Friday, December 23, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
An Amazing Journey
Scroll down to begin.
Wednesday, December 17
An Amazing Journey (Part 3 of 3)
By Donna Erickson
I phoned cousin Nora in Vancouver, British Columbia, surprised there was someone still alive who was my mother’s first cousin. I said, “I’m Philip Koven’s granddaughter, and she remarked, “Isn’t that amazing!!” Nora was 90 years old and not feeling very well. She put me in touch with her children and her nieces, and we began corresponding.
My cousin, Penelope, was thrilled to hear the news, as was my brother, Rob. We all began calling and e-mailing each other. After a few months, Nora was on the mend, and we began speaking regularly. Penelope spoke of taking a ferry from her hometown of Seattle to Vancouver Island for a visit. It was then that I realized I wanted to go, too! For me, it would mean flying across the country first. So, I began planning my trip and saving my money. We decided we would arrange a Labor Day weekend reunion.
The plan was to fly to Seattle and stay overnight with Penelope. Then we would take the ferry together to cross the border. Nora’s sister, Olive, had passed away in 1984. She had 3 children and 2 were living in Canada- Trudy and Andrea. Their brother, Michael, lives in Germany. Trudy offered to have me stay a few days with her and her husband, Doug.
I kept busy during the coming months planning all of the arrangements—flights, hotels, ferries, getting a passport, etc. When the time came, I was more than excited. That morning, a sedan from a limousine service picked me up to bring me to the airport. As we rode along the busy highway, heading to Logan Airport, the unthinkable happened. I remember screaming, “Oh, no!” as the sedan crashed into the vehicle in front of us. Two other cars had collided ahead of them, and there were four cars involved all together. A state policeman appeared at my window, asking if I were okay. I was banged up but felt all right. I found myself standing on the shoulder of the highway with the others involved. I felt crushed. As they continued to fill out reports and check licenses, etc., it all hit me. I realized I wasn’t going to make the trip I had planned all year. I made sure they realized I was supposed to catch a plane. First, they were going to try and send another vehicle to transport me. After getting the front hood to close on the sedan, the police officer said it would be okay for the driver to take me. It was only 10 minutes away.
Luckily, I had shipped out my luggage by UPS and didn’t have to check baggage at the airport. If I hadn’t taken that step, I never would have made it. When I arrived, the line was forming to board the plane. I couldn’t believe I made it.
The rest was a dream, come true. We had a magnificent reunion. I was running on pure adrenaline the entire time. Bruises appeared and I was sore, but I was having such a great time with my new family that I wasn’t focused on the pain. When I returned, I realized I did have some injuries—a sprained neck, back, ribs, and knee. But it was all worth it. I am about 90% healed now, after months of physical therapy and chiropractic treatment.
Nora celebrated her 91st birthday and continues to amaze me. I have been blessed with many new cousins who are all wonderful, warm, kind, and caring people. I have learned a lot about my family. With my new family members, I look forward to many happy years ahead.
--------------------------
Note From JewishGen:
Do you have a similar success story? We would love to publish it! Please send us a note by clicking here. Finally, please remember that a contribution to JewishGen will help ensure that many other people experience the same level of success as Donna. Please click here and donate to our worthy cause - it will make an immediate difference.
Posted by Guest Contributor at 12:21 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Donna Erickson, Success Story
An Amazing Journey (Part 2 of 3)
By Donna Erickson
One evening, something led me to the computer. I thought I would have one last try at www.jewishgen.org. I found a message board in the Discussion Group Archives I hadn’t seen before. After searching for Kowensky, a strange letter popped up. It had been posted a year earlier. I read with disbelief. The letter was written to my family. Nora was searching for us!
A copy of the letter appears below:
Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:57:56 -0700
From: Nora Jenkin
Subject: Re: Family of Philip KOWENSKY or Philip Kowen
I am researching the family of my father, Louis KOWENSKY, b. 8 May 1888, in Stalkliskes, Russia (now Lithuania). Louis and his brother Philip immigrated to North America, via Leeds, UK, some time in 1904. Louis came to Montreal but Philip went to Boston, MA, USA.
I do not know whether Philip went to Ellis Island or not. I do know that Philip married and I believe that her name was Sarah Levitt. I have a copy of her Application for Social Security which tells me that she was born 15 October 1893. According to Ancestry,com she died in 1971.
I have recently found some snapshots of her four children, Lillian Doris, possibly b. 1917-20; Alan Summer who was younger; Estelle Rita, also younger and Bobby who was the infant in the family.
Philip was, I believe, killed in a car accident when Bobby was a baby, or possibly just before his birth. Nothing much was ever told to me about my Father's parents, because he was afraid for their lives as he and his brother escaped from Russia when my father was only 15 or 16. I do not know if he was the eldest. My father lost contact with the American family after the death of Philip.
I would like any of Philip's children or grandchildren to contact me if they are interested in researching their family roots. They may know some things that I do not. I do have some information regarding the brothers and would be happy to share it with any family member who is interested.
Thank you for allowing me to use your services to post this notice.
Nora (Kowensky) Jenkin
As soon as I saw my mother’s name, Lillian Doris, I screamed. Then I cried. It was so emotional. It was a miracle...
To Be Continued
Posted by Guest Contributor at 12:16 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Donna Erickson, Success Story
An Amazing Journey (Part 1 of 3)
By Donna Erickson
About a year ago, I decided to act on an idea I had for quite awhile. I knew I had cousins living in Canada, but I didn’t have much information. All of the family elders were gone, so I was on my own—other than what my cousin Penelope could offer. I was on the east coast, and she was on the west coast with a three-hour time difference, so we were limited to e-mails and planned, long-distance phone calls. I informed her that I was about to begin searching for our family.
I began browsing around ancestry.com and took advantage of their free trial offer. As I set up my family tree on their site, I was fueled by a sense of excitement. Who knows where it would lead? I began posting requests in the forums, stating that I was searching for Koven relatives in Canada. My mother’s father, Philip, had emigrated from Lithuania. Tragically, he had drowned in a river, following a freak car accident. He had been a traveling salesman during the 1920’s. One icy day in November, while driving through New Hampshire, he skidded over a bridge and plunged into a river. My mother, the oldest of the children, was only four at the time, and my grandmother was expecting her fourth child. The news hit hard, and after that, nothing was quite the same for the Koven family.
A few people responded to my inquiries, and it was fun communicating with other Kovens, but none of them were my relatives. I kept coming upon listings for another deceased Philip Koven who had a living relative named Roger Fleishman. Roger had been at this for quite some time and was an expert at genealogical searching. He was a tremendous help. He located a listing in an old Boston directory that had my grandfather listed as Philip Kowen. This didn’t seem right to me, but I was open to exploring any possibilities. Roger asked if I had my mother’s birth certificate. He gave me the address for Philip Kowen in the directory. I rummaged through old papers and located the birth certificates of my mother and her sister, my Aunt Esther. Sure enough, the handwriting spelled out their last name as Kowen and the home address matched the one in the directory!
This was my first breakthrough, and I was ecstatic. There had been a name change I was unaware of my entire life. Apparently, after Philip died, my grandmother, Sadie, changed the spelling from Kowen to Koven. I wondered if my mother ever knew. She never mentioned it.
Roger Fleishman had “cracked the code,” and I now knew the correct spelling. The only information I had about my Canadian cousins was their names, Olive and Nora. They were Philip’s brother’s daughters. I didn’t know the name of my mother’s uncle, Philip’s brother. I realized if Nora or Olive had married—which was likely—that could be the end of the trail.
In the past, I would find myself Googling Olive Koven and Nora Koven in Canada, just to see what came up. Now I realized I had been using the wrong name. Once I began searching for Kowen (and Kowensky since I knew the family name had been shortened) I discovered something interesting. I located a record of the border passing of Louis Kowensky during the 1930’s. His wife was listed as Lillian, and there, in plain English, it read: daughters Olive and Nora. I couldn’t believe it. I now had validation that these were real people and not just names.
Roger suggested I also look on www.jewishgen.org, which was new to me. I spent hours weeding through the forums and postings but was slowly getting discouraged. I continued to respond to those who e-mailed me from ancestry, as well as those fromwww.jewishgen.org. This went on for months. I was ready to give up. I really believed it was a lost cause...
To Be Continued
Posted by Guest Contributor at 12:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Donna Erickson, Success Story
Wednesday, December 17
An Amazing Journey (Part 3 of 3)
By Donna Erickson
I phoned cousin Nora in Vancouver, British Columbia, surprised there was someone still alive who was my mother’s first cousin. I said, “I’m Philip Koven’s granddaughter, and she remarked, “Isn’t that amazing!!” Nora was 90 years old and not feeling very well. She put me in touch with her children and her nieces, and we began corresponding.
My cousin, Penelope, was thrilled to hear the news, as was my brother, Rob. We all began calling and e-mailing each other. After a few months, Nora was on the mend, and we began speaking regularly. Penelope spoke of taking a ferry from her hometown of Seattle to Vancouver Island for a visit. It was then that I realized I wanted to go, too! For me, it would mean flying across the country first. So, I began planning my trip and saving my money. We decided we would arrange a Labor Day weekend reunion.
The plan was to fly to Seattle and stay overnight with Penelope. Then we would take the ferry together to cross the border. Nora’s sister, Olive, had passed away in 1984. She had 3 children and 2 were living in Canada- Trudy and Andrea. Their brother, Michael, lives in Germany. Trudy offered to have me stay a few days with her and her husband, Doug.
I kept busy during the coming months planning all of the arrangements—flights, hotels, ferries, getting a passport, etc. When the time came, I was more than excited. That morning, a sedan from a limousine service picked me up to bring me to the airport. As we rode along the busy highway, heading to Logan Airport, the unthinkable happened. I remember screaming, “Oh, no!” as the sedan crashed into the vehicle in front of us. Two other cars had collided ahead of them, and there were four cars involved all together. A state policeman appeared at my window, asking if I were okay. I was banged up but felt all right. I found myself standing on the shoulder of the highway with the others involved. I felt crushed. As they continued to fill out reports and check licenses, etc., it all hit me. I realized I wasn’t going to make the trip I had planned all year. I made sure they realized I was supposed to catch a plane. First, they were going to try and send another vehicle to transport me. After getting the front hood to close on the sedan, the police officer said it would be okay for the driver to take me. It was only 10 minutes away.
Luckily, I had shipped out my luggage by UPS and didn’t have to check baggage at the airport. If I hadn’t taken that step, I never would have made it. When I arrived, the line was forming to board the plane. I couldn’t believe I made it.
The rest was a dream, come true. We had a magnificent reunion. I was running on pure adrenaline the entire time. Bruises appeared and I was sore, but I was having such a great time with my new family that I wasn’t focused on the pain. When I returned, I realized I did have some injuries—a sprained neck, back, ribs, and knee. But it was all worth it. I am about 90% healed now, after months of physical therapy and chiropractic treatment.
Nora celebrated her 91st birthday and continues to amaze me. I have been blessed with many new cousins who are all wonderful, warm, kind, and caring people. I have learned a lot about my family. With my new family members, I look forward to many happy years ahead.
--------------------------
Note From JewishGen:
Do you have a similar success story? We would love to publish it! Please send us a note by clicking here. Finally, please remember that a contribution to JewishGen will help ensure that many other people experience the same level of success as Donna. Please click here and donate to our worthy cause - it will make an immediate difference.
Posted by Guest Contributor at 12:21 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Donna Erickson, Success Story
An Amazing Journey (Part 2 of 3)
By Donna Erickson
One evening, something led me to the computer. I thought I would have one last try at www.jewishgen.org. I found a message board in the Discussion Group Archives I hadn’t seen before. After searching for Kowensky, a strange letter popped up. It had been posted a year earlier. I read with disbelief. The letter was written to my family. Nora was searching for us!
A copy of the letter appears below:
Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:57:56 -0700
From: Nora Jenkin
Subject: Re: Family of Philip KOWENSKY or Philip Kowen
I am researching the family of my father, Louis KOWENSKY, b. 8 May 1888, in Stalkliskes, Russia (now Lithuania). Louis and his brother Philip immigrated to North America, via Leeds, UK, some time in 1904. Louis came to Montreal but Philip went to Boston, MA, USA.
I do not know whether Philip went to Ellis Island or not. I do know that Philip married and I believe that her name was Sarah Levitt. I have a copy of her Application for Social Security which tells me that she was born 15 October 1893. According to Ancestry,com she died in 1971.
I have recently found some snapshots of her four children, Lillian Doris, possibly b. 1917-20; Alan Summer who was younger; Estelle Rita, also younger and Bobby who was the infant in the family.
Philip was, I believe, killed in a car accident when Bobby was a baby, or possibly just before his birth. Nothing much was ever told to me about my Father's parents, because he was afraid for their lives as he and his brother escaped from Russia when my father was only 15 or 16. I do not know if he was the eldest. My father lost contact with the American family after the death of Philip.
I would like any of Philip's children or grandchildren to contact me if they are interested in researching their family roots. They may know some things that I do not. I do have some information regarding the brothers and would be happy to share it with any family member who is interested.
Thank you for allowing me to use your services to post this notice.
Nora (Kowensky) Jenkin
As soon as I saw my mother’s name, Lillian Doris, I screamed. Then I cried. It was so emotional. It was a miracle...
To Be Continued
Posted by Guest Contributor at 12:16 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Donna Erickson, Success Story
An Amazing Journey (Part 1 of 3)
By Donna Erickson
About a year ago, I decided to act on an idea I had for quite awhile. I knew I had cousins living in Canada, but I didn’t have much information. All of the family elders were gone, so I was on my own—other than what my cousin Penelope could offer. I was on the east coast, and she was on the west coast with a three-hour time difference, so we were limited to e-mails and planned, long-distance phone calls. I informed her that I was about to begin searching for our family.
I began browsing around ancestry.com and took advantage of their free trial offer. As I set up my family tree on their site, I was fueled by a sense of excitement. Who knows where it would lead? I began posting requests in the forums, stating that I was searching for Koven relatives in Canada. My mother’s father, Philip, had emigrated from Lithuania. Tragically, he had drowned in a river, following a freak car accident. He had been a traveling salesman during the 1920’s. One icy day in November, while driving through New Hampshire, he skidded over a bridge and plunged into a river. My mother, the oldest of the children, was only four at the time, and my grandmother was expecting her fourth child. The news hit hard, and after that, nothing was quite the same for the Koven family.
A few people responded to my inquiries, and it was fun communicating with other Kovens, but none of them were my relatives. I kept coming upon listings for another deceased Philip Koven who had a living relative named Roger Fleishman. Roger had been at this for quite some time and was an expert at genealogical searching. He was a tremendous help. He located a listing in an old Boston directory that had my grandfather listed as Philip Kowen. This didn’t seem right to me, but I was open to exploring any possibilities. Roger asked if I had my mother’s birth certificate. He gave me the address for Philip Kowen in the directory. I rummaged through old papers and located the birth certificates of my mother and her sister, my Aunt Esther. Sure enough, the handwriting spelled out their last name as Kowen and the home address matched the one in the directory!
This was my first breakthrough, and I was ecstatic. There had been a name change I was unaware of my entire life. Apparently, after Philip died, my grandmother, Sadie, changed the spelling from Kowen to Koven. I wondered if my mother ever knew. She never mentioned it.
Roger Fleishman had “cracked the code,” and I now knew the correct spelling. The only information I had about my Canadian cousins was their names, Olive and Nora. They were Philip’s brother’s daughters. I didn’t know the name of my mother’s uncle, Philip’s brother. I realized if Nora or Olive had married—which was likely—that could be the end of the trail.
In the past, I would find myself Googling Olive Koven and Nora Koven in Canada, just to see what came up. Now I realized I had been using the wrong name. Once I began searching for Kowen (and Kowensky since I knew the family name had been shortened) I discovered something interesting. I located a record of the border passing of Louis Kowensky during the 1930’s. His wife was listed as Lillian, and there, in plain English, it read: daughters Olive and Nora. I couldn’t believe it. I now had validation that these were real people and not just names.
Roger suggested I also look on www.jewishgen.org, which was new to me. I spent hours weeding through the forums and postings but was slowly getting discouraged. I continued to respond to those who e-mailed me from ancestry, as well as those fromwww.jewishgen.org. This went on for months. I was ready to give up. I really believed it was a lost cause...
To Be Continued
Posted by Guest Contributor at 12:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Donna Erickson, Success Story
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Please take a minute to vote for me: To vote for your favorite author, simply visit The Authors Show 2011 Contest at http://ping.fm/ifBsR as the web page has now been updated with voting information.
In this second year of our "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" contest, show fans and the general public have the opportunity to vote for 113 finalists.
In this second year of our "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" contest, show fans and the general public have the opportunity to vote for 113 finalists.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
A Display of Testimonials
Here's what some recent clients have had to say:
Testimonials:
From a client who ordered my free report on Writing Tips:
Donna,
I can not thank you enough. This article was so succinct. This has really tightened up my current manuscript.
I certainly appreciate your help!
Gina
Editing Clients:
I LOVE IT....Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much
Kimberly Harris
Your expertise and kindness through this process were very appreciated and meant a lot to me.
Looking forward to working again in the future and excited to receive last chapter(Sammy The Snake) from you to progress to next level of this process for yoga book.(exciting stuff!!)
Renee Sherkness
author/educator/certified children's yoga instructor
Sometimes I experience writer's block and just cannot organize my thoughts. But primarily I use A Flair For Writing because Donna is the most conscientious individual I know. She always helps me present my best.
Jaisun McMillian
Author, Marketing Consultant
I am, of course, delighted with our ongoing collaboration. I have occasionally "teamed" with other writers and/or editors, but never have I found anyone as competent and thorough as you. Let's keep it up!! In haste, -- Lenny
Publishing Testimonials:
Thanks for your honest opinion and truthfulness, which is hard to find at a lot of places now days. It did a wonderful job on the video and I think that perhaps you are right in that it might be a little costly of an adventure for me right now. I didn't realize all the hurdles I would have to take as a new author. You really opened my eyes. Before I undertake publishing my book I need to research every avenue of marketing and publishing in order for my book to be a success as well as save up some more money.
I am so sorry for taking up your valuable time. It means a lot to me that you have helped me this much and may God bless you for your kindness in going out of your way to help a small fry like me.
Kind regards
Ricky
You know what, Donna? With all of the people in this industry that don't give a hoot about people, you keep doing you and staying true to yourself...my dear you just might become a publishing maverick. W. Granville Brown
Donna's work as a publisher is absolutely amazing!
She has the insight and understanding that an author needs to publish a book. A Flair for Writing gives the support an author needs to produce a top quality book. After searching for a publisher, I found A Flair for Writing and feel that I hit the jackpot. Donna has strong business ethics and with her honesty and integrity, which is rare in the business world today, she will guide the author to publish a book that is of outstanding quality. A Flair for Writing is the type of publisher any author needs to support them in their creative endeavors.
– DiDi
Testimonials:
From a client who ordered my free report on Writing Tips:
Donna,
I can not thank you enough. This article was so succinct. This has really tightened up my current manuscript.
I certainly appreciate your help!
Gina
Editing Clients:
I LOVE IT....Thank you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much
Kimberly Harris
Your expertise and kindness through this process were very appreciated and meant a lot to me.
Looking forward to working again in the future and excited to receive last chapter(Sammy The Snake) from you to progress to next level of this process for yoga book.(exciting stuff!!)
Renee Sherkness
author/educator/certified children's yoga instructor
Sometimes I experience writer's block and just cannot organize my thoughts. But primarily I use A Flair For Writing because Donna is the most conscientious individual I know. She always helps me present my best.
Jaisun McMillian
Author, Marketing Consultant
I am, of course, delighted with our ongoing collaboration. I have occasionally "teamed" with other writers and/or editors, but never have I found anyone as competent and thorough as you. Let's keep it up!! In haste, -- Lenny
Publishing Testimonials:
Thanks for your honest opinion and truthfulness, which is hard to find at a lot of places now days. It did a wonderful job on the video and I think that perhaps you are right in that it might be a little costly of an adventure for me right now. I didn't realize all the hurdles I would have to take as a new author. You really opened my eyes. Before I undertake publishing my book I need to research every avenue of marketing and publishing in order for my book to be a success as well as save up some more money.
I am so sorry for taking up your valuable time. It means a lot to me that you have helped me this much and may God bless you for your kindness in going out of your way to help a small fry like me.
Kind regards
Ricky
You know what, Donna? With all of the people in this industry that don't give a hoot about people, you keep doing you and staying true to yourself...my dear you just might become a publishing maverick. W. Granville Brown
Donna's work as a publisher is absolutely amazing!
She has the insight and understanding that an author needs to publish a book. A Flair for Writing gives the support an author needs to produce a top quality book. After searching for a publisher, I found A Flair for Writing and feel that I hit the jackpot. Donna has strong business ethics and with her honesty and integrity, which is rare in the business world today, she will guide the author to publish a book that is of outstanding quality. A Flair for Writing is the type of publisher any author needs to support them in their creative endeavors.
– DiDi
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Jared's Dream By Donna J. Erickson
“That’s all I ever wanted to do. There’s nothing else for me.” Those are the words of my friend Lucinda’s son, Jared, who knew from a young age he wanted to become a doctor. Jared excelled in his high school studies and was accepted to a good college where he successfully completed a pre-med program. He knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life. What he didn’t know was just how difficult the following years would be.
After graduating from Brandeis University, Jared applied to some medical schools, but even though he had outstanding grades and enviable outside activities, he quickly learned how stiff the competition was. Few seats were available to the growing numbers of students applying for them. Year after year, he was met with disappointment and rejection.
As time continued to pass, Jared never gave up. He took the required medical exams over and over again trying to get higher scores. He explored the alternatives of medical schools abroad and consulted with academic professionals for advice. After learning that graduation from a medical school outside of the United States was viewed as being less credible than a domestic school (and usually considered as a last resort), he contemplated other options. Most recently, he had completed a masters degree program and graduated with a 4.0 to help spruce up his resume and improve his chances.
Throughout his long and laborious journey, I offered Jared my help. I had been writing resumes, application essays, bios, and personal statements for decades. I understood what Jared was facing and I believed in his goal, so I volunteered my assistance. I had created his original resume in high school, and I continued to update it, review and edit his bio information, and rewrite his essays.
I never thought about charging anything for my services. I wanted to do this. I wanted to be a part of Jared’s dream to become a doctor. I knew he would make a fine physician, and it bothered me that he kept getting refused. He was actually becoming depressed from the constant rejection. I knew I had to do whatever I could to help.
So many of today’s young people are struggling while aspiring to break into their careers. They face mounting expenses with college loans while having to survive the exorbitant cost of living in the city. For those of us who are established, we can offer our skills and expertise as a way to make their road to success a little easier. What comes easily to us can help take one less bit of added pressure off of them.
Last month, Jared received an unexpected phone call asking how he was doing. The voice on the other end said he should be doing great now that he’s been accepted to medical school. After four tumultuous years of banging on doors, Jared was finally welcomed to attend Tuft’s Medical School in Boston. I admire his will to persevere and how he never gave up on his lifelong ambition. Whatever small role I played, I’m glad to have been a part of it. The world will be a better place when Jared is practicing among our dedicated medical professionals.
After graduating from Brandeis University, Jared applied to some medical schools, but even though he had outstanding grades and enviable outside activities, he quickly learned how stiff the competition was. Few seats were available to the growing numbers of students applying for them. Year after year, he was met with disappointment and rejection.
As time continued to pass, Jared never gave up. He took the required medical exams over and over again trying to get higher scores. He explored the alternatives of medical schools abroad and consulted with academic professionals for advice. After learning that graduation from a medical school outside of the United States was viewed as being less credible than a domestic school (and usually considered as a last resort), he contemplated other options. Most recently, he had completed a masters degree program and graduated with a 4.0 to help spruce up his resume and improve his chances.
Throughout his long and laborious journey, I offered Jared my help. I had been writing resumes, application essays, bios, and personal statements for decades. I understood what Jared was facing and I believed in his goal, so I volunteered my assistance. I had created his original resume in high school, and I continued to update it, review and edit his bio information, and rewrite his essays.
I never thought about charging anything for my services. I wanted to do this. I wanted to be a part of Jared’s dream to become a doctor. I knew he would make a fine physician, and it bothered me that he kept getting refused. He was actually becoming depressed from the constant rejection. I knew I had to do whatever I could to help.
So many of today’s young people are struggling while aspiring to break into their careers. They face mounting expenses with college loans while having to survive the exorbitant cost of living in the city. For those of us who are established, we can offer our skills and expertise as a way to make their road to success a little easier. What comes easily to us can help take one less bit of added pressure off of them.
Last month, Jared received an unexpected phone call asking how he was doing. The voice on the other end said he should be doing great now that he’s been accepted to medical school. After four tumultuous years of banging on doors, Jared was finally welcomed to attend Tuft’s Medical School in Boston. I admire his will to persevere and how he never gave up on his lifelong ambition. Whatever small role I played, I’m glad to have been a part of it. The world will be a better place when Jared is practicing among our dedicated medical professionals.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Most Writers Make Similar Mistakes
Whenever I'm editing a book for an author, I provide them with specific suggestions to avoid common writing mistakes. Now I'm beginning to see the same patterns among a wide variety of authors. I find myself repeatedly advising them to avoid using trite expressions and colloquialisms, to limit the word "very," to remove overuse of the word "that," and to avoid repetitive words and phrases.
Most authors use way too many linking verbs, and I let them them know their writing could be more powerful if they avoided using "that is," "it was," or "there is." Better options exist for beginning sentences. Notice I didn't say "there are better options for beginning sentences."
The majority of authors have a good understanding of the active vs. passive voice, have learned to make use of spellcheck (although they know they cannot solely rely on it),and use proper punctuation most of the time. An exception would be the use of both the semicolon and colon. For some reason, many authors mistakenly interchange them and use the semicolon to introduce an element illustrating what has preceded the semicolon--when it should be a colon.
When it comes to editing, no one can know it all. For that reason, we have style guides. And you can often find me with my nose in "The Chicago Manual of Style!"
Most authors use way too many linking verbs, and I let them them know their writing could be more powerful if they avoided using "that is," "it was," or "there is." Better options exist for beginning sentences. Notice I didn't say "there are better options for beginning sentences."
The majority of authors have a good understanding of the active vs. passive voice, have learned to make use of spellcheck (although they know they cannot solely rely on it),and use proper punctuation most of the time. An exception would be the use of both the semicolon and colon. For some reason, many authors mistakenly interchange them and use the semicolon to introduce an element illustrating what has preceded the semicolon--when it should be a colon.
When it comes to editing, no one can know it all. For that reason, we have style guides. And you can often find me with my nose in "The Chicago Manual of Style!"
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Treasured words from author Tina Huang-Smith:
So thank you again for all of your work, and thank you Donna for paying for these copies to be printed and shipped. I really appreciate it, and it proves how you are an ethical publisher who cares about your authors and giving them the opportunity to tell their story, while making the process a pleasant one.
Thank you :)
Tina
So thank you again for all of your work, and thank you Donna for paying for these copies to be printed and shipped. I really appreciate it, and it proves how you are an ethical publisher who cares about your authors and giving them the opportunity to tell their story, while making the process a pleasant one.
Thank you :)
Tina
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A little kindness goes a long way. Treasured words from an aspiring author:
Thanks for your honest opinion and truthfulness, which is hard to find at a lot of places now days. It did a wonderful job on the video and I think that perhaps you are right in that it might be a little costly of an adventure for me right now. I didn't realize all the hurdles I would have to take as a new author. You really opened my eyes. Before I undertake publishing my book I need to research every avenue of marketing and publishing in order for my book to be a success as well as save up some more money.
I am so sorry for taking up your valuable time. It means a lot to me that you have helped me this much and may God bless you for your kindness in going out of your way to help a small fry like me.
Kind regards
Ricky
Thanks for your honest opinion and truthfulness, which is hard to find at a lot of places now days. It did a wonderful job on the video and I think that perhaps you are right in that it might be a little costly of an adventure for me right now. I didn't realize all the hurdles I would have to take as a new author. You really opened my eyes. Before I undertake publishing my book I need to research every avenue of marketing and publishing in order for my book to be a success as well as save up some more money.
I am so sorry for taking up your valuable time. It means a lot to me that you have helped me this much and may God bless you for your kindness in going out of your way to help a small fry like me.
Kind regards
Ricky
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Treasured words from author Didi LeMay:
Donna's work as a publisher is absolutely amazing! She has the insight and understanding that an author needs to publish a book. A Flair for Writing gives the support an author needs to produce a top quality book. After searching for a publisher, I found A Flair for Writing and feel that I hit the jackpot. Donna has strong business ethics and with her honesty and integrity, which is rare in the business world today, she will guide the author to publish a book that is of outstanding quality. A Flair for Writing is the type of publisher any author needs to support them in their creative endeavors.
Donna's work as a publisher is absolutely amazing! She has the insight and understanding that an author needs to publish a book. A Flair for Writing gives the support an author needs to produce a top quality book. After searching for a publisher, I found A Flair for Writing and feel that I hit the jackpot. Donna has strong business ethics and with her honesty and integrity, which is rare in the business world today, she will guide the author to publish a book that is of outstanding quality. A Flair for Writing is the type of publisher any author needs to support them in their creative endeavors.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Sample Press Release
A FLAIR FOR WRITING
77 LINDA STREET
ABINGTON, MA 02351
_______
PHONE (781) 857-2396
FROM: A Flair For Writing, 77 Linda Street, Abington, MA 02351
For more information please contact: Donna Erickson, (781) 857-2396
FOR: Schiff’s Karate School, 1 Chace Road, P.O. Box 502, East Freetown, MA, 02717
Contact: Ken Schiff, Owner, (508) 763-3440 HOME or (508) 763-9000 WORK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/31/05
KARATE MARATHON TO BENEFIT LOCAL YOUNG WOMAN BATTLING CANCER
Ken Schiff, owner of Freetown-based Schiff’s Karate School, is planning to host a Karate Marathon at the school on Saturday, February 26, 2005 from 10 AM to Noon. Volunteer students of Schiff’s martial arts programs, will be participating to help raise funds for Schiff’s niece, 23-year-old Danielle Cantelli, of Middleboro.
Danielle has been receiving medical treatment, for an extremely aggressive form of Hodgkin’s Disease,
at Beth Israel Hospital’s Oncology Unit, during the past year. The disease has continued to progress. Danielle and her family were recently told, by the medical team, that there is nothing more they can do. The Cantellis have decided to pursue alternative approaches for healing, which are expensive and not covered by insurance.
Schiff and his wife, Lucinda, are encouraging Massachusetts residents and business owners to pledge any amount of money for the Marathon, by mailing donations to: Schiff’s Karate School, P.O. Box 502, East Freetown, MA, 02717. Checks should be made payable to Danielle Cantelli, and proceeds will go directly to her. All donations will help to cover the family’s unexpected expenses.
Danielle’s courage has been unrelenting in her fight against the disease, and each day she maintains a positive attitude. Her aunt, Lucinda Schiff, said, “Danielle has carried us all through this tough ordeal. Her strength has been inspirational to both family and friends. She’s touched the lives of so many people. Right now we are looking for a miracle.”
-END-
77 LINDA STREET
ABINGTON, MA 02351
_______
PHONE (781) 857-2396
FROM: A Flair For Writing, 77 Linda Street, Abington, MA 02351
For more information please contact: Donna Erickson, (781) 857-2396
FOR: Schiff’s Karate School, 1 Chace Road, P.O. Box 502, East Freetown, MA, 02717
Contact: Ken Schiff, Owner, (508) 763-3440 HOME or (508) 763-9000 WORK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/31/05
KARATE MARATHON TO BENEFIT LOCAL YOUNG WOMAN BATTLING CANCER
Ken Schiff, owner of Freetown-based Schiff’s Karate School, is planning to host a Karate Marathon at the school on Saturday, February 26, 2005 from 10 AM to Noon. Volunteer students of Schiff’s martial arts programs, will be participating to help raise funds for Schiff’s niece, 23-year-old Danielle Cantelli, of Middleboro.
Danielle has been receiving medical treatment, for an extremely aggressive form of Hodgkin’s Disease,
at Beth Israel Hospital’s Oncology Unit, during the past year. The disease has continued to progress. Danielle and her family were recently told, by the medical team, that there is nothing more they can do. The Cantellis have decided to pursue alternative approaches for healing, which are expensive and not covered by insurance.
Schiff and his wife, Lucinda, are encouraging Massachusetts residents and business owners to pledge any amount of money for the Marathon, by mailing donations to: Schiff’s Karate School, P.O. Box 502, East Freetown, MA, 02717. Checks should be made payable to Danielle Cantelli, and proceeds will go directly to her. All donations will help to cover the family’s unexpected expenses.
Danielle’s courage has been unrelenting in her fight against the disease, and each day she maintains a positive attitude. Her aunt, Lucinda Schiff, said, “Danielle has carried us all through this tough ordeal. Her strength has been inspirational to both family and friends. She’s touched the lives of so many people. Right now we are looking for a miracle.”
-END-
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
How to Become a TRUE Expert
Lots of people call themselves experts. But how do you become a TRUE expert to others in your field? What can make you become the "go-to-person" for your profession?
The answer is simple: write a book. With the advent of self-publishing, you can now establish your brand by writing and marketing to a targeted group. You're no longer limited to the previous hallmarks of expertise, such as broadcast media exposure, advertising campaigns, or being the subject of a feature story.
Years ago the brochure was the way to get noticed. Today, social networking enables business professionals to reach unprecedented heights of exposure. But the best vehicle for establishing yourself as an expert is to become an author. If your book is marketed effectively, you'll gain instant credibility, develop a dedicated following of readers, and will enjoy the TRUE meaning of success.
The answer is simple: write a book. With the advent of self-publishing, you can now establish your brand by writing and marketing to a targeted group. You're no longer limited to the previous hallmarks of expertise, such as broadcast media exposure, advertising campaigns, or being the subject of a feature story.
Years ago the brochure was the way to get noticed. Today, social networking enables business professionals to reach unprecedented heights of exposure. But the best vehicle for establishing yourself as an expert is to become an author. If your book is marketed effectively, you'll gain instant credibility, develop a dedicated following of readers, and will enjoy the TRUE meaning of success.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
