[stylist] Introduction

Wed Sep 2 14:41:29 UTC 2015

Jamie,

Welcome to Stylist and the Writers' Division.

I'm Bridgit and live in Omaha, Nebraska, which by the way, is the big city in Nebraska, smile. People always think I live in a farming community, and while farming towns are plentiful in Nebraska, not in Omaha, LOL! We are not New York City or even Chicago, but we are a city of one million with a huge arts community, not to mention we host the College World Series, Olympic swim trials and the Henry Doorly Zoo is in Omaha, which is one of the top five zoos in the country. So there's my plug for Omaha, grin.

I have a BFA in creative writing, my emphasis being creative nonfiction, which is essentially memoir/personal essay writing, but I also write fiction. I'm now pursuing my MFA in nonfiction writing. I have had a few memoir pieces published here and there. And I wrote a blog for the Omaha World Herald's Live Well Nebraska.com site until my son was born. Due to some medical situations at the time, I needed to focus solely on my son. He just celebrated his third birthday, and you would never know he had been a sick baby though, smile.

In terms of my fiction, I write literary fiction, though I secretly want to be a fantasy writer, LOL! I dabble, but none of my fantasy has been published, nor do I share it often. I tend to write with a lyrical voice, using a narrative form with my nonfiction. My fiction takes on many styles and voices though.

I also edit, and in addition to editing a couple of Federation publications in the past, I do editing on the side. I interned with a PR firm during college and continue to offer PR services as well. Mostly within the Federation, but I have done PR for a couple of other people and local businesses.

Like you, I'm the newly elected president for the Omaha Chapter of the NFB, and last year, I was elected to our state board. I enjoy using my writing and PR skills for the Federation.

Reading has always been a pastime for me. I did not lose my sight until I was 22, so I fortunately did not have to deal with the  egregious academic environment many blind students deal with. Nor did I have to deal with access to reading, or lack thereof, until 12 years ago. I read and write Braille, but due to a medical condition, it's not the most efficient way for me to read, so I rely a lot on JAWS and audio for reading. It can be more tedious, but I have learned to read and edit well with just JAWS, though I wish Braille worked better for me. I use it as much as possible though.

My son, Declan, is the love of my life, and I guess his daddy is too, ha-ha, but I also love to cook and bake, sing, attend the theatre and movies, be active and exercise in addition to reading and writing.

In another life, I studied vocal performance and theatre and dance, planning to work on the stage. When I went back to school in my late 20's, I decided to seek a second degree in creative writing. I do not perform anymore, but I have written about it.

Welcome to the list and look forward to getting to know you.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jamie Allison via stylist
Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2015 8:26 AM
To: Writers Nfb <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jamie Allison <goalgirl at bellsouth.net>
Subject: [stylist] Introduction

Hello, all.
I just got added to the list yesterday and wanted to introduce myself. My name is Jamie Allison and I am from upstate, South Carolina. I'm 41 years old, a former teacher, (not currently employed in the classroom due to some medical concerns, but still have my credentials) the president of my county NFB chapter and now a state board member. I have enjoyed reading practically ever since I can remember and have been writing on an doff since childhood. I didn't transition to Braille until around ten years ago, though I have been blind (with some partial but not always dependable eyesight) since birth. I am really trying to focus on my writing so that I might be able to start to get a few pieces published and maybe be able to make a name for myself as a writer. I am considering career options that I can do from home currently, such as free-lance writing or Braille transcriptions. I have had one article apiece published in the Braille Monitor and Future Reflections, which I am very honored about, especially given all the great writers who have been featured there. I also won first place in the category for childrens' fiction written by adults in the 2014 Writers' Division contest,which I was also thrilled about. I am currently enrolled in a Hadley course on poetry, which I am enjoying. I write in a variety of genres, including personal memoirs, essays, young adult fiction, childrens' fiction, and poetry. I am trying to be more active in the writers' division, though it hasn't worked out for me to attend the phone meetings lately. I'm hoping I can do better about fitting this into my schedule. I look forward to hearing from everyone on the list and sharing ideas about our writing!  Jamie Allison National Federation of the Blind - Cherokee Chapter President Lead Instructor, NFB BELL in SC The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can have the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back. To make a donation to the National Federation of the Blind Imagination Fund campaign, please visit www.nfb.org/ImaginingOurFuture.
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