielder’s Ranches of Colorado http://www.johnfielder.com and books on the Art of Howard Terpning. 

Many notable movies were filmed in Ouray County. My son Marc’s interest in visiting Ouray was more than just to run in a footrace. As a filmmaker, he was interested in seeing the settings of these movies:

Our visit to Ouray was a perfect stop along the way of a fun and fulfilling weekend. I’d like to return some day to further explore this area. It is located near where four states – Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah come together. There is a lot more to see such as Twin Peak Falls, and more to do than I ever realized.  For more information, visit this website http://www.ouraycolorado.com/.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Local Authors in the Limelight

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“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” ~ Edward Hopper

Saturday was a day of great fun for me as a person who works in the independent publishing industry. The literary community of Steamboat Springs, Colorado came  out from behind their computers and into the limelight at the Written Arts Festival. I am aware of the fact that we do, indeed, have a growing population of independent publishers in this community. Nearly thirty were gathered; some having just published their debut novels, while others have more than one book published.

Panel discussions added interest to the event. “How should history be portrayed in writing?” was a subject that drew differing opinions from the authors. In the opinions of some, there is an obligation to write stories true to history; while others contend that history can be written from different perspectives.

Other authors specialize in fiction writing. The panelists in this genre seemed to agree that authors draw, to a certain extent, from personal experience and background which often gives them the basis of the story. Then the storyline “is pushed in different directions,” sometimes ending in a total surprise, even for the author. One panelist mentioned how her deeply felt spiritual beliefs influences her writing and a prolific romance writer admitted that individuals she encounters inspires her characters.

Sites, smells and visual landscapes also influence writing. A third group of panelists discussed how stories are crafted from experience in travel as well as from their rootedness in community. Place plays great significance in our identity as people and as writers. Local issues are often brought into books of regional interest.

The event culminated with an interview of a very talented poet and the Home Ranch owner, Ann Anderson Stranahan. Words, when used with the right cadence and meter makes music, she said. When Stranahan was asked  if “her poetic images come to her in black and white or in color?”

“Vividly and suddenly, perhaps as in a photographic image, rather than an oil or watercolor,” was her answer.

The Bud Werner Memorial Library http://www.steamboatlibrary.org/ and the efforts of their staff made this inspiring event possible. Also, the support of the Steamboat Arts Council http://steamboatspringsarts.com/and Off the Beaten Path Bookstore’s  http://www.steamboatbooks.com/ handling of the bookselling allowed the authors to visit with potential book buyers and answer questions.

I would have liked to have mentioned each of the authors individually, in this blog writing, but there were too many. I did get around the room to talk to each of them briefly. Thanks to all who participated and coordinated the Written Arts Festival. It was encouraging for anyone who is contemplating writing and publishing a story.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

A Mysterious Relationship

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“The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable.”

~ Ralph W. Sockman 

Don’t you just hate it when you think you are finished your holiday shopping only to remember you need just one more thing? If you have a family on your list who lives and loves the equestrian lifestyle, there is one more worthwhile item that you will want to add to your shopping cart this year. 

Executive V.P. of Marketing from the U.S. Equestrian Foundation, Kathy Knill Meyer, has called The Lost Legend of the First Christmas “the perfect “Christmas gift” for people who wish to know more about the mystical bond between humans and horses. This book, the first in The Lost Legend Trilogy by Jo Hardesty, is a gift that will be read year after year because of the appeal it has to the heart and spirit of mankind. The inspiring tale takes children and adults alike on a horseback journey that will lead the reader to a civilization that existed during the time of the birth of the Christ Child, Jesus. 

Besides being a skilled author, Jo Hardesty managed the top three Arabian horse farms in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. As a horsewoman herself, she has known the companionship of horses her entire life. Through her fictional stories about the relationship between horses and the people who love them, she also incorporates living with faith into the storyline. 

Add this Christmas book or the entire Lost Legend Trilogy to your shopping cart. It is the perfect holiday, birthday or  “just because you’ll love it”  gift for the horse enthusiast in your life. For more information and to order, please visit http://bit.ly/vSAPTH.

Happy Holidays from Steamboat Springs,Colorado.

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

Things that Serve Writers and Filmmakers

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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.”  – Mark Twain

New and improved digital publishing software and digital filmmaking software for editing and post production is appearing on the scene.  In this world of producing digital content for all kinds of screens, there is a growing need. 

Perhaps you are a budding writer or independent filmmaker who has made a resolution to invest in stepping things up a notch by purchasing professional software for digital publishing or for creating films or video in  2012. Choices can be confusing and many when it comes to picking the best software. 

Adobe has a website that may be useful in fulfilling your need for knowledge about which way to turn. Their full range of software is suitable for individual and enterprise solutions. Investment in professional software means the ability to create high quality, professional results. 

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite has solutions for those who wish to create content that will captivate viewers and readers on mobile devices. The publishing suite is all encompassing software and it includes individual programs such as:

  • Photoshop
  • InDesign
  • Flash
  • Premiere
  • After Effects
  • Dreamweavers
  • Illlustrator 

Along with the need for software may come a need for education on how to use it, too! There are certified instructors who can lead you through the effective use of these products. They have the experience and the know-how. To help you explore the right product for your needs and to find out how to locate a certified instructor, please visit this link, http://adobe.ly/r0ONyr. 

Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC does not endorse any one software program. This information is offered to fulfill a need for independent publishing help. By using your favorite search engine, look for digital publishing software. The choices are varied. Be wise! Research before you buy. 

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com

 

Collaboration Strengthens the Indies

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“Individually, we are one drop. Together we are an ocean. ~ Ryunosuke Satoro 

Independent publishers in Steamboat and the surrounding Routt County have good reason to celebrate this month. Our meet-up group, SHe Writes Steamboat has grown to include 29 members. We are fulfilling networking opportunity for independent publishers and fostering independent publishing success. Some members are first time publishers, others have several titles under their belt and many are working on new books. The group has been in existence since June 2011. 

Last weekend we made a collaborative appearance at Holiday in the Rockies. This event was organized by the Steamboat Art Council. http://bit.ly/uJFXs7.   SHe Writes Steamboat is also pleased to announce that our individual member’s publications are being considered by book clubs affiliated with the Bud Werner Library for reading in 2012. 

If you are an independent publisher, male or female, in Routt County or in the surrounding counties looking for a meet-up group of this type, we invite you to join us at our monthly meetings. We meet every third Tuesday of the month from 4pm to 5:30pm. For more information on the group and where we meet, go to the SHe Writes Steamboat Facebook page and send us a message you would like to be included in this group. Here is the link http://on.fb.me/oOWKWm. You can also contact me, Sue Leonard of Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC, through SheWritesSteamboat@gmail.com. 

We look forward to learning more about you as an author, independent publisher and as a contributing member of this collaborative group!

Crafting Words and Wares

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“Do what you can with what you have, where you are” ~ Theodore Roosevelt 

Here in our own little center of the Writers universe in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, the Steamboat Writers Group ww.steamboatwritersgroup.com  has grown since early this fall. Perhaps people have decided the time to tell their story is now. 

“Holidays in the Rockies” is a featured event this weekend, in town. Artisans, craftsmen (and women), and other “creatives,” including local authors, will be gathered and selling their wares. Support those who work with great entrepreneurial spirit in cottage industries and in the independent publishing industry, too. 

Members of our meet-up group, SHe Writes Steamboat, an affiliate of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipacatalog.com will be selling and signing books. We will be located at Booth #l at the Bud Werner Library from 9am to 4pm. Some of our gifted writers such as Kathy Cunningham Guler, Dawn V Obrecht, Susan Mead, Karen Gilroy and Jo Hardesty Lauter will be there to introduce you to their books and to greet you. Ali Boehm will be in attendance with her brother’s book “Louie’s Saxophone” too. Stop by the Steamboat Art Depot across the street. Our member Mary Kurtz will be selling her books and her photographic note cards at the second locale for the event. 

Have plans and unable to attend? You’ll get a second chance. Join Karen Gilroy at the Bud Werner Library on Wednesday evening the 14th at 6:30pm. She will be giving a presentation based on her book “Discovering the Healer Within.” The following evening, on Thursday, December 15th at 6pm Mary Kurtz will be introducing her book. It is of great regional interest here in Routt County and the surrounds. Mary’s book is “ At Home in the Elk River Valley: Reflections on Family, Place and the West.” 

Literature will be available for those who are considering telling their stories in the New Year. The mission of SHe Writes Steamboat is to support independent publishers and to foster independent publishing success. 

See you on Saturday, December 10th! 

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

Writers Who Grow as they Go

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“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

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“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.