Thankful for My Writer Friends
A Month–Not Just a Day–of Thanks:
Part 5. Thankful for My Writer Friends
by Alice Jane-Marie Massa
Despite all the hustle and bustle, the shopping and planning for the holiday season, the calendar still proclaims “November”–the month of thanks. Although I must admit that I have on my dining room table (most often, my “office table”) some gifts which I need to wrap and although I have placed a few items of holiday decor in my townhouse, my turkey and pumpkin autumnal decor predominates. Thus, I can still announce one more part of my thankfulness for this 2018 month of thanks. While picking just a handful of “gratitude” for this blog is challenging, I decided that this week I will focus on my thankfulness for my writer friends.
After retiring from teaching in 2011, I joined an international group of writers with disabilities–Behind Our Eyes. Through this organization and other endeavors, I have had the opportunities to meet many writers, including a number of published authors and active bloggers. Thanks to the examples, support, encouragement, and friendship of my writer friends, I realized that I, too, could publish more of my writings. Since several of these writers were already blogging regularly, I realized that I, too, could initiate a blog. Almost six years ago, I followed in their footsteps and began this WORDWALK blog–my own weekly literary blog. Without these experienced bloggers as friends, I am uncertain if I would have created my WORDWALK blog. For the earlier years, heartfelt thanks to Deon, Abbie, and John; then, thanks also to Lynda and Annie.
With much appreciation to these published author friends, I wondered if my longtime dream of having a book published were possible. Once again, following the path carved by writer friends, I brought to fruition my first book, The Christmas Carriage and Other Writings of the Holiday Season. Many and special thanks to the writer friends who inspired me and whose creativity continues to inspire me.
My critique group of five writers has met each month for two-and-a-half years and counting. Our conversations are writing-focused, stimulating, motivational, thought-provoking, and fun. Gifts of gratitude to Leonard, Abbie, Brad, and Valerie!
If you are looking for some book ideas for your gift-giving list, I suggest that you check out the list of published books by the members of Behind Our Eyes (BOE) on the BOE website. I have used quite a number of these books of my writer friends for gift-giving. Please visit:
Finally, hoping that you will consider adding my book to your shopping list, I am sharing below the table of contents of my 101-page book which is available online from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. While the print book is $7.50, the e-book is only $2.99. On my author’s web page, you can see the photo of the book’s cover, as well as read other articles about my book and ordering information for the book’s four formats (including braille and audio). Please visit my author’s web page:
http://www.dldbooks.com/alicemassa/
I hope that the following table of contents will help you decide who on your gift list may enjoy my book.
* * *
The Christmas Carriage
and Other Writings of the Holiday Season
by Alice Jane-Marie Massa
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction: Writing Through the Snow
- Thanksgiving Vignettes: A Cornucopia of Thanks for Family and Friends around the Thanksgiving Table (memoir)
- The Thanksgiving Phone (a short story about a military family)
- The Thanksgiving Poetry Game (“how-to” piece with poem)
- Leader Dog Zoe Visits the US Capitol Christmas Tree (recent memoir)
- The Magic and Wonder of the First Weekend of December (memoir)
- Making a Christmas Card: Keeping a Christmas Memory of the Best Gift Ever (“how-to” piece and memoir)
- Zoe’s Christmas Eve (story poem for children and adults)
- Hallmark of a Home for the Holidays (memoir)
- 2000 Holiday Wishes (poem)
- The Christmas Carriage (short story about a widow’s Christmas Eve carriage ride)
- Acrostic Christmas Gift (poem)
- A Sign of Peace at Cocoa with the Clauses (short story about a homeless person)
- Winter in Wisconsin: A Hard Time to Be Homeless (essay)
- Blissful Bells (short story about two weddings on December 30)
- The Puppies of New Year’s Eve (short story about adopting two puppies and a new way of life)
- Still Dreaming of a White Christmas, but Waiting for Global Warming (humorous essay)
- A Snowflake Garden (humorous poem)
- Snow Dancers (story poem for children and adults)
- About the Author
- About the Publisher
* * *
Hoping you are closing out the month of November at a high altitude of gratitude,
Alice and Leader Dog Willow
November 28, 2018, Wednesday
alice13wordwalk 
Like you, Alice, I am grateful for all my literary friends – including YOU.
You motivate and uplift us all with your prolific writings and your friendship.
We are all on this path together and it’s wonderful how we support and urge each other to reach beyond what we can see to do things we might not have even thought of without each other’s friendship. With much love and appreciation of you, Alice.
Season’s Greetings! Lynda–Special thanks for your lovely comment on this post!
Best wishes for your book projects and for your holiday season!
Alice and Willow
Reblogged this on My Corner and commented:
My post a week ago Tuesday was inspired by author Alice Massa’s month-long series on gratitude. Now here’s the last installment which includes information about her book, The Christmas Carriage. Of course she mentions me as well. Thank you, Alice, for the shout-out to all your writer friends.
I am thankful to be counted as one of your writer friends, Alice.
I appreciate you so much.