Tooting My Horn Tuesday on Thin Threads: Compassion and Giving

Many years ago, when my children were very young (they were so young, the third one was just a gleam in the Good Lord's eye), I watched as a young mother walked out of a K-Mart and left her little brown-haired girl behind. The episode, and how the event unfolded, rocked me to the core of my beliefs. But it changed me, too.

Years later, when I started writing essays, the K-Mart story surfaced and begged to be told. I bet I wrote a dozen versions of that story. And each time I submitted the essay to a market, it came back with a "No, thanks." I can't say that surprised me. I knew there was something more I needed to tell, and that I hadn't gotten to the heart of the story. Then I saw the Thin Threads Contest.

As described on the website, a thin thread is a "moment, event, setback, crossroad or encounter that connected you to a person, place or an opportunity that changed your life for the better." I knew immediately that I had to try again.

I suppose that this time, I got it right. Because "A Little Brown-Haired Girl" was selected for Thin Threads, Special Edition: Compassion and Giving. They're always looking for life-changing stories, and maybe you have one that's just right for this series. Find out more at their website. Or submit your story for the Thin Threads Contest like I did.

I'll be ordering a few copies of the Thin Threads Compassion and Giving, perhaps have a contest here and give it away. But it won't really compare with what a little brown-haired girl gave me so many years ago.

Tooting My Horn Tuesday on Bylines Calendar 2010!

Wow! I had a bit of a book bonanza when I went to the mailbox today! But too much tooting's not very nice, so...Um, that didn't come out quite right. Er, neither did that. Let's just move on, shall we?

I found my Bylines 2010 Writer's Desk Calendar and there I was, right across from Christmas week, sounding off on some writerly thing. But that's not all I found in this splendiferous desk calendar. There's a page for you to list (and check off!) writing goals, as well as monthly Writer To Do pages. You'll find a submission tracker, pages for conference notes, an expenses sheet, a mileage sheet, web sources, and probably a lot more writing stuff I'm leaving out. Obviously, you need this desk calendar. But you can't have mine. You can order your own from the Bylines website.

And you know what else I found? I saw a lot of writers I recognized. Check out the Submission guidelines here. 'Cause next year, I want to find you in the Bylines Calendar 2011!

Tooting My Horn Tuesday on WINNERS! The Enchanted Conversation and The Giveaway

Oh, how I love the smell of victory in the morning!

So, come celebrate with me over at The Enchanted Conversation, a new blogazine (what will they think of next?) that debuted on January 1st! I love the genre of this blogazine (Fairy Tales! Woohoo!) and I love that the editor, Kate Wolford, worked hard to get her new venture out despite the difficulties of a business start-up AND is paying her contributors (Double WooHoo!)! All that combines to make The Enchanted Conversation a winner. And maybe you'll be a winner if you enter one of the contests going on over there right now.

Then you can read my poem "The Problem with Fairy Tales." Or read my poem, then enter the contest. Yeah, that's the ticket. And if you write a scathingly brilliant comment about my poem (or anything else, for that matter), you might win 25 bucks! C'mon, how easy is that? I'd love to see one of the Hall of Fame regulars win! Heck, I'd like to see me win. So, it's on, people. May the best comment-er win!

Speaking of best comment-ers, I had plenty of readers' comments on the Hall of Fame in December. I really wish I could have pulled everyone's lovely name out of Santa's Hat for the First Holiday Hall of Fame Giveaway (Have you noticed I've called this contest something different every time???)

The point is, Juniorest Hall, who is by far the most honest of the clan, drew GAIL'S name out of the hat! So, Woohoo for Gail, the winner of lots of wonderful writing whatnot! Gail, send me your address and your package will arrive soon.

Isn't that a lovely way to start the New Year? And now, I think I smell something else...I'm gonna call it Sally the crazy dog (and go take a shower).

Finding Something Friday on Writing-World.com, The Muffin, and Me

I found the holiday edition of my free newsletter from Writing-World.com in my inbox this week. And that means I found "Santa Baby for Writers" by yours truly!

I do so wish I could share Santa Baby with you (the song, not my SB, the Beneficent Mr. Hall) but it's only available in the newsletter. I can give you the sweet link to Writing-World here so that you can dash away and sign up. Then, you'll get the latest newsletter, full of all things from the world of writing, including Cathy C. Hall's cool Yule song for writers. Absolutely free!

And after you sign up for Writing-World, dash away over to the WOW! Women on Writing's blog, the Muffin, to see who went on and on for Friday's Speak Out guest blogger. The topic's "After Nano: Rewrites Can Be (Sorta) Fun." Off you go to The Muffin-

Okay, I admit that wasn't much of a surprise. But it's not like today's post was titled "Writing-World, the Muffin and Yul Brynner."You knew I'd be coming up sooner or later. Or more or less.

Turns out, it's more. 'Cause I've been a very busy little elf the last few days, making over the Cathy C. Hall website. Nothing too drastic; Gladys the Goose is still there, doing her thing. And I hope I've made my thing more about humor writing, and less about "waterfowl writing." Not that there's anything wrong with that.

It's just that all I want for Christmas is...well, Santa Baby's heard that song before.

Tooting My Horn Tuesday on Restaurant Tips

If you're a regular reader here at the Cathy C. Hall of Fame, then you know on Tuesdays, I like to share my published work, so that you, the regular reader, can say, "Well, dang! I guess she does actually get published. I thought she just played around on the internet all day."

I know that's what my mom says. (Not that she's a regular reader here on the blog. Mom wouldn't read a personal message from the Pope if it came through an email.) There's also a matter of Mom being a tad sensitive to what may (or may not) be written about her and her activities. But I think this might be one time that Mom would be okay with me telling a story on her. And because mostly, this column has more to do with Dad.

So, here's Restaurant Tips from Modern Senior Living. And yes, that last bit about Mom and Dad really did happen. (But no one needs to tell Mom I shared this story, or the picture, with you and a gazillion folks on the internet.)

Great Big Gobs of Genre Writing Advice

I'm just on a writing advice roll here at Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame! Today, it's the awesomeness known as the May/June issue of WOW!Women on Writing.

Pick a genre, any genre, and I'll bet you'll find some great tips for writing it. I haven't had time to read the whole issue yet, but I saw articles about magic realism, fantasy, mystery thrillers, and eeeeek! horror.

And as I'm a shameless hussy when it comes to promotion, I'm just going to add that eeeek! the horror article is brought to you by Cathy C. (as in Creepy) Hall. It's packed with info on all the horror subgenres as well as great big gobs of gushy, grimy writing resources. So, if you've been wondering if horror might be just what you need to rev up your writing passion, sink your teeth into my scathingly scary how-to article, "How 2 Find the Right Horror Fit for You."

Oooh. I'm a little creeped out. (But in a good, totally awesome way.)

Finding Something Friday on a Saturday Night

I'm not going to make a whole bunch of excuses about missing Finding Something Friday. I'm just going to dive into what I found yesterday (but didn't quite get around to sharing.) And I'm going to thank Beth Cato for bringing this contest back to my attention.

You know how I love the contests sponsored by Writer's groups. This contest, sponsored by the Ligonier Valley Writers, is a particular favorite of mine. And not just because I won a little Fortune the last time I entered it. I love this contest because it's Halloween themed, and the winning entries are read at a bookstore and at the local library in conjunction with a Haunted Storytelling Time. So, if you win, it's Fame and Fortune! I'm getting a little tingly just thinking about it.

This year's Flash Fiction Contest wants a little something, something about shapeshifters or werewolves, 1,000 words or less, and delivered by August 15th. No entry fee, too. Check out the Ligonier Valley Writer's website here to get the rest of the details. And if you want to read one of the winning entries from last year, you can go to Beth's website here for her take on zombies and breakfast foods.

So, time to start writing that creepy Halloween tale now! No, um, excuses.

What Not To Do Wednesday on Meeting Writers

I do not, as a rule, use other people as examples of "What Not To Do." But this particular example was so blatant, I couldn't pass it up. Besides, it happened to the beneficent Mr. Hall, and he really doesn't count as "other people."

On this week's business trip to Florida (and may I just say here that I find it odd that Mr. Hall's business trips are invariably in Florida when the weather in Georgia is chillsville. As I also find it odd that Mr. Hall's business trips are in Chicago when the Cubs are playing...), the beneficent Mr. Hall was boarding the plane when oops! He dropped a novel (The Book of the Dead, if you must know).

The gentleman behind Mr. Hall exclaimed, "Oh, I know that writer! It's a great book!" I can't report what Mr. Hall replied, but I'm guessing something along the lines of "Mmmph." Next, the kindly gentleman said, "I'm a writer." At which point, Mr. Hall did not say, "Oh, my wife's a writer, too." Or, "Really? What's your name? What have you written?" In point of fact, Mr. Hall was apparently so taken with the fact that another person in the universe was a writer, that he said nothing. Or, maybe it was "Mmmph."

Now, grasshopper, if you should ever have the opportunity to meet a writer, particularly a writer who points out that he knows the writer of a fine book, do not say, "Mmmph." Introduce yourself, have a little chat, schmooze a bit. Possibly mention your wife who is a writer.

Particularly if the writer gentleman walks all the way up to First Class and leaves the "other people" (like the beneficent Mr. Hall) way back in the plane with their paperback novels and bags of peanuts.

An Award? For Me? Aw, Shucks (The Premio Dardos)

Thanks to Donna Volkenannt over at Donna's Book Pub, I've won my first award for the year. It's called the Premio Dardos Award, given in recognition of cultural, ethical, literary and personal values transmitted in the form of creative, original writing. Premio Dardos means "prize darts" in Italian (that's the award logo above)...I'm not sure what prize darts have to do with that logo, and to be honest, I'm not sure what Donna was thinking, throwing one of these literary darts my way. But I am ethical. I mean, how many times do I say "to be honest"?

In accepting the award, I must do the following:

1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog.

2) Pass the award along to blogs you find worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

So, without further ado, here's who I'm skewering (so to speak):

Suzanne Pitner has a wonderful blog called Teacher Writer that I just recently stumbled upon and had to read for an hour or two to catch up on all the great posts. Her blog is busting at the seams with teacher ideas, writing opportunities, contests, and other teacher-y, writer-y things. Suzanne is a PG sister of mine, but I had no idea where her writing had taken her. She's one busy teacher writer!

Hope Clark has a great blog that I catch up on every week. Many of you know Hope from Funds for Writers, and her blog lists interesting writing opportunities, too. You'll find grants, scholarships, contests, and I don't know what all. But what I really enjoy reading are her pithy notes at the end of her blog on her personal writing journey. Right now, she's shopping her book. It's a roller coaster ride of ups and downs and honestly, sometimes, I skip the contests and just read her notes.

See how honest I am? And honestly, I appreciate Donna's kind words. And I know you'll like Suzanne's and Hope's blogs as much as I do. Oh, and don't forget Donna's, too. Congrats to us all!

Tooting My Horn Tuesday for Right and Left Brain Writing at WOW!

Who knew there was such a thing as right and left brain writing? Good old Cathy C. Hall, that's who. Wham! just like that it came to me. So, I wrote up that article and pitched it to WOW!'s editors, who thought it was a timely article for the January issue. Which just happens to be all about time management. Now, who can't use tips on time management? Especially when making those first of the year goals or resolutions.

Check out "Making Time for Right and Left Brain Writing" if you're one of those writers who's constantly trying to find a way to tackle their fiction and non-fiction writing. But check out the entire January issue of WOW! here for tips on saving time, making time, meeting deadlines, and all things time-related.

Seriously, this is one timely issue. And here's a timely writing tip for you: The editors at WOW! often use writers who subscribe to Premium Green, WOW!'s market newsletter. Who knew?

Me, that's who! (And now you do, too.)

Tooting My Horn Tuesday for Reading Writers

Here's a Tuesday double tooting! (Um, that didn't sound very ladylike, did it? Let's keep moving...)

I just received my children's book Opinion from Elizabeth Guy over at Reading Writers. Remember that opinion I won way back when for writing that splendiferous sentence? (The Verb, the ezine affiliated with Reading Writers, sponsored a contest called The Sentence Soiree.)

So, first, I have to shout, "Whee! She liked it! She really, really liked it!" The parts that I thought were funny, she thought were funny, too! I love my main character; she loved that little guy, too! The story that I've labored over for months and months and months, she liked and enjoyed.

It wasn't all a love fest, of course. There were aspects of the story that needed work. And Elizabeth gave some great suggestions. Bottom line, that was absolutely the best prize I've ever won. Yay for me!

And yay for Reading Writers! I'd never considered an editing service before, but I can definitely see the value therein. And if I ever finish my second story, I know just where I'll send it for an opinion.

But for now, I need to work on my children's book. And you need to check out Reading Writers. You can sign up for the newsletter and get The Verb ezine sent to your inbox, free. Oh, and check out the latest contest. You could be tooting, too. (Um, I really need to come up with something else for Tuesday).

Finding Something Friday is Off to the New Year!

Happy 2009!

Hang on a sec-who's that smiling on the first Friday of the New Year?

Yep, that's me! On the very FIRST page of the Bylines Calendar for Writers. When I opened this nifty desk calendar, I thumbed through the pages, starting at the back. Halfway through, I got this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. And not funny ha-ha.

Did the editor forget me? I read the ENTIRE calendar. I was almost sick to my stomach before I turned that last page. (Oh, not because of the writing...the writers' stories are swell! But I was a teensy-weensy bit worried that my writing story hadn't made the book. Yes, I know, I had the complimentary copy and a nice letter, but I have this funny little gene that pops up every now and then. Also not a funny ha-ha gene. The gene that shouts, "Something's gonna go terribly wrong here!)

But then, wheee! There I was on page 1! Okay, enough about me...I've already told you how wonderful the calendar is and it's not too late to order. Check it out here, and check out the writer's guidelines for 2010. Wouldn't that be funny if you were on page 1 next New Year's? (And this time, I mean funny ha-ha. I'm smiling now thinking of your funny face. Guess which funny I mean now?)

It's the (Second) Most Wonderful (Wednesday) of the Year

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it's also the most "catch up while you still can" time of the year for writers (and pretty much for everybody else, besides the beneficent Mr. Hall. Christmas just happens for the beneficent Mr. Hall. But that's an entirely different yuletide tale.)



Now, I don't know about you, but Cathy C. Hall is all about being organized. That way, the most wonderful time of the year doesn't run me down like a hopped-up-on-sugarplums reindeer. And to get organized, I use my wonderful calendar/date book. Which brings me to the (second) most wonderful (Wednesday) of the year!



I'm getting a new calendar/date book! And not just any calendar/date book. The 2009 Bylines Calendar for Writers! It's called the Twain edition because it's full of all sorts of Twain trivia, including Twain's desk on the cover.



Oh, I just love Mark Twain. Mr. Twain and I go waaaaay back. It just doesn't get any more wonderful-er than that.



Oh, wait! It does get more wonderful after all. I'm in the calendar (along with 50 or so other wonderful writers)! We share our feel-good writing stories, the stories you want to read when you're feeling not so wonderfully writerly. Plus, you get a submission tracker, handy writing websites, space for monthly goals, weekly goals, and yearly goals. You even get a special place for jotting down all those business expenses (like buying a writer's desk calendar). So, check it out here and order a Bylines calendar for yourself. And catch up on the new year while you still can!

Tooting My Horn Tuesday Goes Southwestern

But first, we pause for this message:

"She's the birthday girl! She's the birthday girl! The birthday, birthday, birthday, birthday Girl!"

And now back to our regularly scheduled post:

Guess who won FIRST place in the Society of Southwestern Authors Children's Short Story Writing Competition?

That's meeeeee! It was so hugely exciting because for the first time ever I actually got a phone call telling me I'd won! I got a plaque! I got a big, fat check! And I got all that MONTHS ago and had to sit on it till now.

Whew! I seriously was about to bust to get that horn-tootin' toot out there. Here's the picture I sent to Mary Ann (the absolutely lovely Coordinator of the SSA who called from Arizona and now we're BFF's).

I'm holding the Michael Lacapa Award and I really couldn't be prouder. Michael Lacapa, for whom the award is named, was a Native American story teller who worked in developing multi-cultural curricula with the Apache tribe, using story telling as a teaching tool among the school-aged children. You can find out more about him, as well as the Southwestern Society of Authors here. And who knows? Maybe next year, you'll enter and win a plaque! A big, fat check! And get a phone call from the absolutely lovely Mary Ann! Then you can bask in the SSA glow, too.

And now back to birthday business. The glow coming off all the candles is about to burn the house down.

Finding Something Friday: Bill's Vlog, Not As Narcissistic as You Think

I read in my big-city newspaper where researchers from the University of Georgia (Shout out to PR guy, Anonymous!) concluded that folks who go overboard with the social networking might be a tad narcissistic. Frankly, I'm shocked. I mean, can't a person talk about themselves ad infinitum without being super self-absorbed?

I, for one, can't wait to see what my buddy, Bill, has to say on his podcast and BillTV. And now he has a vlog! So, if you'd like to see a very funny guy talk about well, himself, then head over to BillTV right now.

Now, I know you're wondering what the heck does Bill's vlog have to do with writing? As it happens, one man's narcissism is another man's (or woman's) promotion. So, you could learn a thing or two about promoting your work by watching Bill's vlog and other YouTube videos. Plenty of authors are taking it to that 4 x 4 inch screen, making videos about their books, and driving up sales.

Betcha didn't think of that, did you? Lucky me. I know exactly who I'll call for a few tips when I produce the Cathy C. Hall of Fame vlog.

Finding Something Friday Goes to Abilene, More or Less

You know how I love the contests. And not just because I win contests. Though that's smashing, isn't it?

I love contests because I love finding homes for those pieces I've written that are wandering about in some file folder, dragging their feet. I love contests for whatever bit of Fame and Fortune I might grab. But when writer's groups sponsor contests, I'm always interested. I love those contests because I love to support writers. I'm happy to send my entry fee because I know that some of that money will go to a worthy group of folks.

Oh, I know some people will say that your poem or story or whatever won't really garner much attention, or hold much weight when you're looking for an editor or publisher. That's okay. 'Cause that's not why I enter those contests, anyway.

But I'm also a firm believer in making your own luck. And who's to say that some wonderful editor or publisher may not be in that very same group wherein you submitted your entry and won? Who's to say he or she will read your story or poem or whatever and say, "Wow! This is one talented writer whom I'd like to work with...and give a great big contract to her, too!" Hey, it could happen.

So, take a look at the Abilene Writers Guild Annual Contest for 2008. Check out the website here for all the details. You have till October 31st to send in your scathingly brilliant works and impress the judges. And who knows? Maybe you'll impress an editor or publisher, to boot. (Sheesh. It took me forever to work "boot" into this Texas contest post.)

Tooting My Horn Tuesday About Lee Ann Rubsam and Her Humor Contest (Which I won!)

Yes, yes, I know that's an awfully long title post. And at this point, you're probably wondering why you should read the rest of the post. After all, you've got the gist of my horn-tooting news.

But then you'd miss hearing the name of the contest (Over 50, Still Kickin') and what I humorously expounded upon (pimples). Oh, and you'd never know who Lee Ann Rubsam is. Though, technically, I don't know Lee Ann, either. I do know she likes to write funny stuff and that she sponsored a contest and that she also writes about home-schooling. I found all that interesting info on Lee Ann by reading her website. But maybe you'll glean more about Lee Ann if you read her website for yourself.

And while there, you can read my scathingly witty, prize-winning essay, "This Means War!" Which, now that I think of it, is really the point of my horn-tooting post.

Finding Something Friday: Fiction, Fonts and Finders and Keepers

Running late on finding stuff (blame it on the Olympics), so off we go...

Found a neat market today, but only for those of a certain age. If you're not quite at the half-century mark, dash to the next paragraph, because Passager is a journal dedicated to the writer over 50. All you writers-come-lately check out the guidelines here for the next Open issue. The Pass It On feature caught my eye 'cause it's so short and sweet. If you can write 250 words or less about a "First" in your life, you might be published. But only if you type like the wind! Deadline's September 15th! So don't just stand there, pass it on! We're not getting any younger, you know.

And while I'm passing it on, I'll pass along my other blog. I wanted to learn more about Wordpress, so I created a blog over there, going hog wild with pages and gadgets and stuff. Just one little problem...what to blog about? And then it hit me like a discus shot to the head! Children's Writing! So check out Finders and Keepers, where I'm finding children's markets and keeping you posted.

And finally, I found this funny video about fonts: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3k5oY9AHHM

Someday, when I have a moment or two, I'm going to figure out how to embed that video in the post. But not today, fellow Americans. I've got some Olympic cheering to do!

Tooting My Horn Tuesday About Alalit

Yeah, I know Alalit sounds funny...like somehow a martini should be involved. And for all I know, martinis were flowing at the Alabama Writers Conclave get-together this summer when awards were presented. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the festivities.


So, I had to wait all these weeks to find out how my story, "The Chocolate Cake Bait," fared in the competition. And now, doot-doot-doo-doot-do-do-doooo: Second Prize in Juvenile Fiction!







The doot-doo's are supposed to be horn-tooting, in case you were wondering. And Alalit is the magazine where you can find my story, in case you were wondering about that, too. You can click here to read, but you'll have to do some searching before you get to "The Chocolate Cake Bait."But go ahead and read a few of the other winners' stuff on your way.

Lots of fine writing in Alalit, even if it does sound a little funny. And they also sent a sweet check. (Nothing funny about that! Um, I hope.)

Finding Something Friday: A Cathy C. Hall Website

That's right. I found that it takes ALL DAY LONG to build a website. Especially if you don't know exactly what you're doing and have to go back about a gazillion times to fix things.

So if you go to my website here, and find a few things that don't make sense, well, there's a good chance that it won't be there tomorrow. The things that don't make sense, that is. Not the website.

Though that's entirely possible, too.