Categories

Columnist, author, publicist; Current member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, while overseas a member of the National Press Club, Anne as a small publisher since 1985 and an author/photographer/draftsman-illustrator is preparing an eighth POD-published book to join seven others available through various library systems, locally and foreign. She has worked at publicity/promotion of organizations of which she is a member and had paintings accepted for juried art shows.

Thank you Anne for answering some questions for us!  To start, please tell us about the latest project you've worked on.
 
I am working at establishing nationally with backing of the nonprofit organization Willapa Chapter DAWN, Domestic Abuse Women’s Net for which I was the incorporator, the Second Monday of each August as the Eleanor Roosevelt Day three day holiday. After one of my newspaper columns, followed by Resolution 94-62 passed by the Washington State Grange in June was in November 1994 accepted by the National Grange committing three hundred thousand grangers. Listed in the annual Chase’s Events Calendar, so far in the past half dozen years of the new millennium we have built with slowly growing celebrations, Raymond in Pacific County at the southwest rural corner of the state of Washington as the national center of Eleanor Roosevelt Day commemoration.
 
Do you also do speaking engagements, or seminars?
 
I now speak only locally, having earlier done seminars and workshops and successfully co-directed two writer conferences while overseas, since repatriation have attended writer conferences in this state, directed one writer conference in Wahkiakum County and been a speaker at another in Grays Harbor County. I have presented 35 mm color transparency shows and poetry readings in US and Mexican states, and countries of Central America.
 
How has your education, profession or background helped you in your writing career? Or conversely, how has you writing success helped you in your  profession?
 
Aside from certain standard background college classes, having English as my second language, working as draftsman, cartooning and photography classes have helped with preparation and illustration of my written and illustrated work. Including newsletters and for one 18 month period, a small magazine.
 
What kind of other works have you had published?
 
Paid work includes How-to pamphlets [forty-two, 12 page each] sold under the “Keys to Success” heading by my small business “Tiptoe Literary Service,” established in 1985. News stories and articles sold to newspapers and magazines earlier with photos from own darkroom; poetry.

Three series of columns over decades: 1.) varied length anecdotal; 2.) 500 word essay; 3.) 600 word essay. This last—as “Grimmly Reflecting”—sold variously for a time as syndicated, in the recent poor economy and columnist lay-off is now being released only by free email each Friday in promotion of my other published work.
 
Is there any aspect to your profession that gets you in touch with your readers directly?
 
I include anne [at] willapaby.org for email contact and often my website address willapabay.org with my work and press releases; enter into email dialogues with feedback by that engendered.
 
What type of work is the most rewarding or satisfying for you?
 
As an FCC-licensed radio amateur [Extra class, KA7TON] promoting radio as major benefit to young people (especially girls) in their study of math and science, being a member of the YLRL—Young Ladies Radio League, Inc.—is most rewarding and satisfying. Currently I am happily involved with others in support of a 96-year-old friend, an activist neighbor, in her coming to fruition two year attempt at handicapped access to the local historic-register post office.
 
What can you recommend for writers who are just getting started and are trying to make a name for themselves?
 
Get involved with your local library, not only for research but also as a volunteer “Friend” supporting its projects. Become passionate about a cause and work at promoting it—for the good of society … and ultimately greater benefit to yourself than you can imagine.
 
How did you get started as a writer?
 
A poem in second grade and essay contests while in high school and later, “letters to the editor” published verbatim; with research and careful preparation with multiple sample submission, the acceptance by a first publisher of each column idea.
 
Who is your favorite writer/author?
 
Gene Stratton Porter, from the time I became a teenager, and now Robert Michael Pyle. He writes as colorfully—recent book “Sky Time in Gray’s River: living for keeps in a forgotten place—and as technically accurate as she did a century ago.

Thank you Anne! Congratulations on getting the Eleanor Roosevelt Day holiday established!