About The Times

Earlier this summer I submitted a brief article and some photos to the NWI Times newspaper. It was printed the community section Aug. 18th. They included a photo I took and one taken by Kathryn, who is the president of IWC. I'm happy that so many local writers' groups attended and got publicity through the article. It was a lovely event.




This year I entered six photos in the Lake County Fair in the advanced catagories. I was very pleased that four won ribbons and prize money. I am planning on entering more prints into competition for the Calumet Region Photo Club and digitally to CACCA (Chicago Area Camera Club Association).




Submissions are due this month for Hoosier Horizon Magazine and the Northwest Indiana Poetry Society Magazine so I have been busy trying to figure out what to send in. My next goal will be to write more and polish some other poems for my animal picture & poem book and finish editing and illustrating a short story I started two years ago.

Photography news

I have had many photography successes the last month. Several of my photos will be in the 2012 local town calendars and this one of Grandpa's barn made the cover.

Salon Sein, a local hair salon, is displaying one of my pictures with a poem, and my bff has asked me to decorate the walls of her massage room with my art. Her name is Dawn and she works in Munster. Contact me for more information.

I am planning to enter 6 photos in the Lake County Fair and had a photo featured on the Chicago News last week in the weather section. I've been taking pictures in Chicago, Dyer, and surrounding towns like crazy.



Since things are going so well, and we have a major vacation coming up next month, I decided I needed a better camera. I am enjoying photography even more if that is possible. I have a lot to learn though.

Writing News: Looks like 2 of my poems and a few photos will be featured in the next edition of From the Edge of the Prairie, contact me late fall if you are interested in a copy... and I got another rejection letter - but we don't need to talk about that. I'm still waiting to hear on a half dozen more publishers. Fingers are crossed.

IWC Picnic is Sat. See link on right.




Thanks for reading!

And the winner is...

The PoPP awards ceremony was held at Lake Street Elementary on April 20th. I was honored to be a part of this event. The kids were really excited and proud, as they should be! Winners were choosen from each grade level. The children received gift cards, medals, and certificates.






And today I found out on of my pictures was choosen as Photo of the Month for the Region Rambler :) http://regionrambler.com/

Accepting and collecting rejections

The PoPP winners from Lake Street have been chosen and notified. Orders are coming in for the magazine will will feature winning poems. I am now working on pre-program evaluations. The IWC PoPP committee has been working hard!! The award ceremony is April 21.

Kolling Elem. Principal Mrs. Hines read my poem What Makes You Special to the entire student body over the loudspeaker a few weeks ago. The school was celebrating diversity all week. I was thrilled that I could be a part of it.

I have been submitting to publishers, magazines, and have also entered several poetry contests. I have been receiving rejections on a regular basis. My fellow writers in the Magic Hour group are very supportive. We are keeping track of all our rejections and keep encouraging each other to submit. We are obviously looking forward to our first acceptance letter.






Fellow local writers from Prairie Writers Group met at Mellow Brew in Dyer Feb. 19th and read some of their work. We also had some musicians perform. It was a nice event.

Submissions for the next edition of From the Edge of the Prairie are due April 1st. I am submitting a few poems and photos, one watercolor.

I have been taking a lot of photos and started painting with oils again. One of my photos is hanging in Tiffany's Tea Room in Crown Point. This is a first for me!

New Year, New Goals

I'm going to submit, submit, submit this year. I'm happy about how last year went so here's to an even better 2011! (Oh, I'm still writing, and writing, and writing too).

The PoPP poems are in and are currently in the process of being judged. Students will be issued their participation pins and be winners will be notified soon. A magazine will be published and an awards banquet will follow :)

I am now the Secretary/Treasurer for the Indiana Writers' Consortium. I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'm learning. I do think it will be a great experience for me.

I went with a fellow writer to a photography group and now I'm hooked on that too. It's another one of my passions. I'm working on a pictures and poems book so I think it is a good idea to hang with the pros.