[Nfb-editors] Spring Slate & Style

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Attached and pasted into body of email. *note: In the presidential
letter, it states that NFB Writers' dues are $20, but the correct amount
is listed in the membership application page, which is $10.

Slate
	&
	Style

Publication of the National Federation of the Blind Writers' Division

Spring 2013
Vol. 31, No. 2

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.

Slate & Style is a magazine showcasing literary writing as well as
articles providing information and helpful advice about various writing
formats. While a publication of the National Federation of the Blind,
submissions don't have to be specific to blindness or the NFB.
 
Special thanks to Victor Hemphill and Ross Pollpeter for distributing
our Braille and print copies.
 
Slate & Style

Spring 2013


TABLE of Contents

>From the Keyboard of the President, by Robert Lesley Newman	1

Downsizing? Bah, HUMBUG!, by Jacqueline Williams	7

Three Great Reads: Introducing the 200 Word Review, by Chris Kuell
11

Seven Steps to use in the development of a writing project, by Lynda
McKinney Lambert	14

Pin the Sale on this Donkey, by Janet Parmerter-DiNola	18

Editor's Note: Finding the Color in Your World, by Bridgit
Kuenning-Pollpeter	24

Slate & Style submission guidelines	26

NFB Writers' Division Critique Service	29

NFB WRITERS' DIVISION MEMBERSHIP	30

 
>From the Keyboard of the President
By Robert Leslie Newman

*Editor's note: Co-edited with Chris Kuell.

Welcome to our spring 2013 issue of Slate & Style. I always view this
issue is a very important platform for me. Being the first of four
publications, we can entertain readers with poetry, short fiction,
essays and articles on writing. As president, I can layout any special
news, projects and directives for the year.

My first piece of good news being: I'm happy to report that our senior
editor, Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, is back on the job fulltime. She
soon will announce the appointment of an assistant editor.

Other topics within this article include:
.	NFB Writers events planned for the 2013 annual convention.
.	A breakdown of submissions to our 2013 writing contest.
.	A report on the division's newest fundraiser, our critique
service.
.	NFB Writers' upcoming changes in its website along with
establishing a Facebook presence.
.	The status of our membership.
.	My short contribution discussing good writing, entitled
"Thinking About Thinking." 

National Convention:

Convention 2013 will be another trip to the hot and steamy semi-tropical
city of Orlando, Florida. For NFB Writers', we are holding two important
events. We will offer a writing workshop for teens, and we will hold our
annual business meeting. The agenda is as follows:

Tuesday, July 2, 2013: 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., Writing Workshop, room not yet
assigned.

Youth Track teens will be provided important resources for writers, and
a workshop covering writing skills.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013: 1:30 to 4:30 pm., NFB Writers' business
meeting, room not assigned yet.

We will update members on division business, announce the 2013 writing
contest winners, learn about self-publishing, hold elections for the
Writers' board, and plan for the future. 

I hope to visit with each of you in Orlando. Please seek me out.

Here is information about convention and how to reserve a room:
.	Date: Monday, July 1 through Saturday, 6, 2013.
.	Location: Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, Orlando,
Florida 32819.
.	Phone: (800) 204-7234.

Make your room reservation as soon as possible with the Rosen Centre
staff only.

For more information about national convention including agenda details,
visit: https://nfb.org/national-convention.

NFB Writers' youth and adult writing contest:

Did you know the Writers' Division's writing contest is 24 years old?
Since its conception, the number of submissions has increased. We can
trace the increase to three major factors.

1.	Opening up the contest to non-members.
2.	Opening the contest to youth.
3.	Offering email submissions, PayPal payments and online access to
contest information.

The 2013 contest has seen more entries than last year. Before I share
submission numbers, I will share that the writing contest has yet to pay
for itself. Because they are not yet financially self-sustaining, the
division is reaching into our budget, helping to cover prizes. Boosting
our fundraising efforts will help to maintain the contest, and this will
be a focus in the coming year.

Adult entries:
.	2013, 92
.	2012, 91
.	2011, 59
.	2010, 35
.	2009, 54

This year's submissions were submitted by 31 authors, with some authors
submitting into more than one category. The breakdown by category looks
like this:
.	Fiction, 14, 9 authors
.	Poetry, 58, 20 authors
.	Memoir, 17, 12authors
.	Children's lit by adults, 3, 2 authors

The history of our youth contest has had more ups and downs. The Totals
for youth entries are as follows:
.	2013, 42
.	2012, 21
.	2011, 30
.	2010, 22
.	2009, 33.

Before I provide a brief breakdown of the youth categories, I want to
remind you of the dual purpose of this portion of the writing contest.
The youth portion was added to not only stimulate creative writing among
youth, but most importantly, to promote Braille literacy. All youth
entrants must submit a hard-copy Braille format that has either been
written with a slate and stylus or Perkins Brailler. No copies that have
been embossed using a QWERTY keyboard are accepted. Thirty-two authors
submitted, some submitting both poetry and fiction.

2013 youth totals:
.	High School: poetry 5, 4 authors; fiction 4, 4 authors 
.	Middle School: poetry 8, 7 authors; fiction 3, 3 authors
.	Elementary School: poetry 11, 8 authors; fiction 10, 8 authors

Stay tune to find out who our 2013 winners are. We will present them
during our business meeting in Orlando, and that day an announcement
will be posted on our website.

Critique Service:

We had a trial run for our critique service, the division's new
fundraiser, between September through December 2012, and it was well
received. Encouraged, we have established it as a permanent service. At
present, we have six experienced editors making up our core critiquers.
Each submission is reviewed, and a detailed report is sent including
comments and suggestions. If anyone is interested in joining our editing
team for the critique service, contact me at newmanrl at cox.net. If you
are interested in using this service, rules and guidelines for it are
included in each Slate & Style issue towards the end.

At present, we've collected $240 from the service. The break-down is as
follows:
.	Reviewing Book Chapters, $40
.	Reviewing Entire Book Manuscripts, $130
.	Reviewing Poetry, $30
.	Reviewing Short stories, $40

Online Presence:

NFB Writers' is now on Facebook. Come visit and join our group. To find
us, either do a search for NFB Writers' Division, or use the following:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/NFB-Writers-Division/360960880660939.

With the world opening up to social media, we as a division can't afford
to be left out. We thank our Division's FB Team, headed by Kerry
Elizabeth Thompson, for getting us started. Our FB presence is in the
initial development stage, and so I urge you to visit our page and
provide in-put.

Website changes are coming for the division.

Firstly, I want to acknowledge and thank Peter L. Donahue for getting
the division online to begin with. We started out our web presence in a
rather small sense, with just basic content on who we were and how to
contact and join us. Since then, we have added sections offering member
accomplishments, past Slate & Style issues, reminders about monthly
teleconference gatherings and recordings of past gatherings, news
release templates and writing contest information.

At present, I can't speculate on how the website will look and feel
after its facelift, but I know of a few additions that will debut with
the website. We will now archive contest winners so you can enjoy all
entries past and present. A page dedicated to writing resources will
provide you with a wealth of information. This will include information
about publishing along with various writing forms.

We now have a new webmaster, Amanda Stephens. We are forming a small
team of content reviewers and helpers to maintain the site alongside
Stephens. If interested in joining this team, contact me at:
newmanrl at cox.net. Watch for announcements on our progress! Our
division's website can be found at: http://www.nfb-writers-division.net 

Membership:

I'm often asked how large the Writers' Division is. My response today is
that we have 77 due-paying members, and several who have yet to update
their membership status by paying dues. And so our division is like most
groups, membership is fluid, people come and go.

We are always seeking new members, so please contact us if you wish to
join the division, or of course, if you wish to pay your annual dues. An
annual membership is $20, and members receive Slate & Style free of
charge.

Thinking About Thinking

Did you ever notice that there are different writing formulas, or ways
in which an author can convey ideas? Poetry certainly has a wide number
of different forms. From limerick's to tankas, attention to structure is
critical. Pros has them too.

Every story must contain a beginning, middle, and an end. Yet, most
authors, knowingly or not, create books which take on a certain style
with a set pacing and plot-line pattern. The Harry Potter books, Lee
Child's Jack Reacher novels, John Sanford's 'Prey' stories all flow
along a set pattern, or formula. 

 The title for this piece is a reflection of both a long held, and newly
discovered, personal revelation for me. In choosing the title, "Thinking
About Thinking," I remembered the first time I heard that little voice
in my head say, "WOW, where did that thought, those feelings, come
from?"

Initially, this thought didn't provoke a life changing reaction, but was
more of an identification process, which at that time I termed being
"self-aware." Only later did I realize that if I was a thinking, acting,
person, then I had the ability to choose to do or not do a given action.
I could change what made up my feelings, and so change how I would
react. in short, I became aware that I have a living, breathing
conscience. 

My secondary title for this piece, "thinking authors+thinking
characters=thinking readers," arose from my decision to make a serious
effort to write for others. I learned I wanted to do more than just
entertain. I wanted to educate, to change minds. An example would be my
decade long "THOUGHT PROVOKER" (TP) series. These were flash-fiction
stories which encapsulate issues of blindness designed to provoke
thought within the reader, to help change what it means to be blind.
Every four weeks I created a new Thought Provoker, from 100 to 700
words, and hopefully told a provocative story, ending for the reader
with a mental after taste of self-questioning. 

Today when I look back on those stories, I can see where I could have
enhanced the effectiveness of my characters if I would have shown more
of their thinking processes. I have come to this conclusion by
recognizing what makes up my own "like or not like" criteria in reading.
That is, in the world of my favorite Genre of fiction, give me a story
where the actions of the characters drives the tale. But, what makes me
actively think as I read is when the author shows what the characters
are thinking, giving the reader more to think about, to judge, and to
learn from.

 
Downsizing? Bah, HUMBUG!
By Jacqueline Williams

A horde of professional organizers and down-sizers have emerged claiming
our so-called junk. Charging $55 per hour, bankruptcy may ensue.

What is the price of simplicity and a peace of mind? They clean out your
files, house and life, and parcel out junk and treasures to estate
sales, thrift shops, archivists, and computer specialists. Handsome
profits are accrued by the experts when our lives are organized. I say
that those of us who find comfort in our stuff must unite and rebel
against these experts.

They say if you live in an over-stuffed, cluttered house, you are an
obsessive-compulsive hoarder, unable to concentrate, be productive or
happy. So the downsizers' basic rule of life goes like this: Get rid of
everything you have not used or worn in one year.

Every day for one year, I've worn a different set of togs with a unique
set of jewelry. I have at least 365 outfits with matching jewelry, so I
don't have to throw anything out. If I hear laughter, or snickering, I
may toss it, but that's unlikely since I hear out of only one ear.
Likewise, I don't see faces with my limited vision, so I don't have to
worry about embarrassed glances people may give. 

My mother's gorgeous porcelain chamber pot, filled with chocolate chip
cookies, sits amidst the clutter on my kitchen table. It pleases my
uncritical grandson. Not flush enough to flush out my home, I plod on. I
have a compulsively organized friend who said she'll help me at only $5
per hour, but that won't include being nice to me. I'm afraid I will
hate her afterward, like the friend who helped with my carport sales.
She put her own stuff out, and then salvaged it if it did not sell.
However, she wouldn't let me do the same. She disposed of everything
taken from my house.

With several closets organizing my life, I've established a few rules of
my own.

Don't keep anything I haven't worn for forty years, unless it's coming
back in style, or is vintage. Throw out anything that scratches my skin
or makes me hot, except, of course, the mink coat, and the myriad of
colorful sweaters and jackets in case I take a cruise to Alaska.

The closet for the size ten and twelves must be maintained, or what is
there to aim for? The third closet holds this season's clothes that are
size large. The wardrobe in the carport contains off-season items.

I keep the closet full of the dancing life. Though I'm 83, have no
balance, and have arthritic knees, perhaps, just perhaps.

Donate all books, except those I can't get on tape or the books on
writing and books that were gifts. Being legally blind, I can spend the
money saved on downsizing to purchase a Kurzweil scanner.

Keep all the old love letters; Another may never come. Soaps, shower
gels, shampoos and creams received as gifts guarantee a sweet-smelling
old lady, if I remember to use them.

The boxes of photographs on my bed, the hundreds of cassettes and
phonograph records are being sorted and played one at a time. It's like
money in the bank as I spend time with old friends and memories.

The blankets and pillows packed neatly in plastic under the beds and
sofas will keep me warm forever. And I don't have to vacuum underneath. 

Expiration dates are meaningless. Nothing goes, nothing is thrown out.
Everything is okay unless it smells bad or has mold. I don't get sick;
my heritage molded by my mother who lived to age ninety-seven.

When I break my coffee pot, Or when a waffle iron goes sticky, or when a
duplicate utensil is thrown out by mistake, another emerges from the
closet. And you never know what the blind and old might do or cook-up by
accident. I'm prepared.

When a professional downsizer came for a complimentary visit, and
explained her kitchen strategy, I freaked. How obvious she never lived
through a depression or in Africa for five years.

While in Africa, I sifted flour to get the dudus, as we called it, out,
made my own peanut butter and with sour milk, made cottage cheese. I
used rusty canned goods. Every piece of leftover food or soap was saved.
We never threw anything out that could be used. Plastic containers were
accumulated and left on a log in the bush for the multitude who had no
way to keep and store anything. 

I cannot give or sell the African artifacts. The antiques, the
wall-to-wall paintings, the hundreds of Depression glass pieces-my kids
want them, although they have no space for them now, and most likely
will sell them when I am gone. 

Don't get me wrong. I've had carport sales, sent a dozen pickup loads to
charities, donated to libraries and museums and given precious things as
gifts. Each time, I died the death of a thousand cuts. My mother's
scarves, my cowboy boots, handcrafted glass and pottery made by friends.
Each one a piece of my past, amputated with no anesthetic to ease the
pain.

I throw out one thing every day, five on my better days.

When I called The Red Cross and The Salvation army after Katrina, they
gave me a long list of items to buy new at Target. How dare they want a
person with nothing new to give only new items to people with nothing
left new or old. 
 
The most important thing I leave behind will be my writing projects.
Collected for each project, I have at least seven pieces of paper lined
up for this week in case it is a difficult one.

Downsizing? Bah, Humbug, is the third-place winning memoir selection in
the 2013 NFB Writers' writing contest.

Jacqueline (Jackie) Williams was born in Georgia during the Depression
and raised in a suburb of Chicago. After graduating from Syracuse
University, she taught P.E. in Spring Valley, NY. She moved with her
husband and young sons to Uganda for a five-year stint with USAID.
During this time, she travelled extensively in East Africa and Europe.
She began to write monthly reports on the adventures and experiences of
her family including climbing the Ruwenzories, and living through the
harrowing coup of Idi Amin. These are collected in a book entitled,
Lizard in the Bean Sauce, yet to be published. 

On returning to the United States, Williams taught at the San Carlos
Indian reservation, continued her formal studies in education, receiving
a Masters in Special Education from Arizona State University.
Post-graduate work led to administrative certification, and employment
in the Mesa Public Schools. Having long been interested in dance, prior
to retirement she transitioned to the position of Dance Coordinator
incorporating what she had learned about African dance along with folk
dance from around the world. 

After a series of personal tragedies, Williams returned to writing.
While an article writer for The 260 Review, she published four of her
mother's poetry books. In poetry, she found new ways of expressing joy,
dealing with trauma, and a path into a world of friendship and
connection with other writers. Writing actively helps Williams deal with
problems related to her hearing and visual difficulties.

Williams wrote this piece after being pressured to downsize her "stuff"
from a friend and an aide. She attended a workshop on Downsizing offered
by a professional who offered her a free consultation. They were both
traumatized.

Thus began her parody for herself and her belongings. The consultant, in
turn, admitted that Williams is not a hoarder, but someone with too many
irons in the fire in need of prioritizing and organizing.

Williams sent this to her, and She thought it hilarious. She publishes a
newsletter on her website and asked to use it. Williams said, "For ten
cents a word," thinking that the consultant would put it toward her fee.
That was the end of that.

Readers can await her sequel to this about her progress, the new set of
rules Williams has developed, and a description of her five new
projects.

 
Three Great Reads: Introducing the 200 Word Review
By Chris Kuell

As a passionate reader, I'm always looking for book recommendations from
family, friends, even strangers at the bus station. More often than not,
someone will say, "I just read a great book, it was. something about a
holiday, Christmas I think, buy a guy named O'Rourke, or O'Neil, or
O'Connor, or something like that." They might give a vague brushstroke
of what the book was about, or relay a quirkiness a main character
possessed, or they might simply state that it was 'a good book', and I
should simply take their word for it. 

My answer? No thanks.

In this issue of Slate and Style, I'll be launching my 200 Word Review
project. I'll tell you the exact title and author of the book, and then
review it in exactly 200 words. Why 200 words? We live in a fast-paced,
multi-tasking world, and I'm appealing to those who would like to know a
little about the plot/theme of a book and what I thought about it. They
don't want a detailed term paper or a comparison/contrast with 'War and
Peace'. I'm offering something between the blurb on the back of the book
and a NY Times book review. Please let me know what you think by
emailing me at: ckuell at comcast.net 

Tinkers by Paul Harding 
(DB7092, reading time 5 hours, 0 minutes)

George Crosby is dying. His body is riddled with cancer and his kidneys
are failing. His family has gathered around for his final days. As
George drifts in and out of consciousness, he remembers his childhood
and channels his father and grandfather.

All three of the Crosby men were Tinkers. When George's grandfather's
mind started to fade, he tinkered with lives, telling his parishioners
that the devil might not be "all that bad".

George had repaired clocks, fascinated by the gears and tumblers that
caused them to tick and chime, just as life ticks away each day.
George's father, Howard, however, was the true tinker, traveling the
countryside of rural Maine in his wagon, drawn by his ancient mule,
selling various household items. He repaired things, cut a man's hair,
pulled a dead child from a river, and yanked a bad tooth. 

Tinkers is literary fiction, and some will find it a difficult read.
Harding uses a unique stream of consciousness style, and the detailed
descriptions are evocative and steeped with symbolism. Howard's
seizures, preceded by a lightning aura, are worth reading more than
once. Tinkers shows that, in the end, we are all dying and being
transformed, every day.

The Round House by Louise Erdrich
(DB 75641, reading time 10 hours, 41 minutes)

In the summer of 1988, a woman on a reservation in North Dakota is
attacked. Geraldine is traumatized and reluctant to reveal details of
what happened. Frustrated by the lack of progress on the case,
Geraldine's thirteen-year-old son Joe sets out with his friends to seek
revenge, beginning at the Round House, a sacred place of worship for the
Ojibwa. 

Erdrich is superb at making the reader feel what it's like to be a boy
on a North Dakota reservation. Here's an excerpt about the summer
powwow:

They had coolers - one stuffed with sandwiches, pickles, tubs of baked
beans, blocks of commodity cheese. The other was full of hot dogs and
cold fried rabbit. Soon, around the camp, Suzette and Josey's married
children started pulling up in their low-slung old cars. When the car
doors opened, the grandchildren bounced out like SuperBalls. They
gathered other children from neighboring camps and moved in a tornado of
whirling hair, chasing legs and pumping arms.

Life can be depressing, and yet there is happiness and hope. Joe's
grandfather, Mooshum, knows all the old ways of Indian life, and is a
great storyteller. The Round House is part mystery, part psychological
thriller, and a great read.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd 
(DB 55533, reading time 10 hours, 16 minutes)

Set in racially divided, 1964 South Carolina, The Secret Life of Bees
details the journey of a young girl's understanding of life.

Lily Owens is fourteen, and believes she accidentally killed her mother
when she was four. Her cold, harsh father does nothing to dissuade this
belief.

Rosaleen is their black servant, Lily's friend and stand-in mother.
After Rosaleen is arrested and beaten, Lily helps her escape. Together
they follow the trail of Lily's mother. They are taken in by three
eccentric, black sisters. Lily is fascinated by their secret world of
bees and honey, and of the Black Madonna who presides over the household
of strong, wise women. 
 
Kidd's writing voice is powerful and compelling as displayed in the
following excerpt:

At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed
through the cracks of my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room,
making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzzz that hummed along my
skin. The way those bees flew, not even looking for a flower, just
flying for the feel of the wind, split my heart down its seam.
 
This is a story about women with extraordinary gifts, especially
forgiveness and coping with loss, and it's one of my favorite novels.

 
Seven Steps to use in the development of a writing project
By Lynda McKinney Lambert

.	Step 1: BRAINSTORM

Brainstorm for ideas before you begin writing. 

This is not just vaguely thinking about something, it is about taking
concrete steps towards your writing goal.

When you Brainstorm, you will look for an idea, a thought, word, quote,
a thing. Write down some things that are meaningful to you. This is your
essay and you want to express what is on your mind via the writing
project.
You can begin with only one word that comes into your consciousness.

Question: How will you BRAINSTORM for your central theme?

This can be done a number of ways. It can be very complex; it can be
quite simple.

 One very good approach is to make a list very quickly. Use your
intuition and begin writing. Don't stop to think about what you are
writing, just let those fingers fly and make a list.

Once you complete this quick list, sit back and look over your list,
reading several times until something really pops out at you. There may
be a number of things on your list that will later become a story, poem,
or essay. But for now, you will just choose one item from your list.
This selected item will be your central theme for your work.

.	Step Two: SELECT your topic and Write One Paragraph.

To SELECT YOUR TOPIC, choose one idea from your Brainstorming List and
write one paragraph. Use that word or idea and write a very short
paragraph with it.

After you have written one paragraph, put it aside. On a new sheet of
paper, write another first paragraph. Develop a number of ideas as
possibilities to pursue. You will make a number of first paragraphs and
each of your first paragraphs will be on a separate piece of paper.

You have now created some possibilities to pursue. Select just one of
those first paragraphs to be used in your new piece of writing.

Some writers use a cluster chart for this step. Since cluster charts are
visual charts you map out, they may not be blind-friendly, but If you
can create a cluster chart, it will work very well for you.

This kind of exploration begins by putting your one idea into a circle
in the center of the page. Then, begin working out from that central
idea, putting down a paragraph, sentence, or thought into another circle
that has been connected to your first one. When I could see visually,
this is how I did it. Now, I do it by making the list I have outlined
above. It works just the same and I can do it on the computer.

If creating a cluster chart, I would take each of the clusters, and
write one paragraph for each of them on a separate sheet of paper. This
would give me my assortment of possibilities from which I will begin my
work.

.	Step Four: Adopt a Persona.

Think about who will be speaking in your essay. Ask yourself, who is
telling this story? Why is it this person? What will you accomplish by
choosing to write in this person's voice? Consider all your options
here, and be sure you understand exactly what you will accomplish by
using this particular persona.

.	Step Five: Think about the mood you want to create in the essay.
How will you capture it?

Question: How will you create images to capture the mood? 

It can be helpful to observe how published writers create a mood. Take a
look at material with a mood similar to what you hope to achieve. Read
carefully, and as you read, be aware of the mood in each of the works.

Look for ways that you can feel that mood as you read the work. This can
help you when figuring out how you will do it in your own writing. Mood
can be created by giving characters a voice, writing good descriptions
of a place or a room; by using symbols that create images for the
reader, by descriptions of weather, lighting, music, art works, smells,
sounds, tactile elements, etc.

.	Step Six: Write a THESIS STATEMENT into the first paragraph of
your essay.

This important step is often the one that fledgling writers fail to do.
It's the one step that can't be skipped. 

Your thesis statement is typically written in the very first paragraph
in almost all writing projects. That first paragraph will be a stepping
stone into the rest of your story. If it is not there, you have left
your reader lost at sea. 

Once again, It would be good to read a few works resembling the one you
plan to write. In each of them, look for that Thesis Statement. Practice
the art of recognizing a thesis statement when you begin to read. Look
for a statement that expresses one clear goal in the first paragraph of
an essay.

Visit this site for more information on creating a thesis statement:
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml

.	Step Seven: Write out THREE GOALS or MAIN POINTS you wish to
convey in your essay.

In a way, this will be your road map. Your three goal statements will
give you a clear idea of where you want to go with this writing project.
This step will keep your writing focused. If you can clearly identify
your three goals before you write, it will help get you to your
destination.

Pennsylvania artist and writer, Lynda McKinney Lambert, has been
involved in arts and literature since she was a young child. She is the
author of Concerti: Psalms for the Pilgrimage, published by Kota' Press.
Her research projects have been published in two books authored by Terry
White of Kent State University. She has traveled extensively giving
lectures and presentations on her research during academic conferences
across the US. She served as a Pennsylvania Scholar for the Pennsylvania
Humanities Council and delivered multi-media presentations on writers
and artists. 

As Professor of Fine Arts and Humanities at Geneva College, she created
a Germanic Culture Program, taking students to Europe every summer. She
taught art and writing courses in Austria, Germany, Italy, Czech
Republic, and England. She developed a cross-discipline course in Puerto
Rico culture, taking students to Puerto Rico every year for studies. 

On campus, she created and taught courses in English Literature;
Writing; Studio Arts; Humanities; and Art History during her career.

Lambert currently develops art exhibitions of her work, and she has
participated in over 300 exhibitions in the US, New Guinea, Europe, and
Japan. She has received more than 100 awards for her art works. Lambert
was selected by the US Department of State to represent America in the
Art in Embassies program.

She is currently developing a two person exhibition with another blind
artist for a show that will focus on visualization and vision by blind
artists.

She continues to write daily and is working on a series of essays for a
book.

 
Pin the Sale on this Donkey
By Janet Parmerter-DiNola

Being visually impaired since the age of nine, I've adjusted to most
situations with a grain of salt. well, maybe more accurately said, I've
adjusted with a pound of humor.

At first glance, I don't look disabled, according to most people. Often
I get the comment, "You look so normal." I'd like to ask what exactly
does normal look like?

Working in New York city as a runway model, I hid my vision loss for
years. I would say my secret was well kept evident by the fact I never
fell off a runway or walked through the mirrors. It's possible I didn't
fit the stereotypical idea of a blind person with dark glasses and a
white cane. If people had known I couldn't see, I'm sure whispers would
have ran rampant.

Many times I laughed to myself, imagining cynical comments like, "A
blind model? Get real. that would NEVER happen," or, "Come on, who'd
hire her, The 'Love Is Blind' poster people?"

Years later, in an effort to achieve independence, I attended a training
facility for the visually impaired in Denville, New Jersey. I received
intensive training using screenreading software as well as other
technology designed for the blind. One of the best tools I was given was
what I've nicknamed my wonderful walking wand, which is a simple folding
white cane with a red tip. These canes are widely used by the blind and
visually impaired.

True, it was small in size, but it represented a huge mental obstacle
for me. To begin using this cane in public, I had to jump a few
self-imposed hurdles though.

The first hurdle was fear. Walking alone in New York, I felt having a
cane made me an easy target and I imagined it screamed to muggers, "Here
I am, come get me."

The second and biggest hurdle was my vanity. It was very, very humbling
for me to use my cane in public.

At first, I felt somewhat embarrassed unfolding it. Often I left it in
the car, or kept it folded under my arm while walking arm-in-arm with a
friend. Each time my friend Kim saw me without it, she firmly
questioned, "Janet, where's your cane?" Over and over she asked the same
question until my embarrassment waned. Now, together with my red tipped
white knight, we have won my independence. 

Since January 2000, I've felt an enormous weight lifted off my
shoulders. I feel free now navigating the twists and turns of life's
paths. Just a simple tap, tap, tap gives me this independence. However,
pryor to using it, since I never wore an "I can't see" sign, people were
unaware of how poor my vision actually was.

Accomplishing ordinary tasks like greeting friends created unpleasant
issues. Hearing a familiar voice, I'd happily say hello to that friend.
However, minutes later, if they passed me without speaking, I'd walk
right by them and not say a word. Friends thought I deliberately ignored
them, as if I were walking around with my nose in the air, not
acknowledging their presence. If I passed without a smile and hello,
some called me stuck-up and rude. Some even accused me of feeling
superior to them while living in my own little world. Sadly, these
friends never knew my seemingly distant attitude was because I really
didn't see them. 

How could they know I spent every second analyzing my surroundings? How
could they know I was hiding my visual impairment out of embarrassment?
How could they understand any of this when, as a teenager, I didn't
understand it myself?

In an effort to mask my vision loss, I'd scrutinize forms, colors, sizes
and use contrast in order to pretend I knew what was happening around
me. My life was like a huge mental puzzle that had hundreds of pieces,
with someone adding new bits to the complex puzzle every minute. For me,
everyday happenings were enormous difficulties that I patiently learned
to deal with.

Take for example shopping. The average person loves to shop, but I
detested it. It truly was the nightmare of my life. It was a major
chore, right up there with pairing and folding socks. Searching for
correct aisles, finding sizes, matching colors, styles, prices; oh my,
just thinking about it made me groan.

And even worse, I've had some unscrupulous cashiers return change for a
lesser bill than I gave them. Whether intentional or not, this problem
was a major addition to my why I hate shopping list. After dealing with
this situation one-to-many-times, I discussed it with my doctor, Eleanor
Faye. She gave a quick fix, which is to fold the bills. Immediately I
decided to give a five dollar bill a left diagonal fold, a ten a right
diagonal fold, a twenty dollar bill a horizontal fold and leave one
dollar bills unfolded.

Last, but not least, at the top of my why I hate shopping list was
coping with difficult sales people who refuse to believe I couldn't see.
Since I didn't use a cane, which could have identified me as visually
impaired, and didn't "look" blind, often, sales persons neglected to
help me find an item or tell me its price.

While shopping, there were many, many occasions when I requested
assistance shopping or to have a price read to me, and I'd receive
insensitive remarks like, "Why don't you just wear your glasses?" or,
"That's in aisle number-" or, "It's right over there." Or the comment I
heard most often, "The price is right there on the ticket. Put on your
glasses." I would explain that I was visually impaired, but more often
than not, I was considered to be lying, or on one occasion, accused of
being too vain to wear my glasses.

Now with all the above seemingly useless information, you will easily
understand the shocking main point of this pin the sale on this donkey
story.

While attending a New York ski show at Rockland Community College, I
passed a long rectangular table where ski pins were being sold. The cute
pins were lined up neatly in straight rows, like little tin soldiers.
One pin caught my eye, and upon closer examination, I noticed its logo
was "I Love Skiing." What made the pin so adorable was how the logo was
formed with two skis crossing through a red heart with the words I love
skiing around the outside of the graphic. Being an avid skier, I decided
to buy a few pins.

Picking one up, I asked the salesman the cost. Sadly, I received a
familiar response as the salesman pointed to a sign with the price and
walked away. I looked around to no avail for my friend, hoping she would
read me the price and I'd be done with this guy. No chance.

Standing in front of his table, I was alone with only my thoughts and
the desire to walk away. Before I turned to leave, I heard my mother's
voice rush into my mind like a roaring avalanche, "Be assertive, tell
them you can't see. Don't let them do that to you."

I realized she was right. I needed to stand up for myself. Okay, Mom,
this one is for you.

Firmly planting my feet, I waited until he walked by, cleared my throat
and said in a mild voice, "I'm sorry I can't read that, I am visually
impaired. Can you please tell me the price of this ski pin?" He picked
up the price tag, laid it on the bridge of my nose then put it down and
walked away to help someone else. Stunned, I couldn't believe how brash
he was. He was absolutely the rudest sales person I'd EVER met. Quickly
folding my arms in protest, I decided I wasn't going anywhere until he
came back.

As soon as I heard him approach me, I called out then said, "I STILL can
NOT read it even that close. The print is much too small. Can you just
tell me how much is the ski pin?"

He whipped around and pointed to the price on a large poster board with
bigger words then disappeared as fast as he came.

Shocked at his insensitivity, I was more determined than ever to stand
my ground. Abruptly I called him back and in a terse manner repeated, "I
know that sign has large print, but I still can't see it over there.
Now, just tell me how much the pin is."

With one swift motion, he reached behind himself, picked up the poster,
plopped it down directly in front of me right on top of all the pins and
took off to help someone else.

For the first time in my life, I was SPEECHLESS. As my frustration
soared, I felt my blood pressure shoot up and my cheeks burned with both
embarrassment and anger.

Thankfully, at that moment I was distracted by a man who appeared
alongside me. He grabbed a pin, tossed a bill on the table and briskly
walked away. At the risk of looking like a thief, I picked up the bill
he threw on the table, closely examined it, and realized it was a one
dollar bill. Reaching into my pocket, I plucked out another dollar,
threw both our bills on the table, grabbed my own pin, turned in a huff
and stomped away.

Moments later I found the friend I'd come with. Completely irritated, I
related the entire experience.

When I finally took a breath and steam stopped shooting from my ears,
Sylvia asked me where I bought the pin. Turning around, I pointed to the
table at the end of the aisle.

For a few moments, she stared at the table in silence, dropped her head
to her chest, closed her eyes, and shook her head slowly from side to
side. To my shame and horror, she softly moaned, "Janet, all the signs
say, 'WE ARE DEAF MUTES. Can YOU PLEASE MAKE ANY DONATION TO OUR DEAF
ASSOCIATION.'"

My mouth dropped open, I was mortified. The first time I attempt to be
REALLY assertive, the salesperson turns out to be MUTE. Thanks, Mom. So
much for being assertive.

What are the odds of a blind skier unintentionally harassing a deaf
salesman? It really could be said he did pin that sale on the donkey,"
and that foolish donkey was ME.

More than likely he was able to read lips, and at some point he realized
I couldn't se. That would explain why he kept hoping a closer or bigger
sign would inform me he couldn't speak.

Honestly, he must've been just as frustrated as me. Throughout the years
I've imagined him telling his side of the ironic situation. Laughing, I
can picture him signing his side of the story, telling friends about
this crazy blind girl.

Pin the Sale on this Donkey won an honorable mention in the 2012 NFB
Writers' contest in the memoir category.

After high school, Janet Parmerter-DiNola worked as a runway, showroom
and hair model in New York City from 1969 to 1984. For the past 33
years, she has been a travel agent and tour escort with Illinois
International Travel and ParmerTours. She strives to give her clients an
educational and entertaining vacation.

With a passion for skiing, people, history, geography and language, she
developed a career in in-group travel. For individuals desiring a
personalized Italian adventure, Parmerter-DiNola customizes escapes in
the village of Castel Cellesi, then organizes specialized day trips to
other cities.

Since 1982, she has also been a volunteer Bible teacher. Along with her
volunteer schedule and professional work, she cares for her 83-year-old
mother and her 90-year-old aunt. Her life is NEVER uneventful with all
the above along with her daughter, son-in-law, stepsons, six
grandchildren, grand bulldog, snuggly cat and her supportive though
often overwhelmed husband, Keith.

Life is a challenge, and to stay positive, Parmerter-DiNola tries to
find a touch of humor in each situation. She likes to prove the accuracy
of the expression Life is often funnier than fiction.

Generally, shopping is a fun past time, but it can be a formidable
challenge for someone visually impaired. Thus, in life or while
shopping, had she pushed aside her vanity and fear to use a white cane,
she could have avoided numerous problems like the one detailed in this
essay. Still, many times some lessons, which she had to learn the hard
way, ended up with a positive conclusion.

Ironically, the ENDING of this true story must be labeled my most
humorous disaster.

 
Editor's Note: Finding the Color in Your World
By Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter

Spring is finally in the air, and Slate & Style and NFB Writers
continues to flourish. We continue to grow and challenge our many
talented members and contributors.

During February, Lynda McKinney Lambert posted poetry by
African-American poets to Stylist. We were exposed to many great poets,
some familiar, some not. We appreciate Lambert's efforts to expose us to
a myriad of talented poets during February.

April was National Poetry month, and once again, Lynda McKinney Lambert
led the way in encouraging Stylist members to create poems. Many of us
non-poets tried our hand at the craft, and the list ended up with solid
posts. Thanks to all of those who participated.

We also learned about fan fiction from members who indulge in this
growing and unique genre. I posted information about fan fiction to the
listserve as well. You can learn more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_fiction.

A writing prompt was posted to Stylist encouraging list members to
attempt fantasy. We had a decent response to the prompt. Fiction and
poetry posts entertained us as we were challenged by this prompt
especially those of us who do not typically write fantasy.

NFB Writers is hard at work preparing for the 2013 NFB national
convention in Florida, July first through 6th. Writers events and the
annual business meeting will be held. For more information, visit:
https://nfb.org/national-convention.

And now we have news about Slate & Style.

After this spring issue, we will no longer offer a hard-copy print
format. The division has found it too costly to continue this version,
and most our readers request electronic formats already. We will still
offer hard-copy Braille and email as well as offering past issues on the
website. We hope this change doesn't inconvenience our readers, but in
order to shore up funds and run the division as efficiently as possible,
this hard-wrought decision was made.

We have very exciting news as well though. Slate & Style welcomes three
new team members to our magazine staff. Chris Kuell, Katherine Watson
and Robert Kingett come aboard as assistant editors.

We are excited about these editions, and readers will learn more about
each team member in our summer issue to be published in late summer.

With our new Slate & Style staff, we are working on goals for the
magazine. As we continue to grow and develop, we will keep the
readership informed. And of course, we always encourage reader feedback.
You can contact us at bpollpeter at hotmail.com.

We also need your submissions. We accept short fiction, poetry,
memoir/personal essays, book reviews and articles addressing various
topics and forms of writing. The submission guidelines can be found
towards the end of this issue of Slate & Style. Please read through the
guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not follow these guidelines
will not be considered.

That being said, we need your support through material to be published.
Submissions are accepted from January through September, and we are in
desperate need of material.

And as I leave you for now, I give you the following to ponder.

As the pastels of spring bleed into summer's bright, bold palette, I
encourage readers to find depth and color in their own writing.

On Stylist, we've discussed the use of color in our writing and how this
can impact a piece. How do you describe color? What terms do you use?
How important is the introduction of color to your own work?

Explore how color can deepen your writing, whether it be fiction,
poetry, nonfiction-find how it can broaden the most mundane writing.

This may be challenging especially for those who have never known color
in a visual format. How does your experience of color differ, and how
can you wield this unique perspective to your advantage?

I think finding the color in life is symbolic. Think outside the box;
color doesn't have to take on a literal meaning. When we move outside
our comfort zone, step out of that box, often we find inspiration that
brings depth to our writing.

So I bid you farewell for now but keep writing. Enjoy spring as the
world softens and buds, and Find new growth in your writing.

 
Slate & Style Submission Guidelines

Slate & Style is a quarterly publication of the Writers' division of the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB Writers). It is dedicated to
writing including literary pieces along with resources and information
about various writing styles. A majority of Slate & Style's contributors
are visually impaired, but we welcome submissions from any contributor,
professional or amateur. We also accept submissions touching on any
subject matter.

Slate & Style accepts short fiction, short creative nonfiction, poetry,
articles discussing and providing tips for various writing styles
including literary, technical, editing, public relations and academic,
literary criticism and resource information.

Subject matter is not limited though it will be up to the editor's
discretion to publish.

Slate & Style accepts material from adults and children. We prefer email
submissions. Please no hand-written or Braille submissions.

An annual subscription costs $15. The costs for an individual issue is
$5. Members of the Writer's Division receive issues free of charge. An
annual membership costs $10. Visit our website to pay via PayPal at:
http://www.nfb-writers-division.net, or contact us at newmanrl at cox.net
for other payment options.

We accept submissions from January first through September first. Please
give Slate & Style six weeks to hear back from us. All submissions are
considered for publication but not all pieces will be published. We may
keep submissions to be used for later publication. The editor may
respond with comments and suggestions, giving contributors an
opportunity to resubmit. Please be patient and wait the full six weeks
before contacting us about a submission.

Submissions are welcome at all times, however, 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, 4000 words or less, poetry, 39 lines or less.

.	Please send nonfiction, both articles and essays, and short
fiction submissions one selection at a time. You can submit up to three
poems at a time. Include bio and contact information for each submission
sent.

.	Include a title page along with your submission with author
name, title of piece and contact info-phone, email and address. Please
include this as an attachment and not in the body of an email.

.	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 should have a more academic approach. Don't just
state you liked it or not, and don't simply summarize a book. We are
seeking literary criticism. Address tone, format, style, character and
plot development and the over-all writing. The length for book reviews
is 700 words. Bios do not need to accompany 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.
Entries simply pasted into an email will not be considered.

.	In the subject line of your email, write: Slate & Style
submission, name, title and genre. EX: Slate & Style, Bridgit
Kuenning-Pollpeter, title of submission, genre.

.	Use Microsoft Word or create an RTF document for all
submissions. No other formats are accepted, and therefore will not be
considered. Please do not send hand-written or Braille submissions.

.	Proofread and check your grammar and formatting before
submitting. Submissions with too many errors will either be returned
with corrections to be made if you wish to resubmit, or it will not be
considered at all.

.	Slate & Style will consider all submissions for publication.
However, please be careful with graphic sexual and violent content as
well as language and anti-religious, anti-gender, anti-racial and
anti-homosexual orientation content. Characterization and plot often
require this type of material, but it must serve a purpose. Gratuitous
material with no purpose or meant only for derogatory reasons, will not
be considered, however, material will be published according to the
discretion of the editor.

Please direct questions and comments to Bridgit KuenningPollpeter at
bpollpeter at hotmail.com,.


 
NFB Writers' Division Critique Service

Have you just written your masterpiece? Finished that article you've
been working on? Completed a compelling memoir? Would you like a
seasoned writer to give you an evaluation of your material? 

The NFB Writers' Division has established a critique service. For $10,
you will receive a written evaluation for any of the following: 
.	Short story, max 3000 words
.	First chapter, or first 20 pages, of a novel
.	up to 3 poems, 36 lines or less per poem
.	Children's story, max 3000 words
.	First chapter of a Memoir, or first 20 pages
.	Nonfiction article, 20 pages max

The critique will contain feedback on the following:
.	Format
.	Mechanics
.	Overall quality

If interested, submit work as an email attachment using MS Word. Double
space and email to: 

Robert Leslie Newman, president, NFB Writers' Division
newmanrl at cox.net

Material may be submitted at any time. Critiques will be Emailed back
within 30 days from receipt of reviewer. We have a small pool of editors
available, so submissions may need to sit before an editor is free to
review.

The $10 fee can be paid via check or online. For checks, make out to:
NFB Writers' Division, and send to:
Robert Leslie Newman
504 S 57th St.
Omaha, NE 68106

For PayPal, visit the Writers' Division website at:
www.nfb-writers-division.net.

 
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.net.

.	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
504 S. 57th St.
Omaha, NE 68106

Do not send cash. Do not make your check out to an individual. Thank
you.




Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can
satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for
another world."
C. S. Lewis
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