Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here. My being a writing and platform-building coach is a dream job.  One email or one conversation (resource) flows into another resource and into another resource. Helpful experts lead us to other helpful experts.  I just received an email from Michele Caprario, colleague through Women’s National Book Association.

RE:IMAGE Film Festival 3 Delivers Inspiring Stories in Splash Magazine

by M. D. Caprario

The 3^rd Annual RE:IMAGE Film Festival took place at the historic Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, New Jersey this year. The event featured some 20 original film shorts vying for titles in three experience levels, and included film maker panels, guest speakers, and a special presentation of the inspiring Emilio Estevez / Martin Sheen collaboration “The Way.” The mission of RE:IMAGE is to support and encourage the next generation of visual storytellers to explore the glory of God and His creation, to persevere for justice and truth, and to uphold and defend the dignity of the human person.  Read more . . .

M. D. Caprario is a journalist, editor, and author, covering for the media books, film, television and the stage- and good people and things that make our World a better place. Reach her at   aol.com  Her User I.D. is APen2Paper

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Receiving the email from Michele Caprario and reading her article about RE:IMAGE‘s mission [ to uphold and defend the dignity of the human person] made me think of Winifred McCaffrey, author of Gule Wamkulu-The Big Dance.

The Title, Gule Wamkulu is taken from the name of a traditional dance–as a way of gaining favor with the spirit world–of the Chewa Tribe, located in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Critics comments…

An intoxicating insight into the minds of the gifted and the culture of the Zambian people, Gule Wamkulu-The Big Dance is an influential piece of creative non-fiction written in a fresh, alluring style.

The author explores Zambia with Zambians…wanders Lusaka to feel and tell their story and that of their host Country with warmth and sensitivity.

A romantic, creative memoir, it reads like a novel.

Gule Wamkulu-The Big Dance is available through Author House.com, Amazon.com or by e-mailing your request to the author. Reach her at   aol.com  Her User I.D. is oonawin

http://winifredmccaffrey.com

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Thinking about Winifred, reading her blog and the mission [to persevere for justice and truth] got me thinking about the remarkable story I’m reading.

Maya Roads: One Woman’s Journey Among the People of the Rainforest by Mary Jo McConahay

Mary Jo McConahay’s GlobeWatch

http://mcconahayglobewatch.blogspot.com

http://www.mayaroads.com

My being a writing and platform-building coach is a dream job.  One email or one conversation (resource) flows into another resource and into another resource. Helpful experts lead us to other helpful experts.

This week we lost a generous and helpful expert.  She helped folks in the literary world connect with each other and have fun at the same time — that’s what Kathi Kamen Goldmark did. This post is dedicated to her.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Editor, Story Consultant, Platform-Building Coach

http://writingcoachteresa.com

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan has helped over 1,000 writers.

“Reach out, not stress out, to materialize your dearest dreams.”

A long long time ago (or fifteen years ago in the publishing industry in this country), a writer could get by with talent and perseverance once he/she gets that first break.

How are you doing?  Are you thinking What is this being a writer all about?

Remember that delightful song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” (written and performed by Bobby McFerrin)?  If we are lucky enough to have writing instruments and not having to worry about coercion or persecution from any source, then, let’s don our writers’ hats.

Writing is art-form / mode of expression / choice of work-form, and, its partner is reading.  I wear my multiple hats too; I am:

• writing the second edition of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days

• reading entries from the writing contest which I am sponsoring (“Immigrant Experience Writing Contest”)

• May 2, 2012 Best News!  Nayati is HOME!  http://www.mkis.edu.my/  has updates  

• April 29, 2012 (with heavy heart) writing emails, updating my website, blogging, posting on facebook—to broadcast call-for-help related to abduction of 12-year-old boy Nayati Shamelin Moodliar on April 27, 2012. Everyone, please go to Mont’Kiara International School’s website http://www.mkis.edu.my/ to get updates and their contact info, and, use your worldwide social media to help.  http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/43429-international-school-student-abducted-this-morning.html   has YouTube video of Nayati Shamelin Moodliar’s parents’ plea to help find their son.  The horrifying truth is that it could take only a short time to transport a person out of a country. Please use your mighty circles on cyberspace–to circulate NAYATI MOODLIAR’s photo & URL http://www.mkis.edu.my/. Please use your mighty “facebook” voices & mouse clicks to help 12-year-old boy NAYATI MOODLIAR return safely to his parents.
  

  HELP find 12-year-old Nayati Shamelin Moodliar

  KIDNAPPED on 27 April 2012 on his way to school.
  NAYATI MOODLIAR
  from Mont’Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  12 years old, 1.5 m height, dark brown hair and eyes,
  mixed origin of Indian and Caucasian. http://www.mkis.edu.my/ Thank you!

• reading Mary Jo McConahay’s riveting memoir Maya Roads: One Woman’s Journey Among the People of the Rainforest

• writing to writers who attended my sessions or received coaching from me at 2012 San Francisco Writers Conference to let them know that I’m here to help them polish their manuscripts and build their writers’ platforms and fanbases.

• reading clients’ manuscripts and helping them identify their themes, universal archetypes, front-story and back-story. 

• writing coaching notes for platform-building clients.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here to encourage you to wear your many hats as a writer — work on the craft and your platform at the same time.  Pursue more and more resources . . . by visiting my website and this blog on a regular basis.  If you are not in the vicinity of the events I blog about . . . please look at the names of the people who are referenced in my posts, go to their websites by clicking on the links I provide or your keying their names in a search engine.  The people  I blog about will lead you to their colleagues, and so on.  More ways to build your platform?  See the exercises in Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days.  I can help you polish your manuscript (identify themes, universal archetypes, front-story & back-story) AND coach you on platform-building – click here.

“From the moment she steps into the deep Mexican jungle, you will follow her anywhere.”

Mary Jo McConahay emailed me and Mary E. Knippel, telling us that she cannot attend the Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter Meet-Up at the main library on Thursday, August 4, 2011, 6:00-7:30pm because she  will be launching her book Maya Roads: One Woman’s Journey Among the People of the Rainforest at the World Affairs Council that day, at exactly the same time!   I will miss you, Mary Jo, but, I am so happy for you and Maya Roads. I’ll be at your event on August 20 for Left Coast Writers at Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA.