Memoirous

Back from Thanksgiving vacation and now I'm ready to climb another mountain. Yes, I've put another book on-line. Beyond Paradise was my first venture into publishing. I remember when I got the call from my editor Rosemary Brosnan at Morrow Junior Books. It was weird. I've now learned that no one gets accepted out of the slush pile (according to my friend Esther Hershenhorn of SCBWI fame). Maybe the fact that this was 11 years ago accounts for the phenomena. Fantastic! I signed a contract, I celebrated, I waited. Pretty much hot dogs have a longer shelf life. Part of the problem was that Morrow got bought out by Harper (is it Harper Collins, Harper & Bros, or simply Rupert Murdoch?). Anyway, my baby, the work of my hands, the thing I had gone over and over again with my editor--let alone revised numerous times on my own--got remaindered. Remaindered without the chance for me to buy back at a reduced rate author copies (THOUGH IT WAS IN THE CONTRACT). So today...

could you please go to the Amazon page where Orphan girl (Kindle edition) http://www.amazon.com/Orphan-Girl-Memoir-Chicago-ebook/dp/B0065LVRXC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1321628773&sr=8-2 and click on the tags. What I mean is: scroll to the bottom to Tags Customers Associate with This Product agree with these tags Heard this type pf action HELPS my book. Of course this is all voodoo. 

I just had a short--what I'm calling Flash Memoir--taken by this: Telling Our Stories Press, forthcoming short memoir anthology I thought some of you might want to contribute too here is the link and more info: Telling Our Stories Press Short Memoir Submission Guidelines ~ Telling Our Stories Press seeks raw, close to the bone writing about meaningful personal experiences. We are seeking memoir that enlightens, entertains and connects with the reader at a basic human level – which usually naturally occurs when one examines ones life with depth, sincerity, and a desire for knowledge and understanding . However, as with any memoir, there MUST be some uncovering of whatever wisdom was gained, (however slight) from a backward glance at an era in your life, experiences you’ve undergone, persons in your life, persons you’ve become, lessons learned, etc. We are especially partial to narratives created by the interior, personal writings derived  from creative journal w...

We've all heard that catch-phrase: Learning Curve. I just climbed a Learning Mountain. I won't go into details, but to get my 2 books Orphan Girl and Beyond Paradise turned into e-books has been one long haul. But TODAY I can announce that ORPHAN GIRL IS AVAILABLE AS AN E-BOOK. For this e-book edition I’d like to thank author Megg Jensen for her tremendous help. Megg offered advice and tips on e-book publishing. Check out her books at Dark Side Publishing and at www.meggjensen.blogspot.com .  In addition Mary Jo Guglielmo was the one who told me to get my butt in gear and 1. get a blog and 2. get in on this e-book thing. I know this is the current of publishing today, but I tend to resist and go against the flow. Definitely having a blog has helped to generate interest in my short stories, books, and memoir seminars. Lastly, I am grateful to the final contributor to the Marie James’ story. The last piece of the family puzzle fell into place when I got an e-mail from Ma...

I just booked overseas airline tickets. Why does it always feel like you've walked over the edge of a cliff when you click SEND?

Didn't want to write Happy Veteran's Day--because it doesn't seem to be the case. NPR this morning was reporting "Nearly 1 in 8 veterans who left the service in the past decade is unemployed." Specifically "Some 240,000 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are out of work." And then this from a published study on homelessness: "Homeless veterans are more likely to die on the streets than non-veterans, a new study revealed." Yesterday at Cornerstone Community Outreach, the shelter I volunteer at and lead discussion and creative writing groups, there was a HUGE Veteran's Day party. CCO Director Sandy Ramsey said she met an older gentleman at a bus stop and from talking discovered he was a Tuskegee Airmen. I'd seen the movie--though someone told me Denzel was not in that film--must've been thinking about Glory . Anyway, Sandy invited him and any other airmen in the area to the Veteran's Day party at the shelter. She al...

There was a time my husband and I thought we could learn Italian. We’d accidentally gotten to go to Europe ( see The European Schedule http://www.frostwriting.com/issues/article/the-european-schedule/ ) and fell in love with Italy. We had friends living there at the time and somehow we imagined that someday we might go there to live. We liked to pretend that we could escape the Bush years and the embarrassment of the Iraq War. So we signed up for an Italian language Meet Up. Do you know about meet-ups? They are a self-organizing on-line social networking thing that goes like this: If you are interested in geo-caching you can sign up for a Geo-Caching Meet Up, if you are interested in exploring abandoned buildings you could sign up for an Urban Explorer’s Meet Up. There were meet ups for just about any interest. A friend of mine signed up for 6 of them and after going to 2 decided that was enough. There are Knitting Meet Ups, Doll Collector Meet Ups. There’s probably one for bloggers...

Saturday was my birthday and it seems it was the BEST ever! All together I think I spent about $12. I had free tickets to the Humanities Festival downtown on Sat. So we went there. I biked! And got to enjoy the scenic waterfront on the bike path. Afterwards I rode over to Lutz Cafe where the theme is Old European-style pastries. I don't mean old like stale, more like old world. Where I spent a groupon with my husband and had a nice time chatting and eating this: It's a lemon log, the ends are dipped in hard chocolate and there is lemon-flavored butter cream in the center. More than a glorified Twinkie to be sure. Then yesterday me and my friend Stefi took the #80 Irving Park bus to the end of the line and got off at Cumberland to begin biking north on the Des Plaines River trail. Here are some pics from our ride: It was like riding through a leafy autumn wonderland. The Cook county half of the trail is a bit more undeveloped. We were virtually riding through fores...

Dear Mayor Rahm Emmanuel Alderman James Cappleman Ms. Laura Jenkins, Librarian Uptown Branch I am writing in regard to the proposed budget cuts to the Chicago Public Library. Chicago now is considered a national model in the use of libraries as magnets for development. Do you actually want to forfeit Chicago’s standing in this area? In 1994 the former Mayor Richard M. Daley tapped Mary Dempsey to be library commissioner for the Chicago Public Library. Ms. Dempsey, not only oversaw the opening of the Harold Washington Library, but also added 40 new libraries. In addition she improved the 79-branch network — many of whose facilities had been located in small, leased storefronts — but anchored the revitalization of entire neighborhoods. When the private sector saw the city investing in handsome, freestanding library buildings, new businesses, restaurants and mixed-income housing followed. Chicago NEEDS libraries if it wants to attract new businesses. Also, who did Mayor Daley tu...

I know, I know. It’s been like 2 weeks, but I had to relearn how to use the Internet after being away from it for so long. In fact, I couldn’t remember how to turn on a computer after getting home from vacation. BUT here is an interesting item http://www.burialday.com/gothic-blue-book/   Perfect for Halloween and All Saint’s Day. Why not order or download the Gothic Blue Book. My kid has a story in it called “Death and All His Friends.” Also here is a link to my latest short story, recently published by Foliate Oak Literary Magazine http://www.foliateoak.uamont.edu/archives/october-2011/prose/never-forget-by-jane-hertenstein .  I welcome all comments or complaints about this controversial story. In fact I was expecting a firestorm or angry letters after it came out and have been gravely disappointed. Not one bit of hate mail. You see I’m trying to build on my reputation as a rebel-rouser.