STRENGTHEN YOUR SUBMISSIONS STRATEGY, PART 1 by Adele Gardner (writing mysteries as Max Jason Peterson)

No matter how you steel yourself, rejection after rejection takes a toll. It’s easy to lose confidence and feel your work isn’t good enough—when what’s really needed is to keep trying until you reach that one editor (or agent) who loves your work. Rather than feeling rejected, take heart by using statistics to bolster your stamina. As the author of over 475 published short stories, poems, art, & articles, and as literary executor for my father, I’ll share the system that inspires me to keep submitting, even to the tough markets—and helps me think about new strategies to build on strengths that might otherwise go unnoticed.

THE WRITERLY LIFE: PERCEPTION vs. REALITY by Jayne Ormerod

Many people I’ve met are envious of the writerly life. But their perceptions of what it’s like to be a writer don’t quite match up to reality. Here are my observations.

     What society thinks I do: Spend all day rolling around in my royalty money.

     What my friends think I do: Go to lunch with them (well, yes, I do that a lot) and then go home and roll around in royalty money.

     What my family thinks I do: Binge on Chunky Monkey ice cream while watching TV, reaching out to tap out a few lofty and erudite sentences when the muse hits. (In my defense I do need to “study” the “occasional” movie for plotting and dialogue training. But it’s all under the banner of “continuing education.") And then roll around in royalty money.

HAMPTON ROADS WRITERS CONFERENCE 2022: NOT JUST FOR WRITERS!

 

Many Mystery by the Sea members also belong to Hampton Roads Writers (HRW). HRW’s motto is “Where Characters Connect.” So, we thought we might take this opportunity to make an unabashed, unpaid, and heartfelt pitch for our readers to attend the upcoming HRW Conference being held at the Holiday Inn on Greenwich Road from September 22 to 24, 2022. 

Founded in 2008, HRW has grown into a multi-faceted non-profit organization. HRW serves as one of Southeastern Virginia’s literary hubs and as a welcoming home for all who love the written word. Aspiring and professional writers in all genres and at all levels of ability benefit from a variety of programs, services, and events, often presented in partnership with other cultural organizations. HRW is supported by government grants, foundations, corporate partners, and the generosity of our members.

You can learn more about HRW on its website: Hampton Roads Writers – Where Characters Connect.

What I did this Summer by Teresa Inge

Summer is my favorite season hands-down. As a kid, I always looked forward to summer break, and this year was no different.  

Summer Kick-off

My favorite season started with a poolside cookout with my husband, daughters, and dogs Cool Hand Luke, a Shepherd Lab mix, and Lena, a Shepherd Husky mix. After the cookout, most of our dinners were spent by the pool this summer.

Summer Happenings

With this being my favorite time, my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary since we were married the day after the first day of summer. We then moved my just retired brother and his wife to Danville, Virginia during the heatwave and later cleaned out the messy room over my garage. Oh my! A fun time was back while winning a trophy for my 1955 Thunderbird at a car show and cruising the Elizabeth River in my daughter’s boat.