Month: January 2016

CAMPAIGNING AND ELECTIONS

~ lakeafton ~ 1 Comment

After over a year of “who is going to run for president,” we are getting to caucuses and primaries, which will continue for the next six to seven months. Then we begin the campaign for president. Finally, after four to five months this year’s Election Day, the latest possible—the first Tuesday after the first Monday—November 8 will arrive.

Beginning with the speculation on who would run for president, the primary campaigns, and the presidential campaign, we will have been inundated with political news for over two years. It began with the mid-term election in 2014. I fear some people tire of the headlines long before Election Day and skip it. I can’t make a difference; or I don’t care anymore. Could we cut election news to just one year?

All this time, political pundits and newscasters are delighted with forever campaigns. It gives them headlines without having to search for them. I understand that. Many years ago, I was a local news correspondent in a rural area. I eagerly waited to see who chose to run for town, village, and school elections. I could profile them and speculate over their chances against incumbents. Election Day gave me winners and losers to announce. News in a rural area is sometimes hard to find. My editor had to fill his page. Too much news and he had leftovers; too little news and he scrounged to fill space. I’m sure this is true nationally as well.

One thing I wish our news outlets would do is to tell us more of what is going on around the world. We only learn to find some countries on the globe when there is a war or disaster. With more world news we might be able to anticipate the problem before it actually starts. Just a thought.

A COLD MORNING

~ lakeafton ~ Leave a comment

At six this morning, I woke to a cold house. The thermostat said 50 degrees. Now I wait for the furnace repairman to arrive—shortly, I hope.
I am not cold. In multi-layers of warm clothes, I have an electric fireplace and a small electric heater. I also have two children nearby, if I need them. So, I am fine.
But, what if? What if I didn’t have fuel? Or unable to pay for service? Or had no supplementary heat source? Or lacked a supply of warm clothing? Or didn’t have nearby children and friends?
This weekend the Northeast is expecting snow and high winds. We need to be aware of those people around us, who do not have my advantages.
Check on your neighbor who lives alone. Watch for the homeless person or family who may be living in a vehicle.
We’re called to do what we can or call someone else who can help. God teaches us that we must care for those in need.

MOTIVATION TO MARKET

~ lakeafton ~ 2 Comments

This past two weeks I have spent most of my time sitting in front of this computer. I have working on submitting manuscripts for publication. At the top of my agenda are three books I’d love to see published. Books that have been in the writing in various forms for many years—one is a biography of architect Mary Colter for middle school children, a picture book of Mary Colter for lower grades, and a chapter book telling the story of a young girl living on a farm during World War II.

All three of these books have been through several revisions and critiqued by my writing group and edited again. But I have let them sit quietly in my computer. Yes, I did send them out once or twice and received a rejection. No, I don’t like to receive rejections, but they don’t discourage me from writing. I’ve even received encouraging rejections, such as: “I love the story, but it is not right for us.”

How to find that one agent or editor who says, “I love the story, here’s a contract?”

Nothing submitted. Nothing published. I know this.
So this is my New Year’s resolution:
I will submit at least one story to an agent or editor every week.

Perhaps having written this for all to see, I will work to keep my resolution.