Sue: Mara, I’d like to talk with you for a few minutes about books, in general, and what, if any, shift you have noticed among readers in recent years? 

Mara: Readers know what they like to read, and with people being so busy these days, I think people are looking for more specific categories of books. Rather than just say, general fiction, they are looking types of fiction such as women’s fiction or family sagas or romance. My books are categorized in all three. 

 Authors are offering free sample chapters of e-books, prequels that are free, and 99 cent e-books which allows readers to venture into trying new genres and new authors they otherwise may have never discovered.  Short stories had been diminishing in the marketplace, and with the arrival of e-books, they are making a return. Serial story telling has also had a resurgence. 

Because of space constraints, in the past, booksellers have been hesitant to carry whole series of books; not wanting to take up too much space with just one author’s books. With e-books, there is not that concern of taking up too much shelf space. Thus, readers have the ability to read a whole series from beginning to end. Collecting and reading an entire series presents no constraints in storage in electronic (e-book) format.  

For fans of books that bring the reader through a chronology of generations, such as Louis L’Amour books, e-books can be very useful way to fulfill the readers desires to collect an entire series without having to find space to store them in their homes. 

Sue: I have noticed your wonderful newly redesigned website. There are all kinds of fun things for your readers on the site, including jewelry for fans of the Milford- Haven Books. Tell me what it has meant to you to follow the spirit of your character, Miranda Jones, and use your artistic expression to take your creativity in a new direction. 

Mara:  Women love jewelry, and I have noticed that stories go along with jewelry that women wear. Women say, “oh, that necklace or bracelet was given to me by so and so, or it used to be my grandmothers, or I got that piece of jewelry when……” I thought that women may like to collect jewelry that will remind them of the Milford-Haven books they have read. As a talisman or reminder to listen to the heart. So, each book has a different shell “dingbat” (an ornament, character or spacer used in typesetting) and each will be available as a charm and can be collected for bracelets. The first book What the Heart Knows has a heart cockle shell “dingbat” in it, and then the 2nd book in the series Where the Heart Lives is a placuna shell, (called a windowpane oyster) which is a marine bivalve that is flat and translucent, in shape).  

Sue: Where can these charms and bracelets be purchased?  I will put a link to your newly designed website for our readers, and people can keep their eyes open for them as an upcoming product. Mara’s Blog site www.marapurlcom.  Link to Milford-Haven book charms on Pinterest 
http://pinterest.com/marapurl/
. 

Mara: Yes, they are still in the development phase by a jeweler in Colorado Springs, but once available, they can be shipped anywhere in the world and if you go to my newly redesigned website, there is information. 

Sue: Mara, I appreciate so much the opportunity to interview you again. I am so pleased at the success you are having with the Milford-Haven series. When will Bellekeep Books publish the third in the series When Hearts Keep Secrets be available? I look forward to reading the next book. 

Mara: Look for When Hearts Keep Secrets in 2013. Probably in autumn of the year. Also, the e-book “When Whales Watch” the prequel to the second book  is available through Amazon.

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 Sue: Mara, we are honored to have the opportunity to interview you again on All Things Fulfilling. This time I’d like discuss your new book, the second Milford-Haven novel, Where the Heart Lives. http://bit.ly/SunF8d Congratulations on the success of Book One What the Heart Knows and it’s ranking of #5 on the Amazon best seller list as well as its finalist status for Book of the Year. Also, congratulations on the success of your short story e-book, When Hummers Dream, the prequel to the first book of the series.

Sue: Over the past years, there have been many people who have had to take a look at their own lives due to the job market, and in some cases, they’ve had to change geographical locations for new or different professional opportunities or even to rebuild their life. Your protagonist Miranda Jones makes a difficult personal decision to move from city life (San Francisco) to a small coastal town (Milford-Haven). She pursues her artistic endeavors from what many may see as a more limiting environment. How do your characters help your readers examine their own lives and decisions?

 Mara: Our culture typically focuses on using logic and intellect to make life decisions, (both big and small). We tend to choose what feels “safe” and the steady path in life because we make decisions based on external rather than internal “intuitive thinking.” Mentors such as Joseph Campbell, whom I worked under at Open Eye Theatre, along with Jean Erdman,
http://bit.ly/S9vmhK
 tell us to “follow our bliss.” This can be difficult to do because it tends to be different than the way our culture views things, usually not part of a normal career path. Those that decide to do something because it “feels good” can be opening a crack into what leads to our own fulfilling path in life. People who work in the arts use a life-long practice of listening to their hearts and intuition. It may go against logic but it what they do is personally fulfilling.

My characters in my books either reject this idea of “doing what you love” or they decide to be authentic to themselves, and decide to go against logic. In the case of Miranda Jones, she is at odds because she is a wildlife painter, yet, she is living in a city and in order to observe wildlife, she needs to escape city life. Ultimately, she settles in the coastal town of Milford-Haven against her manager’s advice and against her parent’s wishes. But, she creates a sense of home and connection with nature in Milford-Haven. Many of my characters feel conflicted between what their heads and hearts are telling them, which gives the reader permission to examine their own core beliefs and think about how they live their lives.

In this current economy, people have been forced to think more about making decisions using intuition and they have learned that the secure path they’ve lived may have been an illusion.

Sue: Is what you write based on experience or do your storylines bring realizations to you?

Mara: Both, my experiences and internal direction help craft a story. I don’t feel comfortable if everything I do is based on the external. There is a spiritual component that leads me- beyond intelligence. Many years after I began writing about the town of Milford-Haven which is based on a town in Wales, I found out that I had relatives in that part of the world. It made me realize that I was doing what I was supposed to do.

In doing my research for the third book, I was unable to locate an expert that I wanted to talk to about the architecture of oil rigs. One day, I got on a very crowd flight and sat next to a man and our conversation led to what we did for a living. As it turned out, he designed off shore oil rigs. He drew pictures for me, and I got exactly what I needed to continue the story for the third book.

Return tomorrow to the blog of Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC www.AllThingsFulfilling.com. We will be continuing our conversation with Mara Purl about a shift she has noticed in books people read. We will also discuss how Mara has been able to take the spirit of her character, artist Miranda Jones, and use her own artistic creativity to come up with a reminder for her readers of what they have learned and perhaps the decisions they have made for themselves in the reading of the Milford Haven Series.

Good Morning! I am preparing for tomorrow’s blog – a special interview with best selling author Mara Purl. Many of you may remember our blogs about What the Heart Knows, book one of the Milford-Haven series . We are so excited that Mara’s promotions company contacted us a few weeks ago to request that All Things Fulfilling be part of her blog tour again for her 2nd book Where the Heart Lives. An astounding 17 million readers followed All Things Fulfilling and the other blogs that participated in the blog tour for book one. 

If you missed out, here are links to our previous blogs about Mara Purl as a published author of her Milford Haven series.

 Portrait of a Consummate Artist

http://allthingsfulfilling.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/portrait-of-a-consummate-artist/

Part I
Speaking the Language of Books

http://allthingsfulfilling.wordpress.com/2011/08/18/speaking-the-language-of-books/
 

Part II
Speaking the Language of Head and Heart

http://allthingsfulfilling.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/speaking-the-language-of-heart-and-art/

Extra Bonus
Getting Drawn In – Reading “ Hummer” on Kindle for PC

http://allthingsfulfilling.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/getting-drawn-in/
 

Mara’s book one What the Heart Knows  is an Amazon best-seller (ranked #5) and a finalist for the Book of the Year Award. Her prequel short story When Hummers Dream (also a best seller) was nominated for the Global e-book award. 

Please return tomorrow. Mara is guaranteed to have some interesting things to say about book two Where the Heart Lives. As a former soap opera actress who played the part of Darla Cook, R.N. on Days of Our Lives, Mara is well versed in telling and writing award-winning stories that reach hearts of her readers.

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Spirit, enlightenment, personal transformation, personal fulfillment have been the focus over the past few days on All Things Fulfilling. In keeping with that theme, today we will share some information about an event that is coming up in March, for those of you who enjoy independent films of the spiritual nature. 

The Center for Spiritual Living in Morristown, NJ will play host to Awaken! International Spirit Film Festival in March.  An world gathering of independent filmmakers, films about a variety subjects about our spiritual universe will be screened. Wonderful connections of like minded-people, will no doubt take place over this three day period and tickets can be purchased for individual movies. 

Stay informed for developing details about the event through this website.
http://bit.ly/RWn4d2
. Last year’s selection of films are posted on the site, and many of them can be obtained through www.imdb.com, The Internet Movie Database. At a later date, information will be posted about the films that will be shown in 2013 and the exact date of the event.

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Leaves have been swept from the trees here in northwest Colorado, now on the ground, they are insulating the earth from the harsh oncoming winter. We’ve already had morning temperatures as low as ten degrees, yesterday we had more than just a dusting of snow on the upper elevations.  Summer clothes have been put away, and traded for layers.

Like the climate, our emotions vacillate during different times of the year. Researchers have studied the effect of sunlight (or lack thereof) on our psyches. The culture in which we surround ourselves, the natural environment and life’s events also play a part in how we are feeling.

There are things we can do to combat the blues, that for some people come with the darker seasons. I try to do things a little differently in the winter, so when that when my least favorite seasons arrive I have some special pleasures to look forward to.

• A treat of biscotti is added to my afternoon of tea, always.
• Aromatic candles I light, send out scents of warmth – cinnamon, pine, apple and nutmeg are my personal favorites.
• Soups, chowders and chili appear often on the dinner table along with hot out of the oven bread and salad, which is different than the kind I make in the summer.
• A  small knitting project that I can fit into my tight schedule often is started. Small, so I can feel the sense of accomplishment in finishing it before the end of the winter.
• Outdoors time is traded for more indoor time – more reading and movies are on the docket.
• My daily walk continues year round, even in the coldest temperatures here in mountainous Colorado. At the end of my journey, I return to a warm fire, making it all worthwhile. The cold is exhilarating, the warmth embracing. It feels delightful.

There is a book by John Sharp, M.D. , a Harvard psychiatrist, that explains seasonal fluctuations in our emotional well-being and some steps we can take to stay balanced in the “dark” times and seasons of  our lives. To learn more about Sharp’s work and studies, please visit this website.

http://www.johnsharpmd.com .

For more information on his book, The Emotional Calendar: Understanding Seasonal Influences and Milestones to Become Happier, More Fulfilled, and in Control of Your Life, please visit this website http://bit.ly/RSFF9Z.

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Yesterday’s blog posting led me to much deeper thoughts about the value of writing about health issues. 

There are many men, women, and couples, who have found help and spiritual healing by writing about their own experiences of dealing with health issues of all kinds. If it weren’t for independent publishing, many of these stories would not be available for others to read. Important that these stories be told to help others who are going through difficult diagnoses and treatment, independent publishing serves as a valuable avenue in getting these books out to the public. Unique books, with personal stories, are often sold and marketed through e-commerce (sold on the internet). 

There are many books available on cancer but there are three independently published books that I would like to mention in honor National Breast Cancer Month. To read more about these publications or to order them, please visit the links beside each title.

Fine Black Lines: Reflections on Facing Cancer, Fear and Loneliness by Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad 
http://bit.ly/Qrb1D2

The Heroics of Falling Apart: One Couple’s Breast Cancer Journey, Julie and Dan Gordon
http://bit.ly/SYjX7x

The Cancer Odyssey Author: Margaret Brennan Brumel 
http://bit.ly/RAPOrH

As a member of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com , I have the opportunity to meet many authors who have published award-winning stories that help others. Although I do not know Julie and Dan Gordon or Margaret Bermel, I do know Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad. She is an amazing woman for many reasons, not just because she is a cancer survivor. She also has written other books about personal relationships. Each time I see her at a publishing event, we enjoy speaking with boeach other. I have observed something that she writes about – a very, very long lasting, successful marriage. She has been married 64 years, as have my parents. Her musings on what it means to have a fulfilling marriage are thoughtful and inciteful.

Although you may think your own story would not be of interest to others, I encourage people to find creative ways of telling them. It may just benefit someone else or at least yourself.

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On Monday, our local paper Steamboat Today was printed on pink paper in honor of National Breast Cancer Month. It seems that no one is immune from knowing someone who has been touched by this cancer. The month of October is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of early detection. 

The color of the newspaper was more than just a blush of pink, bolder than that, yet not as dark as fuchsia either. That edition made me realize something – the importance of white space. Although, as always,  I read the paper from cover to cover, I found reading from pink paper difficult and in fact, it slowed down my progress because my eyes were straining. As I struggled to read the article on raising money at the local level through events such as The Bust of Steamboat
http://thebustofsteamboat.org/
, I couldn’t help but think of what white space means to publishing. 

Digital reading devices, such as Kindles, have now gone through a few generations of development, improvements have come with each new model. The Kindle Paperwhite is purported to give the reader the clearest text, the best reading experience, due to its bright white screen. Yet not everyone can afford this top model. Many people do not have the luxury of buying a digital reader at all. 

I thought about how this relates to funding for breast cancer. Over the years, there have been advancements in detection through technology, yet people still slip through the cracks and find out about their case too late. Not every woman is able to afford mammograms and treatments either, which means not every woman has a chance of survival. Thank goodness for non-profit organizations such as the Susan G Komen Foundation
http://bit.ly/TqInTF
 at the national and local level that work hard at trying to provide the means for everyone through their fundraising efforts. 

I don’t mean to trivialize the devastating disease of breast cancer by comparing technology of Kindle readers to a very personal medical issue. Digital reading devices are luxuries, and having medical technology and treatment for cancer is a necessity for survival; two very different issues. 

 These are just a few independent thoughts that came to my mind regarding white space as I read the news of the day on pink paper. That’s all….

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 I can’t believe what I am about to say, but I guess stranger things have been known to happen.  The poetry I have been writing  has been more fun then I ever expected. Telling a story using elliptical language is a challenge and thought provoking trying to make all the elements fit together. 

Who would have ever thought I’d find prose and poetry enjoyable? It was my greatest fear in taking a creative writing course. However,  I have come to enjoy the stimulation of the mind and the creativity that it demands.   

Our teacher said, “You will be glad we started the course with poetry.” I didn’t believe it. I thought to myself, “Let’s just take the poison first, and get it done and over with.”  She said not a word about things like sestina, haiku or pantoum, probably fearing she’d scare the bejesus out of the entire class, before we even got started. 

This weekend’s assignment was to work on a sestina. I couldn’t have defined it until now. Here is the definition of this form of writing. “a lyrical fixed form consisting of six 6-line usually unrhymed stanzas in which the end words of the first stanza recur as end words of the following five stanzas in a successively rotating order and as the middle and end words of the three verses of the concluding tercet.” 

I can hear you now “Huh? I don’t get it. What is a tercet?” That’s your assignment. I’m too busy working on mine to explain it. 

 I’ll admit, when you know what you want to say but can’t put your fingers on just the right word to add engaging “sounds, color and flavor” to the composition, it’s frustrating. But I like dancing with words; it’s fulfilling to write when you get all jazzed up and arrange a piece you are satisfied with. I guess that is what poetry it is about; the art of putting a spin on words to make the reader do a ballet with the text.

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Last week I posted a blog about ways to creatively recycle book pages. Su Blackwell, an artist from the U.K.,  creates three dimensional book sculptures made with discarded books. Many of her creations are scenes from fairytales and folk lore stories. 

 Her work is reflective of the books she read and the fulfilling make-believe world she created while playing in the woods during her childhood. Blackwell went on to study arts, specifically textiles, obtaining a M.A. degree at the Royal College of Art in London. 

“The Quiet American” was her very first sculpture which was created from a second hand book called the Kao San Road she purchased on a trip to Thailand. She says she reads books once or twice before she begins her creation of a scene from the book. 

The trend of repurposing books to create art sculpture is becoming popular in many places, including here in Colorado. Artist Kim Keith, exhibits and sells her geometric shaped paper sculpture and other mixed media, at the Red Contemporary Gallery here in Steamboat. She says her creations keep “alive the tactile sense and physicality of “book”.
http://bit.ly/PrThwI
.  

The Bookworm of Edwards and the Alpine Arts Center are joining forces to host a Book Sculpture Contest based on the work of artist Su Blackwell and her creation “The Fairy-Tale Princess: Seven Classic Stories from the Enchanted Forest.”  

All ages and groups are invited to participate in this one day workshop and contest. The price of the workshop is $25 per person, and books and supplies will be included in this fee. For more information, please contact the Book Worm of Edwards.
http://www.bookwormofedwards.com/
. 

For more information, on the amazing work of Su Blackwell, please visit this link.
http://bit.ly/RTrcwA
.

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 A woman by nature is multi-talented and multi-faceted. If she is well educated and well informed locally as well as globally, she can make the required positive change. All of us share our achievements and challenges. This certainly helps to broaden our vision and understanding of where and how we can contribute on the world stage. We can carry forth this inspiration to our respective countries to share among our people.

As leaders, there are many who look up to us to bring about a positive transformation.

We are very fortunate as educated women to hold so many uplifting and challenging positions all over the world contributing towards a positive change.  It is our prerogative to provide opportunities for other women and girl children in society who are deprived of the same due to lack of education.  We must educate the girl child and empower every woman. 

We have all seen that a woman is truly empowered when she has inner strength, peace of mind and Self confidence. These qualities, which are the greatest force of transformation, are the gift of Spirituality.
Human values, compassion, caring – all these are also part of Spirituality. We, as women leaders, can globalize spirituality and take this message of human values, compassion and caring to every corner of the world. We can work together to bring a smile on the face of every woman. This would surely help to make the world a harmonious and peaceful place to live in.

 A woman by nature is multi-talented and multi-faceted. If she is well educated and well informed locally as well as globally, she can make the required positive change. All of us share our achievements and challenges. This certainly helps to broaden our vision and understanding of where and how we can contribute on the world stage. We can carry forth this inspiration to our respective countries to share among our people.

As leaders, there are many who look up to us to bring about a positive transformation.

We are very fortunate as educated women to hold so many uplifting and challenging positions all over the world contributing towards a positive change.  It is our prerogative to provide opportunities for other women and girl children in society who are deprived of the same due to lack of education.  We must educate the girl child and empower every woman. 

We have all seen that a woman is truly empowered when she has inner strength, peace of mind and Self confidence. These qualities, which are the greatest force of transformation, are the gift of Spirituality.
Human values, compassion, caring – all these are also part of Spirituality. We, as women leaders, can globalize spirituality and take this message of human values, compassion and caring to every corner of the world. We can work together to bring a smile on the face of every woman. This would surely help to make the world a harmonious and peaceful place to live in.

The Living Now Book Awards “Books for Better Living” has a great selection of independently published books on many topics that are popular and relevant to better living. Here are just a few categories that are judged in the Living Now Book Awards. 

• Green Living
• Social Activism/Charity
• Enlightenment/Spirituality
• Metaphysical (Astrology, Tarot, Psychic Development)
• Healing Arts/Bodywork/Energy Techniques
• Caregiving
• Mature Living/Aging
• Grieving/Death and Dying
• Inspirational Fiction

 To see the titles of the winning books that came from thirty-six U.S. States, six CanadianProvinces and 7 overseas countries, please visit this link.
http://bit.ly/RLQ8WV
.

Return tomorrow for more independent publishing news from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

This past weekend was Literary Sojourn weekend here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. This event has been held annually since 1993. So popular, people arrive from all over the country to attend it. Each year it sells out very quickly. 

As a way of extending the event, the Bud Werner Memorial Library invited two Bellwether Prize winners to speak on Sunday. For those who were not fortunate enough to get tickets to Saturday’s discussions, the second part of the “Sojourn” weekend was open to everyone at no charge. The two featured authors were Naomi Benaron and Hillary Jordan, Bellwether award winners in 2010 and 2006, respectively. 

Jennie Lay, adult programs coordinator at the Bud Werner Memorial Library, asked the authors “what winning this book prize has meant to them?” Each expressed it has done wonders for their publishing careers. All contestants for the “Bellwether” must have a previously unpublished novel. Along with winning $25,000, winners are given publishing contracts with Alqonquin Books. 

Jordan and Benaron discussed how fiction writing is useful for telling stories that are interwoven with issues of culture, politics and social justice. However, Benaron stressed the importance of writing stories about controversial issues in a “respectful manner.” She also mentioned how research into a culture brings credibility and correctness to the story.

 “Literature,” Benaron said “is the only art form that takes you into another person’s brain.” Essentially, she said, as readers, we are better able to feel and live the story along with the characters through fictional dialogue.

 To read more about the publications of these impressive authors, visit these two websites,
http://hillaryjordan.com/
and
http://naomibenaron.com/
. 

Please click on the title to order  Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron.

For more information on the Bellwether Prize, which was established in 2000, solely funded by author Barbara Kingsolver and administered by the PEN American Center, please visit this site
http://bit.ly/Rom01E
. 

As I left this most enjoyable event, I thought to myself “living in a community with avid readers and writers, certainly has its benefits.”

Thank you to our local library and our local “Indie Bound” bookstore, Off the Beaten Path” for their participation in this event.

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.

Who likes to think of sad and unhappy times? Joyous moments, positive thoughts, fulfilling feelings are much better. Is there value in clinging to images that make us feel anything other than good and healthy? 

In my creative writing class yesterday, we were given an assignment to write an elegy. Do you know what that is? I didn’t. Think of the word eulogy. Composing an elegy is very similar in nature. The teacher said “write about significant loss or death. Nothing funny; make it serious.”  In her words, “no rhymes!” In my words,“Don’t use expressions in writing that makes a frown turn right side around.” 

Last night, I worked a little on my elegy. Wow- that is difficult for me. I am not used to that way of thinking. It is like having to transition my stream of consciousness into something backwards. An analogy would be trying to make water flow, in a river, in the wrong direction. 

I feel as if  I don’t have that much to draw from compared to a lot of people. I have been so very fortunate – the really bad times in my life have been few and far between.  

 I suspect I’ll have to dig deep within to come up with a good piece of writing. If I can’t find it inside, I suppose I can make something up -  creative writing is what you decide to make it, isn’t it? Can it all be fiction? I’ll ask my teacher.

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Thoughts of the harvest season are beginning to creep forward, as summer has evolved into the next season.

Here in Colorado where altitudes soar, the goddess of color has already donned her white cap and is preparing to pile on coats  of ivory before the winter season is even here. Everyone says “the fall colors are beautiful” here in the Rockies. Yes, they are pretty if you like primarily all shades of golden with an occasional dusting of sugar. The foliage is rather monochromatic, to my way of thinking. Contrasts are missing from the palette. Much better than no autumn at all, however. 

I think of New England when I see the turning leaves of autumn. The deciduous forests filled with sugar maples, oaks, birches and aspens, all mixed together, make for stunning fall landscapes. A fulfilling spectrum of colors – scarlett, maroon, purple, cadmiums, greens, brown, gold and orange bring in droves of tourists to the New England States for good reason.

I love living in places where all four seasons are noticeable. Weather indicators tell us it is time to change direction; deviate from the way we have been living the months before. Our eating habits vary and we put on extra or take off clothing to adjust for the rising and falling temperatures. In winter we hunker down and put on layers; in summer we live unadorned and freely.

 Before I allow myself to experience what comes with cooler climate, here is an image of autumn color that is found in the past season of  summer. I’m reluctant to say goodbye to the balmy weather.

This is an image of Georgia O’Keefe’s flowers.

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A few weeks ago, I was in an art gallery in Telluride, Colorado and came across an art book of a photojournalist. The book could be described as a “volume,” it was quite large in size. “That’s some book,” I thought, purely because of its dimensions. Naturally, I wanted to peak between the covers. 

I couldn’t believe the similarity between this photojournalist’s work, and that of another. To my way of thinking, Steve McCurry’s images are so stunning similar to that of Cherel Ito’s that it made me wonder whether he studied Cherel’s work intensely before he became a photojournalist. Ito’s work is revered by students of film, art, photography and photojournalism. Her images from the 1960s and 1970s so uniquely tell a story, that her work is featured in the permanent collections at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.
http://www.nmwa.org/
 

There are two differences I saw between the compositions of these two creative people. Ito used only black and white film, which makes her work more valuable and interesting from the perspective of the historical development of photography and filmmaking. 

Also, when you read her journal entries, you realize she was an outstanding writer as well as a talented photographer. She had the ability to powerfully communicate so much, in so few words; an all encompassing artist. 

If you are not familiar with Cherel Ito’s work, her images and her journal writings have also been preserved for future generations of students of photojournalism in the book “Through the Lens of Her Camera.” Her work is an important study in human nature as well as different cultures around the world. 

To learn more about photographer Cherel Ito and to order her book, please visit this link  www.cherelitobook.com.

Return on Monday, and there will be more independent thoughts, words and views from

www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

A few weeks ago, my September/October issue of Poets and Writers Magazine www.pw.org  arrived in my mailbox. As I leafed through it, I was stopped by a letter to the editor written by a woman who had disappointments in her life that she was airing. 

What led to her writing the magazine was a letter of rejection she had received for a piece of flash fiction she was hoping to have published. She articulated her frustration at having spent the last nine years writing a novel and fifteen years penning a collection of short stories, with little hope of ever having them published. In the end, she said despite her disappointment, she “will go on” and keep writing. 

First, I felt sympathy for the woman. Her love of writing is obviously heartfelt since she has stated she will keep on writing anyway. 

 Secondly, I would like her to know that she is not alone. Rejections are not unusual. In fact, these days, having an agent to represent you may be one of the few ways to get your foot in the door with a traditional publishing company; they’ve gotten so selective. 

After I read her letter to the editor, I thought, “Why does this woman not know there are other publishing choices and options out there?” I want to help her.

She stated it was very important that her daughter, in particular, be able to read her work thirty years from now and laugh and feel connected. I can understand that and I assume she meant when she was gone, since this woman said she was in her sixties. 

Is that not also a reason why many people decide to independently publish? To pass work along to future generations?Somehow, I think the daughter would still love to have her mothers written words, no matter how it is published. 

Do you think a book would be any less fulfilling to her adult child, knowing the book was independently published? I would like to hear your thoughts on this matter. Feel free to post your comment.

These are my independent thoughts, words and views for today from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Have you ever noticed how artists flock together and build common community?

People find kinship in their writing, painting, poetry, music, filmmaking, knitting,the performing arts and so forth. You know how it goes. Everyone in the group speaks the same language. 

The Colorado Creative Industries has worked to identify communities where art contributes greatly to the overall culture,  enhancing the lives of local citizens and tourists.  

Telluride has been designated as a one of five prospective Creative Districts in Colorado. Forty-four towns and cities were under consideration. The goal of the Colorado Creative Industries is to bolster the artistic community by providing consulting and technical assistance and an $8,000 grant to help grow the community as an economic driver through art. 

During the winter, outstanding skiing is the impetus behind visiting this “box canyon” with stunning and dramatic scenery, but in summer it is all about art festivals. Each weekend from May to September people flock to the area for two film festivals, music concerts and gatherings of playwrite/screenwriters. There is also a Cajun weekend, chamber music, yoga and bike races,  and more. 

There is even a Compassion Festival held in Telluride, which I was not aware of until I picked up some tourist literature. This event brings in academia from different parts of the country who lecture on the benefits that compassion brings to overall health, well-being and stress reduction. Cultural differences in compassion is also part of the discussion. It is held in collaboration between the Telluride Institute 
http://bit.ly/U87yzg
and Stanford University’s Center for Compassion & Altruism Research & Education (CCARE). Interesting! Please visit this link to read more about it.
http://bit.ly/QVb8Kn

Congratulations, Telluride! When I was in the area recently I was impressed with your charming Victorian homes, art galleries, retail spaces, historic hotels, the amazing scenery and the emcompassing flavor of the artistic community. It was fun visiting. I’ll be back!

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“Ok, so, I bawled yesterday in church and had to pull out the Kleenex.  It all began with the christening of a little baby. It took me back to 24 years ago when my husband and I were standing at the font with our little one.

I didn’t fall apart until the after the baptism was almost over. As the congregation began singing “Child of Blessing, Child of Promise”, the water works started. I couldn’t sing; I just listened. The melody and words made me feel the embracing power of love, hope, faith and all good things that support children in their development.

My tears were only momentary. When our minister started his sermon on friendship, his commentary about Facebook friends was hysterical. I could relate completely. On a more serious note the pastor  also talked about what it means to have friends who stick by you through thick and thin. That was inspiring.

The message was craftily brought around to include the words of a song written in 1971 by Carole King. We watched a short video of one of King’s performances singing that trademark song “You’ve Got a Friend” to a packed audience. By the end of the video, I and many others in the congregation were singing along, with huge smiles on our faces. I carried that uplifted feeling with me until the day’s end.

Week after week, as I sit in the pew, I am reminded of the art of delivering a good sermon. If every minister had talent like ours does to  communicate  such a relatable message , every church in America would be standing room only.

Thank you, Reverend Tim, for all you do in healing the spirits of our people. And I just want to know -  Are you Facebook friends with the old guy that was standing in line in front of me waiting to shake your hand after the sermon?” He doesn’t really look like he knows how to turn on a computer. Could it be that you know him from another of your networking circles?

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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!  

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Economic empowerment, education and good healthcare for women are solutions that make a difference between opportunity and oppression. The film , Half the Sky: Turning Opression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, is an adaptation of the book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. It  focuses on six celebrity activists and their work to rebuild lives after a women’s integrity and self-esteem has been taken away by violence and brutality. 

On Wednesday, September 12th at 6:30 pm Half the Sky will be screened at the Bud Werner Memorial Library in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The film is  part of the Women & Girls Lead program for Independent Lens through PBS. It will be followed by a discussion of the issues that are highlighted in this movie. Anyone is invited to join in the screening and the dialogue afterward. 

This film is being sponsored by the Bud Werner Memorial Library, the Yampa Valley University Women and Tasaru Girls School Fund, a non-profit that works to help educate Masai girls and women. 

If you do not live in the vicinity of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, you will still have a chance to see it. It will be broadcast on October 1st and 2nd, 2012 on PBS channels. Look for the air times in your local TV program schedule.

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I need to enjoy these last days of summer. With Labor Day comes the inevitable – darker , cooler days ahead. This morning it is 40 degrees. I don’t look forward to the departure from my favorite season. 

We have had a dusty, dry summer leaving the Yampa River just a trickle in some parts that flow through Steamboat. On my daily walks I have watched the ducks play all season with lackluster spirits. 

The past few evenings we have had hard downpours that have raised the water level.

This morning, I sat at on a bench at my favorite place overlooking the Yampa watching the ducks play with renewed vigor. The water was higher, sparkling rather than murky, and clearly looking more refreshing. The ducks were playing like they haven’t all season- dabbling, chasing each other, diving and shaking their tail feathers with newfound energy. Fresh cold water!

As I sat and watched, I was reminded why early mornings are so fulfilling. It is an invigorating time of day – a chance for a new beginning. No matter how bad yesterday was, we can start out anew with different attitudes and readjust our thinking. 

Today, after I post this blog, I am going to some take time to do what is essential to nurture my own soul and find inspiration. I’ve been pretty busy over the summer. I need a little time to feather my nest and be domestic. So, I’ll straighten my desk and start a new “to do” list that will keep me busy in the coming months.

Oh, yes, and then there is that creative writing course I am starting next week….. chicken soup for the soul. That will keep my creative energy flowing throughout the fall and winter. Let’s see if I can spice up my writing and make a rich concoctions! 

Joy comes in the morning, when creativity is at a high, and my spirit has been replenished by a good night’s sleep. At each day break I awake, turn on the computer, and get busy.

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 Happy Labor Day Monday – just a light-hearted subject this morning. Good to focus on fulfilling things other than publishing, every so often.

Don’t you love having life long friends? I have quite a number, but there is one friend who has brought more cheerful times and humor to my life than I can tell you. We met the first day I arrived on my college campus. Her nickname is “Chatterbox,” for good reason. More fittingly, however, her name should be “Chatter, the Character! ” She’s made of stuff that you read about.

The other day was Chatter’s 29th wedding anniversary, and much to my surprise, when I  went to her Facebook page to send her “Happy Anniversary Wishes” there was a picture of her all dressed up in the wedding dress she wore 29 years ago, complete with floral bouquet in hand. The dress still fit, she’s always been tall and slender.  I was bowled over with happiness and warm feelings when I saw the image. Nostalgic thoughts  came flooding back;  my twin sister and I were bridesmaids in her wedding. I’ll never forget when she left the reception for her honeymoon. She exited sitting on the back of a convertible, Jackie Kennedy Onassis style, as if in a parade, waving to the wedding crowd while her newly betrothed husband drove the car. It was something she said “she had been waiting to do her whole life.” 

Of course, as soon I saw the image she posted on Facebook the other day, I wrote a comment and an exchange of e-mails soon followed. Evidently, on the morning of her anniversary, she had awoken her husband of 29 years all dressed up in her gown. What pleasure  I felt in my heart when I saw her again in her wedding outfit; I can only imagine what the surprise did for her husband.

 Could this be a new trend for women who are celebrating their wedding anniversaries? A chance for ladies to wear those gowns every year, rather than only once in a lifetime. It might be healthy for marriage; bringing fulfilling memories back and a  reminder of what was promised.  What better motivation for women to maintain their  girlish figures - so they can fit into their gowns each year. Perhaps a way to reduce healthcare costs for women. 

Today, this blog is in honor of my friend Chatter! She has overcome adversity in her life, and a bout with cancer – always with dignity and honor and humor. 

Girlfriend – you are an inspiration! You remind me that laughter brings sweetness to life and friendship. I will see you next spring or early next summer as we have planned.

“Chat” and me at my niece’s wedding a year ago, October 2011.

Photo credit:  Erin Batton of eebphotography.blogspot.com

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On Friday evening at the Bookworm of Edwards, I and two others presented an evening writer’s workshop on marketing books. We focused mainly on e-marketing/social media marketing, selling books through public speaking and placing books in retail and bookstore environments. The discussion led to other ideas for creatively finding potential book buyers. 

The morning after the event I visited the Minturn Market, a fresh-air shopping experience . I noticed a booth filled with children’s books from Osborne Publishing, a U.K. company. Must be a local distributor is in the area. I tried to approach the vendor, but, the booth was too crowded. 

Just as I was ready to leave the market area, I noticed a woman folding tee-shirts. As I walked by she asked me “Whether I was familiar with the Burrow Race?” I admitted that I wasn’t; I was a visitor to the area from Steamboat. She said the tee-shirts were being sold in conjunction with the annual Burrow Race that goes up the mountain and the sales of the shirts were to support literacy; a program of the Avon-Vail Libraries.
http://bit.ly/Rbl52C
. That explained my sightings of borrows  with packs on their backs wandering around about town.

Literacy and books surround us in our daily lives, and we never know where we will find opportunities to sell books of regional interest. There is a book that has created “buzz” in the Vail, Colorado area. It is called “Women of Vail: Those Who Walked this Bridge.” Here is an article from the Vail Daily  newspaper summarizing it.

Where is the book being sold? According to the Vail Daily, it is available at the Minturn Market, however, this seasonal market is coming to an end in two more  Saturdays.

“Women of Vail” would make an excellent Christmas present for those who know and love Eagle County, Colorado. Contact the Book Worm of Edwards, they carry it and it has been a hot item of great interest.
http://bit.ly/SC5H3t
.

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The Reverend of my church celebrated his birthday on Sunday, the day before mine. He explained that last year he thought he was a year older than he really is, thus this year he gets to celebrate the same year all over again. His sermon was about considering whether he liked the idea of “do-overs” in life or not. 

As he spoke, I couldn’t help but reflect on how I felt about that matter since the next day was going to be my turn to add another year to my tally. There have been times in my life that have been difficult and I wouldn’t wish on them on anybody.  Yet, the most beautiful events have been so life affirming. All things considered, the hard times have made me appreciate, even more deeply, the good times. I wouldn’t do any of it all over again if I could. The challenges are what have made me the person I am today. 

How would you feel if you could do your life over? Would you, if you could? I’d like to hear your opinion of the life you have been given. 

After the church service, the congregation was invited to Fellowship Hall to have a piece of birthday cake. There were two choices – chocolate and vanilla. For some, the choices were too difficult, so some people had both flavors. I indulged and enjoyed a piece of cake but there were no big decisions on that matter. I  always, always choose vanilla over chocolate. 

Now wait a minute! Before you judge me and say, “How boring!”  read this article called The Scoop about Being Vanilla.
http://bit.ly/SdQoxI
. Positives come with making the same, plain choices and in the end isn’t it all about what bring personal fulfillment to each of us? That varies.

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