Writing blog
The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) has announced their three track chairs for the annual New York City Writers Conference. • Carolyn Crist Beginning Track Manager, and Detailed Overseer • Nancy Dunham Mid-Career Track Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. She’s also ASJA’s new volunteer coordinator. • Dorri Olds Advanced Career Manager and nicknamed the “Social Media Guru” for the entire … Read more
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Charles Manson dead at 83 but there’s a brand new memoir by the Manson Family’s youngest member, Dianne Lake. Like so many young girls before her, she was mesmerized by Manson. Her hippie parents gave her permission to become one of “Charlie’s girls.” Co-written by Deborah Herman for HarperCollins, this disturbing and fascinating memoir tells of rape, survival and recovery.
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How did an extraordinarily well-qualified, experienced, and admired candidate — whose victory would have been as historic as Barack Obama’s — come to be seen as a tool of the establishment, a chronic liar, and a talentless politician?
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I was the youngest of three girls and was born a ham. I love attention—thrive on it really. So I’ve never been one to shy away from any limelight I can grab. When somebody gives me a compliment I grin ear-to-ear and say, “Thank you!” I figure that’s like positive reinforcement. If their compliment is met with an enthusiastic response, then they will be more likely to compliment me again, right?
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ASJA Writers Conference, ‘Tackling Tough Topics’ – Though many writers feel compelled to write about a difficult life circumstance, loss, or grief, it’s important to know how to structure content, what to include and what to omit. In writing tough topics, you have the opportunity to reach those who are hurting, feel alienated and alone, and are searching for ways to heal their pain.
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Pivot. Publish. Prosper. That is the theme of this year’s American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) writers conference. The ASJA is holding its annual conference at Roosevelt Hotel on May 5 and 6, 2017.
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The night our rubber ripped, we’d made love in the woods. Soon after that I began putting on weight. My breasts were filling out like my older sister’s and I thought, ‘I’m a woman now.’ One morning after a hot cup of cocoa, I felt queasy and ran to the bathroom. When I threw up, I figured it was the flu. But it turned out I was pregnant.
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On February 23 at 6:30 pm “Sweet Reads” at Joyce Bakeshop (646 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn) will feature the amazing Leigh Stein, author of three books and co-founder of Out of the Binders, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to advancing the careers of women and gender non-conforming writers, Dorri Olds, and Court Stroud, and musician Andy Marino.
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A wire clothes hanger bearing the stark message: Never Again. The woman marching next to me saw this sign and confided that her mother had nearly bled to death after the self-administered abortion of what would have been her fourth child, one she could not take care of. My Life Matters — a heart-wrenching sign carried by a small African-American boy riding on his father’s shoulders. His message is more important than ever in the months and years ahead.
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My Dad, David Mark Olds (1920-2009), was a US Army Captain during WWII. He was at Dachau Concentration Camp the day they freed the prisoners. Dad said that the smell of burned human flesh is something that you cannot forget. He also said that the freed prisoners, half out of their minds from starvation, wandered the camp, some were naked. Some found the strength to beat up German guards.
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