Walking Lighter, Smiling Brighter, & Ready to be a Writer

February meeting went fabulous! Boy am I having fun. And meeting local area writers is such a pleasure! For those who weren't able to make it, please visit http://www.salemchapter.com/ as we made some special announcements including a Poetry contest we're having.

I really appreciate the encouragement and positive feedback I get at every meeting and many e-mails. Please, don't just say it to my face (although that's terrific) leave a comment either on my blog or at http://www.salemchapter.com/!

I would just like to state for the record, what a blessing and great help that I have in my Co-Anchor Heather Cuthbertson. She makes me look good, she really does, and I hope I'm doing the same for her. If you haven't had the chance to meet her yet, check us out at the Salem Chapter website (aforementioned) or visit her website http://www.heathercuthbertson.com/. When it comes to Willamette Writers and the Salem Chapter she and I are of one mind, and sometimes it's tough to recall which ideas were hers or mine, as we always work together to improve on them.

Honestly, Heather is as much the reason I worked to get the Salem Chapter started as any. Talking "shop" with her--we could go on for hours, if someone didn't stop us. And that's what we writers need. The encouragement, the ideas, the flow, the energy from each other. Heather and I had the great pleasure of meeting such a person at the last meeting. You know the type I mean, so full of positive eneregy they're like a force-field pulling you in! And before you have a chance to realize it, you're walking lighter, smiling brighter, and ready to be a writer! This is what Salem Chapter's about.

The Northwest is lush with evergreens and beautiful forests, as well as talented and motivated writers. Everyone knows it. It's "common" knowledge. We just don't want anyone to forget it, and we want to remind them that Salem is here, that we're as much a part of the Northwest as Seattle or Portland and we have some terrific writers!