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Saturday, February 28, 2009

The Most Discusting SPAM of the Year...

...takes advantage of those who sympathize with the plight of our soldiers. Find it at www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com, but also find legitimage ways to contribute if you are so inclined. I thought MWSA members would want to know about it at www.warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com.

Submitted by MWSA member, Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

MWSA VP Contributes Poetry to Military Blog

The vice president of our Military Writers Society of America is featured blogger at War Peace Tolerance blog today. Michael D. "Moon" Mullins, author of Vietnam in Verse, Poetry for Beer Drinkers, won the Gold Medal for poetry, 2007, from the Military Writers Society of America contributed a poem on the bitter sweet experience of coming home. Please drop by and support his efforts.

His poetry won the MWSA gold award for poetry in 2007.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Military Writers Society of America Award Winner Publishes for Mother's Day

Remembering Mothers a New Way

Award-winning Poets From Two Hemispheres Co-Author Chapbook

She Wore Emerald Then was conceived by Californian Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Aussie Magdalena Ball as an alternative to the cloying greeting cards usually available for mothers in card shops. In fact, originally it was to be a thoughtful digital upgrade for a card. It would be about the same price as a card but an entire chapbook full of poems.

That idea was influenced by the pair’s awareness that the Net was, in fact, what allowed them to meet and collaborate. But the chapbook turned out to be both digital (for greenies who want to save paper, postage and airline fuel) and a lovely to have-and-hold book for those who still have room in their hearts only for the real thing. And the book is still no more expensive than some of the fancier cards.

Howard-Johnson's first chapbook, Tracings (Finishing Line Press) was honored for excellence by the Military Writers Society of America and named to Compulsive Reader's Ten Best Reads. Her poetry has also been published in journals like Pear Noir, Montana State University's literary magazine, Writings from the River, Mt. St. Mary’s College journal Mary, The Pedestal magazine and in the soon-to-be released anthology by UCLA’s own Suzanne Lummis. She is the author of several other award-winning books. She is also an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

Ball’s novel Sleep Before Evening received unanimous 5-star reviews for its linguistic beauty and the intensity of its plot. She is also the author of an award-winning poetry chapbook Quark Soup, and a nonfiction book The Art of Assessment: How to Review Anything. Her website The Compulsive Reader, http://www.compulsivereader.com/html, has become a benchmark for high quality online literary criticism.

The two poets collaborated last year on a book of what Howard-Johnson calls "unsyrupy" poetry for Valentines Day. It is available at http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/cherishedpulse.htm

Artwork for She Wore Emerald Then is by May Lattanzio. She is a freelance writer/photographer, and author of Waltz on the Wild Side -- An Animal Lover's Journal and contributor to Native West's anthology Least Loved Beasts of the Really Wild West - A Tribute.

Learn more about Magdalena Ball at http://www.compulsivereader.com/html/images/MediaRoom.htm

Learn More about Carolyn Howard-Johnson at www.HowToDoItFrugally.com

Find a catalog of Lattanzio's writing at http://maylattanzio.blogspot.com and her photographs at http://www.jpgmag.com/people/may or http://www.thelensflare.com/u_may.php.

Find She Wore Emerald Then on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/She-Wore-Emerald-Then-Reflections/dp/1438263791/

Friday, February 13, 2009

Hope4heroes.org

Greetings!

We want to update all groups and individuals that have RSVP'd for the helping agencies summit in San Antonio, TX 18-20 June, 2009.

We need your website links ASAP so we can start work on the summit program.

We also are running low on space and have an estimated 75 attending. We have heard from (ASY) americasupportsyou.mil that they are not doing an event this year.

For that reason we all need to take up the mantel and ensure we are doing everything we can as helping agencies and individuals to increase awareness.

Here is why: PTSD is at 300,000 and counting based on the RAND report below!

Military suicide rates are at a three decade high.

Families are getting divorced and a record pace.

We are the agencies and people that can solve this!

If you have not RSVP'd please do so today.
Send email with contact info and number attending to: info@hope4heroes.org.

Helping agencies summit

DATE: 18-20 June, 2009
TIME: 0800-1800
LOCATION: San Antonio, TX
MORE: Visit ww w.hope4heroes.org and click the national summit link!

Riverwalk Plaza Hotel at: 100 Villita Street ▪ San Antonio, Texas 78205 ▪ (210) 225-1234 ▪ Fax (10) 226-9453
Reservations (800) 554-HOST (4678) ▪ www.riverwalkplaza.com


This is a NO-FEE event!! Just RSVP and book your rooms. We will work as a team to tackle the tough problems listed above and come up with solutions for Congress and the VA.

Sincerely,
Vic Luebker

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Sullivan Brothers Museum in Waterloo, Iowa

http://vimeo.com/2947827

My wife and I visited the Sullivan Brothers Museum in Waterloo, Iowa in January. They opened this year with new exhibits in a just completed multimillion-dollar facility. I was interviewed and recorded several years ago for their archives. They had a narrator record one of the poems from “Remembering Willy," the MWSA 2005 Silver Medal Winner, that museum visitors can play by pushing a button.

They also used a one-an-a half minute recording of my interview in another exhibit.

Highly recommend that you visit the museum if you have a chance.

Best to you all,

Dennis Maulsby
Ames, Iowa 50010

Information from the Museum web site:

The Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum honors the service and sacrifice of all Iowa veterans from the Civil War to present. Their rich history is chronicled and interpreted through traditional exhibits, interactive activities and an electronic Wall of Honor.

The museum is named in honor of the Five Sullivan Brothers, from Waterloo, who died while serving together on the USS Juneau.

Service and Sacrifice on Exhibit

The story of Iowa veterans is drawn from their own remembrances. Diaries, letters, autobiographies and oral histories were used to help develop these exhibits, and their words are integrated into the story. Major features of the permanent exhibit include:

Communication Stations

The communication stations contain stories about how the troops and people at home kept in contact with each other. Each station has six stories per combat era. The stations show how communication has changed over 140 years, from the telegraph and post office to the electronic and video messages of today.

Voices of Veterans Theaters

The Voices of Veterans theaters provide more detailed accounts of experiences by Iowans. The theaters in the lower level areas feature historical reproductions about the activities of specific units: the 21st Iowa Volunteer Infantry, the 51st Iowa Regiment and the 168th Iowa Regiment, part of the Rainbow Division. The productions have been drawn from letters, diaries and historical accounts. The upper level theaters feature the voices of actual veterans through video interviews, which capture the emotion and pride they experienced.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Still Offering Marketing Opportunities!

Christine Alexaninans and I still have a few places available in our authors' coop booth. We reserved it at LA Times Festival of Books (on the UCLA Campus) in the same location as in previous years. If you're interested contact Christine: chalexwrite@yahoo.com. And learn more about book fair booths in general and thisone in particular at www.sizzlingbookfairbooths.blogspot.com

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

"Sons of military families find camaraderie, prep for Arizona tournament

Claudia Pemberton -- “Love Leaves No One Behind”

SENSUOUS-SATIONAL!!! One word for Claudia Pemberton’s novel, “Love Leaves No One Behind”

Not normally a reader of love stories, Claudia Pemberton hooked me in this heavyweight romance. Traveler Mikayla and Army Ranger Jesse cross paths on a dark, deserted road, where fear and suspicion blunt any chance of a connection. Soon, safe passage allows a casual breakfast together. They intuitively feel that magnetic attraction we all yearn to find – before original plans take them in separate directions. Their developing relationship is held together by a thread through time and distance. Passionate sparks fly when they occasionally visit - but they wait to be completely intimate for respectful reasons and somehow control what they mutually desire to share. With Mikayla in the grip of a serial killer, Jesse saves the day in true John Wayne fashion. I thank Pemberton for using her research - she reveals Jesse’s Army Ranger character in an accurate way. Mikayla and Jesse are FINALLY able to love without apprehension before the cover closes … it’s a great finish! This wasn’t a cheesy romance novel. Reading it will refresh anyone who believes in love. I truly recommend it – especially if you aren’t inclined to try one like this on for size.

Hodge Wood
Author, Chum Water

MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL

Richard Lowry's Blog