One Year Ago

Today the country celebrates.

For you this day has a very different meaning--

for it is forever scarred by tragedy.

While others laugh and go on with their day like all is well--

you will remember the good times and try to forget the bad.

You may reflect on all you've done right and all you've done wrong, searching for the truth behind the unanswered questions.

In this quest, if you find doubt, don't let it overcome you,

for God has been there at every turn and today he holds you in His arms--

comforting you with His love.

Then, as you move on about your day--

keep in your heart the knowledge that you are loved and missed--

and we remember, too,

what happened one year ago.

by M.S. Ebbs
© 7/1997
for D

Professionalism

Well, Christmas is over and here comes New Year's. I had a relatively stress-free Christmas, this year and I highly recommend it. I was so busy thinking about the Salem Chapter of Willamette Writers and what needed to be done and then getting it done, that I didn't have time to worry about who's Christmas gift I needed to buy. Everyone kept asking me if my Christmas shopping was done, and I'm like yeah, mostly. Then a couple of days before, I realize, I need so and so's and so and so's. So I ran to Wal-Mart in the wee hours of the morning, as I'm usually up anyway. The busiest day was Christmas Eve when they had fifteen-twenty people checking out and one checker. Don't you love that moment? Finally, they opened another one, wow, now there's two! Anyway, I got out in a reasonable amount of time and I was on my way.

Speaking of the Salem Chapter, I'm so excited for our first meeting on January 10, 2008, at 6:30pm! Our first speakers are Bernadette Baker-Baughman and Gretchen Stelter of Baker's Mark Literary Agency. My co-rep, Heather Cuthbertson and I had the great opportunity to meet these remarkable agents and we were both impressed. They were so great and we all had such a wonderful time learning about the other side of the fence.

Some writers perhaps don't understand that writing and selling your work is a professional business and you need to conduct yourself professionally. In order to do that, we need to learn about the selling side. How agents work, what they want, what editors will do for you and what they're looking for. That's why writers need writing groups. Whether you have a large one like Willamette Writers or small ones with some friends, you can always conduct yourselves professionally and encourage your fellow writers to do the same.

Salem Chapter meets at the West Salem Roth's, with parking and entrance in rear of building. Also, there are Chapters in Eugene, Medford, Newport, and of course the meetings in Portland. Check us out at one of these places or via the web; http://www.willamettewriters.com/ or http://www.salemchapter.com/.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all. I have been busy lately, let me tell you. Working to get speakers for the Salem Chapter of Willamette Writers, working, Christmas shopping, putting out cards this year. But busy or not, I need to keep up my writing. It's easy to get bogged down and distracted, but I've gone that route too often in the past.

Driving down the road, listening to the radio, all it takes is a song, a commercial, a view in front of me to inspire a concept for a story, a character, a plot. The overwhelming feeling that I should be writing, that I haven't done it in a while, compels me to return. So I do. I return. Because I must. Life without writing, for me, is just getting by. Getting by, getting through is no way to live life.

So, I leave you with this encouragement! Priortize what needs to be done, right now, today, and make sure that you know, writing is a priority. If you try to fit it into your schedule, it won't often fit. Put it on your schedule and let the Christmas cards go out tomorrow. If they're late, it will be an after Christmas surprise for your friends and family. Write! Write, because you must!

All about me again~

Looking for info on the Salem Chapter of Willamette Writers? We've moved to our own space http://www.salemchapter.com/ Please visit this address to stay up-to-date on what's happening with your Salem Chapter!