20,000 Comments!
September 8, 2011 by Lillie
Another blogging milestone: 20,000 comments!
Of course, since I reply to every comment, there are really only about 10,000 comments from readers. I say about because when I revamped and moved my blog about three years, threaded comments (including all my responses) were lost. So I don’t actually know many comments I have received, but as of today, 20,000 comments appear on posts here. Thanks to each commenter and each reader. I appreciate you all!
In the same time period, I got more than 350,000 spam comments, so 20,000 doesn’t seem like so many. 
Corrected 9/24/11: Just discovered I was looking at only six months of spam comments. I’ve actually had nearly 835,000 spam comments in the same time period as 20,000 legitimate comments!
New Voices Contest for Young Writers
September 7, 2011 by Lillie
The EPIC New Voices Young Writers Competition™ is open for submissions through October 31, 2011. Students in public, private, or home schools between the ages of 11 and 18 are eligible to enter in the categories of short story, essay, and poetry.
The contest was designed
- To encourage reading and writing in middle school and high school students—giving them an opportunity to showcase their work and receive feedback from professionals in the industry;
- To promote e-book literacy in public, private, and home schools.
This competition has a special place in my heart because another EPIC member, my friend Billie Houston aka Barri Bryan, and I started the contest in 2006, and I have been involved in a variety of roles ever since. Now, all I do is judge, which includes reading and scoring the entries and writing my comments, especially positive encouragement.
New Voices is a wonderful opportunity for young writers to get feedback from professionals and, if they are finalists, to be published in an anthology. If you know junior high and high school students who like to write, please direct them to the New Voices brochure and encourage them to enter.
Happy Labor Day 2011
September 5, 2011 by Lillie
The first Monday in September has been officially designated as Labor Day since 1892. Originally set aside as a day to honor organized labor, it has grown to a day for all workers—union laborers, nonunion workers, entrepreneurs, corporate employees, retail workers, small business owners and employees, and even freelancers—to enjoy a day of relaxation and fun.
This year, unfortunately, many people in the US who would like to be among those workers are unemployed, and the bleak jobs report that just came out shows it will not be easy for them to get back to work. Today, if you have a job, thank God for it and celebrate your blessings. If you among the many looking for work, thank God that you live in a land of opportunity and vow to get back on your feet. Maybe you will update your resume and renew your efforts to find a job. Or maybe you will decide to take charge of your own future—become a freelancer, start a small business, or come up creative new ways to earn a living.
Whatever your employment status, I wish you a joyous and peaceful holiday.
September is a Busy Month
September 2, 2011 by Lillie
Take a look at any calendar of events that lists the special days and months, and you’ll discover that September is a very busy month.
In addition to several special days that I will recognize when they occur, September is the “National X Month” or “World Y Month” for a number of causes and activities.
Three of these national/world months have special meaning for me:
- National Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month: Now I have to admit that most people are kind to this writer/editor, and I appreciate their kindness. However, this is a good opportunity for me to say thank you to the writers and editors in my life. I would like to publicly thank all the writers who are my clients. Each one is talented and delightful to work with. I also want to publicly thank all the writers whose works I love to read. You can find great writers and great books in my reviews on Goodreads. Thanks to my many friends, both online and offline, who are writers and editors. I learn from them and share the ups and downs of the publishing world with them. Happy “Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month” to every writer and editor!
- International Update Your Resume Month: Career Directors International, an organization for professionals in career services, sponsors this event. With the current economy and the latest job report showing new jobs aren’t being created, an effective resume is more important than ever. If you’ve lost your job or just entering the labor market, the need is obvious. However, even if you are employed today, you may face job loss tomorrow, or you may encounter an opportunity for a move upward. In either case, you don’t want to be caught unprepared—always have your resume ready to present to an employer. Even if you’re a freelancer, your resume is an excellent marketing tool, so everyone can benefit from learning how to how to write an interview-winning resume
- World Alzheimer’s Month: I’ve written before about my experiences as a caregiver for my father and another family member with Alzheimer’s. My associate Beverly Ellison has written here about caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s as well as sharing Alzheimer’s do’s and don’ts. I certainly have good memories of my father in the early stages of the disease, but I have also had painful experiences when people made fun of my loved ones or were ugly to them because the people didn’t understand Alzheimer’s. My dream, of course, is for the eradication of this disease—or at least effective treatment, and there is hope for the future. But for the present and immediate future, my dream is that the public will treat those who have this disease with respect and courtesy. My sister, a social worker who works with Alzheimer’s patients, has written a wonderful little book for caregivers. Help! What Do I Do Now?: Caring for Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s
just won the Parenting/Family – Nonfiction category of the Global eBook Awards. This short, easy-to-read book is great not only for caregivers but also for anyone who knows an Alzheimer’s patient or anyone who wants to have a better understanding of how the disease affects those who have it and those who care for them.
September is National Chicken Month, National Coupon Month, National Self Improvement Month, and about four dozen other national months. But the three I’ve highlighted above merit special attention, and I hope you will take action as you find appropriate.
photo credit: Andreanna Moya Photography
