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Around the Bloc
December 1, 2008– Eighth Issue
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1. Note from the Editors
2. The Editor’s Corner – Debra Weiss
3. Featured Article by Jamin Goecker
4. Devotional by Lydia Rule
5. Story by Ashley Weiss
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Psalm 90:9a
… we spend our years as a tale that is told.
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1. Note from the Editors
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As we look toward the end of the year many of us have established new writing goals. Those goals often sound like "this year I will get paid for my writing" or perhaps "be published X amount of times". But to be published, first we must find markets – just what this quarter’s newsletter is all about. J
Wishing you success in the New Year,
--Lydia Rule
--Debra Weiss
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2. Editor’s Corner
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Overlooked Markets
It’s easy to overlook certain writing markets. Writers can be so busy chasing the big fish that sometimes they miss the smaller but lucrative markets around them.
You can find these markets quite easily by just looking around your town or city.
Start by reviewing your local newspaper. Is there any event that wasn’t adequately covered? Or perhaps your local paper is riddled with typos, offer your services as a proofreader.
Another overlooked market is newsletters. Churches, support groups and even local businesses use newsletters. They’re an excellent way for you to get that first published clip and some valuable writing experience under your belt.
Website Copy – sure it’s not glamorous but it can pay well. When a client turned in the paragraphs for his website, I asked if I might rewrite them. He said "yes" and that turned into more copywriting opportunities.
So what are you waiting for? Go write for some overlooked markets!
Debra Weiss has been published in several newsletters and websites. In fact, it was through an "overlooked" market that she earned her first published clip. You can read more about her on her website (http://debraweiss.webs.com) .
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3. Featured Article- Jamin Goecker
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Finding Your Market
By Jamin Goecker
How many people want your writing? Everyone seems to say the places to be published are endless, but how do we find these mythical publications?
First of all, be on the lookout for opportunities to write. There’s a company in my town that puts on plays acted by kids. I saw an opportunity. I edited a script I’d written and submitted it to the lady who directed the plays, and she said she would use it for the kids to practice with. Bingo! There’s a credential.
You might feel you can’t find markets like others, but do you possess the tools everyone else has? The basic resource for finding outlets for your writing in the Christian market is Sally Stuart’s Christian Market Guide. Also, don’t underestimate the internet. Many publications have websites and they might post articles; perfect if you’re studying their style.
Become a stalker. What I mean by that is find someone who is interested in your field of expertise (romance, sci-fi, news articles, how-to pieces, etc.) and note where they publish their work. If they have a blog or a website, that also might be a good place to discover great information.
There are people who are going crazy waiting for your writing, but you have to find them. Market hunting is perhaps the most tedious part of this industry, but with a little practice and bounce-back power, you can make it.
Bio: Jamin loves to write, and he loves traveling. He’s spent most of his life in the Midwest region, and his favorite place to live so far was Alaska. He enjoys running (when he doesn’t have shin splits), lifting weights, archery, paintball, writing, and volunteering at a local outreach ministry. He’s considering becoming a missionary, or a full-time writer.
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4. Devotional by Lydia Rule
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Renovation
By Lydia Rule
Right now, my family and I are in the process of renovating our new house—painting walls, rebuilding the kitchen, laying down carpet, and of course, touching up all those little stains and spots along the way. It is amazing what two or three coats of paint can do to a stain—suddenly it vanishes like magic.
But it’s still there.
It hasn’t left our house.
It’s just waiting for the paint to wear off after a few years.
I do the same thing in my life… I find some little sin or stain and I cover it over with a happy smile, hoping no one will see what’s underneath. I try to convince myself that if I bury something deep enough, it won’t resurface. And at first, my life looks so perfect—without mark.
But my sin is still there.
It hasn’t left my heart.
And it’s just waiting, biding it’s time before it creeps back out for everyone to see.
God is the Master Renovator of our lives… He alone knows how to remove those spots completely and without a trace. If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us
(I John 1:9). We can’t cover those little dark spots and blemishes on our own. All we can do is paint over them. God can totally erase them.
So which contractor will you give your life to? God, the Master Renovator? Or yourself? Only one person can get the job done right (hint: it isn’t you!!).
Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Bio: Lydia Rule is discovering the joys of renovating. She has learned that after you are done painting a ceiling, you can easily wipe off all those paint dribbles on your glasses. In addition, she has discovered that home decorating shows make things look easier than they actually are. For more helpful home tips, please ask someone else (preferably an expert).
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5. Story by Ashley Weiss
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Monday, December 9th 2006
Chandler, High School Arizona
Jade jammed her books in her backpack and sauntered over to Frank’s locker. "Jeremy hasn’t been in school lately."
"Yeah, he doesn’t come to school anymore." Frank said closing his locker door.
"Why not?"
"Because he thinks he knows everything that he needs to know already." Frank scoffed buttoning his senior jacket.
"Frank, after school, I’m going to see him. Care to join me?"
Frank shrugged. "I guess."
"He’s our friend. He’s been our friend since the first grade. It’s not like him to just drop all contact with us." Jade said. "We need to help him."
"Maybe he doesn’t want to be helped."
"Frank…"
"I’ll see you after class." He said and ducked into senior homeroom.
* * *
Jeremy stood to answer the door.
"Jeremy, hi." Jade said.
Jeremy ran his fingers through his hair. "Hey, come in."
They stepped in and looked around.
Jeremy’s living room smelled of damp clothes and detergent.
The walls were bare, he had boxes in one corner of the room, and his television set was gone.
Jeremy fiddled with his class ring, first taking it off, then sliding it back on.
"Are you okay? You seem jumpy." Jade said.
"Me?" Jeremy asked. "Yeah, I’m fine."
The light glistened on the drops of sweat gathering on his forehead.
"Look, I don’t mean to be too forward, but why aren’t you at school?" Frank demanded.
Jeremy shrugged and looked over his shoulder as though he was waiting for someone. "Yeah, about that I uh…"
Jade sighed. "Jeremy are you sure you’re all right?"
Jeremy shrugged again. "Yeah." He stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorframe.
"Can I sit down?" Jade asked.
"Maybe you’d like to sit in the kitchen?" Jeremy asked nervously. "Yeah, come on. The kitchen’s probably the cleanest room."
"I’m fine here." Jade said and walked over to the couch.
"But…"
"Dude you still have dirty clothes on your couch?" Frank asked.
Jeremy shrugged nervously. "I’ll umm…I’ll get to them later."
"I’ll get them."
"Actually, if I don’t leave them there then I won’t remember them and then I won’t get around to doing them." Jeremy babbled.
She moved toward the clothes, wrinkling her nose at the dirty socks and shirts.
"It’s okay, why don’t I put these away? You still have your laundry room right?"
"Look, I'll get to them later." Jeremy said taking a step toward her.
"It's okay." She said and picked them up revealing a dark bloodstain.
She took a couple of steps backward.
"Jeremy?" Frank asked.
Jeremy swallowed. "That oh I…" He closed his eyes and fiddled with his class ring.
He dropped it his hands shaking.
Frank took a step back. "Jade, we might want to get out of here."
"Guys no, it was just a mistake." Jeremy started.
"Come on." Frank said.
Jeremy took a step toward Jade. "No listen to me."
Frank stepped in between the two of them. "Back off."
"No Frank, it’s not what you think." Jeremy said.
"Then what is it? You’d better explain quickly." Frank said.
"I umm…well it’s just that…" Jeremy stuttered.
"That’s it." Frank said and grabbed onto Jade’s arm. "We’re leaving."
"I had to do it! He had to be taken care of." Jeremy tried.
Frank reached for the door handle.
"Look, I was going to tell the police but I backed out at the last second." Jeremy babbled quickly. "I didn’t mean to kill him."
"Who was he?" Frank demanded.
"I don’t even know." Jeremy said slinking away from them and sitting down on his couch opposite the bloodstain. "It was a complicated night."
"Yeah?" Frank pushed.
"I really don’t want to talk about this right now." Jeremy said.
"I bet you don’t want to tell us. It’s more convenient to hide things under your rotten laundry!"
"Jeremy you’ve got to tell us everything. I’m worried about you." Jade said her warm eyes filling with tears.
Jeremy took a deep breath. Jade’s compassion weighed heavily on his already overburdened conscience.
Jeremy sighed. "He wouldn’t give me the money. He wouldn’t let me wait one more day, I was desperate."
"So you took someone’s life to spare yours?" Frank demanded.
"I didn’t have a choice!" Jeremy yelled and stood.
"You could have thought of another solution!" Frank yelled. "Killing someone wasn’t the only way."
Jeremy sighed.
"Where’s the body?" Frank demanded.
"I don’t have it, if that’s what you’re wondering." Jeremy said feeling defensive.
"Jeremy, you’ve committed a murder, you disposed of the body somehow.." Frank told him.
"I don’t have it." Jeremy confessed.
"Yeah, I got that memo. But where is it?"
"I don’t know anymore, it’s in a dumpster." Jeremy said and shrugged.
"Jeremy, you know that that means the police could probably find it." Frank said.
"But nothing points me to the crime." Jeremy said.
"Except that stain on your couch…and what we know." Jade whispered softly her body shaking.
"Why’d you kill him?" Frank demanded.
"I already told you guys, I needed the money, and he wouldn’t give it." Jeremy said.
"But, that doesn’t make any sense, it’s just…" Frank broke off and shook his head. "It’s not like you."
"Look, I got involved in some poker bets, that I couldn’t meet. I got in way over my head. It’s not a big deal." Jeremy said.
"Apparently, it was to the man you killed." Frank said.
"Well I didn’t know what to do. I was running out of options." Jeremy said.
"I hate to tell you this Jeremy but when the police find out, you’ll be in trouble." Frank said.
"Thanks. I know that." Jeremy said.
"The fact that you killed someone doesn’t leak into your subconscious at all?" Frank demanded.
Jeremy shrugged. "I guess not."
"Jade maybe we should leave." Frank said.
"Frank it’s okay. I trust him." Jade said her eyes locking onto Jeremy’s. "The real Jeremy, the one we know and love, will do what’s right. I know he will."
"Fine. How’d you kill him?" Frank asked.
"If you’re looking for pointers don’t ask." Jeremy snapped.
"I wasn’t." Frank argued. "Just tell me how you did it."
"Why?" Jeremy demanded.
"Because, I think I ought to know." Frank said.
"Why, so you can kill someone?" Jeremy asked.
"No, I’m not you." Frank said coolly.
"Frank." Jade said.
Jade always came on warmer to Jeremy then Frank did.
As for Frank, he was always very quick to get his point across, whether it involved bulldozing over someone’s feelings or not.
She glanced at him and he seemed to relax.
She turned to Jeremy. "I think you need to turn yourself in."
"What?" Jeremy demanded. "I can’t do that, do you know what the law does to murderers?"
"Yes, but it’s better on the murderer, if they confess." Frank said.
"I can’t tell anyone." Jeremy said. "I’ll go to jail."
"At least you won’t die. Like that man." Frank replied.
"But, I…" Jeremy started.
"What’s his name?" Frank asked. "The man that you killed."
"Luke somebody." Jeremy said.
"I can’t believe you killed him." Jade said and took a step closer to him.
Jeremy sighed. "I know I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry."
"Don’t apologize to me, apologize to his family." Jade replied.
Jeremy swallowed. "They’re not going to want to see me."
"You need to turn yourself in." Frank said.
"I told you, I can’t." Jeremy said.
"How are you going to live with yourself for the rest of your life?" Frank demanded.
Jeremy sighed. "I don’t know okay? I was drunk when I did it."
"Oh so that makes it okay?" Frank yelled.
Jeremy rose to his feet suddenly. "I didn’t say it was okay!"
Frank took a deep breath. "Well, you certainly weren’t about to turn yourself in."
Jeremy shrugged. "I will in time."
"Do you think God’s happy with what you did?" Jade asked suddenly.
Jeremy turned to look at her. "What?"
"Do you think He’s happy with what you did?" Jade asked and stood.
"Well," Jeremy started.
"Don’t you think, he’d like you to make this right by turning yourself in?" Jade asked.
"But I---"
"I know it’s going to be hard Jeremy, but it’s the right thing to do." Jade said.
"Yeah, and if you don’t guilt will eat at you." Frank added.
Jeremy sunk down on to the floor. "I know…I just…I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do this."
"Come on." Jade said. "We’ll walk you to the police station."
Jeremy stood.
Jade embraced him. "This is the right thing to do."
Jeremy pulled away. "I know."
A small tear ran out of the corner of his eye and he brushed it away.
* * *
Jeremy locked his door. "I don’t know what the point is of locking my door, the police are just going to come in to investigate anyway."
Jade smiled sadly. "It’s okay Jeremy, like we keep telling you, this is the right thing to do."
Jeremy nodded. "I just wish it were easier to do."
"It’ll get easier." Jade said.
Frank swallowed. "So, this is the last time we’ll be walking together anywhere."
Five- year-old Jade skipped down the road in front of the two boys. "I win!" She declared happily slapping her hand to the post office window.
"No fair you tripped me!" Frank yelled running up the walk.
"No she didn’t." Jeremy argued.
"You’re always sticking up for her." Frank said and glared at him.
Jeremy blushed and Jade giggled.
Jeremy looked at Jade and sighed sadly.
Jeremy nodded. "I wish I hadn’t killed him."
"We all have our regrets." Frank said.
"You’d better believe it." Jeremy said.
Jade stopped. "There it is. The Chandler Arizona Police Department." Frank said.
Jeremy swallowed and took a step back.
"It’s okay." Jade said.
Jeremy nodded.
"You want us to go in with you?" Frank asked.
"No, I need to do this alone. I don’t want you two being hounded with questions." Jeremy said and sighed. "Well, this is goodbye."
"For now." Jade breathed.
Jeremy embraced her one last time.
He pulled away and turned to Frank.
They shook hands and Jeremy turned to the police station.
"See you on the outside," Jeremy called over his shoulder.
He walked calmly to the desk. "I’d like to confess."
The woman behind the desk stopped typing on her keyboard and looked up at him with questions in her eyes.
"To murder."
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