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As Christians who write, we meet together to promote unity and fellowship, to encourage one another and to develop our skills as writers. We are a chapter of American Christian Writers, a national organization.

We meet at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, 1 block south of Patterson Avenue at 8701 Ridge Road, Richmond, VA 23229 in Room 211.

We typically meet on the third Sunday of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Join us!


Click HERE for directions.


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Saturday, February 17, 2007

Karen Hannon to Speak, Feb. 18th

Dear Christians Who Write:

Karen Hannon, developer/operator of SpotlightRichmond.com, will speak to us February 18th. She was looking forward to being with us in January. She asked me to inform you she had a time-sensitive writing opportunity that also involves a community activity. She is tapping into National Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week, February 12-18.

"I wanted to tell everyone about the Random Acts of Kindness Celebration. Details are on the site: SpotlightRichmond.com. Quickly - there are 3 phases: 1. Individuals and/or groups commit to doing 3 acts of kindness during RAK week, Feb. 12-18. 2. They are asked to report, in writing, about past or future acts of kindness projects completed or planned. 3. Then from some of those stories we will create the Metro Richmond Region Random Acts of Kindness Journal.

"Help is needed with the journal. I'm hoping some of your members are interested in taking on this short-term project. We're busy selling sponsorships for the contest. The journals will be sold with 100% of the proceeds going back into the community in support of more acts of kindness projects.

"If successful with securing the sponsorships, there will be money available to pay the writers who help put this journal together. I can't guarantee payment, but I can promise that if money comes in, it will be shared with everyone who contributes their time and talent.
"We're going on faith - praying, listening, trying to act as we feel led. We're excited about this project and keep imagining what Richmond will feel like - look like - if we can get thousands of people choosing to do 3 acts of kindness that week.

"Thrilling - and you know that we can't out give God. Kindness is always returned - so what other outcomes could we see?

"I can't wait.

"This journal will very important as a permanent record - a source of encouragement - and a way of generating $50,000.00 that supports more good works.

"Here's my thinking. Starting Wednesday we need people adding content to the SpotlightRichmond.com site. Individuals and groups need to tell their stories. Now "story" can be a few sentences with or without a picture or a picture with a caption. We are expecting a huge response so we don't want long stories. People get busy and won't send them in if they are expected to write long stories. But if someone called a church or group they are already involved with, and wrote that short story, we could get that on the site and people would be encouraged and maybe get an idea for a new project with people they know. We need your suggestion here.

"I say Wednesday because on Monday pastors will be receiving an e-mail asking them to do this (send us their stories). So if people started calling their church and others on Wednesday, that might be good timing."

For questions and suggestions, call Karen Hannon: 874-4591. Karen will be out of the country until January 28th.

Tom

Christian Writer's Workshop

Kingdom Publishing Group, Incorporated Announces:

The Christian Writer - 101

Register now!

Mary Clark Toots Her Horn

Well, Tom, it's been the longest dry spell of my 25-year writing life. At times in the past 18 months, I thought I'd never be published again. This followed the death of my mother, a part of grief I never would have expected.

In [recent] mail, there was a large envelope from Focus on the Family addressed to me. Normally, they address our mail to Mr. and Mrs. Alfred
Clark. I wondered what was up. When I finally got around to opening the envelope, I was stunned to see a letter addressed to "Dear Author," thanking me for my contribution to this month's Focus on the Family Teen Phases magazine. I looked through the magazine, completely puzzled, having no memory of submitting anything to them. But there on the next-to-the-last page was a paragraph I wrote (who knows when) on "Celebrating heritage." It detailed how our family celebrates "Gotcha Day" each July since that's the month we adopted each of our children, three years apart.

No pay for the piece, but it did more to encourage me in writing than any royalty check I've ever received. Maybe the dam has finally broken and the words will once again start to flow.

I think I may have heard of this writing opportunity on the CWG list ... or maybe from you when you passed it along to us. Do you remember?

Thanks for all you do,

Mary Roberts Clark, writer
"Celebrating Heritage" - Focus on the Family Teen Phases
"Why Me, Lord?" - Cup of Comfort
"Miz Organization" - Homeschooling Today