Starving Artists--Want a Job?

The Renegade Writer recently opened its writing market wiki to members. "This is the place to share information about magazine markets for freelance writers. You can include price info, editorial contacts, e-mail formats, phone numbers, tips, guidelines, and your own experiences with the magazine." You have to open an account to contribute to the wiki. Stop by and check it out. You may find a job and make some great connections.

Jena 6 Day of Action: Demand Equal Justice

I mentioned the legal travesty taking place in Jena, Louisiana in a previous post. The lives of six young men have been derailed, because some people refuse to lay down the vestiges of our country's legacy of racism and segregation. I would argue that the current events in Jena, the case of Ginarlow Wilson, and the recent rape, torture and abduction of an African-American woman in WestVirginia, speak to one point, the Supreme Court jumped the gun this past June.

Visit Color of Change.org to learn all the details about the Jena 6, and learn how you can support their cause. Let our governing officials know that equal justice is a right of citizenship not privilege.

Lemonade, the Power of Positive Thinking & Making Things Happen

Life can seem capricious. Some days you get up and nothing feels or goes quite right. The car takes a minute longer to start, causing visions of an unexpected repair bill. The dog escaped during the night and totaled the neighbor's lawn...again. I could continue, but I won't. You get the idea. On another occasion, you find that you're walking in the footsteps of King Midas; everything you touch becomes golden.

 

 It may seem that there is no pattern to the positive and negatives that fill our lives, but that's not the case.

 

 If you take a moment and reflect, you'll remember eating that extra slice of turkey and watching that last half-hour of television. You went to sleep later than usual and you're out of balance. The other incidents just add to the burden. On the other hand on your good day you prepared the presentation weeks before it was due and practiced until you knew what you would say as naturally as breathing.

 

Preparation keeps the appearance of caprice at bay.

 

Word for the Week

 

Caprice

 

a sudden turn of mind caused by a whim or impulse

 

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Quote for the Week

“America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between.”
--Oscar Wilde

I've really been enjoying my time at Gather.com. The conversations have been lively and stimulating. If you haven't found an online writer's workshop or found the right place to connect with other writers online, I'd definitely recommend Gather.com. The site provides these elements and more:

• Live chats with popular authors, like one of my personal favorites, Diana Gabaldon
• Special Election 2008 Group
• The opportunity to earn points which can be redeemed for products, gift cards, and if you get enough of them cash

Word for the Week

community

ownership or participation in common

Keep informed on Gather.com! Content ranges from politics to cooking, and we earn Gather Points™ or cash for using the site!View my content here: desireh
desireh.gather.com

Contests! Contests! Everywhere....

If you enjoy playing with words, free books and making literary friends in the blogosphere. Check out these contests and feel free to post others currently underway in the comments section.

Writer Mama Back to School Daily Give Away--Win a book, exchange ideas, meet other writers

Make Up a Word @ Writer Unboxed--Be creative. It's not Scrabble, or Boggle, or Hangman.....

Let multi-talented graphic designer, David Airey help you make your pub chic and shiny like his. This fellow blogger from Northern Ireland knows how to celebrate success. To mark the one year anniversary of his graphic design blog, he's giving away over $4000 dollars in prizes and his logo design skills to contest winners selected via random drawing. Prizes include:

*$25 via PayPal courtesy of Gayla McCord of Mom Gadget

*a Behringer Podcastudio USB Podcasting Kit,

kindly donated by Fraser’s Affiliate Marketing Blog

*a 2GB USB storage key x 3 courtesy of Jamie Clague at Terinea Weblog

*two premium quality books designed and produced by David Hyde of david the designer

*a Watercolour print from Ed Roach Watercolours and more.

Check it out.

(In case you haven't guessed, this is my entry. Where's yours?)

A Room of My Own with a Clear View

I once avoided Sister Solitude. I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts. I would find a television, a friend, or a phone call. In the past, even one of my most cherished pastimes, reading a book, could be a means to escape her quiet presence. An author may be physically absent, but their thoughts prove good company during the act of reading. All that to say, with two kids and an extremely budgeted schedule of time to myself (mostly stolen from sleep's embrace), today, a little solitude sounds pretty darn good. Oh, the error of youthful ignorance!

All right that's enough of that. Where's my pen and that outline?

Word for the Week

Solitude

• being solitary or alone
• seclusion
• a secluded place