Book Reading: “Meet The Authors” @ Morgan Junction Community Festival in West Seattle
I’m excited to be a part of the Morgan Junction Community Festival in West Seattle this weekend, where local authors will be reading from their work!
“Meet the Authors”
Saturday, June 18, 2016
10 am to 5 pm
Morgan Junction, West Seattle
Northwest Corner of California Ave. SW and SW Beveridge Pl.
(Author booth located in Zeek’s Pizza parking lot)
Morgan Junction Community Festival Welcomes Local Authors
Where can you find Greek Gods, homicide detectives, and wanton boys all sharing one tent? This summer, they will be gathering under an awning at the Morgan Junction Community Festival. These are just a few of the dynamic characters that West Seattle authors bring to life in their novels and memoirs for your reading pleasure in genres as diverse as fantasy, young adult fiction, poetry, and memoir.
On Saturday, June 18, a group of fifteen West Seattle authors will present their work at the “Meet the Authors” booth located in the vendor area behind Zeek’s Pizza. Two tents will be for author presentations and a third will offer their books for sale through local bookseller, Merryweather Books.
Participating authors listed alphabetically by first name: Alice Ann Kuder, Allan Batchelder, Arleen Williams, Cherie Tucker, Christine Brant, Christopher Anderson, David Kannas, Gail Engebretson, Jeanette Chaplin, Lisa Richesson, Michael G. Hickey, Molly Ringle, Sonya Elliott, Theresa McCormick, Victoria Randall.
There will be an hourly free book drawing, as well as the grand prize basket at the end of the day, so stop by to hear some great stories and stock up on your summer reading options. I look forward to seeing you there!
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Stop Gun Violence!
All I could think about today when I sat down to write was NOT AGAIN! Not another mass shooting. I felt compelled to write about the Orlando mass shooting, but I wondered would it help? Does it matter? My answer came to me just as it did last fall with the Umpqua College shootings. It can’t hurt.
Last fall I wrote about the Umpqua College shootings in my blog, Guns – Know More. No More! – Be Heard. I wrote about needing to make changes to control guns and help reduce gun violence. In 1996, 35 people were killed and 23 wounded during one of the worlds deadliest massacres in Port Arthor, Australia and they introduced strict gun control laws and formulated the National Firearms Programme Implementation Act 1996, restricting the private ownership of semi-automatic rifles, semi-automatic shotguns and pump-action shotguns as well as introducing uniform firearms licensing. And things changed for that country. Homicides and suicides have been drastically reduced. Let’s follow suit.
Author Lodro Rinzler wrote about taking action in Meditation Isn’t Enough: A Call To Take Action Against Gun Violence which includes a link to organizations that you can reach out to and get involved with to help make a change. The organization Mom’s Demand Action is another great source of information. Let’s take action and stop gun violence!
WRITING PROMPT: Write about taking action.
WRITING PROMPT: Write about how you have been affected by gun violence.
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Better Safe Than Sorry
My teenage kids are both fighting sports injuries. One a bad knee and one a painful shin splint. My husband and I grew up in the “No Pain-No Gain” era, and we have the mentality to fight through pain to practice and play, sometimes beyond what is good for our bodies. Our kids inherited that same mentality but they have learned that it is not always the best way. They have both checked with doctors and are taking short breaks.
“No Pain -No Gain” should mean to push yourself to your limit and beyond, not to play until you are injured, though it’s not always easy to differentiate between the two. Pushing yourself can be painful, but it should not be harmful. As a former college athlete I understand that “No Pain – No Gain” focuses on the mental ability to push through things that make you uncomfortable, one of those being pain. Hurting because one works their muscles and lungs beyond what they are accustomed to is different than feeling a pain that is way outside the norm, but often kids (and some adults) don’t understand or know their limits. Sometimes they quit when they are capable of more, or at times push when they should stop. I occasionally play when I shouldn’t, pushing through knee pain and tendonitis and sprained wrists and ankles, but nothing I can’t tape up and live with. Injuries that aren’t likely to cause permanent damage. How can young athletes know the difference?
The key to figuring out this fine line is communication. Young athletes must be open with those around them about how their body is feeling. With pressure from coaches, parents and themselves, it can be hard, but it is important to be honest. Talk about the […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Dare to Be Different
On Thursday, while writing with Jenny, we designed a crazy prompt for ourselves, and when our fingers hit the keys they started flying and didn’t stop. Sometimes prompts peter out for me, an idea gets convoluted in my mind somehow and I think too much instead of just writing what comes. This happens to me more than I’d like to admit, but on those days when I can’t stop, and the words just flow, its magical.
Jenny and I are both working on books, so often we simply start working when we are together. Sometimes we write a quick catch up letter about our week (so we can visit but not talk too much), but Thursday we decided to write about our week differently, we wrote a story about our week that was told in third person. Our ten-minute prompt writing went longer than planned and both of us had starts of something grand, at least it felt that way. But what was important, was the flow and energy and the knowledge that the writing could come so easily, that the days of pushing through have heavenly moments.
And oh is it worth it! Write on!
WRITING PROMPT: Make what happened during your week into a story.
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott’s memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
Blog
Monday’s Pen To Paper: Finding Space to Breathe
Photo Credit: Jeff Zaruba
Wow, 2017 flew by. There were good times (those seen on Instagram) and not-so-good times, but because of the ups and downs, it was fulfilling and interesting, and a year that I wouldn’t change for the world.
However, I am always looking for ways to make life better and I believe what will do that for me in the coming year is to work on slowing life down so that I can better appreciate every moment. Relishing the positive and understanding that when shit happens, I need to breathe and take a moment to myself then move toward happiness.
It’s not easy, especially when the real bad times hit. I’ve fought to save my job, I’ve battled injuries and I’ve lost loved ones and it took a lot of strength and courage to keep moving forward. But every day life can […]
Pen to Paper: The Power of Persistence
Monday’s Friday’s Pen to Paper: The Power of Persistence
It took me ten years to write my first book. I’m not telling you this to depress you, I’m telling you this to let you know, and to remind myself, that if you want something bad enough and you don’t give up on it, chances are you will make that thing happen.
I wanted to write a book that would share my experience in dealing with grief and recovery in hopes that it might help others, and I didn’t give up on that dream. It was not easy, writing is not easy in and of itself and it seemed that life always got in the way, work, kids, that sort of thing, but for ten years I took baby steps toward my goal, I was persistent.
Some, like my husband for example, might use the word stubborn. […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: The Awesome Sports Writing Contest
Get your pen out and get writing and win up to $300 cash!
In the Awesome Sports Project’s continued efforts to inspire and promote voices in girls’ and women’s sports, they have launched their 2nd Annual Awesome Sports Writing Contest. Male and female writers of all ages and level of writing experience are welcome, but the submission must be nonfiction and about girls’ and women’s sports.
Submissions will be read by celebrity judge Rebecca Lowe (NBC Sports Anchor), Dennis Norris, Leisl Veach, and me, Sonya Elliott! There are both youth (18 & under) and adult categories and the entry deadline is February 15, 2018. For more information go to the Awesome Sports Project.
Write On!
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