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Story Circle Network
...for women with stories to tell
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National e-Letter
February 2012, Vol. 13, No 2
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Stories From the Heart VI
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SCN's One Woman's Day Blog
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Plan now to join us for a unique and exciting event: the sixth national women's memoir conference of the Story Circle Network! Come, learn, share, celebrate with us as we honor our stories!
April 13-15, 2012
Wyndham Hotel, Austin, Texas
Check out our newly-posted conference program and read about our presenters!
Download the conference brochure!
Submit your application to be a vendor!
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Conference Scholarships. Want to come to the conference but need some financial help to do so? Check out our conference subsidy (but hurry—the deadline is March 1).
Conference Subsidy Raffle. We're raffling off a cameo appearance in one of Susan Wittig Albert's two mystery series. Your raffle purchase will help SCN members attend this year's conference, and other SCN projects. Details, entry form.
Silent Auction Donations Needed! We are seeking donations for the Silent Auction. At the 2010 conference, bidders competed for a gorgeous Dick and Jane quilt, fabulous jewelry, hand knitted socks, scarves, and shawls, art work, photographs, signed copies of SCN member books, book baskets, certificates for coaching and editing, and much more. You can go here to check out last year's selections for ideas, and here to learn how easy it is to donate.
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Super-Star Blogger of the Year!
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We're proud to announce that SCN members have chosen Khadijah Lacina and Judy Whelley as SCN's Super-Star Bloggers of 2011. Their blogs demonstrate the best of what lifestory blogging is all about. Congratulations, Judy and Khadijah! Your blogs are an inspiration to the rest of us.
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SCN's Online Writing Workshops
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It's not too late! You can still sign up for winter classes in Memoir and Lifewriting, Sharpening Your Writing Skills, and Poetry—but enroll now! Final Winter classes begin January 30 and February 6. The Spring term begins on March 12 with dynamic new classes in a variety of subjects. Read full course descriptions and sign up for classes on our Story Circle Online Classes website.
Would you like one-on-one help with your writing? Stay tuned for special announcements about SCN's new and improved Independent Study Program. Work one-on-one with an experienced teacher to accomplish your best!
Are you an experienced teacher who loves empowering other writers? We are always eager to see new course proposals from women writers who have taught memoir, journaling, life-based fiction, and other life-writing forms. We are especially interested in beginning and advanced courses on platform building, social networking, and publishing. Online teaching experience required. (The deadline for second spring term 2012 class proposals is March 23, 2012.) Go to our website for more details.
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Story Circle Book Reviews: By, For, and About Women
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If you're a reader, reviewer, author, or publisher of women's books, you'll want to get acquainted with StoryCircleBookReviews, the largest women's book review site on the Internet!
SCBR is currently featuring 8 editors' picks, along with Judy Whelley's review of Untie the Strong Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estés and Lisa Shirah-Hiers' interview with Gail Straub, the keynote speaker for SCN's 2012 conference. We also offer dozens of author interviews that help to tell the story behind the books that women love. Blog posts by Trilla Pando and Judy Miller keep you updated. And hey, we're on Twitter! And Facebook!
Advertising at SCBR
You're a woman author of a book for or about women? Find out how your book or other writing-related activity or item can be targeted to 1000s of readers. Check out our new advertising package—big savings to SCN member-advertisers! We're your go-to site for promoting your book, class, workshop, or conference.
Reviewing for SCBR
We're always looking for strong reviews of books by, for, and about women. If you're a writer who loves to read books, reviewing is a great way to build your writing portfolio. For details, visit Reviewing for StoryCircleBookReviews.
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SCN's Editorial Service
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We're delighted to welcome Helen Ginger as the new coordinator of SCN's Editorial Service! Helen is a freelance editor who writes a blog for writers and a weekly e-newsletter, Doing It Write. Helen knows the editorial business first-hand and understands the needs of writers. Learn more about Helen and check out SCN's crack editorial team at StoryCircleEditorialService. If you are thinking of obtaining editorial work for your article or book, they can help!
And as we say hello to Helen, we say goodbye to Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett, who launched the service for SCN in 2008. Thanks, Matilda and Kendra, for the wonderful job—best wishes and good luck in all your future projects!
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SCN Bloggers: Constance Moylan
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Constance Moylan is February's Blogger of the Month. We're impressed by the way Constance brings together two of her passions: family food and family stories. But blogging isn't all that's on her plate! Currently in law school, Constance is also spending time reviving a dormant writing career, and blogging. Writing, she says, helps to "close the the distance between here and there, between then and now, between sweet and bittersweet. Typical of our family," she adds, "food leads to stories and stories lead to food. We need both to sustain us." Mushroom and Leek Soup with Spaetzle and the Twelfth Night celebration? Read and you'll see how that works.
If you are an SCN blogger, tell us so we can add you to our growing list of member bloggers. We added 3 new blogs to our blogroll this month: we're now at 116!).
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Real Women Get Involved
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"Rest and you rust," says Helen Hayes. SCN members, check out our Get Involved page, where you'll find several important projects waiting for you.
Conference Volunteers Needed!
Want to take on a responsibility that might actually be fun? One that directly affects SCN's ability to put on this phenomenal conference? Volunteers are being accepted now for our April, 2012 Stories from the Heart VI, SCN's sixth national memoir conference. Go here to read more.
Seeking Coordinator for Older Women's Legacy (OWL) Circle
The SCN Board of Directors is looking for a new OWL Coordinator. If you have led OWL circles and might be interested, check out our job description [members only, please].
SCN's HerStories Blog
We're looking for a volunteer to help us get the word out about the SCN HerStories blog. If you love online and personal social networking and would like to serve the Story Circle Network, read more [members only, please].
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SCN In Print, Online
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See Your Work in Print! We publish original stories from SCN dues-paying members, in "True Words" (in the print Journal) and in E-Extra!, our online-only Journal supplement. You'll find submission details online or in your Journal.
- The "True Words" topic for the June issue: "One Summer Day" (deadline April 15).
- Word limit for "E-Extra!" is 500 words, 50 lines for poetry. No topic restrictions. Submission details and online submission form here (March issue deadline February 1; June issue deadline May 1).
Print or e-Delivery. Great Both Ways! Members, take a moment to peek at the online edition of the Journal. You'll like what you see, guaranteed! Maybe you'll even like it enough to switch to online delivery. You can do that simply by sending us an e-mail with "SCN Journal via PDF" in the subject line. Your online subscription will save postage costs—and save a tree, too!
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Members In Print & In the News
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SCN members are making news! Barbara Heming's first mystery novel, Death Wins the Crown, a Hall of Fame Mystery, is now available on Kindle. Marlene Samuel's book, The Seamstress: A Memoir of Survival, was just released as an audio-book by Tantor Audio. Mary Jo Doig has joined SCBR's editorial team.
In addition, 3 SCN members published 3 posts during January on SCN's One Woman's Day blog, and 12 SCN members published 14 book reviews and interviews at StoryCircleBookReviews. Bravo, SCN sisters! You rock!
SCN members, please let us know about your magazine, book, and on-line publications and other important writing-related recognitions, so we can brag about you, too!
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LifeWriters' Market
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You've got a story to tell, and we have a market for you! In our LifeWriters' Market Watch, we list an up-to-date variety of venues, including opportunities for themed writings, contests (several with upcoming deadlines), short fiction, personal essays, creative works, and more. And hey—if you know of a market, don't be selfish. Email us with details. (Sorry: our market list is available to members only. Not a member? We'd love to have you join us so we can share our markets with you!)
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Workshop Watch
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Save the Date! March 15-16: SCN welcomes Rachael Freed, founder of life-legacies.com for a two-day seminar at Congregation Beth Israel in Austin, TX. Don't miss this free seminar where we'll learn how to enrich the lives of our loved ones, link ourselves to our own history, and translate our hard-earned wisdom into blessings. Watch for details in upcoming SCN publications and on our website. (Pre-registration required.) For more information visit life-legacies.com & see the flyer.
SCN invites writing teachers and writing-related workshop facilitators among our members to affiliate their programs with SCN. For more information, see the members-only Affiliated Workshops web page.
For more info on upcoming writing workshops, classes, etc., see our Writers' Workshops/Conferences/Classes web page.
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Internet Chapter News
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The Internet Chapter is always looking for fresh voices to add to its reading circle and any number of writing circles. If you've been telling yourself that "someday" you'll join... perhaps the arrival of the new year is the perfect time to do so! If getting more involved in SCN is on your to do list for 2012, there's no better time than now to join!
NEW: LBT Writing e-Circle! Story Circle Network is pleased to announce the formation of a new e-circle for lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women. Go here to read more.
Mary Ann Parker (writing e-circle #14) was chosen for the "Story of the Month" award for February. Congratulations, Mary Ann! Chapter members can read her story and previous honorees' stories on the Story of the Month web page. (Not a member of the chapter? Read a sample Story of the Month.)
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Reading Circles
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The Austin area's reading circle's February selection is Growing, Older: A Chronicle of Death, Life, and Vegetables, by Joan Dye Gussow. The Austin circle is open to non-members. Join our lively discussion!
The Internet Chapter's reading circle's February selection is Feisty Lydia, by Edna Thayer (SCN/IC members only).
You can browse this year's Austin-area book list and Internet Chapter book list (Internet Chapter members only). You can also purchase the books on those pages. And remember, when you buy a book from our website, your purchase helps fund our Story Circle programs!
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Writing Circles
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Circles are the heart of SCN. Keep it beating!
For a full list of lifewriting circles, go here.
Update/List Your Circle—Start One!
We love to read updates from our circles, so tell us what's going on with your group. If your Story Circle isn't listed on our expanding list of Story Circles Around the World, we want to hear about it! No Story Circle in your community? Start one—and let us know. For more information, see our Facilitator's Guide web page.
OWL-Circles
Our Older Women's Legacy Circles began with a grant-funded program designed to help senior women chronicle their life experiences and has expanded to 100+ groups in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit the OWL-Circle website. If you would like to attend an OWL-Circle in the Austin area, please contact the coordinator.
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New Members
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Since our last e-letter the following women have joined or rejoined:
- Lyn Alsobrook of Chicago, IL
- Roxanne Brant of Wisconsin Dells, WI
- Peggy Christian of Missoula, MT
- Candace Crosby of Missoula, MT
- Mary Curtis of Los Gatos, CA
- Sarah Fine of Toronto, ON CANADA
- Carolyn Johnson of Bluffdale, UT
- Nancy Jurka of Palmer Lake, CO
- Sally Kane of Washington, DC
- Jennifer Legate of Burien, WA
- Sylvia Longnecker of Hunt, TX
- Linda McAffrey of Glencoe, MO
- Lynn Morgan of Morgan Hill, CA
- Tania Pryputniewicz of Sebastopol, CA
- Judy Radin of San Francisco, CA
- Thordis Niela Simonsen of Denver, CO
Welcome!
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Story Circle Brochures
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The Story Circle Network's brochures are now online! You can print copies of our national and OWL-Circle brochures anytime. They are in PDF format, so you may need to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Details and downloads are on our SCN Brochures web page.
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Journal Back Issues
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The Story Circle Journal is a unique publication dedicated to helping women tell their personal stories, now in its sixth year. Missing some issues? You can buy back issues on our Buy SCN Journals web page.
We can supply sample Journals to those starting circles. See our facilitator's guide for more info.
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Who We Are & How to Join Us
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Our mission: The Story Circle Network is dedicated to helping women share the stories of their lives and to raising public awareness of the importance of women's personal histories. We carry out our mission through publications, a website, classes, workshops, writing and reading circles, and woman-focused programs. Our activities empower women to tell their stories, discover their identities through their stories, and choose to be the authors of their own lives.
If you're receiving this e-Letter but aren't a member, please join us. Learn more about how SCN can help you tell your story.
We offer
- a quarterly newsletter with features on women's lifewriting
- opportunities to publish your work
- workshops, classes, online courses
- writing circles
- an Internet Chapter
- Speaker's Bureau
- much more
Membership categories:
- Member: $45; Canada & Mexico: $55; International $60
- Friend: $75
- Donor: $100
- Supporter: $125
- Contributor: $175
- Sustainer: $225
- Patron: $300
- Benefactor: $400+
Internet Chapter membership: $20
(To join the Internet chapter you must also be a member of the national organization; chapter dues are in addition to the national dues.)
To join, see our online membership form. You can pay online, or send a check to Story Circle Network, P.O. Box 500127, Austin TX 78750-0127
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One Woman's Day blog coordinators Laurinda Wheeler and Linda Hoye are thinking spring and making plans for gardening season. What's on your mind at this time of year? Any milestones coming up? Any special memories about a past February? Perhaps you can't think of anything unique related to this time of year—that's okay too! Every day, even those days that seem like every other day, can be worth writing about. SCN members (only, please), head over to our Blog Post Submission page and share it with us.
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Advertise With Us
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Your advertisement could go HERE, and on our SCBR website and monthly eletter, as well as the SCN Journal, True Words Anthology, and Stories from the Heart Conference program brochure! Check out our new advertising package—we're offering big savings to SCN member-advertisers! We're your go-to site for promoting your book, class, workshop, or writing-related conference to women who are passionate about writing and reading.
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Real Words from
True Women
"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."
—Mother Teresa
Read more from "Real Words from True Women".
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Buy a Gift Membership
Give a gift membership using our online form. Then create a gift membership card to mail or email to your friend. See an example of a gift card. Each card contains occasion-appropriate quotations and writing prompts.
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Join Our Online
LifeWriters Circle
Writing is never lonely if you belong to SCN LifeWriters. We get together for daily this-and-that about our writing, reading, thinking, feeling—it's all part of our life stories! Log on, tune in, and join the party. SCN dues-paying members only.
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Facebook/Twitter
Join us on Facebook and keep with our SCN goings-on. A girl can never have too many friends, right? We're updating regularly, so you can be in touch.
And check us out on Twitter, too!
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Start Your Own Story Circle
Start a writing circle in your community—and let us know if you do so! For more information, see our Facilitator's Guide web page. And, please let us know about other writing groups you are in.
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Wanted: SCN
Authors & Bloggers!
We're updating our list of SCN authors and bloggers and we don't want to leave anyone out. If you're an SCN member with a published book or a currently-maintained blog, tell us about it. Send details to us.
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Visit SCN's Telling HerStories blog. If you haven't checked it out lately you're missing out on interesting, helpful posts by our SCN bloggers. Herstories is also the source for the latest info on our SCN book review site and the SCN podcast. Subscribe, and you won't miss a single post!
And now you can read Herstories on your Kindle! Go here to subscribe.
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What Wildness is This
What Wildness is This: Women Write About the Southwest celebrates women's experiences in the landscapes of the Southwest. Winner of the 2008 WILLA Award for Creative Non-Fiction. See our book website for more details.
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Kitchen Table Stories
Kitchen Table Stories is a 160-page soft-cover cookbook and story collection from SCN members. Over 70 recipes from our members together with the funny, heartwarming, and touching stories behind those recipes. Order the spiral bound Special Edition through the cookbook web page.
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Starting Points
Starting Points is SCN's writing prompt e-book. Based on the weekly writing prompts that Susan Albert sent to the Internet Chapter members for six years, this book is available for purchase as either a pdf download or in a spiral-bound edition (shown here). See the Starting Points web page for more details and to place your order with our bookseller, Lulu.com.
Now available from iTunes!
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Cafepress Store
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Story Circle T-Shirts
Our periwinkle feminine tees make a lovely gift, and feature this quote on the back: "We are the only ones who can tell our stories because we are the only ones who have lived them." —Susan Wittig Albert, SCN founder. Available in large, 1X, & 2X. Price is $18 (shipping/handling and tax included).
Our original beige regular-style tees are still available, too. Quote on back: "What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open." —Muriel Rukeyser. Available in 2X & 3X. Close-out sale price: $12 (shipping/handling and tax included).
Order yours today.
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Your Contributions
Share your life. If you are a member of the Story Circle Network, please share your story with us. Check the Journal for details, or see our Writers Guidelines.
Support Story Circle! You can help in the following ways:
Contribute to our Annual Fund to further SCN's mission
Contribute to our Memorial Fund in honor of a deceased loved one
Drop a bit into our Sugar Bowl to support our members in prison and other members under financial duress
For more details, see how you can help SCN.
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Share & Multiply
Earn credits for your membership referrals!
Now you can earn credits for each new member you refer to the Story Circle Network and each SCN gift membership you give. Your credits will accumulate through the calendar year, and be awarded each Spring. See our Share & Multiply credit plan.
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E-Letters
We publish four monthly e-Letters:
- This National e-Letter brings you writing tips, quotes, and book reviews.
- The Story Circle Book Reviews e-Letter brings you information about our book reviews and book news.
- The Story Circle Online Classes e-Letter brings you information about our upcoming online classes and workshops.
- The Internet Chapter e-Letter is sent only to members of the Internet Chapter; it features chapter news and events.
We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Story Circle Network. Please forward this e-Letter to anyone interested in lifewriting—family and friends, students, clients, members of your writing group.
If a friend has forwarded this to you, add your e-address and click below to get your own subscription.
To join any of our Story Circle Network e-Letter mailing lists, type your email address below, then click the 'Go' button:
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To unsubscribe: see link at the very bottom of this email.
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To read this e-Letter on our website, click here: www.storycircle.org/Newsletters/120201.html
This e-Letter is a publication of the Story Circle Network, (P.O. Box 500127, Austin TX 78750-0127). It is provided free, via e-mail, for women interested in lifewriting worldwide. ©2012 Story Circle Network
Feel free to forward this e-Letter to friends and colleagues with appropriate credit to Story Circle Network.
This e-Letter is written and edited by Peggy Moody & Susan Wittig Albert.
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email: storycircle@storycircle.org
voice: 512-454-9833
web: www.storycircle.org
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