Sonia Marsh's Blog, page 14
October 30, 2014
Vote for Your Favorite October “My Gutsy Story®”
You have from now until November 12th to vote on the sidebar, (only one vote per person) and the winner will be announced on November 13th, and will select a prize from our generous sponsors.
Our 1st “My Gutsy Story®” is by Don Darkes, “Wait. Don’t shoot!” How My Family Came Close to Extinction.
SONIA MARSH SAYS: What an amazing story of courage. Unexpected ending.
Our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” is by Sherri Martin-Hutchins, “My Journey From Suburbanite to Farm Girl”
SONIA MARSH SAYS: Reading your story reminded me of when my husband and I moved to Belize, our dream location. I think people thought we were crazy, but I know it was the best decision we ever made for our family. I now you will succeed, as both of you are passionate about your next phase in life.
Our 3rd “My Gutsy Story®” is by:Lee Lomas, “Having the Courage to Be Myself.”
Our 4th “My Gutsy Story®” is by Jane Franklin, “Proud to Serve, But the War Wasn’t Over For Him.”
All four stories were very different and I urge you to read them and vote for your favorite one on the sidebar. THANK YOU.
ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT.
Sign up NOW on Eventbrite to reserve your seat for a FUN and ENTERTAINING EVENT
to launch our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology.
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
What: Author Sonia Marsh launches the second publication in her My Gutsy Story® Anthology book series by hosting an evening of inspirational stories moderated by former PBS SoCal anchor Ann Pulice. Marsh, the award winning author and founder of My Gutsy Story® series, will also announce her next gutsy adventure, signing up for the Peace Corps. The event is open to the public and all attendees will receive a copy of the newest My Gutsy Story® Anthology.
When: Saturday, November 1
4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Zovs Restaurant in Tustin
17440 E. 17th St., Tustin, CA 92780, (MAP)
ph (714) 838.8855
Who: Moderator Ann Pulice is an award-winning journalists and was co-host on PBS SoCal’s Real Orange for 17 years.
Ann Pulice Emcee for the Book Launch Event
Panelists include:
Sonia Marsh: Award-winning author of Freeways to Flip-flops and founder of the My Gutsy Story®
Julia Capizzi : Orange County Peace Corps representative and Bilingual Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived abroad in El Salvador & Bolivia.
Colleen Hannegan: Author and professional speaker, certified business advisor, personal life coach for women in transition.
Mariana Williams : Author and founder of the “Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller,” married to Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Paul Williams.
Jonathan Yanez: Went from renting cars, to following his dream of becoming an author. His three-book series publishing contract has now been optioned for film.
Cost: $40 (includes book, wine and appetizers) before October 20th and $45 after that date.
More: Marsh hopes the My Gutsy Story® Anthology series and events will create a global community to help one another take risks in life. Her first publication, Freeways to Flip Flops, a chronology of her family’s one-year adventure in Belize, recently won the Reader’s Favorite, 2014 Gold Medal book award.
RSVP: For more information call (949) 309-0030 or e-mail: Sonia@soniamarsh.com
EventBrite: To sign up for the event
October 27, 2014
Proud to Serve, But the War Wasn’t Over For Him
He Was Proud to Serve
“My Gutsy Story®” by Jane Franklin
He was seventeen and he wanted to be a Marine, as luck would have it the Marines were glad to have him. Vietnam, a quagmire in southeast Asia, the nineteen sixties, either you were for it or against it.He had no idea what the war was actually about, he just knew he wanted to travel. Maybe the war would be done before he turned eighteen, children think like that.
After enduring basic training he got his eighteenth birthday gift. An all expense paid vacation in Vietnam, he had been wrong about the war ending before his birthday. He gambled it would but the Marines gambled it wouldn’t. He left a boy, but he came back a man.
War was a life altering experience for him, he was a good soldier and did what he was told. He learned to love the men who served beside him, there was no black, no white,no brown, they were all brothers, they’d die for each other. He was wounded and managed to joke about it as though a night in a rice paddy, outnumbered and wounded was no big deal.
Finally he got his orders and headed home. Chronologically he was nineteen but older than time in his soul. He managed to put behind him the woman who spit in his face at the airport when she saw his uniform. Proud to be a soldier and she spits at him and calls him a baby killer. He threw away his medals, the purple heart and all the others and pretended he never served. For years he had nightmares and cried out in his sleep.
It was about this time that he and I crossed paths, we fell in love almost immediately, I was attracted to his self confidence and the kindness in his eyes. I noticed the scars he had and it was the first time he’d even mentioned having been in military service. He had little to say so I didn’t press him about it. I was naive and didn’t know the damage war can do.
One day he came home from the doctor and told me he was diabetic, thirty six years old and in otherwise perfect health. He was a very active man physically. He had not gained a pound in the years of our marriage, he ate healthy and didn’t drink alcohol. There didn’t seem to be any diabetes in his family at the time and this didn’t make sense to me.He controlled the disease through diet and exercise.
As the years went by the diabetes worsened which is normal and he adjusted accordingly. Then I started reading about Agent Orange and I felt a chill in my heart. Lots of men who served in Vietnam were showing up at the VA hospitals with some disturbing symptoms. Cancers, skin disorders and Type 2 Diabetes. I realized that the war wasn’t over for him at all, it was just beginning.I will always be grateful for his VA representative, he fought for us.
The man who used to be so graceful has trouble stepping onto a curb now. Neuropathy has taken all the feeling out of the bottoms of his feet, except the pain, it is excruciating sometimes. His career is a distant memory now, dialysis keeps him pretty busy. The retirement we looked forward to is never going to happen. We’re not working but in a way we work harder than ever.
Sometimes at his VA medical appointments I look around me and I see the same thing, some poor guy of a certain age and a wife walking along with him. No soldier complains about their actual service, they don’t feel sorry for themselves even though they were all cheated.Many of them never got to be old men, many of them never even knew what killed them. They are dying every day. Ghosts of the brave young men who marched off to war and came back thinking their service was done.
What kind of government sprays an insecticide strong enough to kill vegetation and doesn’t know it will kill people too. Forgive me if I sound unpatriotic, a soldier sacrifices, it’s expected. What he didn’t expect was to leave the war alive and whole only to find out he’ll be a fatality anyway. We adjust and go on. In my nightmares a soldier hands me the tightly folded flag and thanks me for my husband’s service.William Craig Franklin will be another fatality, doomed at eighteen, he just didn’t know it.
JANE FRANKLIN was born and raised in North Carolina. She currently shares her life with her husband of thirty eight years, two Boxer dogs, four cats, and one elderly parrot. All of them plus children and grandchildren provide inspiration for her stories. My stories can be found on www.readwave.com/jane
William Craig Franklin and grandchild
Jane and William Franklin
SONIA MARSH SAYS: Your love and admiration for your husband is beautiful, and we thank you and him for sharing, and reminding us of the long-term effects of war on soldiers.
“I probably should have mentioned the reason I thought of this story. Every day my husband lives is gutsy for him. He has taken a life that was active and rewarding and adapted to just having a life. He never complains and the simple joy of being a grandpa has taken the place of playing golf or traveling. My husband is the bravest person I’ve ever met and in a lifetime of amazing people I consider him to be the best thing that ever happened to me, 38 years together and I still consider him my best friend as well as life partner.”
My Gutsy Story® Anthology Book Launch #2 with Ann Pulice
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
What: Author Sonia Marsh launches the second publication in her My Gutsy Story® Anthology book series by hosting an evening of inspirational stories moderated by former PBS SoCal anchor Ann Pulice. Marsh, the award winning author and founder of My Gutsy Story® series, will also announce her next gutsy adventure, signing up for the Peace Corps. The event is open to the public and all attendees will receive a copy of the newest My Gutsy Story® Anthology.
When: Saturday, November 1
4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Zovs Restaurant in Tustin
17440 E. 17th St., Tustin, CA 92780, (MAP)
ph (714) 838.8855
Who: Moderator Ann Pulice is an award-winning journalists and was co-host on PBS SoCal’s Real Orange for 17 years.
Panelists include:
Sonia Marsh: Award-winning author of Freeways to Flip-flops and founder of the My Gutsy Story®
Julia Capizzi : Orange County Peace Corps representative and Bilingual Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived abroad in El Salvador & Bolivia.
Colleen Hannegan: Author and professional speaker, certified business advisor, personal life coach for women in transition.
Mariana Williams : Author and founder of the “Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller,” married to Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Paul Williams.
Jonathan Yanez: Went from renting cars, to following his dream of becoming an author. His three-book series publishing contract has now been optioned for film.
Cost: $40 (includes book, wine and appetizers) before October 20th and $45 after that date.
More: Marsh hopes the My Gutsy Story® Anthology series and events will create a global community to help one another take risks in life. Her first publication,Freeways to Flip Flops, a chronology of her family’s one-year adventure in Belize, recently won the Reader’s Favorite, 2014 Gold Medal book award.
RSVP: For more information call (949) 309-0030 or e-mail: Sonia@soniamarsh.com
EventBrite: To sign up for the event
October 24, 2014
How to Turn Your Book Into A Film or Television Project
Dete Meserve
Dete Meserve is President of Wind Dancer Films, a film development, finance and production company based in Los Angeles, and New York. The company has created TV hits such as Roseanne and Home Improvement, two of my favorite shows and produced the movie, What Women Want, a movie I enjoyed, and watched several times.
I had the pleasure of meeting Dete at the Southern California Writers Association where she gave a speech on, “How to Turn Your Book Into A Film or Television Project,” to anxious authors, including me.
Most authors believe their books should be turned into a movie, and sometimes, we are naive. I for one, believe that my family adventure memoir, would make a great movie, but would it?
That’s where we all need to get real.
It’s not about us and our story. It’s about what will make the movie producers money, and will the public pay $12-15 to watch it on the big screen?
I listened to Dete explain the film and TV business and these are my notes which I hope will help you realize why it’s so difficult to get your movie into film.
Right now, the US film industry is focusing on the big budget movies: 150-250 million blockbusters.
It’s very difficult to get started in the film industry if you don’t have an agent.
It’s very difficult to get an agent
Agents tend to go with those people they have built a relationship with
TV is a hungry medium looking for great ideas
Writers need to have a log line (25-30 words giving an exciting pitch about the movie.)
Tell me what the story is about rather than a cliche
Very often it’s a 24-year-old intern who will look at your book first
They take your book and write a synopsis
It’s better if you write your own synopsis
Focus your attention on TV- more opportunities than a feature film
Don’t write you screen play unless you already have screen credits
Big screenwriters don’t want to share writing credits with you
Don’t attach unknown people to your screenplay
Don’t attach actors to your screenplay unless you know they are “meaningful” or “bankable.”
The Director is the key person
Nobody wants to produce a book that only sold 200 copies
Character driven pieces work in TV
TV wants strong characters
Domestic abuse, Bipolar stories and mental illness are very hard to get made into a movie or TV as most people don’t want tp send money watching those kind of movies.
It takes longer to sell a book as people have to read it
TV movies are much easier to make than a theater movie
Think of all your personal connections and see if anyone you know can help you
Find an agent or producer that’s passionate; not just the big names
The big names may not be the best for you
If you get rejected, it may have nothing to do with your book, but just being able to get financing
Don’t give up,
Niche movies are in
If you get a film option, you may be looking at $2,500-$75,000 for an 18-month period which means they have the right to develop it into a movie
If your book gets turned into a movie, ask for the money upfront, rather than on the back end.
It’s better for writers to have a short option rather than a long one
The Director of the movie is King
Most writers make a living on options only.
Of course I gave a copy of my Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal memoir to Dete, especially as Wind Dancer Films is involved with this festival on November 22nd in Miami, Fl, and I shall be there to collect my gold medal
Freeways to Flip-Flops: A Family’s Year of gutsy Living on a Tropical Island won the GOLD Medal for MEMOIRS at the READERS FAVORITE AWARDS.
November 22nd, 2014 AWARDS CEREMONY in Miami, FL
Here is a link to my 5 Star Review.
Sign up NOW on Eventbrite to reserve your seat for a FUN and ENTERTAINING EVENT
to launch our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology.
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
What: Author Sonia Marsh launches the second publication in her My Gutsy Story® Anthology book series by hosting an evening of inspirational stories moderated by former PBS SoCal anchor Ann Pulice. Marsh, the award winning author and founder of My Gutsy Story® series, will also announce her next gutsy adventure, signing up for the Peace Corps. The event is open to the public and all attendees will receive a copy of the newest My Gutsy Story® Anthology.
When: Saturday, November 1
4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Zovs Restaurant in Tustin
17440 E. 17th St., Tustin, CA 92780, (MAP)
ph (714) 838.8855
Who: Moderator Ann Pulice is an award-winning journalists and was co-host on PBS SoCal’s Real Orange for 17 years.
Panelists include:
Sonia Marsh: Award-winning author of Freeways to Flip-flops and founder of the My Gutsy Story®
Julia Capizzi : Orange County Peace Corps representative and Bilingual Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived abroad in El Salvador & Bolivia.
Colleen Hannegan: Author and professional speaker, certified business advisor, personal life coach for women in transition.
Mariana Williams : Author and founder of the “Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller,” married to Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Paul Williams.
Jonathan Yanez: Went from renting cars, to following his dream of becoming an author. His three-book series publishing contract has now been optioned for film.
Cost: $40 (includes book, wine and appetizers) before October 20th and $45 after that date.
More: Marsh hopes the My Gutsy Story® Anthology series and events will create a global community to help one another take risks in life. Her first publication,Freeways to Flip Flops, a chronology of her family’s one-year adventure in Belize, recently won the Reader’s Favorite, 2014 Gold Medal book award.
RSVP: For more information call (949) 309-0030 or e-mail: Sonia@soniamarsh.com
EventBrite: To sign up for the event
October 20, 2014
Having the Courage to Be Myself
Having the Courage to Be Myself
“My Gutsy Story®”-Lee Lomas
Playing it safe landed me a single woman and living alone for the first time at the boomer age of forty-nine. I lived with my family until I was sixteen. Pregnancy took me by surprise, and after knowing the guy for four months, we married. Four daughters and six abusive years later, I divorced, and had a roommate for one year.
I announced myself as a lesbian at the age of twenty-three. At twenty five, I fell in love with a woman. After our seven year relationship ended, we remained friends living one more winter together. I met my next partner by chance, and after seventeen years together, we were done.
As the leaves began to change and fall in 2009, I began to rise.
Living outside of Chicago may as well have had me living across the country, as I had only traveled there a few times. My coworkers said, “I was too cautious, too straight-laced”. They told me that, “I needed to get out more and do things”. So, I joined a lesbian group that met for dinner once a month at different ethnic restaurants. Expanding both my palate and my safety net was tantalizing. I met the real lesbians, those confident in who they were, could navigate the city and knew how to treat a woman right. They spoke the lingo and were acquainted with everything lesbian related. I had been a lesbian for 20+ years and was like a baby learning new things. Another group attended plays, explored the city, Navy Pier, went to concerts, and hiking. Then I joined a few dating sites.
Please refrain from spitting your coffee across the room. If you have been on these sites, you know there a bunch of freaks out there? The dating scene had always been unfamiliar to me, after marriage, I immediately went into two long term relationships one after the other. So at the ripe ole age of forty-nine, I had to get to know me, before I could answer questions posed with setting up my profile. A few times I stopped and thought, what the hell are you doing? It took me months and quite a bit of editing to push the submit button. It’s pretty easy to say on the computer screen, I like this, or I don’t like that in a person. It reminded me of what we think of when looking for a house. I won’t have a place without a fireplace. Then the most beautiful place is available without that much wanted fireplace. Do I move forward or stick to my likes and dislikes? My biggest dislike was trying to box myself into their format. If I indicated I didn’t want to date an alcoholic because my dad died of alcoholism, I was interrogated and told it wasn’t my place to judge. If I didn’t want to date a person who smoked, I had to explain that I was an ex-smoker who didn’t want to kiss anymore ashtrays.
Later that summer, plans fell through to vacation with a friend. I thought now what? I had never vacationed alone. The idea was enticing and scary. A few friends had been to Colorado over the summer and showed me photos. The beautiful mountain scenery yanked on my heart strings and I smiled and said why not. The internet had an overwhelming amount of information. As a member of Sierra Club, I contacted a few members who were hiking Mount Evans the weekend following my arrival.
As vacation time neared, I packed my hiking gear, gathered essential goodies for the drive, and secured my bicycle to the back of my new jeep. I left my contact info with family, and was ecstatic about leaving. An ex-coworker was told I was heading her way, she invited me to stay at her house in Colorado Springs. How apropos.
I drove two days, stopping along the way to ride my bicycle around small unknown towns. The second night as I checked into the hotel, I carried my bicycle up the stairs. I turned around and in the sky were several hot air balloons. I rode around until I found where they were landing and was mesmerized. The moment I crossed the state line, I was in love. The scenery captivated my heart. I knew I was home.
During those two weeks, I caught up with an old friend. I drove up to Boulder, had my palm read, the woman said, “You need a little color in your life”. I rode a bicycle 19 miles down Pikes Peak Mountain. We started in the snow, dressed like the Michelin Tire woman, down through pouring rain, ended at a winery, to recap and eat. I hiked my first 12,000+ summit; I couldn’t breathe and thought I would die on that mountain. My fellow hikers cheered me on, pointed out scenery, just so I could stop to catch my breath. Hiking and biking in Colorado had a whole different meaning than in Illinois. Garden of the Gods was a natural wonder of its own.
2009 was a year to remember! Two weeks of pushing the boundaries in life. Everyone should experience a vacation alone. It’s a time to come home to yourself. I moved to Colorado the following February and met a woman, an artist and very colorful soul. We have been together for almost five years and had our Civil Union at the Garden of the Gods and six months later we were married in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I dropped my first name, took my wife’s last name and Lee Lomas was born.
Bio
Lee Lomas, Published Author, Speaker and Heart Centered Coach
I educate, encourage and inspire women to discover and embrace their power within.
My pieces published under Wanda McCormick until 2013;
Pathway to Courage – A story that covers generational abuse and the heart breaking realization of the direction my life was headed, until I broke the repeating patterns.
You Have Much Stuff – A story about the stuff we carry, we keep physically, mentally and emotionally. Our relationship with not only our stuff but the makeup of relationships within the household. It’s a humorous story that everyone can connect with and ponder.
Fuego – A poem inspired by a painting created by my wife after our house fire.
Emotional Release – Two Fires in Two Years – Realizing my emotions were buried deep within me, when our house caught on fire, my emotions were then released when I saw the flames from Waldo Canyon Fire less than two years later. We were next to be evacuated. I was caught by surprise of how I felt.
Healing in the Midst of Uncertainty – An inspirational message delivered by me on the one year anniversary of the Waldo Canyon Fire, and while in the midst of writing it, another disastrous fire, the Black Forest Fire erupted in that both turned out to be the two worst fires in Colorado history.
Please join Lee Lomas on her social media:
Website
SIGN UP FOR THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW
“My Gutsy Story®”Anthology Volume 2 HERE or on the Sidebar
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
Get Published in our 3rd
“My Gutsy Story®”Anthology in 2015
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES HERE
Click on cover to go to Amazon
2013 Benjamin Franklin Honoree Winner
2014 International Book Awards FINALIST
2014 WINNER of the PARIS BOOK FESTIVAL
We just won our 4th Award for the Anthology.
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT OUR AWARDS.
I Announced Myself a Lesbian and Fell in Love
2009, a Year to Remember!
“My Gutsy Story®”-Lee Lomas
Playing it safe landed me a single woman and living alone for the first time at the boomer age of forty-nine. I lived with my family until I was sixteen. Pregnancy took me by surprise, and after knowing the guy for four months, we married. Six abusive years later, I divorced, and had a roommate for one year.
I announced myself as a lesbian at the age of twenty-three, and fell in love. After our seven year relationship ended, we remained friends living one more winter together. I met my next partner by chance, and after seventeen years together, we were done.
As the leaves began to change and fall in 2009, I began to rise.
Living outside of Chicago may as well have had me living across the country, as I had only traveled there a few times. My coworkers said, “I was too cautious, too straight-laced”. They told me that, “I needed to get out more and do things”. So, I joined a lesbian group that met for dinner once a month at different ethnic restaurants. Expanding both my palate and my safety net was tantalizing. I met the real lesbians, those confident in who they were, could navigate the city and knew how to treat a woman right. They spoke the lingo and were acquainted with everything lesbian related. I had been a lesbian for 20+ years and was like a baby learning new things. Another group attended plays, explored the city, Navy Pier, went to concerts, and hiking. Then I joined a few dating sites.
Please refrain from spitting your coffee across the room. If you have been on these sites, you know there a bunch of freaks out there? The dating scene had always been unfamiliar to me, after marriage, I immediately went into two long term relationships one after the other. So at the ripe ole age of forty-nine, I had to get to know me, before I could answer questions posed with setting up my profile. A few times I stopped and thought, what the hell are you doing? It took me months and quite a bit of editing to push the submit button. It’s pretty easy to say on the computer screen, I like this, or I don’t like that in a person. It reminded me of what we think of when looking for a house. I won’t have a place without a fireplace. Then the most beautiful place is available without that much wanted fireplace. Do I move forward or stick to my likes and dislikes? My biggest dislike was trying to box myself into their format. If I indicated I didn’t want date an alcoholic because my dad died of alcoholism, I would get interrogated and told it wasn’t my place to judge. If I didn’t want to date a person who smoked, I had to explain that I was an ex-smoker who didn’t want to kiss anymore ashtrays.
Later that summer, plans fell through to vacation with a friend. I thought now what? I had never vacationed alone. The idea was enticing and scary. A few friends had been to Colorado over the summer and showed me photos. The beautiful mountain scenery yanked on my heart strings and I smiled and said why not. The internet had an overwhelming amount of information. As a member of Sierra Club, I contacted a few members who were hiking Mount Evans the weekend following my arrival.
As vacation time neared, I packed my hiking gear, gathered essential goodies for the drive, and secured my bicycle to the back of my new jeep. I left my contact info with family, and was ecstatic about leaving. An ex coworker was told I was heading her way, she invited me to stay at her house in Colorado Springs. How apropos.
I drove two days, stopping along the way to ride my bicycle around small unknown towns. The second night as I checked into the hotel, I carried my bicycle up the stairs. I turned around and in the sky were several hot air balloons. I rode around until I found where they were landing and was mesmerized. The moment I crossed the state line, I was in love. The scenery captivated my heart. I knew I was home.
During those two weeks, I caught up with an old friend. I drove up to Boulder, had my palm read, the woman said, “You need a little color in your life”. I rode a bicycle 19 miles down Pikes Peak Mountain. We started in the snow, dressed like the Michelin Tire woman, down through pouring rain, ended at a winery, to recap and eat. I hiked my first 12,000+ summit; I couldn’t breathe and thought I would die on that mountain. My fellow hikers cheered me on, pointed out scenery, just so I could stop to catch my breath. Hiking and biking in Colorado had a whole different meaning than in Illinois. Garden of the Gods was a natural wonder of its own.
2009 was a year to remember! Two weeks of pushing the boundaries in life. Everyone should experience a vacation alone. It’s a time to come home to yourself. I moved to Colorado the following February and met a woman, an artist and very colorful soul. We have been together for almost five years and had our Civil Union at the Garden of the Gods.
LEE LOMAS BIO: I am the owner of Power By Choice, a mentor, author and power coach, I help you transform your body, mind and spirit into being your most infinite powerful self through lifestyle changes, healthy eating and exercise. I offer email coaching, fitness training, and I am available to present programs such as; Redefining Your Curb Appeal, M.O.T.I.V.A.T.I.O.N, Create Your Own Success Plan, Fitness Savvy, C.O.R.E. Power for a stronger you, No More Excuses and Take Charge of your health.
Click on cover to purchase
Please join Lee Lomas on her social media:
Website
SIGN UP FOR THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW
“My Gutsy Story®”Anthology Volume 2 HERE or on the Sidebar
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
Get Published in our 3rd
“My Gutsy Story®”Anthology in 2015
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES HERE
Click on cover to go to Amazon
2013 Benjamin Franklin Honoree Winner
2014 International Book Awards FINALIST
2014 WINNER of the PARIS BOOK FESTIVAL
We just won our 4th Award for the Anthology.
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT OUR AWARDS.
October 16, 2014
“My Gutsy Story®” Writing Contest Winner-September 2014
This September we had FIVE OUTSTANDING “My Gutsy Story®” authors. Some of these stories will be included in our 3rd “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology, published in 2015. Thank you to all five authors. Your stories are all WINNERS.
1st Place, with 39% of the votes, goes to Savannah Grace, with her beautiful “My Gutsy Story Love Story”.
Savannah Grace
2nd Place, with 24% of the votes, goes to Jonathan Yanez with his inspiring story, “My Road to Becoming an Author by Jonathan Yanez”
Jonathan Yanez
A very close 3rd Place, with 23% of the votes, goes to Jennifer Graham, a gutsy story about an “Interracial Couple: An Immoral Proposal.”
Jennifer Graham
4th Place, goes to Nancy McBride with her funny story, “When President Jimmy Carter’s Wife Stopped By.”
5th Place, goes to Colleen Hannegan for her inspiring story, “My journey, My search to Re-Discover Myself”
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
Get Published in our 3rd
“My Gutsy Story®”Anthology in 2015
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES HERE
Click on cover to go to Amazon
2013 Benjamin Franklin Honoree Winner
2014 International Book Awards FINALIST
2014 WINNER of the PARIS BOOK FESTIVAL
We just won our 4th Award for the Anthology.
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT OUR AWARDS.
October 13, 2014
My Journey From Suburbanite to Farm Girl
My Journey From Suburbanite to Farm Girl
“My Gutsy Story®” Sherri Martin-Hutchins
I grew up in a cute planned neighborhood where each home sat on about a 1/4 acre. My first home was in a desert subdivision where my living room windows looked directly into my neighbor’s living room barely more than an arm’s length away. My current home is in yet another cookie-cutter neighborhood, albeit with more yard than I’ve had before.
My husband Jeff and I have been happy here in our subdivision surrounded by farms. We’ve learned to grow vegetables, fruits, and this year successfully harvested our first hazelnuts. We certainly haven’t mastered the gardening thing. I’m a little unreliable about watering, we don’t fertilize, and the critters and creatures reap more than we do.
So why did we recently purchase a 76-acre farm an hour away? That’s a fair question. You see, we have this dream.
A year ago Jeff and I started to evaluate what we wanted for our future. Did we want to stay where we were? How did we want to spend our time? With our teenager graduating from high school next year and our toddler not yet in kindergarten, it was a good time to consider whether a change was in order.
We set out in search of a little land. We were hoping for 10 acres- space enough for a proper garden, plenty of room to play, stretch, wander, and breathe, and enough to warrant a tractor (my husband has been asking for one for years).
The more we searched, the more discouraged we became. Many lots were heavily wooded, oddly shaped, or had power lines or gas lines running through them.
And the more we searched, the more our idea grew. What started as simply finding a new place turned into discussions of renting garden plots, offering organic CSA shares (community-supported agriculture), or pick-your-own orchards, berry patches, vegetables, pumpkins, Christmas trees, … the ideas flowed endlessly. We talked about bringing Jeff’s parents and their horse with us. Suddenly 10 acres didn’t look like quite enough.
We began looking for 15-20 acres instead. The land we found interesting got bigger and bigger until ultimately what we purchased was 76 acres of mostly open land- a former tree nursery. Some of it is open fields, some is rows of trees, and some is naturally wooded. It’s a wonderland for us.
Now we are starting the long, hard work of building our house, adding the necessary barns and sheds, and figuring out exactly where we want to take our farm business. And we have to do this all from an hour away while we continue to work, raise our children, and prepare our current house for sale.
Most of the people who know Jeff and I have said they can see this as the right fit for us. A few have questioned whether we know what we’re getting into. Hell, we’ve wondered what we’ve gotten ourselves into. But when we visit our farm (mostly on Saturdays) we feel an overwhelming sense of peace and awe. That’s how I know it’s the next right step.
So begins my journey from suburbanite to farm girl. Wish us luck!
SHERRI MARTIN-HUTCHINS is a writer and soon-to-be farmer perpetually seeking the magic, mystery, and humor in everyday life. You can follow her journey in these places.
Sherri portrait
SONIA MARSH SAYS: Reading your story reminded me of when my husband and I moved to Belize, our dream location. I think people thought we were crazy, but I know it was the best decision we ever made for our family. I now you will succeed, as both of you are passionate about your next phase in life.
Please join Sherri on her social media links:
Website: www.livewonderstruck.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/smhutchinswriter
Twitter: http://twitter.com/smhutchins
Instagram: http://instagram.com/smhutchinswriter
Sign up NOW on Eventbrite to reserve your seat for a FUN and ENTERTAINING EVENT
to launch our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology.
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
What: Author Sonia Marsh launches the second publication in her My Gutsy Story® Anthology book series by hosting an evening of inspirational stories moderated by former PBS SoCal anchor Ann Pulice. Marsh, the award winning author and founder of My Gutsy Story® series, will also announce her next gutsy adventure, signing up for the Peace Corps. The event is open to the public and all attendees will receive a copy of the newest My Gutsy Story® Anthology.
When: Saturday, November 1
4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Zovs Restaurant in Tustin
17440 E. 17th St., Tustin, CA 92780, (MAP)
ph (714) 838.8855
Who: Moderator Ann Pulice is an award-winning journalists and was co-host on PBS SoCal’s Real Orange for 17 years.
Panelists include:
Sonia Marsh: Award-winning author of Freeways to Flip-flops and founder of the My Gutsy Story®
Julia Capizzi : Orange County Peace Corps representative and Bilingual Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived abroad in El Salvador & Bolivia.
Colleen Hannegan: Author and professional speaker, certified business advisor, personal life coach for women in transition.
Mariana Williams : Author and founder of the “Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller,” married to Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Paul Williams.
Jonathan Yanez: Went from renting cars, to following his dream of becoming an author. His three-book series publishing contract has now been optioned for film.
Cost: $40 (includes book, wine and appetizers) before October 20th and $45 after that date.
More: Marsh hopes the My Gutsy Story® Anthology series and events will create a global community to help one another take risks in life. Her first publication,Freeways to Flip Flops, a chronology of her family’s one-year adventure in Belize, recently won the Reader’s Favorite, 2014 Gold Medal book award.
RSVP: For more information call (949) 309-0030 or e-mail: Sonia@soniamarsh.com
EventBrite: To sign up for the event
October 9, 2014
What Should Your Author Photo Tell Your Audience?
Click on my photo to see my photographer Kira Robles
I had such a fun day today with the beautiful and talented young photographer, Kira Robles, and her makeup artist Rosa Menendez.
They are both from Los Angeles, and are involved in the movie industry and I asked them to make me look natural. I want my audience to know that I’m 57, and that turquoise is my favorite color.
I believe we need to take our author business seriously.
Whether we are talking about our:
Websites
Book Covers
Book Formatting
Social Media
Branding
Please realize that this is important for authors who want to stand out.
You need to consider your:
Personality
Brand
Book Genre
Personality:
What is your color?
What background fits you, your brand and your genre?
Are you an office person, an outdoors person or an action person?
What is your style?
Be authentic and look your best, but not 20 years younger
Brand:
Color Scheme
Prop (hat/dress)
Logo
Book Genre:
Location
Style
Color scheme for your genre
So what am I hoping to achieve is a combination of who I am, what I love, a connection, approachable, kind, my brand, my turquoise ocean, and “please feel free to get in touch with me” attitude.
What have you done with your author photos?
Please share with all of us.
Sign up NOW on Eventbrite to reserve your seat for a FUN and ENTERTAINING EVENT
to launch our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology.
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
What: Author Sonia Marsh launches the second publication in her My Gutsy Story® Anthology book series by hosting an evening of inspirational stories moderated by former PBS SoCal anchor Ann Pulice. Marsh, the award winning author and founder of My Gutsy Story® series, will also announce her next gutsy adventure, signing up for the Peace Corps. The event is open to the public and all attendees will receive a copy of the newest My Gutsy Story® Anthology.
When: Saturday, November 1
4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Zovs Restaurant in Tustin
17440 E. 17th St., Tustin, CA 92780, (MAP)
ph (714) 838.8855
Who: Moderator Ann Pulice is an award-winning journalists and was co-host on PBS SoCal’s Real Orange for 17 years.
Panelists include:
Sonia Marsh: Award-winning author of Freeways to Flip-flops and founder of the My Gutsy Story®
Julia Capizzi : Orange County Peace Corps representative and Bilingual Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived abroad in El Salvador & Bolivia.
Colleen Hannegan: Author and professional speaker, certified business advisor, personal life coach for women in transition.
Mariana Williams : Author and founder of the “Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller,” married to Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Paul Williams.
Jonathan Yanez: Went from renting cars, to following his dream of becoming an author. His three-book series publishing contract has now been optioned for film.
Cost: $40 (includes book, wine and appetizers) before October 20th and $45 after that date.
More: Marsh hopes the My Gutsy Story® Anthology series and events will create a global community to help one another take risks in life. Her first publication,Freeways to Flip Flops, a chronology of her family’s one-year adventure in Belize, recently won the Reader’s Favorite, 2014 Gold Medal book award.
RSVP: For more information call (949) 309-0030 or e-mail: Sonia@soniamarsh.com
EventBrite: To sign up for the event
October 6, 2014
“Wait. Don’t shoot!” How My Family Came Close to Extinction
The Killer Prawns
“My Gutsy Story®” Don Darkes
Every June 6th, often commemorated as D-Day elsewhere, we celebrate Pisces Day; our family’s survival day. On that day, we were shipwrecked, lost everything we owned and were left stranded and bleeding on a lonely quicksand beach. My wife, two young children and I named this “Pisces Day,” the name of our doomed yacht.
Since then, we have celebrated Pisces Day around a meal of prawns and rice. Why prawns and rice? To remind us how we ate prawns and rice for weeks after our shipwreck. Prawns and rice were cheap and plentiful, and we were destitute. On Pisces Day 2010, my wife Dianne chose the venue carefully; “Jimmy’s Killer Prawns.” She booked a U-shaped bench near the window overlooking the old railway station.
“Ugh! There is something slippery under the table” exclaimed Bill as he lost his footing and fell heavily against the red vinyl bench seat that protested with a sibilant hiss of escaping air.
“Judging by the smell of rancid butter and garlic it must be the prawn sauce” laughed blonde and vivacious Luna, his youngest sister, as we slithered our bottoms along the maroon seats. Dianne, her blue eyes sparkling with pleasure at having the family together again, took up her station at the base of the U, flanked by both our daughters and with Bill and me facing each other at either end.
“Although it’s just past six-thirty the place is already busy” remarked Dianne.
“What shall we order?” Morgan asked.
“Prawns and rice!” we chorused.
“I’m dying of thirst. I hope the waiter comes to take our drinks order soon.” groaned Bill grasping his throat theatrically and gagging to the amusement of his adoring sisters.
“I wonder why there are no waiters around?” Dianne said.
“Wait a minute. Speak of the devils!” Luna pointed to a thickset man approaching our table and to another four men who were spreading out simultaneously towards the other tables.
“It’s not that cold tonight. I’m surprised management lets them wear their hoods on duty.” I commented as our hooded waiter approached.
“Do you have granadilla juice…?” I stopped mid-sentence as the muzzle of a large pistol was placed squarely against the tip of my nose.
“Cell phones and money” interrupted the hooded man gruffly.
“I don’t have any cash with me. I pay by credit card and I am not carrying my cell phone” I stuttered, numb with shock.
“And you?” The robber swung around and placed the barrel of his gun against Bills forehead.
“I have a phone.” Bill said reaching into his shirt pocket with trembling fingers and dropped it to the floor. Unthinking he ducked below the table to retrieve it and scrabbled around on the greasy floor whilst it evaded him like a slippery fish. The gunman’s pin-prick irises flashed and I imagined the roar of his gun and the impact of the bullet mushrooming my sons head redly onto the walls and floor.
“Wait. Don’t shoot! My son is trying to pick up his phone.” The gunman hesitated and Bill emerged again unaware of how close he had come to extinction.
“What about you?” the gunman waved his pistol at the girls where they sat ashen faced and rooted to the bench. Luna spoke first.
“My daddy won’t buy me one.” She lied. The gunman shot me a disgusted glance. neither of us noticed Luna surreptitiously secreting her precious phone behind her.
“What about you?” the robber hissed at Morgan who had stealthily emulated her younger sisters example. Both girls stared down the killer’s harsh gaze. I caught their eyes with my own and gestured to them not to maintain eye contact whilst my heart thrashed within my chest from an overload of pride, terror and anger.
“Stand Up!” He commanded. We complied, albeit bent double within the narrow space. The thug moved forward, wedging his gun beneath his chin, whilst he frisked Bill and me and even feeling our groins as he did so.
He looked towards my wife and daughters. I baulked at the prospect of him running his hands over their innocent young bodies and began to boil with rage. Bill caught my eye and shook his head imperceptibly.
“The girls don’t carry money. My father is too stingy.” Blurted Bill. The crook glanced disdainfully at me before turning his drug-dulled eyes toward his other prey.
He swaggered to a table occupied by a solitary man so busily engaged in devouring his meal while speaking with unfocused eyes on his mobile phone that he had not noticed the commotion. The gunman stuck the barrel of his pistol against the distracted man’s nose.
“Cell phone and money” he demanded.
“Huh”
“Cell phone and money!” the robber hit the table with his fist upsetting the glass of red wine over the diners lap.
“I don’t have any money, I pay by credit card” said the diner as he handed over his mobile.
“May I continue eating? This is my first meal of the day and I am starving.” He returned to his meal without waiting for a reply. The crook grunted and moved to the next table.
The terror did not end there. In the weeks and months that followed, we saw our assailants in the shopping malls. They would leer at us and taunt the girls, pointing to me: the stingy father. When we complained to the police about the progress of the investigation, we were told they had no record of any such incident, despite the fact that it had been reported in a local newspaper and they had taken statements. Our family became so traumatised we refused to leave the house for fear of meeting our tormenters. I asked a good friend, a well-connected man and a long standing member of Interpol, to make discreet enquiries. He told me the police were connected with the gang and that we were in mortal danger. “Get out of town. Disappear,” he said.
This was our family’s pivotal decision to sell everything and go sailing again.
Don Darkes and his family
DON DARKES BIO: During the seventies I studied Psychology prior to serving mandatory Military Service in a secret unit, for which I received a medal. Following a number of exciting and successful careers in Construction, Manufacturing and Information Technology, I am now a full time Author.
During the nineties I was shipwrecked together with my wife and children in Madagascar. After returning destitute to South Africa I formed and sold a sucessful Internet company in order to write my first two books and to research and write a novel exploring an intriguing link between the Jewish Holocaust and Madagascar. Currently, together with my wife and daughter we are building another yacht and living aboard it whilst I work on several books with the common denominators being my love of history and my belief that fact is more interesting than fiction.
Click on Cover to go to Don Darke’s Amazon Page
You can join Don Darkes on:
Sign up NOW on Eventbrite to reserve your seat for a FUN and ENTERTAINING EVENT
to launch our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology.
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
What: Author Sonia Marsh launches the second publication in her My Gutsy Story® Anthology book series by hosting an evening of inspirational stories moderated by former PBS SoCal anchor Ann Pulice. Marsh, the award winning author and founder of My Gutsy Story® series, will also announce her next gutsy adventure, signing up for the Peace Corps. The event is open to the public and all attendees will receive a copy of the newest My Gutsy Story® Anthology.
When: Saturday, November 1
4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Zovs Restaurant in Tustin
17440 E. 17th St., Tustin, CA 92780, (MAP)
ph (714) 838.8855
Who: Moderator Ann Pulice is an award-winning journalists and was co-host on PBS SoCal’s Real Orange for 17 years.
Panelists include:
Sonia Marsh: Award-winning author of Freeways to Flip-flops and founder of the My Gutsy Story®
Julia Capizzi : Orange County Peace Corps representative and Bilingual Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived abroad in El Salvador & Bolivia.
Colleen Hannegan: Author and professional speaker, certified business advisor, personal life coach for women in transition.
Mariana Williams : Author and founder of the “Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller,” married to Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Paul Williams.
Jonathan Yanez: Went from renting cars, to following his dream of becoming an author. His three-book series publishing contract has now been optioned for film.
Cost: $40 (includes book, wine and appetizers) before October 20th and $45 after that date.
More: Marsh hopes the My Gutsy Story® Anthology series and events will create a global community to help one another take risks in life. Her first publication,Freeways to Flip Flops, a chronology of her family’s one-year adventure in Belize, recently won the Reader’s Favorite, 2014 Gold Medal book award.
RSVP: For more information call (949) 309-0030 or e-mail: Sonia@soniamarsh.com
EventBrite: To sign up for the event
October 2, 2014
Vote For Your Favorite September 2014 “My Gutsy Story®”
You have from now until October 15th to vote on the sidebar, (only one vote per person) and the winner will be announced on October 16th, and will select a prize from our generous sponsors.
Our 1st “My Gutsy Story®” is by Jennifer Graham, “Interracial Couple: An Immoral Proposal.”
SONIA MARSH SAYS: What a beautiful love story that truly portrays the emotions you felt at the time. I love the ending and am glad we connected online.
Our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” is by Colleen Hannegan, “My journey, My search to Re-Discover Myself.”
SONIA MARSH SAYS: Your story will resonate with so many who “accept” their situation, rather than take the steps to become free.
Our 3rd “My Gutsy Story®” is by: Savannah Grace, “My Gutsy Love Story”
SONIA MARSH SAYS: I admire your courage to go with your gut, and not be swayed by others. What a meaningful statement to help those who are unsure of what to do.
“If people could not accept and let me be who I needed to be then I could only wish for that acceptance, not be expected to change my life for other people. Trying to change who I am to please others would not bring me happiness…so I had no choice but to follow my heart.”
Our 4th “My Gutsy Story®” is by Nancy McBride, “When President Jimmy Carter’s Wife Stopped By.”
SONIA MARSH SAYS: You are one “Gutsy” and funny lady. I love your exit interview strategy. Also your artwork is so unique and whimsical.
Our 5th “My Gutsy Story®” is by: Jonathan Yanez, “My Road to Becoming an Author.”
SONIA MARSH SAYS: You show us how perseverance pays off and that you believed in your passion with such determination, that you made your dream come true. Thanks for sharing your story which will inspire other writers to not give up. I look forward to having you share your story on November 1st, at the kick-off of our next:
Sign up NOW on Eventbrite to reserve your seat for a FUN and ENTERTAINING EVENT
to launch our 2nd “My Gutsy Story®” Anthology.
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
What: Author Sonia Marsh launches the second publication in her My Gutsy Story® Anthology book series by hosting an evening of inspirational stories moderated by former PBS SoCal anchor Ann Pulice. Marsh, the award winning author and founder of My Gutsy Story® series, will also announce her next gutsy adventure, signing up for the Peace Corps. The event is open to the public and all attendees will receive a copy of the newest My Gutsy Story® Anthology.
When: Saturday, November 1
4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Zovs Restaurant in Tustin
17440 E. 17th St., Tustin, CA 92780, (MAP)
ph (714) 838.8855
Who: Moderator Ann Pulice is an award-winning journalists and was co-host on PBS SoCal’s Real Orange for 17 years.
Ann Pulice Emcee for the Book Launch Event
Panelists include:
Sonia Marsh: Award-winning author of Freeways to Flip-flops and founder of the My Gutsy Story®
Julia Capizzi : Orange County Peace Corps representative and Bilingual Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived abroad in El Salvador & Bolivia.
Colleen Hannegan: Author and professional speaker, certified business advisor, personal life coach for women in transition.
Mariana Williams : Author and founder of the “Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller,” married to Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Paul Williams.
Jonathan Yanez: Went from renting cars, to following his dream of becoming an author. His three-book series publishing contract has now been optioned for film.
Cost: $40 (includes book, wine and appetizers) before October 20th and $45 after that date.
More: Marsh hopes the My Gutsy Story® Anthology series and events will create a global community to help one another take risks in life. Her first publication, Freeways to Flip Flops, a chronology of her family’s one-year adventure in Belize, recently won the Reader’s Favorite, 2014 Gold Medal book award.
RSVP: For more information call (949) 309-0030 or e-mail: Sonia@soniamarsh.com
EventBrite: To sign up for the event
