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Grist for the Muse #29 -- March 2006 Doggone Late This Issue Is	mich-@flashwriting.com
	Mar 08, 2006 20:44 PST

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Issue # 29 March 2006

In this issue:

* Musings

* Writing Jumpstarts

* Shameless Self Promotion

* Muse Reviews-Marley and Me by John Grogan

"More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent."

-- Billy Sunday

MUSINGS

Life of a Dog

It has been almost a year since we sent Sarge to doggie school to get him
some manners and, to a large degree, it worked. For the dog trainer that
is... After we sent him off to doggie boot camp, Sarge came back a changed
pooch, but it didn't take long for him to continue his legacy of bad habits.

He loves to sit and will even lie down for us on command, as long as it is
on thick grass or carpet. He absolutely refuses to lie on gravel or grass
that might have a couple of small patches of bare earth in it. He loves the
praise and attention that he gets when he "performs" for us. His response
to a command is immediate and enthusiastic, unless there is a UPS truck in
the driveway.

At these moments, he loses his mind and ignores ANY command shouted to him
for his own safety. He darts away from you if you try to grab his collar,
and if you do manage to catch him, you must hold him and stroke his head
while blocking his view of the truck. Sarge isn't prejudiced. He hates
garbage trucks, FedEx trucks, furniture delivery trucks, even the occasional
big pickup truck. He also hates all motorcycles, 4-wheelers, and bicycles
with equal fervor. He runs at the edge of his radio-controlled boundary
leaping, barking and frantically following along their path across the front
of my house. I have not yet found an answer to controlling this behavior
that has given many bike enthusiasts a near heart-attack when riding along
on this quiet, hilly road.

If you do not bring him into the house at least 15 minutes before you are
leaving, he will recognize the patterns of departure, the zipping up of
coats, the jingling of car keys, and the language of leaving, (Come on let's
go! Do you have your lunch? Hurry up or we'll be late, etc.) and will stay
just out of your reach if you are trying to bring him in and take him to his
crate.

Sarge is a tactical mastermind, creating a distraction by getting the other
two dogs barking, and while we investigate, he snatches a pork chop off of a
plate, or dashes out to the kitchen to scarf some sliced, cooked chicken off
of a cutting board meant for chicken pot pie. All plates need to be slid to
the center of the dining room table and even guarded, to prevent his canine
snatch and grab methods. He knows that he is not supposed to do it, because
all you have to do is glare at him when he comes out into the dining room,
and he tucks his tail between his legs, and saunters over to the couch,
jumps up on it, and collapses with a loud sigh.

Sarge loves us though. If his water bowl is empty, he will step on it,
flipping it up to grab your attention about it. He will wait for you to
fill it up with cold water and lick you on the cheek once as you place it
back down on the floor before drinking any of it. He loves going for rides
in the car, and sniffs the air by the window frantically when going through
the bank drive through, waiting for the doggie treat that is always in the
vacuum tube canister that returns with your cash and receipt for your
transaction.

Those of you who may be reading this newsletter for the first time are
probably asking yourself: "What the hell does this have to do with writing?"
I'm getting to it.

Pet ownership is about sacrifice. We sacrifice time, resources and energy
toward making a pet part of the family. We take them to the vet for shots
and check-ups. We buy expensive food for them to address special dietary
needs, get obedience lessons for them so they can be safe and manageable,
and maybe even buy them a toy or two. We can't just leave town on a whim
with no one to take care of them. We have to pay a lot of money to keep
them at a kennel when we do have a trip planned. We tolerate the occasional
pee on the rug, the chewed up shoe, the pile of puke on the kitchen floor.
Pets are an inconvenience, but many of us can't live without them.

Writing is also about sacrifice. We sacrifice time, resources and energy
toward making it a part of our lives. Writers buy writing books, take
writing classes, learn word processing programs and manuscript formats.
Writers are insanely jealous when they read a good new book, and angry and
bitter when they read a bad one. Writers bow out of long coffee house visits
with friends, casual lunches out with co-workers, and take time away from
family events, mindless vacation fun, and other interests. Writers cannot
spend time watching all-day Twilight Zone marathons on Sci-Fi, reading bad
thriller novels, and playing mindless video games for hours on end. Writers
are always hearing the call of the muse, and we feel the guilt if we don't
heed its call.

But when you see your book on a bookstore shelf for the first time, get a
check in the mail for that article you wrote 3 months ago, or get a kind
email from someone in South Africa, Ireland, or in your town telling you how
much they enjoyed your latest issue of Grist for the Muse, all of the
sacrifice is worth it.

And be sure to check out my latest Flash Writing article over on flashquake
http://www.flashquake.org/editorial/flashwriting05.html

--Michael

SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION

Barnes & Noble at Easton Town Center- Fiction Writer's Group

March 9th, 2006 - 7:00 p.m. To 8:00 p.m. - Mezzanine: Fiction Writers Group:
CREATIVE HABITS OF CREATIVE WRITERS

Writers have always been a quirky group of people. Join local author,
Michael Wilson and learn about the habits, rituals and superstitions that
writers use to keep the words flowing and the bestsellers selling.

A copy of John Warner's book: Fondling Your Muse will be given away to one
lucky attendee. This event is free of charge!

Classes at Upper Arlington Lifelong Learning

IF YOU THINK IT, YOU CAN WRITE IT

Spend a day indulging in creative thinking for creative writers. This class
seeks to answer the eternal question that all successful writers have been
asked: "Where do you get your ideas?" We explore the creative process,
examine some of the causes of writer's block and introduce fun and useful
techniques that address many of the common problems that all writers face
from time to time. We also delve into the generation of writing ideas and
inspiration. A workbook is included in the registration fee. The class
schedule includes a one-hour lunch break.

CLASS #: 441896 A
TIME: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, Saturday
DATE: April 1
LOCATION: Lower Lvl Conference Room, UA Municipal Services Center, 3600
Tremont Rd
COST: $45.00(R), $49.50(NR)

Writing for Publication

Many writers have the lifelong dream of seeing their work on a bookstore
shelf or on the pages of their favorite magazine. Writing for Publication
provides critical information that can help make this dream a reality. This
class covers the publishing business, how to prepare your manuscript for
publication, how to write a good query letter, and options for publishing
your work. The class also provides information about copyright, trademarks,
publication rights, finding an agent, contracts, the publishing process and
much more! This class is a must for anyone who wants to be published! The
class fee includes workbook.

TIME: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, Saturday
DATE: May 6
LOCATION: TBD
COST: $45.00(R), $49.50(NR)

There are three ways to register for classes at UA Lifelong Learning:

. Register online using your MASTERCARD or VISA, click the following
link: <https://parks.uaoh.net/VSIWEBTRAC.HTML>
https://parks.uaoh.net/VSIWEBTRAC.HTML

. Fill out a registration form here:
<http://www.ua-ohio.net/parksrec/lifelong/registration.pdf>
http://www.ua-ohio.net/parksrec/lifelong/registration.pdf and mail it to or
drop it off (with a check or money order) at Lifelong Learning & Leisure,
3600 Tremont Road, Upper Arlington, OH 43221

. Call (614) 583-5333 between 9:30am and 3:30pm weekdays to register
using your VISA or MASTERCARD

Writing Jumpstarts (courtesy of JumpStart Jar)

Quick Topics

. Sizzling

. Lowland gorillas

. Bubble

. Pressure point

. Leftovers

. Compass

. Now in a bottle

. Bounce

. Fork it over

. Cornbread

. Empty

. Street

Story Starters

. After the dog bit him, he.

. We have bad news for you.

. If she describes herself as.

. She was irresistible.

. I want it out of my house right now!

. Oh no, not again.

Muse Reviews

Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan;
William Morrow; Hardcover; 304 pages; ISBN: 0060817089

Keeping with the dog theme for the month, this book was recommended by a
co-worker who is very familiar with my problems with dogs. He gets to suffer
through my stories about what that dog destroyed this time, and the
occasional gasps of horror that erupt when I get a call from home relaying
the latest domestic damage report. But in a head-to-head competition between
Sarge and Marley, Sarge comes in a distant, DISTANT, second place.

This is the story of a couple starting out who feel that they need to adopt
a puppy as a "test run" before starting a family. They walk into the
situation blinded by preconceived notions of well behaved, saintly yellow
labs of their childhoods.

Marley becomes part of the family, and soon wreaks havoc on their lives.
Uncontrollable, he gets kicked out of obedience school, damages almost
everything in the house in one form or another, and has an uncontrollable
fear of thunderstorms which has consequences that you just have to read
about to believe. did I mention they lived in South Florida at the time??

Grogan and his family somehow survive the Marley experience, and learn a lot
about accepting things as they are and rolling with what life brings you.
They could have took the easy way out, preventing thousands of dollars in
damage to their property and possessions by taking him to a pound, but
instead, loved Marley for the good qualities that he had. He was
enthusiastic, loyal, and above all, loved everyone, John, his wife and their
three kids unconditionally.

Grogan teaches us a lot of lessons about acceptance and forgiveness in his
tale of the dog's thirteen years alive during the early years of his
marriage and family life. The book is well written and will make you laugh
out loud in many places, as well as make you cry at the end. This is an
enjoyable, fast-paced read that any animal lover will enjoy.

Rating: *** (Buy Used)

About Ratings: ***** -- Well Worth it at Full Retail Price; **** - Buy on
Sale/Discounted; *** - Buy Used; ** - Borrow It from the Library; * -
Waste of a Good Tree

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SUBMISSIONS: Do you have an event you want to promote? Do you want to see
yourself in print? Send me a short article or writing exercise ideas. I
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with date, time, place, cost and contact information to
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the subject line. Editor reserves the right to revise submissions.

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER: Michael Wilson has been teaching creative writing
classes and facilitating writer's groups for almost a decade and was an
award-winning Contributing Editor for The Writer's Block at Suite101.com. He
has a BA (with Honors) in English from Ohio University, and has been a
featured guest speaker at the Thurber House, the Maumee Valley Writer's
Conference and the Columbus Writer's Conference. He is also the publisher
and editor of Grist for the Muse a free monthly creative writing
e-newsletter. His first book: Flash Writing: How to Write, Revise and
Publish Stories Less Than 1000 Words Long, was published in October 2004.
You can get additional information about him at www.flashwriting.com
<http://www.flashwriting.com/> .

Copyright 2006 Michael L. Wilson. All rights reserved.

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<IMG
height=213 hspace=12 src="cid:853162222@08032006-2A57" width=378 align=left
v:shapes="_x0000_s1026">Issue #
29 March
2006<o:p></o:p>
In this issue:<o:p></o:p>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 4pt 3.25in 0pt 0in; COLOR: black; tab-stops: list .5in left 6.0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1">Musings<o:p></o:p>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 4pt 3.25in 0pt 0in; COLOR: black; tab-stops: list .5in left 6.0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1">Writing
Jumpstarts<o:p></o:p>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 4pt 3.25in 0pt 0in; COLOR: black; tab-stops: list .5in left 6.0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1">Shameless Self
Promotion<o:p></o:p>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 4pt 3.25in 0pt 0in; COLOR: black; tab-stops: list .5in left 6.0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1">Muse Reviews—Marley and Me by John
Grogan<o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
 “More
men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent.”<o:p></o:p>
-- Billy
Sunday
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN-RIGHT: 3.25in; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div">MUSINGS</DIV>
 
Life of a Dog<o:p></o:p>
It has been almost a year since we sent Sarge to doggie school to
get him some manners and, to a large degree, it worked. For the dog trainer that
is... After we sent him off to doggie boot camp, Sarge came back a changed
pooch, but it didn’t take long for him to continue his legacy of bad
habits.
He loves to sit and will even lie down for us on command, as long
as it is on thick grass or carpet.
He absolutely refuses to lie on gravel or grass that might have a couple
of small patches of bare earth in it.
He loves the praise and attention that he gets when he “performs” for
us. His response to a command is
immediate and enthusiastic, unless there is a UPS truck in the driveway. 
<IMG height=203 hspace=12 src="cid:853162222@08032006-2A5E"
width=263 align=left v:shapes="_x0000_s1027">At these moments, he loses his mind
and ignores ANY command shouted to him for his own safety. He darts away from you if you try to
grab his collar, and if you do manage to catch him, you must hold him and stroke
his head while blocking his view of the truck. Sarge isn’t prejudiced. He hates garbage trucks, FedEx trucks,
furniture delivery trucks, even the occasional big pickup truck. He also hates
all motorcycles, 4-wheelers, and bicycles with equal fervor. He runs at the edge of his
radio-controlled boundary leaping, barking and frantically following along their
path across the front of my house.
I have not yet found an answer to controlling this behavior that has
given many bike enthusiasts a near heart-attack when riding along on this quiet,
hilly road.
If you do not bring him into the house at least 15 minutes before
you are leaving, he will recognize the patterns of departure, the zipping up of
coats, the jingling of car keys, and the language of leaving, (Come on let’s go!
Do you have your lunch? Hurry up or we’ll be late, etc.) and will stay just out
of your reach if you are trying to bring him in and take him to his
crate.
Sarge is a tactical mastermind, creating a distraction by getting
the other two dogs barking, and while we investigate, he snatches a pork chop
off of a plate, or dashes out to the kitchen to scarf some sliced, cooked
chicken off of a cutting board meant for chicken pot pie. All plates need to be slid to the center
of the dining room table and even guarded, to prevent his canine snatch and grab
methods. He knows that he is not
supposed to do it, because all you have to do is glare at him when he comes out
into the dining room, and he tucks his tail between his legs, and saunters over
to the couch, jumps up on it, and collapses with a loud sigh.
Sarge loves us though.
If his water bowl is empty, he will step on it, flipping it up to grab
your attention about it. He will
wait for you to fill it up with cold water and lick you on the cheek once as you
place it back down on the floor before drinking any of it. He loves going for
rides in the car, and sniffs the air by the window frantically when going
through the bank drive through, waiting for the doggie treat that is always in
the vacuum tube canister that returns with your cash and receipt for your
transaction.
Those of you who may be reading this newsletter for the first time
are probably asking yourself: “What the hell does this have to do with
writing?” I’m getting to it. 
Pet ownership is about sacrifice. We sacrifice time, resources and
energy toward making a pet part of the family. We take them to the vet for shots
and check-ups. We buy expensive food for them to address special dietary needs,
get obedience lessons for them so they can be safe and manageable, and maybe
even buy them a toy or two. We
can’t just leave town on a whim with no one to take care of them. We have to pay a lot of money to keep
them at a kennel when we do have a trip planned. We tolerate the occasional pee on the
rug, the chewed up shoe, the pile of puke on the kitchen floor. Pets are an inconvenience, but many of
us can’t live without them.
Writing is also about sacrifice. We sacrifice time, resources and energy
toward making it a part of our lives. Writers buy writing books, take writing
classes, learn word processing programs and manuscript formats. Writers are
insanely jealous when they read a good new book, and angry and bitter when they
read a bad one. Writers bow out of long coffee house visits with friends, casual
lunches out with co-workers, and take time away from family events, mindless
vacation fun, and other interests. Writers cannot spend time watching all-day Twilight Zone marathons on Sci-Fi,
reading bad thriller novels, and playing mindless video games for hours on
end. Writers are always hearing the
call of the muse, and we feel the guilt if we don’t heed its call.
But when you see your book on a bookstore shelf for the first time,
get a check in the mail for that article you wrote 3 months ago, or get a kind
email from someone in South Africa, Ireland, or in your town telling you how
much they enjoyed your latest issue of Grist for the Muse, all of the sacrifice
is worth it.
 
And be sure to check out my latest Flash Writing article over on flashquake <A
href="http://www.flashquake.org/editorial/flashwriting05.html">http://www.flashquake.org/editorial/flashwriting05.html</A><o:p></o:p>
 
--Michael 
<DIV
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PROMOTION</DIV>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 12pt 3.25in 3pt 0in; tab-stops: 6.0in">Barnes & Noble at Easton Town
Center— Fiction Writer’s Group<o:p></o:p></H2>
March 9th, 2006 – 7:00 p.m. To 8:00 p.m. -
Mezzanine: Fiction Writers Group: CREATIVE HABITS OF CREATIVE
WRITERS
<o:p> </o:p>
Writers have always been a quirky group of people. Join local
author, Michael Wilson and learn about the habits, rituals and superstitions
that writers use to keep the words flowing and the bestsellers
selling.
A copy of John Warner’s book: Fondling Your Muse will be given away
to one lucky attendee. This event is free of charge!
<H2 style="MARGIN: 12pt 3.25in 3pt 0in; tab-stops: 6.0in"> </H2>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 12pt 3.25in 3pt 0in; tab-stops: 6.0in">Classes at
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Upper Arlington</st1:place></st1:City>
Lifelong Learning<o:p></o:p></H2>
IF YOU THINK IT, YOU CAN WRITE
IT<o:p></o:p>
Spend a day indulging in creative thinking for creative writers.
This class seeks to answer the eternal question that all successful writers have
been asked: "Where do you get your ideas?" We explore the creative process,
examine some of the causes of writer's block and introduce fun and useful
techniques that address many of the common problems that all writers face from
time to time. We also delve into the generation of writing ideas and
inspiration. A workbook is included in the registration fee. The class schedule
includes a one-hour lunch break.
CLASS #: 441896 A TIME: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM,
Saturday DATE: April 1 LOCATION: 
Lower Lvl Conference Room, UA <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Municipal</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Services</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address
w:st="on">3600 Tremont Rd</st1:address></st1:Street> COST: 
$45.00(R), $49.50(NR)
<o:p> </o:p>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 12pt 3.25in 3pt 0in; tab-stops: 6.0in">Writing for Publication <o:p></o:p></H3>
Many writers have the lifelong dream of seeing their work on a
bookstore shelf or on the pages of their favorite magazine. Writing for Publication provides
critical information that can help make this dream a reality. This class covers
the publishing business, how to prepare your manuscript for publication, how to
write a good query letter, and options for publishing your work. The class also provides information
about copyright, trademarks, publication rights, finding an agent, contracts,
the publishing process and much more!
This class is a must for anyone who wants to be published! The class fee includes
workbook.
TIME: 
9:00 AM-5:00 PM, Saturday DATE: 
May 6 LOCATION: 
TBD COST: 
$45.00(R), $49.50(NR)
There are three ways to register for classes at UA Lifelong
Learning:
·
Register online using your MASTERCARD or
VISA, click the following link: <A
href="https://parks.uaoh.net/VSIWEBTRAC.HTML" target=_blank>https://parks.uaoh.net/VSIWEBTRAC.HTML</A>
·
Fill out a registration form here:
 <A href="http://www.ua-ohio.net/parksrec/lifelong/registration.pdf"
target=_blank>http://www.ua-ohio.net/parksrec/lifelong/registration.pdf</A> and mail it to or drop it off (with a check or money order) at
Lifelong Learning & Leisure, 3600 Tremont Road, Upper Arlington, OH
43221
·
Call (614) 583-5333 between 9:30am and
3:30pm weekdays to register using your VISA or MASTERCARD
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN-RIGHT: 3.25in; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div">
Writing Jumpstarts (courtesy of JumpStart
Jar)<o:p></o:p></DIV>
 
Quick Topics<o:p></o:p>
·
Sizzling
·
Lowland gorillas
·
Bubble
·
Pressure point
·
Leftovers
·
Compass
·
Now in a bottle
·
Bounce
·
Fork it over
·
Cornbread
·
Empty
·
Street


Story
Starters<o:p></o:p>
·
After the dog bit him, he…
·
We have bad news for you…
·
If she describes herself as…
·
She was irresistible…
·
I want it out of my house right
now!
·
Oh no, not again… 
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN-RIGHT: 3.25in; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div">
Muse
Reviews<o:p></o:p></DIV>
 
Marley and Me: Life and Love with
the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan; William Morrow; Hardcover;
304 pages; ISBN: 0060817089<o:p></o:p>
Keeping with the dog theme for the
month, this book was recommended by a co-worker who is very familiar with my
problems with dogs. He gets to suffer through my stories about what that dog
destroyed this time, and the occasional gasps of horror that erupt when I get a
call from home relaying the latest domestic damage report. But in a head-to-head
competition between Sarge and Marley, Sarge comes in a distant, DISTANT, second
place.<o:p></o:p>
This is the story of a couple starting
out who feel that they need to adopt a puppy as a “test run” before starting a
family. They walk into the
situation blinded by preconceived notions of well behaved, saintly yellow labs
of their childhoods.
<o:p></o:p>
Marley becomes part of the family, and
soon wreaks havoc on their lives.
Uncontrollable, he gets kicked out of obedience school, damages almost
everything in the house in one form or another, and has an uncontrollable fear
of thunderstorms which has consequences that you just have to read about to
believe… did I mention they lived in <st1:place w:st="on">South
Florida</st1:place> at the time??<o:p></o:p>
Grogan and his family somehow survive
the Marley experience, and learn a lot about accepting things as they are and
rolling with what life brings you.
They could have took the easy way out, preventing thousands of dollars in
damage to their property and possessions by taking him to a pound, but instead,
loved Marley for the good qualities that he had. He was enthusiastic, loyal, and
above all, loved everyone, John, his wife and their three kids
unconditionally.<o:p></o:p>
Grogan teaches us a lot of lessons about
acceptance and forgiveness in his tale of the dog’s thirteen years alive during
the early years of his marriage and family life. The book is well written and
will make you laugh out loud in many places, as well as make you cry at the end.
This is an enjoyable, fast-paced read that any animal lover will
enjoy.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Rating: *** (Buy Used)
About Ratings: ***** -- Well Worth it at Full Retail Price;
**** — Buy on Sale/Discounted; *** — Buy Used; ** — Borrow It from the Library; * — Waste of a Good Tree
 
TO
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SUBMISSIONS: Do you have an event you
want to promote? Do you want to see yourself in print? Send me a short article
or writing exercise ideas. I can’t pay you anything yet, but maybe someday soon.
Please send an e-mail with date, time, place, cost and contact information
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Editor reserves the right to revise submissions.
ABOUT THE
PUBLISHER: Michael Wilson has been teaching creative writing classes and
facilitating writer’s groups for almost a decade and was an award-winning
Contributing Editor for The Writer’s Block at Suite101.com. He has a BA (with
Honors) in English from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Ohio</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, and has been a featured guest
speaker at the Thurber House, the Maumee Valley Writer’s Conference and the
Columbus Writer’s Conference. He is also the publisher and editor of Grist for
the Muse a free monthly creative writing e-newsletter. His first book: Flash Writing: How to Write, Revise and
Publish Stories Less Than 1000 Words Long, was published in October 2004.
You can get additional information about him at <A
href="http://www.flashwriting.com/">www.flashwriting.com</A>.
<o:p> </o:p>
Copyright 2006 Michael L.
Wilson. All rights
reserved.<o:p></o:p>
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