Teresa Jade LeYung's BLOG

Archive for the ‘About Teresa Jade LeYung aka Teresa LeYung Ryan’ Category

Are There Any Events in San Francisco Bay Area for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women & Girls?

Yes!

Today, Tuesday November 23, 2010,  Noon– at steps of San Francisco City Hall.  MamaCoAtl, playwright Kim McMillon, Poet Nina Serrano, city officials and community members will kick off 16 Days of ARTivism for healing and education to end violence against women and girls. How befitting that the 16 days of ARTivism will then begin on Nov. 25 United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women & Girls, which is also Thanksgiving Day this year 2010!
For schedule of events through Dec. 10, 2010 http://16daysofartivismforthehealingofviolence.wordpress.com/

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan,  Author/ Writing Career Coach / Manuscript Consultant / GraceArt Publishing

“Teresa uses her book Love Made of Heart to help survivors of violence find their own voices through writing.”

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

http://writingcoachteresa.com

What Should I Do Before I Hire an Editor to Review My Manuscript?

The question is answered by Teresa LeYung Ryan–Book Doctor/Manuscript Consultant, Career Coach, Author

Nina Amir, creator of Write Nonfiction in November http://writenonfictioninnovember.com/ had invited me to be her guest-blogger in 2008, to help answer that question.  My advice for narrative non-fiction writers is the same for fiction writers.

“How to Look at Your Manuscript with an Editor’s Lens”

Since writing a story with the intent to engage the reader is so much like meeting a stranger and wanting him/her to be interested in you, I will focus on how to make the first quarter of your story a compelling read.

I love working with diligent writers who want to transform their manuscripts into page-turners. However, there are things you can do before you give your work to an editor. Let me show you how you can help yourself.

As an editor, the four biggest mistakes I encounter are manuscripts that are weak in these elements:

• Planting hook(s) or story-question(s);
• Grounding the reader with the three Ws (Who?  When?  Where?);
• Showing (not telling) what the protagonist wants;
• Paying attention to language and rules

Let’s learn from the pros.

Planting Hook or Story-Question:

In The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, Maxine Hong Kingston hooks us with the first line: “You must not tell anyone,” my mother said, “what I am about to tell you…”   Then, Ms. Kingston transitions into her story with:  “Whenever she had to warn us about life, my mother told stories that ran like this one . . .”

Grounding the Reader with the Three Ws:

In Woven of Water, while the story timeline spans from 1957 to 2005, Californian author Luisa Adams brilliantly shows us who she was as a girl (not with a year-by-year narrative, but with a single exquisite chapter).  Because she grounded us with “who, when, where,” we eagerly follow as she takes us into her enchanted world of a “cottage in the forest.”  Another device to ground the reader is the employment of sensory details (not long descriptions).  Sensory details put the reader in the scene/story world.  Re-read one of your favorite author’s books. Study from the masters.

Showing What the Protagonist Wants:

In The Other Mother, young Carol Schaefer wants to ask questions:  “Was there any way to keep my baby?  Was there anyone who would help me find a way to do that?”

Paying Attention to Language and Rules:

Read the first five pages of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and you will see how this wordsmith plays with language and rules. (You can “bend” the rules to create flow, but you must not ignore them.)

Sentences Deserve Your Attention:

Nina Amir’s post on her blog  http://writenonfictioninnovember.wordpress.com/2007/11/ is a must-read.

Remember Groucho Marx’s line “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas…”? That sentence got a lot of laughs.  But, what if you didn’t want to be funny (ambiguous in this case)?

How would you rewrite these poorly constructed sentences?

• He likes to fish near the Farallon Islands and they jump when they’re hungry at dawn or dusk.
• She insists on knowing when I come home and leave, not to be nosy, but for safety reasons.
• Being cautious as not to step on the dog’s tail, the children tip-toed away from him while sleeping.
• My husband still in bed snoring, I have always enjoyed rising before dawn and I eat my toast and drink my green tea on the terrace.

To improve your sentence structure and other skills, I recommend these books:

• The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White
• Woe is I: Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English by Patricia T. O’Conner

More Advice:

• In all four stories (The Woman Warrior, Woven of Water, The Other Mother, Angela’s Ashes), the authors present memorable experiences by employing authentic details, unusual story-worlds though real, and poetic language. You want to do the same for your story.
• Also, these stories have another vital component-all four plotlines have what Martha Alderson, author of Blockbuster Plots, Pure and Simple, calls “Cause and Effect” linked scenes.  Another must-read blog:  http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com/search?q=first+quarter
• When you’re writing non-fiction and do not have the luxury of rearranging the sequence of events to create a page-turning plotline, you can engage the reader by using concise expositions to leap over blocks of time in order to focus on the core themes and fast-forward the story. A helpful website: http://www.memoriesandmemoirs.com
• You the author must show the reader what the protagonist wants, even if the protagonist doesn’t know at first.
• We don’t have to “like” a protagonist, but, we do need to connect with him/her on an emotional level.

In the fiercely competitive arena of the publishing world, how does one stand out in a crowd?  Building relationships is one key to success in this business. Another key is to know how to translate the themes from your life to your writing and articulate those themes as community concerns.  I want to see all hardworking writers realize their dreams. My best wishes to you!

Do you know a writer who wants to go to a writers’ conference but can’t afford it? Encourage her/him to ask family and friends to chip in (what better Christmas gift or birthday gift!).

For non-fiction authors: Writing for Change Conference http://www.sfwritingforchange.org/

For both fiction and non-fiction authors:  San Francisco Writers Conference http://sfwriters.org

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

Book Doctor/Manuscript Consultant, Career Coach, Author, Publisher

Coach Teresa edits manuscripts for authors who want to attract agents  & publishers  OR  want to be their own publishers. She specializes in contemporary novels, thrillers, children’s & YA novels, memoirs, short stories, and anthologies. She likes spunky protagonists.

Love Made of Heart is:
• recommended by the California School Library Association and the California Reading Association

• read by students at Stanford University, U.C. Berkeley, CCSF, and many other colleges and high schools.

• used in Advanced Composition English-as-a-Second-Language classes
• archived at the San Francisco History Center

GraceArt Publishing is the publisher of Build My Name, Beat the Game: 22 Days to Identify & Develop My Writer’s Platform to Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention.

Teresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.”  

To comment on any of my columns (blog posts), just click on the blue title bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press “submit.”  Please click here for my blog http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

A Week of Wearing 3 Hats – Writing Career Coach – Author -  Publisher

As Writing Career Coach

I presented “Build My Name, Beat the Game” to delightful writers at the Redwood Writers Conference.  Writers in my session, please scroll down until you see my post/column entitled “Redwood Writers Conference Pure Joy” and follow instructions please to build your names.

There’s post-conference work for me.  I’ll email colleagues and follow up on our conversations; I’ll email writers in my session some coaching notes; I’ll pitch my workshop to other organizations.

Do you know a non-fiction writer who wants to go to a writers’  conference but can’t afford it? Encourage her/him to ask family and  friends to chip in (what better Christmas gift or birthday gift!).   Check out Writing for Change Conference.

As Author

I’m writing down “gems” as they pop into my head.  Gems in the form of dialogue, metaphors, descriptions, hooks, and story-questions.

I had a chance to chat with Martha Engber at the Redwood Writers Conference and read the jacket copy of her novel  The Wind Thief.  I started reading it when I got home Saturday night and have been reading a little everyday.  What lovely prose and sensory details! What a gifted writer.  Tanya Egan Gibson is another gifted writer; I’m also reading her novel How to Buy a Love of Reading. My reading well-written books can only make me a better writer.

As Publisher

I’m updating Build My Name, Beat the Game: 22 Days to Identify & Develop My Writer’s Platform to Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention so that I can take the next step in publishing the next edition–and that is letting Nancy Mulvany create the index.

This evening I attended a Business and Leadership program at the Commonwealth Club on “iPad Revolution and the Future of Digital Magazines” with Matthew Davis of Zinio and Matt Carlson of Hot Studio, two pioneers in this emerging field.  Kevin O’Malley, President, TechTalk/Studio was Moderator (Thank you, Kevin, for inviting me.  The program was enlightening).

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

Coach Teresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.”  

To comment on any of my columns (blog posts), just click on the blue title bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press “submit.”  Please click here http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/ for Home Page of my blog.

Thank you Everyone for being there.  If you had filled out an evaluation form from my session, you’ll be receiving additional coaching notes from me about building your writer’s name.

Right now, please click on the blue title-bar of this post/column to get the comment boxes so that you can tell the world what your mission statement is (how you help a particular group of people with the themes/subject matters/issues in your literary work). Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, building your name is a breeze when you have your mission statement.   Here are examples . . .

* * * * * * * * *

(as fiction and narrative non-fiction writer)

I,Teresa LeYung Ryan, use my novel Love Made of Heart to inspire adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas that their families suffer. My motto: Through my writing, I speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

* * * * * * * * *

(as prescriptive/”how to” non-fiction writer)

I, Teresa LeYung Ryan, help writers create their mission statements with my workbook Build My Name, Beat the Game: 22 Days to Identify & Develop My Writer’s Platform to Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention. I say: Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.

* * * * * * * * *

After you fill in the boxes, copy your message (so that you’ll have your composition for your own websites/blogs/email signature blocks), then click the “submit” button in my blog post.  You must fill in the box for “email address” in order to submit comments to any blogs. After you press the “submit” button, your comment will be routed to my blog’s administrator for approval.  You will see your comment “published” on my blog in a day or so, sometimes sooner.

Also try this, to see how the Internet works.  In the Google search box, key in part of a phrase you wrote in your comment and your name (if you included your name in your comment); press Google search key.  Look how fast your entry can be found.

To get a free blog (no hosting fees), go to www.wordpress.com.  If you’d like to watch a video to see how to get a free blog and how to navigate, go here: http://wordpresscentral.org/ Linda Lee of http://askmepc.com/ created the tutorials.

How was the pre-conference poetry evening? How was the conference?  Redwood Writers Conference was pure joy! I’ll be posting photos and more links during the week.

I cheer for all writers who want to touch lives with their words.

Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung Ryan
Author / Writing Career Coach / Publisher

As a writing career coach and editor, I, Teresa LeYung Ryan, help writers identify themes, issues, and archetypes in their manuscripts and choose the right publishing routes.

To comment on any of my columns (blog posts), just click on the blue title bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press “submit.”  Please click here for other posts in my blog http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

A client called to tell me he read my blog post about fun events for writers in October and asked if I would recommend his going to Martha Alderson’s plot workshop on Saturday.  He said he had pitched his novel to agents; more than one agent complimented on his narrator’s voice but they felt that the manuscript is not ready for acquisition editors’ eyes.  One agent told my client that the manuscript has “too much back story.”  “Aah,” I tell my client, “too much back story means not enough front story, and, you need front story to plot character growth.  Learning how to plot from Martha, the Master, is priceless. Go. You’ll thank yourself.”

For writers who couldn’t go to Martha’s workshop at Capitola Bookstore on Saturday, check her schedule http://www.blockbusterplots.com for future workshops.  She’s teaching a 5-day Plot Retreat in November 2010

*************************

I’m reformatting the second edition of my workbook Build My Name, Beat the Game with the help of Perfect Pages, by Aaron Shepard.  I’ll be subscribing to Aaron’s newsletter.  www.newselfpublish.com Also, I’m using a wonderful reference book –  Indexing Books by Nancy C. Mulvany.  http://www.bayside-indexing.com

**************************

I was at the San Francisco Public Library-Main Branch for a Women’s National Book Association board meeting when I saw the flyer for the exhibit on “Iris Chang and Her Unfinished Dream.” San Francisco Public Library exhibition documents the life of the late author and her work exposing the truth of the Nanking Massacre; on view in the Chinese Center, Main Library, October 2 – December 2, 2010.

http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1002855001

On Sunday October 17, 2010  1:30-3:30pm Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Main Library Film Screening: Iris Chang–The Rape of Nanking,   the full length docudrama (103 minutes, in English with Chinese subtitles, 2007) made for the 70th anniversary of the Nanking massacre, tells the compelling and courageous life story of Iris Chang, a young woman who at age 26 dedicated her life to teaching the world about the forgotten holocaust in World War II.  Followed by Q & A with Iris Chang’s parents and Dr. Peter Stanek, president of the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of World War II in Asia.

**************************

Kim McMillon informed me that she will be teaching a playwriting workshop once a month at UC Merced (a part of the Merced Writers’ Center). http://kimmcmillon.wordpress.com/ The class is the first Monday of every month. Also, Kim asked if I would be interested in conducting “Major League Tryouts with Writing Career Coach Teresa to Build Your Writer’s Name/Platform” I would have to say “I’d love to.” Thank you, Kim!

Did you that Kim is the producer of a wonderful blog talk radio show?  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword and click on “Writers Sanctuary”

*****************

I was reading colleague Yolande Barial’s blog (I knew about her advocacy in regards to bicycle-helmet-safety for children  http://yolandebarial.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/bicycle-helmet-locks/) and was surprised and humbled by her post about my work as a writing career coach. http://yolandebarial.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/bicycle-helmet-locks/ Thank you, Yolande!

*****************

I critiqued colleague Elisa Southard ’s keynote speech for the Redwood Writers’ Conference http://redwoodwriters.org/redwood-conference/.  I hope you’ll be able to hear the speech yourself on Oct. 30, 2010 because Elisa is a generous teacher who helps writers turn into their best advocates.  http://breakthroughthenoise.com/

*****************

I gave advice to author Nina Amir http://writenonfictionnow.com/ on her new book proposal.  She emailed to say: “Teresa, I can see now why everyone raves about your work… you are phenomenal and very giving.”  This writing-career coach definitely appreciates the acknowledgment.  It’s fun to help hard-working authors who want to help writers.

*****************

Kim McMillon asked me to help MamaCoAtl update their new blog http://16daysofartivismforthehealingofviolence.wordpress.com to commemorate United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.  http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/violence/

What does a typical week look like for a writer/writing career coach/publisher? That’s it.

This coming week:

• I meet with my mastermind group (Linda Lee, Mary E. Knippel, Lori Noack and me–Teresa LeYung Ryan);
• I meet with Elisa Southard http://elisaonassignment.com/ (we work together once a month)
• I prepare for my presentation at California Writers Club-Berkeley Branch (they meet at Oakland Library-Main Branch) on Sunday October 17, 2010 http://lovemadeofheart.com/Teresa-LeYung-Ryan%27s-Events.html
• Upload my publishing company’s profile on Bowker.  http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/index.asp https://www.myidentifiers.com/
• Continue helping MamaCoAtl post updates on the website http://16daysofartivismforthehealingofviolence.wordpress.com/ for United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
• Continue reading How to Buy a Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson; The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan; The Chinese Laborers of Lake Chabot (San Leandro, California) A History of Their Contributions to the Construction of Lake Chabot Dam, 1874-1892 by Jacqueline Beggs.
• I just said “Yes” to Bardi Rosman Koodrin http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000536791573 regarding my sponsoring one of the writing-contest at the 2011 San Mateo County Fair–Fine Arts Department.

Sincerely,
Teresa LeYung Ryan
Author / Writing Career Coach / Publisher

Teresa says: “Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.”   http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

GraceArt Publishing is the publisher of Build My Writer’s Name, Beat the Game:  How Do I Create a Platform to Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention? (the 22 minutes for 22 days workbook)

To comment on any of my columns (blog posts), just click on the blue title bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press “submit.”  Please click here for my blog http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

Happy Birthday to Love Made of Heart!  My novel (published by Kensington Publishing, New York) made her debut on October 1, 2002

Thank you to everyone named on my acknowledgment page!

In addition to the folks I thanked on my post http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/first-book-turned-seven-in-october/, I wish to thank everyone else who has kept Love Made of Heart alive and well!

I celebrate the memorable characters who have taught me how to talk to my mother, how to see life through new eyes, how to forgive one’s self.

author Teresa LeYung Ryan celebrates the characters in Love Made of Heart

I celebrate everyone who advocates compassion for mental illness.

• Love Made of Heart inspires adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas that their parents suffer.

I celebrate National Alliance on Mental Illness www.nami.org From its inception in 1979, NAMI has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

I celebrate Carmen Lee & everyone at Stamp Out Stigma.  www.stampoutstigma.org Stamp Out Stigma is a consumer driven advocacy and educational outreach program designed to make positive changes in the public perception of mental illness and inform the community about the personal, social, economic and political challenges faced by people living with mental illness. Founded by Carmen Lee.

I celebrate Glenn Close and everyone at Bring Change 2 Mind bringchange2mind.org The idea of a national anti-stigma campaign was born of a partnership between Glenn Close and Fountain House, where Glenn volunteered in order to learn about mental illness, which both her sister and nephew suffer from.Glenn Close’s documentary film “Pax” will be featured at the 2nd Annual Lady Filmmakers Film Festival! Oct 8-10, 2010 Click Here http://ladyfilmmakers.com/Home_Page_MV6D.php for more information.  At the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, CA

Love Made of Heart inspires adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas that their parents suffer.

Publisher’s Note: Kensington Publishing Corp, NY

“The Chinese word for ‘love’ is made up of many brush strokes. In the center of the word ‘love’ is the word ‘heart.’ Love is made of heart…”

Twenty-seven-year-old Ruby Lin has what many women envy: a beautiful apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods, a busy social life, and a coveted position as manager of special events for the tony St. Mark’s Hotel. But it’s Ruby’s personal life that’s become unmanageable ever since the day her mother’s emotional breakdown forced Ruby to hospitalize her, shaming the family. Now, Ruby is caught in the crossroads between two vastly different cultures-one in which she is the American girl, raised on kitschy television shows and black-and-white movies, and one in which she is known only as Daughter, the eldest, fulfiller of responsibilities.

In putting together the pieces of her mother’s life, Ruby finds herself exploring the wounds of her own past. Starting with a forbidden locked tin box and the yellowing photograph inside, Ruby embarks on a startling journey of self-discovery that takes her through a family history rife with violence, betrayal and loss that reaches back through generations, from China to America, and finally to the secret pain of a mother’s sacrifice. Like the Chinese calligraphy that adorns her walls, Ruby comes to see that “life is not a straight road,” but a language drawn with many brush strokes, where every misunderstanding must yield to the simple message of the heart.

Filled with warmth and wisdom, this luminous debut novel heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in fiction as it explores the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, the choices that divide us, and the love that brings us home.

From http://www.mhprofessional.com/templates/chases/special-months.php

October is:

•    Antidepressant Death Awareness Month
•    Depression Education and Awareness Month
•    Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart; writing-career coach, founder of GraceArt Publishing

Hello, Everyone,

I have exciting news.  Today I registered my own publishing company – GraceArt Publishing.  I thank my dear mastermind buddies who have encouraged me these past two years to re-invent myself again.  Thank you, author Luisa Adams, for coming up with “GraceArt.”  Thank you, plot consultant, author & publisher Martha Alderson, for trail-blazing.

I’m proud to be a publisher. I can better support bookstores, booksellers, schools, libraries, and the entire book community now.

Since January 2010 I have been updating my 22-minutes for 22 days workbook to help authors build their names/platforms to attract agents, acquisition editors and publishers. Printing and shipping my workbook have been time-consuming and costly.  After reading The Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit! Start a Own Home-Based Publishing Company and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book with CreateSpace and Amazon, I have decided to use the CreateSpace program for my workbook.

Now I am not only the author but also the publisher and owner of the ISBN (the book’s I.D. number); Amazon will print-on-demand, produce the e-book version of my workbook, distribute, and fulfill orders.  As the publisher, I will continue to promote my book; also I can update it as often as I want.

So, I have changed the title of my workbook from Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published to:  Build My Writer’s Name and Platform: Attract Agents, Acquisition Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention. I like “Build Your Name, Beat the Game ” though (love the rhyme–thank you Elisa Southard); I can use it as my workshop title.

May the force be with you, Writers & Publishers!

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

“Reach out, not stress out, when building your writer’s name/platform.” http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

How a Book Gets to be in a Special Collection at the Boston Public Library

I’m a member of Women’s National Book Association–San Francisco Chapter.

When Laurie Beckelman was national president of Women’s National Book Association, she coordinated with the Boston Public Library to create a WNBA Collection. Thank you, Laurie!  Thank you, everyone at the Boston Public Library!

My dear sister was in Boston and guess what she did?  She visited the Central Branch of the Boston Public Library and took photos of my novel Love Made of Heart proudly shelved. Thanks, Sis!

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

Chinese American author who writes for and about modern courageous women unbeknownst to themselves.

As an author I use my novel Love Made of Heart to encourage adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas that their parents suffer.
Love Made of Heart is:
• recommended by the California School Library Association and the California Reading Association
• used in Advanced Composition English-as-a-Second-Language classes
• archived at the San Francisco History Center

Love Made of Heart is in  97 public libraries (84 branches in the United States, 2 branches in the United Kingdom , 9 branches in New Zeland; 1 branch in Austrialia, 1 branch in Singapore).

http://www.worldcat.org/isbn/0758202172

In 2003 when my editor at Kensington Publishing Corp. New York told me that they were going to release the trade paperback edition of my novel Love Made of Heart (hard cover edition had been published in October 2002), I asked if I could add an “Author’s Note to Reader” and he said “Yes.”

To the readers who have read/are reading from the hard cover edition, here is the Author’s Note to Reader:

Thank you for letting me share Ruby Lin’s story with you.  Many readers have asked what the characters in the novel have done for me.  My answer is this:  I’ve learned that behind every face is a compelling story.

Please remember me as a writer who says YES! to compassion for mental illness and NO! to domestic violence and child abuse.

Who is Mrs. Nussbaum?  She lives in all our hearts.  Just as we have the “child within,” we also have the “wise elder within.”  May you always embrace your compelling story and allow your Mrs. Nussbaum to embrace you.

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

author of Love Made of Heart

http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com

Sunday August 1, 2010

I’m organizing photos from yesterday’s Northern California Storybook & Literature Festival.

Women's National Book Association members Margie Yee Webb, Mary E. Knippel, B. Lynn Goodwin, Sarbjit Rai, Teresa LeYung Ryan

I had a good time on the panel with other fiction authors. Gail, thank you for moderating. Nathan, thank you for taking photos. Delightful audience.

authors Jeff Carlson, Laurel Anne Hill, Tanya Egan Gibson, Teresa LeYung Ryan, Jack L. Parker with Library Specialist Gail McGrath & Library Advocate Nathan

Authors Susan Osborn & Margie Yee Webb cheer for the Friends of the Roseville Library

Also I presented “Transform Your Personal Experiences Into Potent Stories” Thank you to the participant-writers.  Here are some comments from them:

I asked: What did you value most about the workshop?

• “Verbalizing what my readers will learn from my story.”

• “Good comments & tools from Teresa for moving forward.”
• “Handouts so organized.”

Your next steps with your stories?

• “Bring my stories out and start again—with your ideas for tools”
• “Find a publisher.”
• “Re-read my favorite novel & mark it up. Thank you, Teresa!”

My colleagues  (Catharine Bramkamp, Laurel Anne Hill, Antoinette May, Susan M. Osborn) also presented their writing workshops.

Special thanks to Jamie Finley, Dena Grover, Gail McGrath, Lynn Brown and everyone at Roseville Libraries, Margie Yee Webb and colleagues at California Writers Club, Mary Knippel & Sarbjit Rai & fellow members of Women’s National Book Association, bookseller James Van Eaton of Winston Smith Books, friends old and new, readers and writers, and everyone who made the festival a celebration of literature.

Teresa LeYung Ryan, Mary E. Knippel, Margie Yee Webb advocate for public libraries.

http://www.roseville.ca.us/library/

3 branches in Roseville, CA

Maidu Library & Maidu Community Center

Martha Riley Community Library

Downtown Library

Gail McGrath (Library Specialist) holding Teresa's novel Love Made of Heart, Bob Quinlan author of Earn It: Empower Yourself for Love, and Margie Yee Webb author of Cat Mulan

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

As an author and community spirit, Teresa LeYung Ryan speaks out for public libraries, honors immigrant-stories, advocates compassion for mental illness, and helps survivors of violence find their own voices through writing.

“To comment on any of my columns (blog posts), just click on the color title-bar of the post, fill in the boxes and press ‘submit.’  Thank you.”

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/