April’s Not Foolin’

April’s Not Foolin’ – GUEST POST by TAMI KAMIN MEYER

Write Now Columbus – April 2021


Tami here.

One of my favorite aspects of my home is a large, lovely magnolia tree in my front yard. When it reveals its gorgeous pink flowers in early Spring, I revel in its welcoming, sweet scent gently wafting in the breeze. It is what I call “a fan favorite,” with me playing the role of “the fan.”

After our recent cold, snowy and simply ‘unfriendly’ winter, I checked the tree daily to watch for signs of its reawakening. I was thrilled the last week of March to see small, oval, velvety buds on the branches. That meant its beautiful pink flowers would blossom soon. And, seemingly overnight, they did! The tree is a testament to patience… good things come to those who wait.

As it happened, on April 1, of all dates, I gazed upon the tree, remembering back to an April not long ago when the bursting flowers were destroyed in one chilly night. That’s all it takes to kill those precious and sensitive flowers. So, I snapped a quick photo of the tree, capturing it in its blossoming state, just in case Mother Nature decided she was in a mischievous mood yet again.

I woke April 2 to a magnolia tree adorned with dead and brown petals. The flowers had been killed overnight by an unforgiving cold snap. No perfumy scents of magnolia will be wafting in the air this spring. No pink flowers that seemingly challenge anything or anyone to be sad or in pain will brighten my yard.

It hit me hard.

Life is like that, too. One moment we can be coasting along, without a care in the world, and then, suddenly, unexpectedly, a ‘cold snap’ interjects and ruins our plans.

I was instantly grateful I had literally just stopped what I had been doing the day before to take that photo. I would have been much sadder if I hadn’t.

I am thankful for those daily life lessons. While they may be gentle in presentation, their message is powerful and unmistakable.

Stop and smell the roses. The rest is distraction.

Tami
(c) Tami Kamin Meyer, 2021, all rights reserved


WHERE’S NITA?

Nita stepped back this month to work on writing projects. That allowed me to step forward. We continue to figure out our roles and shape a vision for Write Now Columbus. To hear directly from Nita on a regular basis, please subscribe to her newsletter or download her free ebook, Three Ways to Heal Your MindThat will subscribe you as well.

WRITING-ISH STUFF WE THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE

Jane Friedman’s opinion on blogging versus email newsletters.


EXCEPTIONALLY INTERESTING STUFF!

WRITE TO THE FINISH: Is this your year to write a book? Join Write to the Finish online course by phone and email (no Zoom!) led by award-winning authors Sean Murphy & Tania Casselle. Starts May 15 – early bird discount. Our small group supports you through writing a book with craft, community, focus & feedback. For fiction, nonfiction or memoir writers, whether starting your book idea from scratch or finishing a work in progress. Visit the website or email for details.

JUST PUBLISHED:  Stephen M. Millett, The Activist. A Novel is available from Amazon. A grandfather who went to Columbia and Ohio State, argues with his libertarian grandson about the Indiana Klan of 1920s, student radicals of the 1960s, and today’s Trump base.  The grandson has his own battles at college. 

TITAN SONG –  Forbidden magic, murder…. and disco. Carter’s day keeps getting worse. Titan Song is a noir fantasy thriller soaked in corruption, sorcery, and bell bottom jeans. You can find Titan Song (or the first in the series, Titanshadewherever your favorite books are sold

Writing From Where You Are, Zoom Contemplative Writing Retreat. April 8–12, led by award-winning writers Tania Casselle & Sean Murphy. A soulful writing retreat in 8 x 2 hour sessions over 5 days in a small group, including meditation and mindfulness. Sliding scale fees. “This retreat will remain in my memory as one of my most life-affirming experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said a previous participant. Info and registration here.

PITCH-O-RAMA PLUS! – April 10, 2021 – This event, a fabulous opportunity meet and pitch to agents and editors, is usually held in the Bay Area. But pandemic! Register here to Zoom in.

HIRE US – Did you know you can hire Tami and/or Nita?

~ Nita offers one-off consultation sessions to help writers find authentic material, navigate the writing and publishing process, and share her many resources and extensive experience.

~ Tami is a seasoned freelance writer, editor, and attorney, always on the lookout for interesting gigs including ghost writing.

~ Contact either (or both) of us at writenowcolumbus@gmail.com

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Want to feature your new book? Promote a class you’re teaching? Need more participants in your workshop? Holding a contest?

If you or your organization would like to sponsor Write Now Columbus, the fee is $11 for one issue or $26 for three. (That’s $10 + paypal fee or $25 plus paypal fee. Sponsorships must be paid in full.) Contact Nita or Tami at writenowcolumbus@gmail.com for more information.


CENTRAL OHIO WRITING

With everyone zooming, the number of events on the calendar continues to increase. The April calendar shows 52 events (up from 35 last month.) We will add any we learn of as the month goes on. 

If you know of an event we haven’t listed, please email Tami and Nita at writenowcolumbus@gmail.com and we will add it. And if we can do anything else to help you, please reach out.

Thanks always and have a great month!

~ Nita and Tami

Nita Sweeney, Publisher
Tami Kamin Meyer, Editor
(c)Write Now Columbus, 2021, all rights reserved

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: If you purchase anything from the affiliate links on this page or in this email, Write Now Columbus will receive a portion of the proceeds. This helps us keep the website up and the internet on.


ABOUT THOSE DONATIONS, PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

Donations continue to trickle in. We’re so grateful for each donation to help us pay our expenses. We’re holding off on the subscription option for now due to the fees, but feel free to donate monthly or send an annual donation.

To contribute, click DONATE. That takes you to a page with a paypal button. Or, you can email Nita for an address to send a check. We spend every penny toward keeping the site, the server, the email sending service, etc. etc. up and running.

If you have any questions, you can reach Nita and Tami at writenowcolumbus@gmail.com.

As your donations and sponsorships allow, we will move Write Now Columbus to its own website.

DONATIONS to Write Now Columbus are gratefully accepted. To Donate, Click Here.

CONTENTS



CHECK OUT Nita’s EVENTSThe place to view them on one convenient page.

Read the ARCHIVES. Previous Write Now Columbus essays are archived on Nita’s website.


THE FINE PRINT

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SUBMISSIONSWrite Now Columbus accepts submissions of writing events, on-going writing groups and open mics only. We do not currently accept articles, markets, or contests except through sponsorship. Please send an email with date, time, place, cost and contact information. We reserve the right to revise submissions and press releases.

DEADLINEWrite Now Columbus is published on the 3rd of each month. If you want an event to be on the calendar before the monthly email goes out, please send it before the 25th of the month unless the event is on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. For those dates, please submit it the month before. (e.g. For a May 4th event, submit by April 25th. For a May 3rd event, submit by the March 25th.) But please send events any time. We can add them to the calendar whenever you send them.

SUGGESTIONS or COMMENTS: Please email us with ideas, quotations, or formatting tips that might make this newsletter more readable, manageable, helpful, workable. It’s your newsletter. We’re just typing. You may contact Nita via snail mail at: 3801 Norbrook Drive, Columbus, OH 43220 or either of us at writenowcolumbus@gmail.com.

PARANOID EX-LAWYER’S RELEASE: We’re tired. We appreciate your patience. If you find an error, please use your inside voice to let us know. We’ll do our best to correct it.

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