SAVE YOUR LIFE STORY! The Benefits of Memoir

By Deborah Wilbrink

First published in Mature Lifestyles of Tennessee, Nov. 2013. Reprinted by permission.

“I knocked on doors and convinced people that they needed electricity.”

“Mom and Dad took me to the welfare office and left me there.”

“Cows have personality, and Wild Sue was super shy.”

Everyone has a story to tell, as you can tell by reading these quotes from Tennesseans who write memoir. Every life is unique. What do you have to say? Telling your life story for others is the fascinating genre of memoir. Memoir is a life story, told by the person who lived it, that focuses on important key events.

If you’ve thought about saving your life story so that others can read or view it, you are not alone. Memoir writing is an increasingly popular activity, and books of memoir are scattered throughout the best seller lists. After all, “truth is stranger than fiction.” Recording your personal story or family history offers some excellent benefits!

1. Preservation. Some say the spirit endures three deaths in this world: when the body dies, when the body is buried, and when it is finally forgotten. You can ensure your life and the stories of your family are not forgotten by leaving your memoir.

2. Revelation – This is a chance to tell the truth as you see it. While history is written, and rewritten, tell others what really happened, personally and historically in memoir. You were there!

3. Education – Leave to others the valuable lessons you have learned about life! Storytelling is the oldest form of education. If you learned something the hard way, or have a valuable skill, why not share that in memoir?

4. Family Connection – The process is fun and interesting, prompting sharing between family members. Your memoir will bring you closer to family members, sometimes in unexpected ways. It can also be a treasured heritage gift.

5. Mental Stimulation – Simply making an outline of events can tickle dormant memories awake. You’ll enjoy corresponding, looking at old photos, and simply telling that special story as you compose your memoir. Learning new skills, meeting new people that help with your project, and practicing formal thought are enjoyable mental exercise.

6. Self-Awareness – As you recollect and record, you’ll find yourself revisiting choices that you made, or were made for you. But now, you have a whole life of wisdom. You may find that you see the past in a different light this time around. Memoir can be therapy and an aid to spiritual development.

Many people find these benefits and more from telling their life stories. Ninety-eight year old Thad Martin was proud of being the last person to remember croquet games at Nashville’s Centennial Park. He wanted to tell that and more, creating more conversation with his great-grandchildren. One year later, Thad’s family was listening to their minister read Thad’s stories about his religious experiences. Their elder had passed, but everyone was still laughing at his stories. His spirit was there, and the great-grandchildren saw love and respect for him all around them.

Mary Mallen is determined to make something of her journals and notes. She’s writing a memoir for her daughters’ families, and for the public. “Optimism and enthusiasm will get you through the hardships,” will be Mary’s theme as she recollects the changes in the travel industry. Mary started life in a traveling house trailer, but ended up revolutionizing airline sales.

Convinced yet? Many people have an idea for a memoir that stays with them for years. It’s important to act on that idea. Writing or recording your life story comes easily to some and seems difficult to others. There may be a “kin-keeper” in your family, the go-to person who saves the stories, the photographs, and whatever you may have of genealogy and family trees. A younger person may be willing to spend time recording and editing your story. Books, websites, and classes are available. Professionals are creating the new career path of personal historian, with a professional chapter in Tennessee. A personal historian, I offer a free blog subscription to tips on writing memoir at my website, PerfectMemoirs.com.

So put away your fears and procrastination, and take up your pen or recorder. Now, where were you when . . . ?

Deborah Wilbrink is an editor and ghostwriter for Writers in the Sky. She is a personal historian and proprietor of Perfect Memoirs, a personal history business. At PerfectMemoirs.com you can also subscribe to her blog about the genre of memoir, “Point of View.”
 

Poetry and Prose Corner December 2013

Are We Cold Yet?

It’s there
In the air,
You can sense the hawk sweeping.
Soon,
Very soon
It will wake from its sleeping
To bite and to nip
To claw and to rip
To haunt and to halt
In its bone-chilling grip.

Good sense says to hide,
To keep safely inside
Secure by the fireside
To weather the tide.
But fate bids me go
On my trek through the snow,
And suffer her wrath
As her glacial winds blow.

And the taut winter breeze
Brings the strong to their knees
As autumn surrenders
To deep winter’s freeze.

Dennis S. Martin
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/


The Realization

By Lisa Emery

The fountain of youth is easy to find; be still! It's beyond your mind. Remove all thought, take a breath... lose all judgment and regret. Negate all time; it's not what it seems... this life we're in, IS the dream. It's not something you do, it's more something you are; recognize this truth and there'll be no holds barred. Human and Being… separate yet whole... to learn the difference of each is our earthly goal. It really is simple yet touches so deep, true Realization may bring you to weep. Our physical bodies are human indeed, but to touch the Being Inside us is what we all need. Now "Being" you see is what's deep underneath... beyond all thoughts in this life, our body's our sheath. The soul that we house is eternal and truth. When you tap into this power you'll find timeless youth. There's no limitation when you touch this core, you'll see beauty around you never noticed before. The mysteries of life will then become clear; fear will no longer grip you when adversity is near. The Universe becomes helpful in all that you do, synchronicity appears and blessings shine through. Open your heart, open your soul... the manifestations you seek will be rewarded tenfold. Be 'one with life'; be always Present. Life is happening Now... this very instant. Accept each moment as it is, when this is achieved then true Peace shall live. The freedom that comes in the Present moment, is equal to none... it's the purpose of our existence.

Lisa Emery is a poet and writer trying to make a living with words as well as trying to make a difference. Randomnessfromwithin@wordpress.com



Please Don't Cry

By: Brenda McBride

Written for My Dad, Herbert Grant

Please don't cry; the salt from your tears can fill an ocean with sorrow.
So save your tears, and fill that ocean with cherished memories
that you store in your heart…
Those memories will sustain you, and keep you close to me when the pain becomes too much to bear, as you feel the hollow space
that's torn you apart…

Please don't cry; wipe away your tear drops one by one each day, as you begin to take one step forward to face a new future, one with promise and joy from deep within…
Leaving your sorrow behind you, while still feeling connected to those you've loved and lost, take charge of your emotions, let the healing begin…

Please don't cry; let your tears vanish into drops of hope, with many hopeful wishes that will indeed come true, in the process of your
healing and becoming strong…
The pain may be overwhelming now, but in time you'll see a remarkable change inside of you, miraculous in many ways…
Have patience, it won't take long…

Please don't cry; you must realize I'm still close by your side in spirit. I'll never leave you or wander too far away from where you are…
My world co-exists with yours; we are a part of one another. I'm in the cool breeze that passes you by and I'm in the warmth if the sun…
Accept my passing as part of life: it was my time to pass on. Your time will come too, when the day is done.


Brenda McBride lives in Temecula, California, with her two teenage girls and is a substitute teacher working with special education students. Several of her articles and poems have been published in various magazines in the last several years. When her father passed away in 2011, her grief became so unbearable that she began writing to release deep emotions. There's not a day that goes by without the thought and beautiful memories shared with her wonderful dad.


Caw-a-thon

Ten or twelve crows, maybe more, flitting and flighting from one pine tree to the next.

Caw! Caw!
Fussing and fuming, feathers a-flyin'.

A black-feathered family reunion
I believe it was.
Complete with baked beans and fried chicken.
Potato salad. Yes, potatoes, baby!

"I haven't seen you since last winter."

"Is that your green bean casserole?"

"Have you put on some weight, dear?" (Probably too much banana pudding.)

"Aunt Tooley!" (You're still living?)

There was enough cawing and calling and cackling to send a query overseas—or at least a long-distance call—to invite the rest of the crow family to come and fight over which tree to serve the desserts in.

(C) 2013 Yvonne Perry
 

Discovery—Planning an Exceptional Book Signing From Start to Finish (Part 1)

Despite the fact that bookstores are closing, authors still want signings and events. Now, more than ever, calendars fill up quickly for events, and space is even more precious than it has ever been in the past. What do you do when you have a book signing and no one shows up? Sure, that may sound like the beginning of a great joke, but for many of us, it’s our worst nightmare. Here are some tips on how to have a great event to help bring together existing fans and drive new readership.

I learned this the hard way during my own book signing years ago. Though I had sent marketing materials in advance, the store manager hadn't put any of them out. No posters, no bag-stuffers, nothing. Needless to say, I learned the hard way that book signings are more than events: there needs to be a strategy behind them. As an author, you should be prepared to get up and talk to people. Don’t just sit there and sign—we should all be so lucky that the lines for our book are so long that we barely have time to jot down our signature in our book and move to the next fan. Generally, though, this isn't the case.

The Buddy System

Some authors like to have another person there signing with them to drive additional interest to the event. I've done it both ways, and they each have their merits. First of all, the buddy system will probably bring in more people since you are essentially doubling your publicizing efforts (or, at least you should be). You can turn a simple book signing into an event. One of you can be having a book discussion or workshop, while the other author is signing. It’s a great way to draw and keep a crowd. Also, often it’s easier to get publicity when there’s more than one author present. This type of book signing works well for unknown authors—if, say, you have a specific program or want to have a book signing that lasts all day. In fact, many bookstores now offer a night that celebrates new authors, so ask them if they do this. Often you’ll find that they will pull together as many as seven authors. While this may seem like a lot, it’s really a fantastic way to drive a larger crowd to the event.

No Sitting on the Job

As I mentioned previously, don’t just sit there and smile. Get up, move around, and engage people in conversation. Would you believe I’ve been told that some shoppers are actually intimidated to just walk up and talk to an author? But, if you speak to them first, you’re breaking the ice and, maybe, making a sale. Take your focus off of yourself and your stack of books and put it on the people in the store. As with anything in marketing you’re really selling yourself. Get up from your chair to greet people as they enter the store. I usually have a small flyer made up with the cover of my book and a blurb about it, and I tell people I’m signing books today. Smile and talk to them and hand them a book. If you tell them about your novel, be sure you have your short and punchy elevator pitch ready. The last thing you want to do is take up a ton of their time when they are there to shop. Get them excited about it—let your passion shine through. Passion is a very contagious thing.

Go See What the Competition is Doing

Have you ever visited someone else’s book signing? I did because I wanted to see what it was about, to see what other authors did. Some of your best ideas or taboos will come from watching other people. I remember the first one I went to. I entered the store and there she was, the smiling author, pen ready and stack of books looming over the table. I wondered if I were just a customer that happened into the store what would make me walk up to her unless my specific purpose had been to attend this signing? Then, I wondered what I could do to draw that traffic. Face it: no matter how much publicizing you do, unless you've got a spot on Good Morning America to talk up your signing, most of your foot traffic will probably just be shoppers. If you’re really lucky, you’ll see some frantic people in search of last-minute gifts, and autographed books make great presents!

Be Unique!

If your book involves anything that you can tie in with a theme or a prop, all the better. I went to a book signing for an author who specialized in period romance. This particular novel was set during the 1600s and she dressed in a gown fitting to the time. She also had a castle backdrop that a neighbor painted for her. Her neighbor was an aspiring artist, so not only was she doing the author a favor but the neighbor got to showcase her work as well. People really love this kind of thing. I mean anyone can sit at a table and smile, but sitting there (or likely standing) in a corset for four hours takes real passion. Give some thought to what you can do to develop a theme or prop for your signing. If the store will let you, you should bring in food, too. This is especially great if it ties into your signing. And you don’t necessarily have to show up in costume, but try to do what you can to set yourself apart from the rest.

A Few Final Notes on Book Signings

Be cautious of pay periods when scheduling a date for your signing. For example, I will always try to schedule mine around the 15th or 30th of the month. I live in a Navy town and, since they never fail to get paid on those dates, it really helps to boost my sales. Also, check to see if the store has a newsletter. If it does, offer to write a short article on your book or discussion topic that will draw more attention to your signing. Keep the article interesting and helpful without giving away everything you plan to share with your guests. Or, if your book is fiction, share an interesting excerpt from it. Sometimes bookstore newsletters are printed by their corporate offices, but generally they print them in-house and they are always in need of “filler” items.

Also, contact your local TV stations and speak to the producer. Call the day before (if your signing is on Sunday call them on Friday) and let him know you've sent a press release regarding your signing (you have, haven’t you?). If they need a sixty-second filler, you can offer their viewers some helpful tips on XYZ. Or, if your book is fiction, play up the “local author makes big” angle. Local stations love that. Speaking of media, if you can get yourself booked on a radio show the day before or preferably the morning of your signing you’ll really help to boost interest. If you get some on-air time, consider giving away a few of your books during the show. And remember to tie your book and event into something topical and relevant!

Finally, have fun! It's your big day and you've earned every glorious minute of it!

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

 

WITS Book Reviews December 2013

Book Title: Friending God: A Woman’s Quest through a Social Network
Author: Marsha L. Larsen
ISBN 10: 0989351807
Publisher: Lone Butte Press; First edition
Genre: faith, spirituality
Publication Date: September 30, 2013
Book Length in Pages: 136 pages
Reviewer: Dana Micheli

It’s not too often these days that we read a truly unique book—an eye-opener. Of course, this is relative; one person’s eye-opener is another person’s cure for insomnia. I personally found Marsha L. Larsen’s Friending God: A Woman’s Quest Through a Social Network to be the former. It not only taught me about the author and her fascinating journey, it also forced me to take a hard look at my own beliefs.

The book is about Larsen’s desire to know God better. As she states in her introduction, she had been searching for Him for years, but her attempts had “paved a path to a closed door.” I loved this line, for who hasn’t felt this way at one point or another? So, in the interest of paving a new path, she decided to conduct a series of interviews with women from her social network.

She chose a mix of people from various walks of life, geographical areas and, most importantly, belief systems: Buddhism, Catholicism, pantheism, and Protestantism (four different denominations). She also interviewed an atheist—which, in my opinion, demonstrates her commitment to getting different points of view. In other words, she did not engineer her interviews to get answers she wanted. Her most important criterion was that she chose women who she “suspected would have ripened ideas on the subject.” She was serious about learning about her subjects, and about God through them. Of course, she also wound up learning a whole lot about herself, and she is extremely candid about what she found.

What I found is that it’s impossible to read Friending God without learning about your own relationship with God… as well as your relationship with other people, yourself, and life. The interviews allowed me a window into each woman’s life, through the lens of her own spirituality. It forced me to re-examine my life as filtered through my beliefs, which is the first step to embracing those that work and those that are holding me back. She even included her questionnaire at the end—no avoidance allowed!

What I liked and appreciated most about this book (aside from Larsen’s smart yet down-to-earth writing style) was her approach. She conducted each interview with the professionalism of a journalist and the innocent curiosity of a seeker. 

Catch the Replay of Empowering Hour with Empaths for the Holidays

In the time we had together on yesterday's call, Veronica O'Grady and Yvonne Perry shared deep, seasoned wisdom to help empathic people get through the challenges of the season. If you were not able to be on the live call, please listen to the replay link below and share it with other highly sensitive people you know who could use some real peace during this festive holiday season.

http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventID=48749115

It is our desire that you come out of it all feeling empowered, clean, whole, balanced, and ready to create your new dreams.

Learn more about the gift of empathy in Yvonne Perry's book, Whose Stuff Is This? ~ Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You,

Self-Published Books Gain Recognition through Bookstore Consignment Programs

By Thomas Hill

A handful of brick-and-mortar bookstores are jumping on the consignment bandwagon. This is good news for self-publishing authors who are trying to reach readers in the very bookstores readers frequent. At the very least, it means that independent authors and publishers are getting shelf space that they didn’t have previously.

The American Booksellers Association reported recently on its website that a handful of small bookstores nationwide are participating in consignment programs, allowing independent authors to showcase and sell their books, as well as sponsor book signings and other events. This trend appears to be growing, according to the report, and many self-publishing authors are diving right in to participate.

Quite a few bookstores, like the Tattered Cover in Denver, offer local authors and small local publishers the opportunity to sell books on consignment—the author/publisher provides several copies of the book that the bookseller places on its shelves—and even host events at the store. Matt Miller, a spokesman for the Tattered Cover, which has been supporting local authors for decades through the Rocky Mountain Authors Program, sees the consignment program as steady. “We try to treat every author with the respect they deserve for their efforts and their desire to make their works available to the larger community,” the ABA article quotes Miller as saying.

Most bookstores that participate in consignment programs cater to regional authors with very little exception. Chico, Calif.-based Lyon Books runs a consignment program that allows authors living within 60 miles of the store to sell books. The ABA report suggests that over 200 authors live within 60 miles of Lyon Books.

The good news for self-publishing authors is that the sky is the limit. John Locke, Gemma Halliday, and Amanda Hocking: these are just a handful of authors who have gained national and international recognition by self-publishing titles on online bookseller sites like Amazon. The international bestseller, The Shack, started out as an indie publication. “No question, traditional publishers play an important role in the publishing world. Still, for better or worse, the days when they were the sole gatekeepers are behind us,” writes Terri Guiliano Long of IndieReader.

Today’s shifting publishing market makes exposure for independent publishers and authors attainable and sustainable. Print-on-demand outfits have started a book printing revolution that has spilled over into the digital world. Consignment programs at brick-and-mortar bookstores in local communities are just another step in the independent publisher revolution that is taking place.

Indie authors and publishers who are interested in participating in promoting and selling their books via a consignment program should follow some basic guidelines in their quest to find coveted shelf space. At the very least, the book or books should have the look and feel of a professional publisher. Books should have a professionally composed cover with a bound spine, a professional layout for all interior pages, and readily identifiable registration (International Serial Bin Number, or ISBN), with contact information for the publisher, author, and website. The Rocky Mountain Authors program, for example, list several criteria in determining which books end up on their shelves. According to their website, the above list comprises the “minimum industry and customer standards” to which they hold all consignment books accountable.

For more information on selling independently published books on consignment, contact your local independent bookstore.

Thomas M. Hill is the founder of Launchpad Press, a full-service book production company, and author of Self-Publishing Made Easy: What Authors Should Know about Book Production (http://bit.ly/vGXgy8).

 

Empowering Hour with Empaths for the Holidays

If you are an empath or  highly sensitive to sounds, people, events, lights, and certain situations and get thrown off balance by them, you will not want to miss "Empowering Hour for Empaths for the Holidays," a 1-hour online webcast this afternoon!

The intense energy of the holidays with all the festivities and chaos can
be painful for those who are sensitive to outer
energies.

Family and business gatherings can often be difficult any time of year but during this time of year they are especially taxing for empaths. Join us for this special event to help you get ready for this holiday season.

In this group call, you’ll learn new ways of handling and protecting your energy to feel more balanced through bustling holiday situations. Some of the tools and perspectives we offer can even help heal many of your past relationships as your energy become more whole and protected.

There are three ways to attend "Empowering Hour with Empaths for the Holidays" on Thursday, December 12th at 2:00 p.m. Central Time

1. Attend online: http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventID=48749115 (check the world time zone map for the correct time to tune in: http://www.worldtimezone.com).

2. By phone: (206) 402-0100 (or, check for a local dial-in number at http://InstantTeleseminar.com/Local  and use pin code: 187842#

3. Connect with Skype: Add joinconference as a contact and initiate a session. Once connected, select show dial pad from the Call menu and enter guest pin code 187842#

Seasoned empaths and healers Yvonne Perry and Veronica O’Grady will answer your questions about how to handle energy in ways that make you feel stronger, more whole, centered, and stabilized, throughout the entire holiday season. Some of these tools shared are in Yvonne’s book Whose Stuff Is This? ~ Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You, as well as what is going to be in Veronica’s upcoming live events and 2014 online courses. The information is yours for *FREE* during this call.

For more info, click on our websites:

Yvonne Perry http://weare1inspirit.com

Veronica O'Grady: http://www.quantumalchemyhealing.com/3.html

We’ve been there, and we want to help!

In the time we had together on yesterday's call, Veronica O'Grady and Yvonne Perry shared deep, seasoned wisdom to help empathic people get through the challenges of the season. If you were not able to be on the live call, please listen to the replay link below and share it with other highly sensitive people you know who could use some real peace during this festive holiday season.

http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventID=48749115

It is our desire that you come out of it all feeling empowered, clean, whole, balanced, and ready to create your new dreams.

Learn more about the gift of empathy in Yvonne Perry's book, Whose Stuff Is This? ~ Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You,

 

Editor's Corner December 2013

Happy December, Everyone!

By the time you read this, you will have already enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, complete with all the fixings (and followed by a turkey coma). Hopefully, you’ve also survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the two busiest (albeit, very different) shopping days of the year.

Ten years ago, most people would not have considered doing their holiday shopping from a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Today, it is simply considered a more convenient way to get your loved ones what they want. Ever since the term “Cyber Monday” was coined in a press release on November 28, 2005, it has literally changed the face of holiday commerce. Some people have embraced this change, while others (myself included) have been slower to accept it as the “new norm.” After all, it’s not holiday shopping if you’re not fighting crowds for the last Xbox or waiting in a 3-hour line, right? Well, not really—not anymore.

For those who follow astrology, the past few months have been all about letting go of the old to make room for the new. Even those who don’t believe in that stuff have felt a certain something in the air, and it’s not just the holiday spirit. It’s the winds of change, my friends. Technology has changed the way we connect with others; the way we read books and absorb knowledge; and, yes, it has changed the way we do business. (I recently heard that Instagram is the next big marketing tool. I was about to dismiss that information until I remembered that I used to feel the same about Twitter.) Depending on life philosophy, we might have different views on this phenomenon, but each of us has the option to fight it or embrace it as the wave of the future. This is true whether you are shopping for someone else or marketing your own work.

I wish you a joyous holiday season and a New Year full of the wonderful and unexpected.

Dana Micheli
Writer and Editor, Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com
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Writers in the Sky is a team of ghostwriters, editors, and book marketing specialists committed to the craft and business of writing. We work with our clients on all levels of the publishing process from editing and manuscript assessments to book formatting and marketing. So, whether you are a first-time author or a veteran of the craft, let Writers in the Sky help you get your book out into the world. We also provide assistance with résumés, business documents, and academic essays. For more information, visit www.writersinthesky.com.
 

Write Content for the Holidays and Give Your Blog a Seasonal Surge in Traffic!

By Mike Nielsen

Do you know how to make the most of the holidays on your blog when you write content?

Bloggers tend to either hate or love seasonal holidays. Depending on your niche it can be almost impossible to incorporate seasonal holidays into your posts. In addition to that, a lot of bloggers are mainly looking for "evergreen" traffic, which just isn't suitable when you write about the holidays.

Here's my take on the problem: try to look at holiday traffic as a bonus!

This is a great opportunity to introduce new readers to your blog. Holiday posts can add a tremendous personal touch to your blog while still providing valuable information.

However, there is one problem! It isn't always easy to fit seasonal content into your blog. It is simply harder to do in some niches than in others. It's easy enough to do in niches like home improvement and cooking. It can be done in niches like health and fitness and finance. Other niches, however, might not seem like optimal candidates for seasonal posts.

Having said that, as I'm typing this, I'm having difficulty thinking of a niche where it's completely impossible. The key to coming up with a seasonal post is to pick a good "angle" for the content you write. That can be difficult but, in most cases, it can be done. Finding the right angle for a holiday post is a great exercise that will serve you well in the future. So, as far as I'm concerned, this is a great exercise for any blogger.

The goal here is to create a surge in traffic, but it doesn't hurt to write content that will also generate traffic outside the holiday for which it was written. You want as much "evergreen" content on your blog as possible, and it is important that you think about that when you write content.

Because seasonal blog posts are a way to attract new readers to your blog, you need to make sure that your post contains solid information from which your readers will get a lot of value. If this is the first impression people get of your blog you have to make sure it is a good first impression. That is done by providing great value!

In fact, if you don't write content that provides great value to your readers your blog will never be successful! Give your readers great value and turn your "surge traffic" into evergreen traffic!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Nielsen

 

Coaching Podcast Schedule December 2013

We Are One in Spirit Podcast allows for people from all walks of life to discuss their spiritual journey and life—transforming experiences that remind us that we are all one in spirit. Uplifting, enlightening, and insightful topics include healing, empathy, intuition, spiritual/psychic gifts, metaphysics, soul development, afterlife, spirit communication, and more. The metaphysical shows are archived at feed://nashvillewriter.audioacrobat.com. You will also find us on iTunes. Please subscribe to the We Are One in Spirit mailing list to receive the call log-in information: http://weare1inspirit.com/blog/


This month’s interactive calls include group coaching for empaths on December 12 and for walk-ins on December 19. Both webinar conference calls are at 2 p.m., central time.

WITS Announcements December 2013

As a subscriber to Writers in the Sky Newsletter, you are entitled to share your announcements with our readers. See guidelines at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com/p/submit-your-material.html and send your material to us before the 24th of each month to make the next month’s issue. Anything posted in the WITS Newsletter is also shared with our blog readers at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com.


Attract Your Ideal Weight E-Book Now Available

What would life be like if you no longer struggled with your weight? What if you could look good, feel good and, most importantly, silence your mind about your weight?

Attract Your Ideal Weight: 8 Secrets of People Who Lose Weight and Keep It Off, a new e-book by weight loss expert Zaheen Nanji, can teach you how. With Attract Your Ideal Weight’s revolutionary insights into weight loss, you can kiss dieting goodbye forever.

No matter what sort of history you have with weight gain and dieting, you can attract your ideal weight. And it’s easier than you might imagine. If you want to stop struggling with your weight and start attracting your ideal body instead, this is the book you’ve been waiting for.

The book is based on the latest scientific research and the real-life experiences of people who have lost weight and kept it off. It reveals eight secrets to attracting your ideal weight and includes inspiring success stories, helpful self-assessment questions, and fun food experiments.

Attract Your Ideal Weight: 8 Secrets of People Who Lose Weight and Keep It Off, is now available on Amazon Kindle. Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Attract-Your-Ideal-Weight-Secrets-ebook/dp/B00G7V4IZE/. Don’t have a Kindle reader? No problem! Just download the Kindle App on your iPad, iPhone, smartphone, or tablet and then download the book.
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Read the first chapter for free and then decide if you want to download the 3-hour-long MP3 audio book of More Than Meets the Eye ~ True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife for only $7.00. http://tinyurl.com/bd7qhy8
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Happy to announce that I have begun work on a new book: "The Writer Within; My First Fifty Years as a Writer." Although it is several months from completion, I wanted to give everyone a heads up on it. This book is designed to be a primer for anyone who desires to be a writer. It’s not necessarily instructional, but I hope it will inspire.

At the same time I am continuing work on my next book of poems, "The Times of Our Lives," which celebrates life events we all share. I will be posting poems for this collection here as they are completed. Hope you all enjoy.

Dennis S. Martin
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/

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Each story in The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children focuses on life skills such as environmental awareness, helping others, being true to one’s self, overcoming fear, and following inner guidance. http://TheSidSeries.com
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The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who loves expressing innermost thoughts and feelings into the beautiful art of poetry, or writing a story that is worth telling everyone. Write a poem or a short story for a chance to win cash prizes! All works must be original. Postmark deadline: January 16, 2014. Visit our website for details: http://www.dreamquestone.com
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Yvonne Perry and her cousin, Jenny Bates, have been working for more than a year on a book about their family's history. This genealogy will include 200 photos and many stories from descendants of a line dating back to the early 1800s. If you are of the lineage of South Carolina-born Charlton Bates (b. 1812) and Nancy O'Kelly (b. 1813) who migrated to Cherokee County, Georgia, you may be interested in learning more. The blog for the book is http://charltonbatesancestry.blogspot.com if you would like to see what we have done with this project.
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Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html.
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State of Appreciation is a free weekly online newsletter that blends practical and spiritual approaches to enhance personal power and self-realization. This publication offers empowering articles, gifts, and free contemporary and classic empowerment downloads at http://stateofappreciation.weebly.com.
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If you are looking for someone to create an original piece for your book cover, you might want to connect with Diane Daversa on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Diane-Daversa-Fine-Art/109782219119036.
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Shifting into Purer Consciousness ~ Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience is about how to embrace multidimensional frequencies, lessen physical and emotional symptoms of rapid spiritual ascension, and offers tips to make the ascension process easier and quicker. http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com.