Entry # 148 - "The Truth About Water"

Scotland - May 2012 - Jan Bowman Photo

 Most people take the idea of having fresh water always available as a "given" in their lives.  We turn on the tap and have an abundance of safe water. But my dear old friend, Dr. Mary Bowman-Kruhm has been working on a project to bring fresh water to a village in Kenya that she visited a few years ago. As a result, I have thought about how we take our clean water supply for granted. So I wrote a short creative nonfiction piece about it last year. 

 

The Truth About Water 

by Jan Bowman - October 2012 

Drink up. Water is wealth. Water heals. Mends the cells and flushes toxins.

Scotland - May 2012 - Jan Bowman photo

Drink water from plastic bottles bound for recycling or landfills.  Reclaimed water flows into sinks, bathtubs and showers. We stand over cleansing basins of recycled water, flushed with complex chemicals. We drink deeply.  Wash vital organs clear of toxins with water taken from bottles and tidy faucets.  Faucets quench thirst, but bottles travel better.

Drink water. We have so much. But do we think about it at all? Water holds it all together.  The great Earth’s land masses press,  just as we do, against oceans, rivers, tides. Think of areas in China, Kenya, India or the Sudan. Among the Earth’s poorest people, water is valued more than riches. Water is wealth. Whether woman or child, she who bends her back and kneels to touch the shallow stream or river with dry, cracked lips will live, unless the water brings disease, or toxins do their work.   Or if no rains come, famine will. 

Drink water. But how much?  It depends. Where do you live? How old are you? How healthy or wealthy? How much is enough? Perhaps eight or nine cups are enough, unless you’re thirsty, or tired, or your urine’s darker than light yellow.  Or unless it’s early in the morning, or you’ve just swallowed a handful of vitamins, or you’re terribly ill. Then you might need more or less.

Drink more water. Lose weight. Flush out those toxins destined for the rivers of reclaimed water flowing into glasses and tubs. Don’t worry that you’ve taken too much. Water your lawn. Wash your car.  Flush and flush, because you can.  Not everyone can. But you'll not think of that today. For that is our truth about water. We don't know what life is like without it. 

Drink up. Water is wealth. Water heals. Mends the cells and flushes toxins. Or some say,"Drink wine. You’ll live longer." Of course, it takes water to make wine.

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 My friend, Dr. Mary Bowman-Kruhm, has been working with this project to dig wells which will provide fresh water in Oltorotua, Kenya.  I interviewed her on my blog site (Entry # 68) last year about her writing career and her work with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, Maryland - in conjunction with the Rotary Clubs in Maryland and Kenya. Here are some links for more information and I have cut and pasted this recent posting from the website about the work they are doing.  Go to my blog site - Entry # 68 - Posted last June 5, 2012, for my complete interview with Mary about her writing and her work on this project. 

Consider the good that you might do with a small donation to this worthy project.      

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The Maasai, the Mara, Musings, and a fresh water well for Oltorotua, Kenya

Dig This Well! is a site dedicated to the establishment of a fresh water well for Oltorotua, Kenya. A group of congregants from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick (Maryland), are working with Rotary Clubs in Maryland and Kenya to meet this goal.

To read Blog Posts Click Here: “Why Dig This Well” .

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The Oltorotua Clean Water and Sanitation Project

Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, MD and Rotary Clubs of Leonardtown, Fredericktowne, Lexington Park & Prince Frederick, MD USA

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On the Kenyan plains

• Water is very difficult to find and not safe to drink.
• No sanitary way to dispose of human waste threatens the environment and the health of the people.
• Fetching water can be dangerous because of the presence of many large wild animals, including lions and other cats, elephants, and African buffalo.
• Because of the long distance, fetching water consumes much of the day for the women of Oltorotua, whose skills are now untapped.

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Jackson Liaram

is a junior elder of Oltorotua village and a silver-level safari guide. He and his wife Susan have 2 children. But no electricity, no toilets … and Susan walks several miles a day for water. Jackson is dedicated to protecting his people and the environment. He wants to find a way to safely dispose of wastewater. He wants to help his people build a safe and reliable clean water supply. A hydrogeological survey shows water is under the village and the village elders have formed a water committee to build for sustainability and water equity and to address hygiene training. The Nakuru-Great Rift Valley Rotary Club is providing local oversight to assure all contributions are wisely used.

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With your help we can make a difference by:

• Drilling 3 new boreholes—deep wells—adequate to supply the village’s needs.
• Helping the villagers construct 100 new sanitary latrines.

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Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and other human rights.”

Declaration of the General Assembly, United Nations, 28 July 2010

Download Dig Well flyer

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Brief Bio

Jan Bowman’s fiction has appeared in numerous publications including, Roanoke Review, Big Muddy, The Broadkill Review, Third Wednesday, Minimus, Buffalo Spree (97), Folio, The Potomac Review and others. Glimmer Train named a recent story as Honorable Mention in the November 2012 Short Story Awards for New Writers. Another story won the 2011 Roanoke Review Fiction Award, and her stories have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, Best American Short Stories, Pen/O’Henry Awards and a story was a finalist in the “So To Speak” Fiction Contest. She is working on two collections of short stories while shopping for a publisher for a completed story collection. Learn more at www.janbowmanwriter.com or

visit blog:  http://janbowmanwriter.blogspot.com

Entry # 147 - "Websites for Writers"

Photo Credit - Jan Bowman - April 17, 2013

 Check out the May/June 2013 – “Writer’s Digest for The 15^th Annual “101 Best Websites for Writers.” Tiffany Luckey, with Ophelia Thomas compiled the selections. Here are my personal top six favorites from the list.  But depending upon your writing needs there are many to explore.

--  Jane Friedman’s website – janefriedman.com

     Examines writing and publishing in the digital age.

--  Preditors & Editors – pred-ed.com

     Looks at scams, fraud, & “slicky-icky” creeps preying on writers.

--  Writer Unboxed website – writerunboxed.com

     Gives craft & business advice.

--  C.Hope Clark’s website –fundsforwriters.com

     Gives information on writers markets that pay.

--  The Review Review – thereviewreview.com

     Gives comprehensive guide to latest issues & needs of lots of publications.

--  Jeff Goins, Writer   -- goinswriter.com

     Gives positive inspiration to writers on craft & living as a writer.

For details on these and other sites useful to writers go to the Writer’s Digest website found at WritersDigest.com

This is a reading week for me, as well as a week for exploration, while I refresh my experience banks for future writing projects. I am on vacation from my regular writing projects. And it is sunny and lovely here in Hawaii.

Photo Credit - Jan Bowman - April 17, 2013

 

Brief Bio

Jan Bowman’s fiction has appeared in numerous publications including, Roanoke Review, Big Muddy, The Broadkill Review, Third Wednesday, Minimus, Buffalo Spree (97), Folio, The Potomac Review and others. Glimmer Train named a recent story as Honorable Mention in the November 2012 Short Story Awards for New Writers. Another story won the 2011 Roanoke Review Fiction Award, and her stories have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, Best American Short Stories, Pen/O’Henry Awards and a story was a finalist in the “So To Speak” Fiction Contest. She is working on two collections of short stories while shopping for a publisher for a completed story collection. Learn more at www.janbowmanwriter.com or

visit blog:  http://janbowmanwriter.blogspot.com

Entry # 146 - "More Thoughts on ReReading Alice Munro's Selected Stories"

More Thoughts on Alice Munro’s Selected Stories

Munro says in this introduction and numerous essays that she doesn’t necessary start writing or reading a story from beginning to end. She says that she often starts anywhere and might read or write a story either backward or forward in an effort to see the full experience from different perspectives. And while this might sound odd to some readers and writers, I understand this search for perspective. 

I had an “Aha” moment when I first read this, because I do that too. I’ve thought about it often and recently, I mentioned to a writer friend, that I don’t necessarily start a story and work chronologically, whether I’m reading it or writing it. I find the beginning, middle, and ending as the story unfolds in multiple readings and revisions.  The center of a story burns like a white hot rock in my consciousness.  I know that a story is there - just a bit out of direct sight, but I know that a story can be elusive, until I begin to put it on the page. I read that Flannery O'Connor said that she didn't know what she had to say until she saw it on the page.

One of My Favorites.

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Alice Ann Munro is a Canadian short-story writer, the winner of the 2009 Man Booker International Prize for her lifetime body of work, a three-time winner of Canada's Governor General's Award for fiction.

About Jan Bowman

Jan Bowman’s fiction has appeared in numerous publications including, Roanoke Review, Big Muddy, The Broadkill Review, Third Wednesday, Minimus, Buffalo Spree (97), Folio, The Potomac Review and others. Glimmer Train named a recent story as Honorable Mention in the November 2012 Short Story Awards for New Writers. Winner of 2011 Roanoke Review Fiction Award, and her stories have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, Best American Short Stories, Pen/O’Henry Awards and a story was a finalist in the “So To Speak” Fiction Contest. Another story was a recent finalist (April 2013) in the Annual Phoebe Fiction Contest. She is working on two collections of short stories while shopping for a publisher for a completed story collection. Learn more at www.janbowmanwriter.com or

visit blog:  http://janbowmanwriter.blogspot.com

Entry # 145 - "Alice Munro's Selected Stories"

In Alice Munro’s Introduction to her Selected Stories, published in 1997 by Vintage International, Munro says, “a story is not like a road to follow; it’s more like a house.” She says “you go inside stories and stay there for a while, wandering back and forth and settling where you like, discovering how the rooms, windows, and corridors relate to each other, how the world outside is altered by being viewed from these windows.” She goes on to say that readers and writers can return to the house or story and always find more than they saw last time. 

And such is the case for this collection of selected stories compiled from previously published collections that included – Dance of the Happy Shades (1968), Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You (1974), The Beggar Maid (1977), The Moons of Jupiter (1977-1982), The Progress of Love (1985-1986), Friend of My Youth (1990), and Open Secrets (1994).

The stories from these earlier collections are even better upon rereading them.  These are classic Munro stories and are among my favorites – for example: Walker Brothers Cowboy, Dance of the Happy Shades, Material, Royal Beatings, Miles City, Montana, and Vandals.  All of these excellent stories are like an interesting house that leaves you with new impressions every time you visit it. Monro’s stories are complex, layered with the lightest touch, and as rich and satisfying as a novel.  Perhaps if you’re looking for a good “reread” this collection is worth the time and a second or third look.

For me a great story gets better - like an interesting house - every time you visit it.  A story deserves, even requires, multiple reading to obtain its richness.  Some readers and writers - like me - tend to be interested not only in what happened but also - how it happened.

Munro says that a house (like a story) has a “sturdy sense of itself, of being built out of its own necessity, not just to shelter or beguile you. To deliver a story like that, one that is durable and freestanding, is what I’m always hoping for.” That seems to me to be a worthy goal whether you are a reader or writer, or one who must of necessity do both in order to live well.

About Jan Bowman

Jan Bowman’s fiction has appeared in numerous publications including, Roanoke Review, Big Muddy, The Broadkill Review, Third Wednesday, Minimus, Buffalo Spree (97), Folio, The Potomac Review, Musings, Potato Eyes and others. Glimmer Train named a recent story as Honorable Mention in the November 2012 Short Story Awards for New Writers. Winner of the 2011 Roanoke Review Fiction Award, her stories have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, Best American Short Stories, a Pen/O’Henry award and a story was a finalist in the “So To Speak” Fiction Contest. Another new story was a finalist (April 2013) in the Annual Phoebe Fiction Contest. She is working on two collections of short stories while shopping for a publisher for a completed story collection. She has nonfiction work pending publication in Trajectory and Pen-in-Hand. She writes a weekly blog of “Reflections” on the writing life and posts regular interviews with writers and publishers.   Learn more at www.janbowmanwriter.com or

visit blog:  http://janbowmanwriter.blogspot.com

Special Note:  Some postings will occur only once per week during April 2013 due to Jan's busy schedule, family visits, two major reading & writing projects, and some travel plans. She may be out of Wi-Fi contact at intervals. And she might not deal with email at that time.  "GASP!"   She said.

Entry # 144 - "Cover Me! - Submission Letters"

Photo Credit - Jan Bowman - May 2012

Muriel Rukeyser is reported to have said something like, “A writer should never submit to anyone! So I don’t submit. I offer.” 

So - what should be included in a good cover letter when you “offer” your work to a literary journal?  Your cover letter is your introduction to a journal editor. Most editors say, "Keep your submission cover letter simple."  Send a short single page letter consisting of no more than two-paragraphs.  Tell them the title, word count, type of work (fiction or non-fiction or poetry), include your name and how to contact you. You can write a brief bio of a couple of sentences at the bottom of the letter that lists prior publications, if it’s relevant. But avoid telling about papers you wrote for college or grad school - and please don't tell them your personal life story. That's guaranteed to get your story or essay rejected rather than read. And don’t summarize what you’ve sent them. They’ll figure it out. It’s what they do! They read, and decide if your work is ready and suitable for their particular journal, and whether they have space for it. 

When sending out work that seems ready for publication, it helps to remember that as a writer, you should read a range of literary journals. Think about how your work fits the genre, style, setting, narrative style, length, or theme of a particular journal.

 Photo Credit - Jan Bowman - May 2012

Send your work to publications you enjoy reading. Many good publication samples can be found at your local library, book store or online. Subscribe to 2-4 of your favorites and develop a target list of 5-10 markets that you’ll send your work. Send your work out to those markets first to see if you are a good fit. Your goal is to have your work published in one or more of them in a set period of time of  - perhaps one-to-two years.

In addition, various Writers’ Market Books provide lists of magazines that you never imagined existed. Check deadlines and guidelines. Editors will say that they’re looking for a reason to say no, because they get thousands of manuscripts each year. So be sure to follow guidelines. If they set a 5-page limit, don’t send 10 pages - they won’t read it. If you use font sizes of less than 12 - they won’t read it.  So pay close attention to posted guidelines, as well as the “needs” and “advice” sections in these listings.  Send your work to the appropriate editor and make sure they still work there.  Colleges and universities have regular staff turnover. 
Send a brief cover letter.  Good luck!

Photo Credit - Jan Bowman - May 2012

About Jan Bowman

Jan Bowman’s fiction has appeared in numerous publications including, Roanoke Review, Big Muddy, The Broadkill Review, Third Wednesday, Minimus, Buffalo Spree (97), Folio, The Potomac Review, Musings, Potato Eyes and others. Glimmer Train named a recent story as Honorable Mention in the November 2012 Short Story Awards for New Writers. Winner of the 2011 Roanoke Review Fiction Award, her stories have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, Best American Short Stories, a Pen/O’Henry award and a story was a finalist in the “So To Speak” Fiction Contest. She is working on two collections of short stories while shopping for a publisher for a completed story collection. She has nonfiction work pending publication in Trajectory and Pen-in-Hand. She writes a weekly blog of “Reflections” on the writing life and posts regular interviews with writers and publishers.   Learn more at www.janbowmanwriter.com or

visit blog:  http://janbowmanwriter.blogspot.com

Entry # 143 - "Sending Stories Out Into The World"

March 25, 2013 - Spring Snow - Photo - Jan Bowman

What do writers need to know about sending stories out into the publication world? There are no substitutes for talent, hard work and attention to the details of craft. Poorly written work is rarely selected in this day/age of stiff competition and advanced technology.  Writers can select appropriate journals for their work and increase the odds of publication. Then they must attend to basics of craft structure and manuscript preparation, and follow manuscript guidelines and deadlines.

Spring in Maryland - March 2013 - Photo: Jan Bowman

Most publications have moved to online submissions, but if the guidelines do require snail mail – as is often the case with contest entries - send by first class mail to an appropriate editor.  Send a self-addressed, stamped (forever stamp) envelope for a reply. Use white (8.5 x 11) good quality paper and typed, double-spaced text in 12-point standard font, like Times New Roman. Avoid weird fonts. Leave a one-inch margin on top, bottom and sides of the pages. Proof the work and get editing help. 

All of us need someone else to look for the glitches. Never send out work with typos or crossed out words. Most publications expect a standard layout for manuscripts. For example:  on the first page - top left corner – type your name, address, phone, email address. And in top right corner - identify that it’s a story or essay - and give the word count. Next – start the title in center of first page - about a third of the way down on the page; then, skip four lines down and begin the story or essay. Remember to double-space.  Indent each new paragraph.  And don’t be tempted to use an extra double space between paragraphs, unless you meant to suggest a change in time or place, because that extra space suggests a shift of some sort, in time, place, or point of view.

On the subsequent pages of the manuscript – at the top left side (usually), type the title, your last name and a page number.  For example:  Sending out Stories/Bowman/2.

Here are a couple of things to know if you wish to avoid future embarrassment. Don’t write – The End – on the last page. Don’t say this work is copyrighted and/or the property of (your name) or say how much money you want for your story or essay.  Please don’t tell them how great it is or summarize the story or essay.  Don’t send it by certified or any other weird mail. Just ordinary first class mail will work nicely.

Finally, don’t expect an immediate reply. Most publications won’t respond for months.  It is safe to say that most editors are looking for interesting, original work with good openings, sustained plot and characters who not only are believable, but who connect to readers. They want to read work that they themselves can’t stop reading.  That’s what they look for and hope for every time they rip open an envelope or open an online submission. That’s what you have to send out into the world, if you want to make the cut. 

"But - If You Believe in Spring & In Your Writing..."

About Jan Bowman 

Jan Bowman’s fiction has appeared in numerous publications including, Roanoke Review, Big Muddy, The Broadkill Review, Third Wednesday, Minimus, Buffalo Spree (97), Folio, The Potomac Review, Musings, Potato Eyes and others. Glimmer Train named a recent story as Honorable Mention in the November 2012 Short Story Awards for New Writers. Winner of the 2011 Roanoke Review Fiction Award, her stories have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, Best American Short Stories, a Pen/O’Henry award and a story was a finalist in the “So To Speak” Fiction Contest. She is working on two collections of short stories while shopping for a publisher for a completed story collection. She has nonfiction work pending publication in Trajectory and Pen-in-Hand. She writes a weekly blog of “Reflections” on the writing life and posts regular interviews with writers and publishers.   Learn more at www.janbowmanwriter.com or

visit blog:  http://janbowmanwriter.blogspot.com

Entry # 142 - Port Townsend - CENTRUM - Writers Conference -Featured Workshop

The Port Townsend - CENTRUM - Writers’ Conference

July 7-14 and 14-21, 2013 - Fort Worden State Park
Port Townsend, Washington
Please Note:  The following comes directly from their website - except for Catherine Alexander's personal comments - show as DQs.  Go to website for more details & to register.
 

The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference has been since 1974 at the heart of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene. With a focus on community and rigorous attention to craft, the Conference offers morning workshops, afternoon workshops, residencies, guided freewrites, and a vibrant readings and lectures series presented by vital, contemporary writers.  Go to the website for more.
centrum.org/the-port-townsend-writers-conference/

Catherine Alexander writes to me to say,

  "I attended this conference way back in 1990 when I was a fledging writer.  At that time, it was packed full of readings and lectures, well into the night, aside from the regular workshops. I don't think that has changed very much.   I was totally immersed in this intense conference.  You can't beat the setting."

Located in Port Townsend, Washington, Fort Worden—a turn-of-the-century army base–offers an unmatched combination of natural beauty and historic interest. Acres of saltwater beaches, wooded hills, and open fields are framed by stunning vistas of the Olympic and Cascade ranges and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It’s a place where the land stops, the sea begins, and the mind keeps going.  (from website)  Over the past three decades Centrum has gathered hundreds of thousands of individuals—great artists, creative thinkers, ardent students, and passionate fans—who have transformed Fort Worden into a legendary site of creative learning and interaction.  (from website)

Catherine says, "Although there is plenty of time for socializing, the aim of the conference is the process of writing.  I would recommend Centrum to anyone who is serious about the craft of writing."         Catherine's  email:    catalexander@yahoo.com

View our 2013 faculty members!

Whether you’re new to writing, and seeking an inspirational environment to create new work; looking for advanced post-MFA revision workshops; or simply desire to renew and recharge yourself in a writing retreat, the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference gives you the craft and connections to make breakthroughs in your work.

• Register for the 2013 Conference

Mornings
For those who register for a core morning workshop, you’ll spend the morning in intimate workshops with your core faculty member. Early risers will also find optional freewrites that happen before the morning workshops begin. Register.

Afternoons
The Conference features afternoon-workshop offerings in special topics. These workshops are taught both by the morning faculty members and by visiting writers and editors. They are available on a drop-in basis free to participants registered for morning workshop and at a special price for those who only want to take workshops in the afternoon. Following these workshops, a vibrant lectures series presents the core morning faculty members discussing their process from origin to completed product. 2012 afternoon-workshop offerings.

Residency-Only
Many of the participants who come here come simply to write, and do not take workshops while they are here. This option gives you the opportunity to take the time and space that you need to disconnect from your daily life and write and revise. As part of this registration, you have access to all of the craft lectures, evening readings, and open-mike events that are part of the Conference. Register.

Evenings
Each evening at 7:30, two faculty writers give a reading at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater. These readings are free for all participants. Schedule.

Tuition
Tuition ranges from $50 to $695. Room and board options range from $125 to $580. All freewrites, morning writing exercises, and afternoon workshops are free for those who register for the core morning workshops.

Financial aid and scholarship funds are available. Register.

The Daily Schedule
8-9—Breakfast
9-11:30—Morning workshop
11:45-12:45—Lunch
1-1:50—Craft Lecture
2-3:30—Workshops and lectures in special topics
5:30-6:30—Dinner
7:30—Readings

Smith Island Light

Transportation
Centrum operates airport shuttle to and from Sea-Tac airport on the first and last days of the Conference. Please read our shuttle information guide to learn how you can access this service.
centrum.org/the-port-townsend-writers-conference/

About Jan Bowman:

Jan Bowman’s fiction has appeared in numerous publications including most recently, Roanoke Review, Big Muddy, The Broadkill Review, Third Wednesday, Minimus, Buffalo Spree (97), Folio, The Potomac Review and others. Glimmer Train named a recent story as Honorable Mention in the November 2012 Short Story Awards for New Writers. Another story won the 2011 Roanoke Review Fiction Award, her stories have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, Best American Short Stories, Pen/O'Henry's and a story was a finalist in the “So To Speak” Fiction Contest. She is working on two collections of short stories while shopping for a publisher for a completed story collection. Learn more at www.janbowmanwriter.com or  visit blog:  http://janbowmanwriter.blogspot.com

Email:    janbowmanwriter@gmail.com   

Facebook:  janbowman.77