[Nfb-editors] Writers' Division magazine, 2011 summer Slate & Style

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Attached, and pasted into the email,  is the 2011 summer issue of Slate
& Style, the Writers' Division magazine. We ask you do not distribute
Slate & Style outside your newsletter staff. Please direct interested
parties to President Robert Leslie Newman, or myself, Bridgit
Kuenning-Pollpeter, if they wish to join the division and receive Slate
& Style.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Editor, Slate & Style
bpollpeter at hotmail.com
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Slate
	&
	Style

Publication of the National Federation of the Blind Writers’ Division

SUMMER 2011
Vol. 29, No. 1

Editor:  Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
E-mail:  bpollpeter at hotmail.com
President:  Robert Leslie Newman
Email:  newmanrl at cox.net

Slate & Style is a quarterly publication of the National Federation of
the Blind Writers’ Division. Submission guidelines are printed at the
end of this publication. The editor and division president have the
right to cut and revise submissions. The division president has final
authority regarding publication for any submission.
 
TABLE of Contents

>From the Keyboard of the President, Robert Leslie Newman	2

Get Rid of Write Fright, Get Published, Marilyn Brandt Smith	5

High School Poetry 1st Place - Chocolate, a Necessity, Brittney Lende
7

Writing Your Way to an Interview, Joe Orozco	8

Emma by Moonlight, Kerry Elizabeth Thompson	13

Sweating the Small Stuff: Review on The Elephants of Style by Bill
Walsh, Chris Kuell	20

Midddle School Poetry 1st Place - Directions To Music Land, Isabel
Nieves	22

Word Count and Surgical Editing, Donna W. Hill	23

The Secret Ingredient, Amy Krout-Horn	26

Bev Says, “Write a New Poem," Nancy Scott	30

Editor’s Note, Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter	31

NFB-Writer’s Division Application	33

Slate & Style Submission Guidelines	34

 
>From the Keyboard of the President
By Robert Leslie Newman

As I composed this text, I was in the midst of winter’s crystalline
splendor; outside temps were in the single digits, and swirling winter
winds provided the metallic notes of a wind chime serenade. Now spring’s
freshening breezes have come, birdsong sweetens the air, and I plan to
seek a warm patch of sun to sit in, finishing this article.

This article will address the following:

•	Personal transitions through changes in life

•	The development of the Writers’ Division

•	The change in editorial perspective for this publication. 

Changes I feel I must explore are not due to the tilt of the planet,
represented by winter, spring, summer or fall. I ponder the changes in
my personal seasons of life—the evolution of cognitive awareness, the
development of abilities, and the depth of commitment, growing with the
advancement of years. On December 30th, 2010, I entered a new phase
within my adulthood; I retired from paid employment. I gave up my
thirty-seven year career in working for the Nebraska commission for the
Blind and Visually Impaired. I’ve not quit working for those who are
blind though, and I strive to continue my dedication in this field. This
change brings a new season in life—a time to work on projects that, up
'til now, were secondary to work.

My time is being restructured to tackle various writing projects which
have waited until now—six books in varying stages of completion, several
philosophical pieces, and short stories, all relating to blindness
issues. More time will be devoted to the Writers’ Division. I also have
taken on the presidency of NFB-Omaha Chapter. Time will be spent
learning and growing. Hurray for me.

Why is blindness at the core of what I will spend my time doing through
the coming years? This may be a result of having spent nearly four
decades as a blindness professional and a member of the most influential
consumer group of the blind. It may be something more personal, deeper
within my self, a reflection of inner-views about blindness. Perhaps it
is something yet to resolve or prove. It may be a need to shout,
celebrating the beauty of Human potential, encouraging others to live
successfully with blindness. I suspect it’s a combination of all these
things, and I say harness it—use it to further our organization’s goal
of “changing what it means to be blind.” 

I am feeling good about what I/we have accomplished thus far; however I
am not fully satisfied. My leadership began three-and- half-years ago,
in July, 2007. This was my first experience as president for any group.
Taking on this responsibility, I knew there was much to learn. I knew
the Division’s membership needed to learn my intent, and become aware of
how their personal vision fit into the collective awareness. My goals
are:

•	Create a group environment connecting all members.

•	Increase communication among the membership

•	Provide a forum improving our writing knowledge and skills

•	Discover what members need and attract new members

•	Garner funding for projects we wish to implement

•	Foster pride in individual work as well as pride as a collective


Collective use of computers and the Internet is key to improvements we
have made in the division as communication between all members is vital
to our rebuilding process. Two communication forums members
interactively participate in are Stylist and Writers’ Chat, our two
email listserves. These lists allow constant communication between
members, and members can check it on their own time frame. The power of
the email lists is derived through the various functions possible for
each member.

For example, members can post samples of their work, and constructive
criticism can be given. The post can also convey information about new
resources helpful to writers. A post may also be about publishing
opportunities. We also post alerts about upcoming NFB events. The
undisputed benefit, though, is members can communicate frequently and
intimately in this virtual community.

A second communication medium is our monthly telephone gatherings. These
meetings are educational and fun. We’ve had a publisher/author, a
college instructor/author, a Puzzle editor/author, an online magazine
editor/author, a technical writing expert, NFB leaders and more. Calls
are held on the last Sunday of each month, using a free teleconference
number. We have an opportunity to further our knowledge of writing along
with experiencing live chats with our membership. 

A third communication option is the division’s Website:
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org. Though we’re still developing the
website, within its pages, you can find:

•	A showcase of members work and bios

•	Past issues of Slate & Style

•	Information about the annual writing contest

•	MP3 recordings of monthly phone gatherings

•	Writing resources

My plans to improve the stewardship of the division are:

•	Increase the membership through advertising and extending
personal invitations

•	Focus efforts to gain new membership of youth

•	Create effective ways to advertise annual writing contest

•	Develop website to be user-friendly

•	Seek interesting guest speakers

•	Provide online tools and resources helpful to members

•	Work closely with our new Slate & Style editor, Bridgit
Kuenning-Pollpeter

 
Get Rid of Write Fright, Get Published
by Marilyn Brandt Smith

If you belong to several writers' groups, you've probably noticed that
there are as many excuses for failing to write, submit and publish, as
there are members. Examine your responses to these poignant
possibilities:

•	You write for therapy or pleasure, but you don't care if your
work is ever read.
•	Published writers in the group seem to point fingers at those
who have yet to publish.
•	You're afraid, if you submit, it won't be good enough, and you
won't receive a fair treatment.
•	The anxiety of waiting for a response, a rejection, dampens your
spirits for starting anything new.
It's all very much like stage fright, isn't it? It's time to decide
whether you're willing to revamp your reluctance into participation in
the writing life. Time is no excuse, we all find time for what we like.

If worried you lack fundamental knowledge to begin writing, join a
local, or online, writing group focused on grammar, mechanics and
technique. Contacts can lead to new insights and opportunities.
Don't settle for friends and family evaluation. They love your effort
and enthusiasm, therefore, they love your work. If you really want to
know how your work may stack up under an editor's evaluation, run it by
a successful writer in the same genre, a teacher of English or
journalism, or attend a writers' workshop.
Afraid your work could stand improvement, and you worry that someone
might point this out? Critiques should be apart of the writing
process—this helps you grow. Learn to love constructive criticism and
seek it where you can.
Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite! Become your own toughest editor. If I rewrote
this article for the umpteenth time, I'd find improvements to make. 

When your writing style is ready, start small. Don't try for that great
American novel first. Write for magazines, newspapers, or newsletters,
online or in hardcopy. If you're comfortable writing nonfiction formats
about disability, this is a good place to start.
Don't expect acceptance at first. Send multiple submissions so you don't
have all your eggs in one basket. Don't feel like a failure if you find
yourself in anthologies, small publications, or at a self-publisher's
website.
Mainstream publishing houses are struggling to stay solvent. The "Mom
and Pop" bookstore is disappearing.

What really matters is your readership. You can establish a systematic
growth count in many ways. Initiate a blog, a newsletter, or an Email
discussion list. Social network about your interests and work. Count
your followers. If you're invited for a reading, use a reader if you
must, but you'll gain respect if you read it yourself.

Many budding writers turn to teaching as a way to earn money from their
art. Many beginners turn to academic settings to help cultivate their
art. Ask about the credentials, publications, and market successes of
people who offer you training. It's wise to use any training you pay for
as a "jumping off place" to better writing, but it's not wise to expect
that class to put you in a prestigious magazine or on a bestseller list.
You'll know if you don't fit in a group of writers. Some genres don't
mix comfortably. High-end published writers and beginners sometimes have
trouble being tolerant of each other. Poets and technical writers may
not speak the same language. 

There's every reason to hone your skills and see your work published,
unless, of course, you don't want to be read or don't want to work to
stay on your toes in the writing field. But if those things were true,
you wouldn't be reading a magazine for present and future writers, would
you?

After a third grade lesson on limericks, Marilyn Brandt Smith fell in
love with writing. She cultivated her craft and was first published
while in college more than 50 years ago. 

While employed in the rehab field and raising two children, Brandt Smith
earned bylines for poetry and nonfiction, and edited small publications
on music, culture and accessibility. Today, she writes regularly for
disability magazines. This year she will offer a collection of her
popular flash fiction, poetry and special memoir pieces.

Brandt Smith is vice president and primary editor of the Behind Our Eyes
organization of writers with disabilities. With one anthology under her
belt, an E-magazine launched and future publication goals, she sees blue
skies ahead. 

 
Chocolate, a Necessity
By Brittney Lende

I need my chocolate; I need my fix.
Given a choice, I’ll take a Twix.

Gooey caramel and crunchy delight,
Lingering sweetness with every bite.

So addictive, I can’t stop,
another trip to the Sweet Shop,

to get dark chocolate, doctor prescribed,
sudden depression if denied.

A daily dose to boost my mood.
It’s my favorite comfort food.

Brittney Lende is a high school junior at Minnesota Academy for the
Blind where she participates in cheerleading and arts. Lende is the
first-place high school poetry winner for the Writers’ Division 2011
youth writing contest.

 
Writing Your Way to an Interview
By Joe Orozco

Even under better economic circumstances, landing a job interview can be
an exercise in patience and fortitude. Job seekers find themselves
submitting dozens of applications—sometimes slaving for hours over a
single packet only to receive an indifferent rejection, assuming that
the employer even bothers responding. Yet, where is the line between
getting passed up because you’re not qualified and getting passed up
because you did not adequately present your qualifications?

Let’s examine the résumé, arguably the most critical application
component, and some ways you might consider building it up to land
yourself an interview.

Note: For specific advice about what sections go where, consider
performing a “résumé writing” Google search. What follows is advice for
résumés beyond the first draft.

Before anything else, consider the presentation. By contemporary
standards, you’re no longer bound to showcasing your talents on a single
page. Remember two points:

1.	Make sure that entries are not broken across multiple pages.

2.	Only move into the next page if you can cover at least a third
of the page.
If you’re physically submitting the résumé, it is preferable to bind the
multiple pages using a paper clip. A staple may come loose and tare the
paper.

The paper itself should be the standard 8.5X 11 IN size and should be
heavier than traditional copy paper but does not need to be of fancy
stock. In terms of paper color, a Neenah Classic Crest in natural white
is fine with a smooth finish. You need not buy the snow-white paper some
designers use to entice customers.

Finally, make sure that your font is legible. Don’t use anything smaller
than nine-points for sans-serif type and 10-points for serif type. Use a
laser printer to print in 100-percent  black.

Now, remember your résumé may be addressing two potential audiences;
both human and computerized applicant tracking systems may analyze your
resumé.

Some employers use computerized applicant tracking systems (ATS). These
are highly sophisticated gatekeepers that weigh your fate based on the
active keywords and relevant phrases you supply. If the data says “Go,”
you move on to your second audience which will be humans. They are not
as sophisticated as a computer but just as eager in their pursuit of
qualified applicants. Whether your file hits one or both of these
reviewers, rest assured you generally have 30-seconds or less to leave a
good impression.

If your résumé gets swept up by a computerized system, don’t forget that
the ATS is intelligent and boasts a memory far longer than any human’s,
which means you should not apply for multiple positions within a short
period of time. Also, don’t attempt to reapply using a different e-mail
address since some systems are trained to pick up on duplicate records.

Use active keywords that mirror the language in the job posting, and
note that these systems usually feature contextual analysis. This means
it is not enough to drop strategic keywords without descriptive text
showing your competence with the task.

You generally want to stay away from abbreviations like “Mgr.” Instead,
use “manager” since there is no way of telling how the ATS has been
programmed to process language. Similarly, make sure words are spelled
correctly, since misspelled words will prevent you from obtaining a
higher ranking position.

Lastly, don’t use logos or other graphics in your draft as this may
unnecessarily confuse the ATS.

You’re most likely to encounter ATS while using online applications.
Don’t assume email résumés will not be fed into an ATS for analysis.
When in doubt, don’t send your résumé as an attachment. Rather, paste it
into the body of an email avoiding exclamation marks and special
characters to emphasize points in your text.

There are several types of résumé formats:

Chronological- emphasizes your work history

Functional- highlights your skills and talents

Combination- strikes a balance between spotlighting work experience and
skills

Targeted- emphasize work history and skills specific to the job you’re
applying for

Note: functional resumés are useful for persons changing careers or
students fresh out of school.

Regardless of your choice of formats, there are some core guidelines:

1.	Make sure your name and contact information are in the top
section of the first page and not as part of the header or footer, which
may complicate things for the electronic gatekeepers.

2.	Remember to number your pages if you’re going beyond a single
page. The page numbers may be printed in the header or footer along with
your full name.

3.	Using specified objectives is outdated, and you run the risk of
boxing yourself into an area that may or may not fit into the
recruiter’s idea of the ideal candidate. Instead, use a section
dedicated to special skills or an executive summary listing the areas
you have excelled in. Use the section to highlight marketable and
specific abilities. Saying you’re a nice person and get along well with
others is commendable but is not as compelling as pointing out that you
work well with others to meet tight deadlines.

Likewise, pointing out your comfort with technology is not as persuasive
as outlining the fact that you’re an advanced user of Excel, PowerPoint,
etc.

4.	Don’t overlook community experience in your work history.
Volunteer service can provide as much substance as a paid position and
should be captured in your working draft, especially if you played a
leading role in the delivery of a project.

5.	If the various ATS love keywords, humans are especially obsessed
with quantitative evidence. Include as many numbers as you can
generate—whether this is the amount of money you raised or saved, the
number of people you managed, the number of products you sold, etc.

Each job entry should emphasize how many, how much, how often, how big,
how fast, how well, and so on. These points should target the benefit
you brought to your employer and ought to be listed in order of most
impressive to least impressive.

6.	In your education section, be strategic about what you display.
Grade point averages should only be exhibited if they are competitive.
You may use your degree’s GPA instead of your cumulative GPA, but make
sure this is specified. Only outline your relevant coursework if you’re
relying on a functional résumé with a weak work history.

In all sections, eliminate all personal pronouns. Get rid of redundant
phrases and useless words like “that” or “which” where possible. Use
varying line lengths, because the résumé should be as informative as it
is visually aesthetic.

With respect to formatting, don’t use unnecessary styles to draw
attention. Other than the position title, you need not use bolding or
italics to highlight specific points in your responsibilities. Don’t use
unnecessary special characters that may not translate well to an
employer’s computer system.

Technology has come a long way in helping blind job seekers prepare
elegant documents with almost as much ease as our sighted peers. That
said, résumés are considered the most critical application component
because it is the document that is often reviewed before anything else.
Your cover letter and application responses all hinge on this central
snapshot of your professional aptitude, so it only makes sense that you
have someone sighted review your first draft to make sure things are
properly aligned and formatted, especially since screen readers are not
100% accurate in reporting these attributes. Thereafter, you can change
certain words or reorder certain points without worrying whether the
framework is visually appealing. It is good practice to have someone
review your document anyway since only an outsider’s prospective will
pick up on weaknesses you may have overlooked.

Why should the résumé only aim for landing an interview and not the job?

There is no such thing as a perfect résumé. A résumé is only as good as
the qualifications that make it stand upright according to subjective
human opinions. A good résumé is typically accompanied by a strong cover
letter that extends on some of the major points for which the résumé
only offers a preview, but even then you’re only counting on these
documents to earn the opportunity to sell yourself in person.

Finding a job is a job onto itself, and an efficient job is about
focusing on explicit goals. For the moment, your goal is to literally
get your foot in the door. If you do, your next goal will be ensuring
your other foot joins the first and that both are offered the
opportunity to stay there.

Joe Orozco is managing director for AlphaComm Strategies. Based in
Washington DC, the copywriting company is devoted to high-impact
communication across a growing range of industries in the corporate and
nonprofit sectors. Orozco has served on the boards of NFB-Texas and the
National Association of Blind Students. Orozco lives in DC with his
wife, Erica.

 
Emma by Moonlight
Kerry Elizabeth Thompson

*The following is a chapter from the author’s current work in progress,
a Science Fiction Romance entitled Marooner’s Haven. It is set on the
planet of Nova Britannia and deals with, among other things, the
integration of the disabled as fully functioning members of society, and
what that means both for society and for disabled individuals.

The protagonists are Brontë Sinclair, fully sighted and able-bodied,
aged 14, and Emma Morrow, totally blind and using a wheelchair, aged 13.


A group of young men spilled out onto the terrace, laughing and talking
too loudly, too roughly. Brontë stiffened. He didn’t like the sounds of
them, didn’t want Emma mixed up with them. In a moment, he was leaning
over her, his hands covering hers on the chair’s handgrips. He didn’t
have any conscious thought more definite than protecting Emma. One
moment the loud, laughing voices were approaching then suddenly, the
only sound was the splash of a nearby fountain.

 Brontë’s body shook. He had never teleported another person
before—hadn’t known it was possible.

He drew a long, unsteady breath and thought, Stellar, scary, but
stellar.

Glancing around, he discovered they had landed beside the fountain in
the little grotto of wine flower and Falibar passionflower vines near
his home. This was his townhouse’s exquisite garden, which was one of
his favorite places at home. No sounds were audible; No lights from his
home or other houses were visible. Shadows surrounded them with a warm
blackness. There was just the music of the splashing fountain and the
soft rustling of leaves. Flowers supplied a heavenly scent as the
silvery blue light of Nova Hibernia’s moon flashed in the fountain. 

“Brontë?”  Emma’s face, bathed in moonlight, was turned up to his. It
looked other-worldly.

What was the word that had come down in ancient Earth stories? Fairy?
Elf? Yes, elf was it. She looked *Elvin, somehow distant and mysterious,
and so very pretty.

 “Everything’s stellar.”  He spoke low, trying to control the shaking in
his voice. “We’re in a safe place. I’m gonna’ lift you out of your chair
now. Hang on around my neck.” He staggered a little as she raised her
arms.

She was surprisingly little and light. She must be an elf after all. It
wasn’t her weight that buckled his knees and made his heart pound so
loud he thought all Raklebad could hear the frantic thumping; it was
her, the trust with which she clung to him, the way she laid her head
against his shoulder, the warmth and closeness of her.

Being fourteen, Brontë had always felt a disdain for the silly, sappy
love stories so many people read and watched in the vids. As he sank
onto the seat running around the fountain, holding an amazing, wondrous
girl in his arms, he made a silent promise never to laugh at those
stories again.

She moved slightly to turn her face over his shoulder. “A fountain. The
sound its making is beautiful. And everything else is so still.” She
turned, as though to look up at him. “Where are we? How did we get here
in just, well, just the blink of an eye?”

It took a while for Brontë to remember to breathe, and a while longer to
remember how to do it. Emma didn’t seem to mind as she leaned against
his shoulder, cocking her head to listen to the soft night sounds. She
raised her face to the moonlight as though she could feel it.

He’d always known it was possible to feel the silvery coldness of the
moonlight if you concentrated. Emma said before, on the city hall
terrace, that she couldn’t feel it, but maybe now she could in this
special place, at this special time. She seemed content in his arms. He
almost wished she hadn’t asked a question. He could have sat in silence
looking at her forever. Eventually he found his voice though.

“Emma, don’t be scared. We aren’t on the city hall grounds. We’re in
another part of Raklebad.”  He opened his mouth then shut it as he
studied Emma.

“Where?”

“This is the garden of my house.”

She shifted slightly, her arms tightening around him. He thought his
heart would go super nova.

“Your house?” Her eyes grew larger as she glanced around acting as
though she could make out the shadows. “How did we get here?”

He noted her interest and surprise, but she didn’t seem scared.

“That’s not so easy to explain- well, I mean, it’s easy to explain- just
the explanation’s not so easy to explain.” His face reddened, and he
wiped his hand across his forehead.

She laughed, and rather than making him feel like a fool, her laugh made
him happy and carefree, almost forgetting his discomfort.

Her broad smile greeted him. “Maybe you should explain first, and then
you can worry about explaining the explanation afterwards.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”  He smiled. “Well, when those people
came out onto the terrace, I thought they weren’t the sort of people we
wanted to talk to. I thought that we’d better leave pronto. I
transported us here.”  He questioned her steady, pretty face. “I didn’t
decide to do it, it just happened.”  The serenity of the evening mocked
him. “It’s teleportation. I don’t do it often; I didn’t know I could
bring somebody else with me. You’re not scared? Do you think it’s bad?”

“I don’t think you would ever do anything bad.”  She turned her head
into his shoulder. He felt the heat of her body through the thin fabric
of his shirt.

He laid his cheek on the top of her head, the soft, springy curls
tickling his skin. “Thank you.”  He couldn’t remember ever being so
happy.

The fountain bubbled and splashed. The breeze rustling the leaves
sounded like rushing water. Emma’s hair ruffled in the breeze, blowing
the faint, sweet scent of her into Brontë’s nostrils. Time seemed
suspended. They were in a different world—isolated, safe.

 “This is one of my favorite places in the world,” he said.

She turned towards him.

“I, err, I like to come here and read.”  He rubbed his finger on the
rough edge of the fountain seat.

 “It must be wonderful to be able to read.” Emma sighed into the
shadows.

He stared at her. “It- What?”

“It must be wonderful to read.”  Red crept up her cheeks. “I can’t, of
course.”  Her head drooped as she twirled the hem of her clothes

“Of course you are able to read. Not visually, I know, but tactilely,
with Braille- everyone can read Braille.”

“No, I don’t know what you mean.”  She gazed into his face, and once
again, he felt as though she were actually seeing him.

“It’s been required in schools for years. Since the Plague- since the
authorities realized its magnitude, well, they made everyone learn
Braille. Since so many would not be able to read print-.”  He struggled
for words; a grown-up vocabulary had never been a disadvantage before.
“Well, the obvious choice was Braille—so everyone can read it now.”

“You read with your eyes. And since I don’t have eyes...”

He flinched. “Of course you have eyes.”  His tone was shocked and his
voice felt raw. He released a long breath. “You-“He cleared his throat.
“You have beautiful eyes, Emma.”

She murmured, and he gathered her closer, gazing into her sweet, Elvin
face.

He blushed. “You have eyes the color of the sea around the Falibar
Islands, in the summertime.”

“Really? Do you really think that?”

Smiling, he touched her cheek. “My own little Elf Girl. Hasn’t anybody
ever told you that before? Because it’s true.”

If this were a vid, the music would swell, and I would kiss her, he
thought.

Only, this wasn’t a vid. And the thought of kissing Emma scared him more
than anything he could imagine.

The breeze quieted, enveloping the two teens in a sweet silence.

“Well, err,” Emma said. “Thank you. I didn’t know blind people could
have beautiful eyes.”  Lowering her head, she appeared to seek
absolution. “They’re not functioning though, And so I can’t read.”  She
hesitated. “You know that, don’t you?” 

Looking at her, his stomach twisted in knots. “I’m not making fun of
you; I just- are you telling me you’ve never learned to read?”

“Yes- I mean no-.”  She paused then took a breath. “It’s impossible for
a blind person to read.”

“No it isn’t. If only I had a book here to show you.” He pinched the
bridge of his nose and sighed.

Something bumped itself into his right hand. He closed his fingers
around it. Finally registering what the object was, he almost dropped it
in surprise.

“Blimey,” He said. “I’ve never done that before.”

“Done what?”

“Found in my hand the thing I was thinking about. I’ve got a Braille
book now. So let’s move you.”  He shifted her to the bench. With his
left arm firmly around her, he drew the book to him, turning the pages.
“Put this in your lap. Now give me your hand.”  Placing the book in her
lap, he reached for her delicate hand. He placed her finger on the small
raised bumps dotting the pages. “Put out your pointer but don’t make a
fist. Relax the rest of your fingers—that’s right. Now run your hand
over the page to get an idea of how it feels. Feel that? That’s Braille”

“Err, yes.”

“Take your pointer and follow that line with it.”  He moved her finger
across the line of raised bumps demonstrating the motion. “Do you feel
five characters? Good. A, B, C, D, E-.” He peered at her mid-sentence.
“You know the alphabet, right?”

“No. Nobody’s ever taught me anything about reading.”

“But, but how do you do your lessons? What do you do for entertainment
if you can’t read?”

“I have audio books and a voice recorder.” Emma smiled as her voice grew
whimsical. “Mama says lots of people, even normal sighted people, go
their whole lives and hardly ever read. It’s no great loss that I
can’t.” Looking down, her smile faded. “All the same, it would be
splendid.”

Brontë closed his eyes. Drawing a deep breath, he held it for a moment.
Sweet Redeemer, give me strength, he thought. Opening his eyes, he
released his breath in a long sigh. “Well, I’m going to teach you.”

The moonlight glinted on the crystal of his large, rather clunky, old
fashioned analog wristwatch. Tilting his wrist, he glanced at the time
drawing a breath. “Not now though. We’d better go back. They’ll be
looking for us.” 

Lifting the book out of her lap, he held it for a moment, then staring
at it with narrowed eyes, he muttered, “Back where you belong.”  The
book vanished with no preamble. Standing up, swinging Emma into his
arms, he didn’t have time to wonder over what he had done.

It was funny how she seemed to belong in his arms. She giggled, closing
her arms around his neck.

“I like it when you pick me up.” Squirming, she buried her face into his
shoulder.

Holding her close, he felt Warmth rising up his neck. “I like picking
you up.”  Clearing his throat, he moved towards her wheelchair. “I’ll,
err, fix it up with my parents. Either you’ll come to my house or I’ll
go to yours, and we’ll see to it you learn to read.”  He squeezed her
tiny bulk. “Everybody needs to read.”

“But, what if I can’t learn? What if I’m not smart enough?”

“Emma.” Rolling his eyes, he held back a sigh of exasperation. 

“What if my hands won’t work? Those dots seemed pretty little. Can I
still be your friend even if I can’t learn?”

A barking laugh emanated from him. “My own little Elf Girl. Of course
you’ll be my friend, but why wouldn’t-.” His mouth gaped realizing what
she’d said. “Lord! I forgot about your hands. Well there’s jumbo
Braille. We’ll begin with that. 

A bubbling, happy laugh issued from Emma. He wanted her to always be
happy; He wanted to make her happy.

“You’re incorrigible, Brontë.” Emma hugged him, gripping around his
neck. Turning her head, she hesitantly kissed him.

Squeezing her again, he was silent. Lowering Emma into her chair, he
wished they could stay here forever.

Reluctant to let go, she took hold of the handgrips. Laying his
trembling hands over hers, he concentrated. They soon returned to the
terrace of the city hall.

Kerry Elizabeth Thompson is a writer and amateur web designer. She holds
a B.A. in English Literature from the College of Our Lady of the Elms in
Chicopee, Massachusetts and an M.A. in Medieval Literature from the
University of Connecticut.
 
A longtime member of the NFB Writers’ Division, Thompson has had poetry,
fiction and nonfiction published in Slate and Style, as well as in other
small press periodicals and anthologies. Her interests include Catholic
Theology and Hagiography (the lives of the saints), Space Science and
songwriting.

She lives in Springfield, Massachusetts with her family including nine
rescued cats.

 
Sweating the Small Stuff: 
Review on The Elephants of Style by Bill Walsh
By Chris Kuell

The Elephants of Style: A Trunkload of Tips on the Big Issues and Grey
Areas of Contemporary American English by Bill Walsh, (McGraw and Hill,
2004, 238 pages) RC 59190, DB 59150

While writing an article about our town’s annual snow removal budget, I
wasn’t sure how to write out 1.2 million dollars. Is it one point two
million dollars, each word spelled out, or numeral 1.2 and million
dollars both spelled out, or numeral 1,200,000 with dollars spelled out?
Should I use the dollar sign? If so, before or after the figure? It’s
dollar sign, numeral 1.2, million spelled out: $1.2 million, according
to Elephant Number 10.
 
In The Elephants of Style: A Trunkload of Tips on the Big Issues and
Grey Areas of Contemporary American English, Bill Walsh discusses common
grammatical errors he sees in his job as editor of the Washington Post.
These issues are presented under a series of Elephants, a play on the
classic style guide by Strunk and White, Elements of Style, (Allen and
Bacon, 1979, 2000, 88 pages) DB 52467. Spelling, Punctuation,
Capitalization, Abbreviations, Subject-Verb agreement, Possessives and
more. By the way—Walsh would never have let that last sentence slide.
Actually, it wasn’t a sentence at all, but a fragment at best. 

Walsh is a very picky editor, which is good, considering his
responsibilities as editor of The Washington Post. I read through this
book twice—once to listen, and once to take notes, learning quite a few
rules that I wasn’t aware of. 

There I go again, ending a sentence in a preposition. Interestingly,
Walsh might have let me get away with that one. In the Elephant titled
“Lies your English teacher taught you,” Walsh covers the long
established rules of  Never splitting an infinitive, Never ending a
sentence with a preposition, Never starting a sentence with a
conjunction, Always writing in complete sentences, Never writing in the
passive voice, and so on. These rules should be obeyed most of the time,
but there are always exceptions—it’s English, after all.

Tips you may find useful:
•	Use a single space at the end of a sentence, as the double space
went out with the typewriter.

•	Many writers use italics or underlining for titles, but Walsh
prefers quotation marks around book, movie and other titles.

•	Don’t use postal two-letter abbreviations for states; spell out
four-letter states (Ohio, Utah) or use common three or four letter
abbreviations like Mass., Wyo., or Ariz. 

•	Though not wrong, in America, theater should be spelled t e r,
not t r e.

•	Do not place commas before conjunctions (and, or, but, etc.) if
the text after the conjunction is not a complete sentence. 

•	Seasons (spring, fall) are lower case except in a title.

•	Directions are typically lower case (east, west) but upper case
if speaking of people in a geographical location (people in the East).

After reading The Elephants of Style, you will pay closer attention to
words making sure they are clear. Walsh’s goal is to bring clarity and
precision to written media. For example, he states there is no Miami of
Ohio, an expression often used by sports writers to distinguish from the
larger school in Florida. Walsh explains that it’s Miami University in
Ohio and the University of Miami in Florida, and this is how it should
be written.

Exact writing, while critical to a journalist, is a worthy goal for all
writers. This book will help raise your awareness, and By the end you
should feel confident about the spelling of BBQ, whether to use safety
deposit box or safe deposit box, and your ability to write the plural
possessive form of Jones.

Answers: b a r b e c u e, safe deposit box and the Joneses’.

 
Directions To Music Land
by Isabel Nieves

Pass through the crescendo of angels.
Tiptoe past the bars of the chorus.
Run beyond the half-note roses.
Dodge beneath the eighth-note beat.
Swim above the treble cleft.
Scurry behind the soprano trees.
Battle against the Tuba of  boom!
Whisper around the trembling violins.
Twirl towards Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.
Curtsy for Beethoven's minuet waltz.

Isabel Nieves attends Clear Creek Middle School in Ellijay, Geo. She
loves reading and music. Nieves, a self-taught pianist, is inspired by
the late actress/vocalist, Doris Day. Nieves is the first-place middle
school poetry winner for the Writers’ Division 2011 youth writing
contest.

 
Word Count and Surgical Editing
By Donna W. Hill

Word Count: There's No Escaping It

word count is critical regardless of writing news releases, articles or
full-length creative  manuscripts. Even when word count is not limited,
you want your writing to be succinct. 

Depending on the format or publisher, space may be restricted. It is
important you understand the format you’re writing for and follow the
necessary guidelines including word count.
Public relations writing and journalism tend to be restrictive in this
area. News releases should be 250 to 500 words. Online article
directories, newspapers and magazines have their own limits. It is
important to research this information before submitting to any
publication.

First-time novelists are generally expected to keep their work around 80
to 90,000 words.

Furthermore, if you're self-publishing, words cost money. More
importantly, your readers will place word limits on you. People don't
have the patience to muddle through long repetitive sentences and
paragraphs. Crisp, concise writing is the foundation for building
tension and developing scenes.

To meet target word counts, many writers butcher their work or allow
their editors to do so. Removing an entire section, plot line or angle
is the quick and dirty method. Unfortunately, this leads to second-rate
manuscripts, as well as disgruntled writers. Instead, take a nip here
and a tuck there. 

Over the years, I have developed the habit of being conscious of word
count. Little tricks saved a word here and there, allowing me to retain
secondary points. These tricks have spilled over into my article and
fiction writing.

I recently had to edit an article I wrote for American Chronicle to fit
within the limitations of another site. It was a matter of 3,000
characters. I know people who would have taken out a whole section, but
I prefer surgical editing. It takes longer, but yields better results. 


Tips for Reining In Word Count

Surgical editing allows you to include all your ideas, but with clear
and concise writing. Here are three tips for writing efficiently:

1.	Plurals use fewer words than singulars.

The dog is a mammal with four legs. (8 words)

Dogs are mammals with four legs. (6 words)

2.	Sentences that start "There is" or "There are" are word heavy.

There are many mammals with four legs. (7 words)

Many mammals have four legs. (5 words)

3.	Prepositional phrases are a rich source of word-saving options.

For instance, I could have said "Sentences with prepositional phrases
are rich sources of options for saving words." In fact, that's what I
did say before editing this article. This sentence went from twelve to
nine words.

You may not always want to, but it's handy to remember that you can turn
prepositional phrases into adjectives. Here are further edits of the
first two examples:

Dogs are four-legged mammals. (4 words).

Many mammals are four-legged. (4 words)

Remember, surgical editing will give you the space to stretch out a bit
when style and content demand it. Compromising on style isn't always
necessary. If you like "There," for instance, check out this five-word
version:

There are many four-legged mammals.

Whether you’re writing news releases, magazine articles, pitch letters
or creative pieces, you now have tips to help you create clear, concise
writing.

Donna W. Hill is a writer, speaker and avid knitter from Pennsylvania's
Endless Mountains. A Suite 101 journalist, her subjects range from
blindness and music to knitting and chocolate. Hill is a songwriter, and
she is finishing her first novel. Legally blind from Retinitis
Pigmentosa, Hill is a volunteer publicist for the NFB-Pennsylvania
affiliate and various other NFB divisions.

Hill’s book, Unopened Gifts (1994), helps religious congregations
integrate people with disabilities. She was recognized by Stanford
University's Stanford Social Innovations Review, "Third Sector Grit"
(July 2010). She was interviewed for Dr. Kent Gustavson's Blind, But Now
I See (2010, Blooming Twig Press) the biography of blind guitarist Doc
Watson. Her essay "Satori Green" will appear in Rick Singer's Now:
Embracing the Present Moment (July 2011, O-Books Publishing).

 
The Secret Ingredient
By Amy Krout-Horn

Gabriel returned home sooner than expected, ending the silence
permeating the house with the click of the lock as he opened the door.
Lost in contemplation, I covered my face as steam rose from the
saucepan, and the boiling water gurgled and popped. Cursing under my
breath, I pivoted away from the kitchen door. Wasn’t he supposed to be
in route to the college? He had left for his office early to finish
grading research papers. Why was he back so soon?

Bounding into the kitchen, he leaned over kissing my neck, rushing an
explanation. “Stopped at 7-11 for a donut.” Remembering my frequent
lectures on the evils of white flour, saturated fat, and sugar, he
sheepishly apologized. “They had these at the counter. I wanted to
surprise you. Here.”

For a moment, I weighed my options. How hurt would he be if I asked him
to leave the surprise on the counter? If I turned from the stove, what
were the odds he wouldn’t look at me?

Once, a friend confessed she and her husband were married three years
before he caught her without make-up, her “face,” as she called it. Not
big on make-up myself, I did what any good girlfriend would do; I
laughed, ripping her about how terrified her husband must have been
seeing what was under the war-paint.

Head hung low, I sighed turning towards Gabe.

He laid a cellophane wrapped bouquet containing a long-stem rose with
sprigs of baby’s breath and heather in my arms. “It’s red.”  He dug in
the cupboard for a vase. “The color of love.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. It’s beautiful.”  Relieved he didn’t notice my
unusual appearance, I quickly placed the flower on the table. Busying
myself at the stove, I lowered the heat stirring the contents in the
pot.

Facing away from me, trimming the stems, Gabe seemed unaware of my
unusual stew brewing on the stove. I hoped to escape embarrassment. I
thought he might not notice anything out of the ordinary. I thought he
would hurry off to work, none the wiser.

Pressing his chest against my back, wrapping his arms around my waist,
hugging me goodbye, he peered over my shoulder into the steaming sauce
pan. “What are you cooking?”

Born into a family of fabulous cooks, I learned in the kitchens of my
mother and grandmothers. From a young age, I observed their artistry. By
the time I lost my sight in my twenties, I’d been honing my culinary
skills for more than a decade. I wasn’t willing to give up my pots and
pans for microwave dinners.

Long before attending rehabilitation training, I figured out ways to
bypass obstacles created by blindness. Starting small, I peeled and cut
vegetables before moving onto more complicated procedures. During
Christmas that year, my mother proudly announced during dinner that I
had prepared the relish tray, “All by herself.”   Knowing she meant
well, I attempted to hide my embarrassment at the compliment usually
reserved for children.

Sensing the discomfort my family felt regarding my new disability, I
cracked a joke. “Yes, it’s true. I’m responsible. So if you find a ring
finger in the carrot sticks, please pass it my way.”

The confidence I acquired in the family kitchen allowed me to sail
through home management lessons at the rehab center, leaving a trail of
stuffed manicotti, shrimp stir fry, and pumpkin pies in my wake. Cooking
is a far more blind-friendly endeavor than most think. Many herbs and
spices identify easily through taste and aroma; notches or raised paint
indicate amounts on measuring cups and spoons; magnetic and adhesive
Braille labels mark canned goods and oven temperature settings. A timer
with raised dots located at five minute increments, is the only piece of
specially manufactured adaptive equipment in my kitchen.

Staring into the boiling water, his brain grappling with what he saw
dancing and clinking against the metal pan, the timer’s bell rang. “Are
those-?”  He took a step back as I turned the burner off.

Had he come home yesterday, he would have stared into a pan containing
oatmeal for breakfast, and wild rice for supper. During the holidays, a
week before, rum cake glaze emitted tempting smells. Today the pan held
something inedible—something strange—something I wasn’t ready to reveal.
The timer had spoken though, and as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t
vanish into a cloud of steam.

Keeping my back to him, I spoke in a low voice. “Yes, those are my
eyes.”

Diabetic retinopathy hadn’t stolen my pots and pans, but it did take my
eyes. I shared this with Gabriel very early in our relationship, but
after only a month of cohabitation, I cringed when thinking of him
seeing my face without the prostheses. Scalding hot and partially
through the sterilizing process, I couldn’t casually slip them under my
lids. It trumped my friend’s mortifying moment of missing liner, shadow,
and mascara—at least she had all her body parts attached when her man
walked in

“Please don’t look at me.”  I was trying not to cry. “It’s ugly.”

Without the prostheses providing shape and lift, I am unable to open my
lids. They feel sunken and useless, physical manifestations stemming
from the emotional pitfalls of diabetes and disability. For years I
tried to rise above feelings of despair, but in this moment, I shuddered
underneath the weight of my emotions.

Gabriel’s gentle touch turned me towards him, and he lifted my chin. “I
have never seen anyone more beautiful- with or without eyes.”  Cradling
my face in his hands, wiping my tears, he kissed me.

Pressing my face against his chest, we held each other for a long
moment. Comforted by his love, I felt reassured. Walking to the front
door, we smiled. Laughing, I promised the pan would hold something
better for dinner.

The cooks in my family know the secret, the secret ingredient that
transcends accuracy of measurement, precision of temperature, or
culinary technique. Without it, the chicken soup can not heal us; sugar
cookies lacking it do not make neighbors smile quite as wide; no simple
recipe, no gourmet masterpiece, no human being, is ever whole, ever
complete, without it.

Returning to our kitchen, I caught the scent of rose in the air. Lifting
the vase, my lips brushed the soft petals—petals that symbolize the
all-important ingredient, petals the color of love.

Amy Krout-Horn is a regular contributor to Slate & Style magazine, and
in 2008, she won the Writers’ Division top fiction prize for War Pony.
Krout-Horn co-authored the novella, Transcendence (All Things That
Matter Press, 2009). Her creative nonfiction was featured in the spring
2010 issue of Breath and Shadow, and Talking Stick Native Arts Quarterly
published her essay, “Bleeding Black,” in its fall 2010 issue. Later
this year, All Things that Matter Press will release her
autobiographical novel, My Father’s Blood.

Krout-Horn was the first blind teaching assistant at the University of
Minnesota’s American Indian Studies program. An advocate for social and
environmental justice, Krout-Horn writes and lectures on native history
and culture, diabetes, disability, and the human connection to the
natural world. For more information, visit her website at:
www.nativeearthwords.com

 
Bev Says, “Write a New Poem”
By Nancy Scott

My belief blindfold knows,
there are no twistable syllables,
though I wander the Ideas file.
testing “Sunday buttons” and “Schoolboy Blue,”
thinking this work used to be a means of travel.

Spring will require more fiction than last year,
but poems carved from my most personal shape,
of clatter-keyed cells that only feel locked,
could again send late roses that I can hear.

Will it always be rejection without a grain of salt?
Will it always be withheld and withstood versus vision and ovations?
Will I heed her tease and must?
Can a heard light touch command?

	Nancy Scott is an essayist and poet from Easton, Penn. Her more
than 500 bylines have appeared in magazines, literary journals,
anthologies and newspapers as well as audio commentaries.  Scott’s third
chapbook co-authored with artist Maryann Riker is entitled The Nature of
Beyond. Her essay “One Night at Godfrey's,” won First Prize in the 2009
International Onkyo Braille Essay Contest. Scott’s recent work appears
in Kaleidoscope, Thema, and the anthology Two Plus Four Equals One.

 
Editor’s Note

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the new Slate & Style. As the newly appointed editor for the
NFB-Writers’ Division magazine, I’ve been recruited to create a fresh
publication, gaining attention throughout the Federation and perhaps
beyond. Working with President Robert Leslie Newman and the division
board, we hope to achieve a more professional publication, seeking
quality material and producing an aesthetically pleasing magazine.

I hail from the Cornhusker state, Nebraska. I recently graduated with
honors from the University of Nebraska Omaha with my BFA in creative
writing. My emphasis was creative nonfiction, but I studied fiction as a
secondary focus. I write a bi-weekly blog for Live Well Nebraska, an
Omaha World Herald website. I blog about diabetes and blindness,
educating and informing through my personal experiences along with
outside information and resources. I also freelance for Comm UNO, the
University of Nebraska Omaha’s alumni magazine.

Living in Omaha, I’m afforded the opportunity to experience various
artistic functions. A thriving arts culture exists here including events
focusing on writing. I hope to share my experience and knowledge as
editor of Slate & Style.

Setting a new pace for Slate & Style, I want to include articles that
discuss various tips and style guides along with practical applications
for different forms of writing. Many members of the division and email
listserve, Stylist, write literature, but we want to incorporate all
genres and styles—journalism, technical, music, newsletter, literature,
etc. Slate & Style will continue to publish short literature
pieces—fiction and creative nonfiction—along with poetry, but we are
broadening our horizons. The Federation has a lot of talent to offer
encompassing a vast range of writing genres; Slate & Style needs to
reflect this multitude of writing abilities.

We are not moving away from literature—fiction, poetry, memoir/essay—but
rather, we are expanding its submission base to include various writing
forms. If you work in a field that is writing-based, or you have
knowledge about different writing formats, I’d love to consider any
submission you send. Topics include, but are not limited to:
•	Public relations writing and journalism

•	Copywriting and copy editing

•	Technical writing

•	Academic/scholarly writing

•	Playwrighting

•	Song/lyric writing

•	Publication editing


You can discuss tips, rules, suggestions, guidelines, information about,
etc. If you’d like to write an article but aren’t sure how to approach
it, please contact me and we can discuss a possible structure.

I also am seeking book reviews. As writers, particularly literary
writers, it is crucial to read just as much as write. Publishing book
reviews allows us to share books we enjoy, providing information about
books. Please only submit reviews with favorable comments; if you read a
book you didn’t enjoy, don’t bother to write about it. Of course, keep
sending fiction, poetry and memoir/personal essay submissions.

As Slate & Style enters this new phase, I hope our readers grow with us.
With the plethora of talent the NFB contains, we can make this
publication stellar.
 
NFB WRITERS’ DIVISION MEMBERSHIP

If you’d like to join NFB-Writers’ Division, please choose one of the
following payment methods:

•	Access our PayPal button from the Writers’ Division’s Website
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org 

•	Fill out and send in a print copy membership form, listed below.


Dues help finance division activities, including the publication of
Slate & Style, and our division’s annual writing contest. 


NFB WRITERS’ DIVISION  MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

NAME:	

ADDRESS:	

CITY:	STATE:	ZIP CODE:	

PHONE NUMBER (Include area code):	

EMAIL:	

Which format do you prefer for Slate & Style:

	BRAILLE		PRINT		EMAIL   

Total enclosed:		Dues		Donation

Send $10 membership fee in a check or money order, made out to: 

NFB Writers’ Division
2704 Beach Drive
Merrick NY 11566

Do not send cash. Do not make your check out to an individual. Thank you
 
Slate & Style Submission Guidelines

The next Slate & Style issue will release in the fall, 2011. If you wish
to have a submission considered for the fall issue, please send it on or
before Sunday, October 2, 2011. Please read through the guidelines
carefully. Submissions that don’t follow these guidelines will not be
considered for Slate & Style. Submission guidelines are as follows:

•	Length requirements are: articles, 1500 words or less, fiction
and memoir/personal essay, 3000 words or less, poetry, 36 lines or less.

•	Include a title page along with your submission with author
name, title of piece and contact info—phone, email and address.

•	Please include a brief bio of yourself—no more than 150 words.
Do not send an entire history, just include key items you feel are
important for readers to know.

•	Book reviews are to be favorable reviews only. The length for
book reviews is 500 words. You don’t need to send a bio for book
reviews.

•	All email submissions must be attachments and sent to
bpollpeter at hotmail.com. Do not paste entries into the body of an email.

•	In the subject line, write:  Slate & Style submission, name,
title.

•	Use Microsoft Word or create an RTF document for all
submissions.

•	Proofread and check your grammar and formatting before
submitting.

•	Slate & Style will consider all submissions for publication.
However, please refrain from graphic sexual and violent content as well
as language and anti-religious, anti-gender, anti-racial and
anti-homosexual orientation content. Material will be published
according to the discretion of the editor though.

Please direct questions and comments to Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter at
bpollpeter at hotmail.com,.
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