Submission Call: Mark Gilroy

2. Cheer-Me-Up Book — Mark Gilroy Communications

* We're still taking submissions for our newest project, a fun, cheer-me-up book. We're looking for a mix of lengths and genres-stories, poems, inspirational essays and devotion-style Bible studies, how-to's, lists, activities, factoids, anything that will give the reader a little boost.
* Feel free to send in as many submissions as you'd like; we'll send a note when we're getting ready to close the book.
* Writer's guidelines:
* Stories should keep a sense of whimsy and lightheartedness, even when dealing with tough issues and difficulties. This will be a Christian inspiration book, but some portions of the material can and should be general life principles and humor.
* E-mail submissions are preferred: Send to Jessica and/or Mark. You can also send via post to: Mark Gilroy Communications; 6528 E. 101st St. Suite 416; Tulsa, OK 74133-6754.
* We'd like to keep stories below 1,000 words, though longish stories (800-1000 words) are more than welcome. Shorts are also welcome.
* Upon acceptance, we'll provide a gift of appreciation anywhere from $20 to $75, evaluating each piece based on length, etc.
* Please feel free to contact us with questions, comments, or ideas. 918-607-0069 (phone) / 918-298-0041 (fax) Email

Dee

Writing In the Spirit

A half hour ago I cranked out the first draft of my conversion scene short story for the faith*in*fiction contest. Okay, Mahalia (Mahalia Jackson is still singing in my ears.) We--my spirit and the Holy spirit--cranked out first copy of my short, Short.

How do I know this?

Before I began to devote all my writing to faith based I used to write anything(articles, fiction) for a particular subject. If I wanted to write something for Carriage House Review, I'd write something scary. For Arabella, romance. You know the spiel. Anyway...it would take me a while to find the atmosphere for my story. More time to visualize my main characters, and even more to get into my characters psyche. But when I write in the spirit it is almost as if I have been haunted. No. Possessed. Not with a character nor a demon or a ghost, but with the Holy Spirit. She has a story to tell that will work better than what I came up with. She has a story to tell that sounds so true I feel a chill run down the back of my arm. Girlfriend tells the story and God emerges from the shadows. She tells the story and by the time I'm done bamming the thing out on the computer I'm exhausted. I have to go and run through the house. Jump rope for about a minute. Or crank up Amerie's 1 Thing, or Coldplay's Speed of Sound. Both songs have had me on lock most of the summer. Then Mahalia puts me back in perspective. I'm thinking Mary Mary's Heaven might kick it up a knotch, though. Yeah. Heaven's the joint. It'll to take me through my high, so that I can come down and get back to writing.

Does this happen to you? I never became exhausted writing for just profit. What say you?

Dee

Prayer Requests 3 Men

Usually I don't do this, but I know I am on one accord with you.

My prayer requests:

My dad. David:
He had to go into the hospital last night. He lives in Valdosta, Georgia. He has an infection and a high fever and he's in a lot of pain. Also, pray for his spirit. My dad is a retired Marine, and since the war in Iraq he has had a lot of flashbacks. He's started drinking again and stopped going to church.

My boyfriend. Gaspard:
He started is final rounds of clinical this month. He is in grad school for respiratory therapy. During this time he works at the hospital twelve + hour shifts. It is our silent time. He gave me his new number to call him, and I lost it. God, have mercy. Pray I find it or he calls...soon.

My brother, my twin. David Vidal:
He is the chicken king of Georgia. Just left his four year plant manager gig at Tyson Chicken now he is a plant supervisor at Gold Kist chicken. This is what happens when you grow up feeding chickens before you go to school. I love Big Dave. Send me a case of chicken why don't you. He's going through a divorce. And I don't want him to do it. But it's almost done. Pray for his spirit. His old minister is his ex-father-in-law.

My sister-in-law, Shonda.
Shonda is an Airwoman(Serves in the Air Force.) Shonda, my step-brother Marc and their kids have been living at Daddy's, since the Hurricane. The baby had to be lifeflighted to Jacksonville. Pray for her recovery.

Kiondra.
She's still missing. We haven't heard from her, since last Monday. She went home to N'awlins to bring her family here to Atlanta. She's a church member at Saint Phillip.Pray for word from her.

For your inspiration. Mahalia Jackson has been singing Move on Up a Little Higher in my ear this morning. That's right. She lives. Hallelujah! Click on this site to hear what I'm hearing right now. http://www.emusic.com/album/10863/10863488.html

I have some exciting fiction news to talk about later. But now I have to work on my novel and the faith*in*fiction short story. I'm pulling double duty./

I want to throw my church handkerchief out(black southern church folk know you through the handkerchief when the preacher or the singer takes you a little higher) to my Sunday School Class at McKendree United Methodist in Lawrenceville: Jason,Jami, Andy, Kim, Darlene, Doug, John and Sweet Denise. They have came by and taken care of Selah when I was sick last week. Brought me a washer and dryer. And helped me look for my mother this weekend(I'm saving that story for another entry.)I am not a member of McKendree. I am the only African American in that class. I am the only Democrat in that class. And I am the only single parent in that class. But they treat me like a queen and Selah like a princess. God, Bless them.

Bless all of you. Listen to Mahalia. Congratulate Claudia and let's write on to see what the end's gon' be,
Dee

PS. Oprah's live in N'awlins today.