Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

February 18, 2008

Today’s Announcement

 I just got the news a bit ago. My friend Keith, is in a battle. Heart is failing. Keith is one of those that  has a little over the limit on weight, so his heart does get a bit of work out.  He also is one of those guys, if you knew him, you got to like. He is one of the best friends I have in this town.  If you got a minute please say a prayer for an old friend.  He sure could use it at this time.

Bill Walker

Don’t forget to order your copy of Angels Watching Over Me, the story of an ordinary woman facing less than ordinary challenges.  Angels Watching Over Me is a story of family love, sacrifices, poverty and an undying faith that makes heroes out of all of us. Here is the link in case you have forgotten it: http://www.lulu.com/content/964306

Important notice: Storytime Tapestry is a free e-zine, however donations are always needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   You can make your donations to paypal at: winterose@videotron.ca, or if you would prefer to use the mail system contact the publisher at the same email address: winterose@videotron.ca

Today’s Stories

  ~**~**~

 Dare to Be Different!

Writing for Magazines

Tanja Cilia

"With your verbal pyrotechnics, you will never get anywhere".

Ironically, this comment was scribbled in bold red ballpoint, across one of my Sixth Form essays, by my teacher of English, himself a published author. I was only sixteen years old at the time – and so, to an aspiring writer, this could have spelled "The End"…. although I already had work appearing in print in The Times of Malta since I had been fourteen years old. I was their youngest ever contributor.

I rose to the challenge, and a fortnight later, this same essay, without one
single word of it having bee edited, appeared in the press too. 

This goes to show that if your writing stands out from that of the rest,
because it's 'different' you will find people who hate it... but others will
lap it up. You might find yourself having to toe the line during your
classes, and for your assignments… but when you can give your mind free rein (and even there I had the temptation to write 'free reign'!) you will soar way above your peers and might even turn your writing into a lucrative  sideline, if it is not your main job.

The "Christmas" and "Easter" and "Mother's Day" and "Valentine's" editions of magazines are all too obviously saturated with inane works about traditions and gift ideas.

 Before you pitch your off-the-wall idea with the editor of the publication
 at which you are aiming, you will have to do your homework.

 Read a couple of issues of the magazine to familiarise yourself with the
 language used in it.  Consider subscribing to the (free) online edition
 which will familiarise you with the way topics are handled. You must also note the readership age-group at which the publication is aimed.  It is
 useless writing about parenting skills for a magazine aimed at teens who are not Britney's sister, or about 101 ways to use bacon when you are wiring for a Jewish or Muslim publication.

 Then comes the hard part – researching a topic about which you may know precious little… and when to send in your idea.   Remember that while you are cosily ensconced in your dressing gown beside the fire, on the other side of the world, the weather is different, and models are posing for summer clothing shoots.

 Similarly, a print publication has to be "ready" way before it hits the
 newsstands, so it is useless asking an editor whether he would like your
 interview with Mrs Claus ("Oh! He's so messy!  Glue and bits of wood
 everywhere!") in November.



 The idea is to pair up your personal "Editorial Calendar" with your
 "atypical" idea and start the ball rolling at that point.

 Most magazines have a six-month preparation time, but with others it could vary from as much one year to as little as three months.

 In the end, you might come up with something like this:

January # Back to school; should uniforms be made compulsory?
 February # Autumn in Literature.

 March # Is Halloween a Pagan or Christian feast?
 April # 20 Ways to Stay Sane at Christmas.
 May # Are there similarities between Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Diwali?
 June # Is it fine to re-gift Christmas Presents?
 July # Bah Humbug, Who Needs Valentine's Day?
 August # Why is Green associated with Saint Patrick?
 September…
 Ooops!  I just remembered I have a deadline…

Tanja Cilia

tanjachilja@hotmail.com

~**~**~

 MIRROR LOST THE IMAGE

Dr. Harmander Singh

            He stood in front of a mirror.

"I'm beautiful,” he thought.

"But I am not more beautiful than the beast,” he thought.

"Best is beautiful because everyone accepts him as he is. But I find it difficult to be accepted as I'm,” he thought deeply

"I'm not beautiful, he concluded.

"I look like a human being,” he thought.

"But I find sorrow in happiness. It means I'm a sick man,” he thought negatively.

"I should look beautiful. I must smile.” He said and smiled.

"My smile is like a cry." He thought and stopped smiling.

"Who cares whether I'm sad or happy?” he thought.

"I've no friend. Everyone seems interested to meet his or her own ends. Doubt, suspiciousness, jealousy and hatred has blurred the mirror,” he thought and cleaned the mirror.

"I seem what I'm." He looked carefully.

"I'm a traveler,” he was happy.

"Hey! Why are you worrying? Don't worry, be happy because you can enjoy and experience all that happens to you,” he addressed to himself.

"I'll live as I'm,” he finally decided.

            He never looked into the mirror because the mirror lost its glory of image in his own image.

            He became a human being.

Daily Moral Insight for a Peaceful Night

Is not it the gravest tragedy when others do not accept us as we are?

Are not we sorry when we find sorrow in joy?

Is not it sad to discover that sometimes a smile is to cover or hide a cry?

Is not it beauty of living that it is always going towards future?

Is not it a glory of our image that it has lost when we are what we are and accepted as we are?

Dr. Harmander Singh

bhagouauty@gmail.com

~**~**~

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

 All I Yearn For

 Cynthia Groopman

All I yearn for,

Are love and embraces I so deeply cherish and adore.

All I yearn for,

Is a surprise of joy sprightly knocking upon my life's door.

Sunshine glowing in every window of my soul and heart, is what I deeply yearn for,

As birds gently sing and waves dance sprightly at the sea shore.

All I deeply yearn for, is friendship's precious golden crown of priceless gems to regally wear.

And answers to my every prayer.

I know Unfortunately some of these yearnings cannot be granted to me.

In my heart always shall be woven a beautiful exquisite optimistic tapestry.

For God is with me in everything that I say and do,

With His everlasting help and guidance, miracles can come true.

 Cynthia  L. Groopman

cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

~**~**~

Everyone Has
Cynthia Groopman

Everyone has his or her special memorable time,
To glow and to gloriously shine.
Everyone has the opportunity to grow and to learn,
And to live successfully and lots of money they can earn.
Everyone has a special way to honor and to praise, the Lord, our Almighty King,
And to rejoice with a heart that melodically sings.
Everyone has the need to be cared for and be given emotional support,
And to be sent a kind word and a pleasant thought.
Everyone has a chance to win in life's exciting game,
And to have a good reputation and an honorable name.
For above all, everyone has an equal share of God's eternal love,
And to savor all of the angels' songs and blessings gifted to us from above.


Cynthia Groopman

Copyright ©2005 Cynthia L. Groopman
cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

 
~**~**~

The Dance Of Love

 Cynthia Groopman

Oh, how lovely is love's sprightly dance,

Embracing us with a heart full of sunshine's warm golden radiance.

Smiles adorn each and every thought,

Love's dance is comforting and soft.

A sparkle o everlasting caring,

Love's dance is replete with deep understanding and sharing.

Love's dance is a melody inspired from God's glorious majesty,

As we are enfolded into arms of eternal glowing festivity.

Copyright ©2008 

Cynthia  L. Groopman

cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

Readers Feedback

Hi Carol

For your sake...  maybe you won't be chosen especially if it has anything to do with the gangs in the area where you live.

God Bless,

Barbara

I have served on the jury before and it is a little

stressful coming to a final decision but all in all,

it was ok. Jene

I love to get picked and have been several times, always winding up as
the foreman. Guess because I'm always so into the particulars of right
and wrong.  Mark Crider

~**~**~

Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank those of you who chose to be a silent angel and gave an anonymous donation to keep Storytime Tapestry up and running.

Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks, Charlotte Hilliard, Maria Keller, Marilyn Sink, Victor Buhagiar, Clarice Hinson, Conrad Cardinal,