Penn Relays Sports Brillance

Posted on April 16, 2013 by admin

It’s hard to live in the Philadelphia area and not hear about the historic Penn Relays, an event that generally takes place mid-spring. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Mary Slaney, Carmelita Jeter, Michael Johnson and Vicki Huber are just a few of the track and field standouts who have competed at the world famous event.

Watching Bolt, Blake and the other Jamaican relay team members sprint ahead of all other relay runners is memorable. Their performance brings to mind Carl Lewis and the United States’ teams 4 x 200 run at the 1992 Penn Relays. Clearly, the sports tradition that originally kicked off in April 1895, doesn’t stop at spotlighting collegiate track and field stars. In fact, top high school and professional track runners regularly attend the Penn Relays over three to five days. Watching them in the stands, on a single day, can be more than 30,000 fans, adults and children filling the stands at the University of Pennsylvania stadium.

This year’s schedule starts with Tuesday and Wednesday qualifying races. Thursday’s races being with women’s hurdles championships, followed by women’s high school hurdles. There are also Special Olympics and Master’s track competitions. Field events include the shot put, pole vault, long jump, high jump, hammer throw and discus throw.

Although you can catch the Penn Relays on NBC and Universal Sports, there’s nothing like attending the Relays in person. Attend in person and you could see some of the world’s top track stars up close. If you’re passionate about running yourself, you could also note some warm-up, relay hand-off, block start and finish techniques used by the fastest runners in the world.

If you do attend the historic races, make sure you bring a digital camera as there will likely be dozens of experiences you’ll want to capture and remember. Who knows, you might even get the chance to chat with a competitor after the event has ended.

Another tip you’ll want to remember is to arrive at the Penn Relays early. If you’ve never been to the Penn Relays before, head for Franklin Field at 235 South 33rd Street. Traffic in and out of Philadelphia can get thick. The good thing is that there won’t be a Philadelphia 76ers or Eagles game to add even more congestion to area roadways. Check weather reports before you leave, making bringing an umbrella or raincoat just in case the weather changes.

Above all, have loads of fun. You might even leave the Penn Relays determined to begin a personal fitness regimen. If you’re a mature adult, you might even consider entering the Master’s competitions at future Franklin Field track and field competitions. Track and field . . . it has always been Raymond Clarke’s favorite sport. Learn about his sports exploits in Love Pour Over Me, a story that unveils the inner workings of a fictional world class track star, simply unforgettable.

To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today.

Talented Athletes From Dayton, Ohio

Posted on April 13, 2013 by admin

By Denise Turney

Clearly, the most celebrated professional athlete hailing from Ohio is LeBron James. He’s a basketball phenom who ‘s hometown is Akron, one of the Buckeye state’s small cities. Although it’s not as small as Akron, Dayon is another small city. But, that’s not a big deal; few Ohio cities outside of Cleveland and Cincinnati are what many people would consider to be a “big town.”

Dayton Ohio – Small Town Home to Sports Champions

As a Ohio native, I feel incredibly proud and delighted to witness what LeBron James is doing with his athletic talent. The fact that he’s handling his life well off the basketball court is icing on the cake. Kudos to Lebron! However, LeBron isn’t the only talented athlete from Ohio who’s gone on to achieve success. Dayton is another city that has produced sports giants, people excelling at the high school, collegiate or professional level.

For starters, there’s Tonja Buford-Bailey. She’s a track and field standout who was born in Dayton; Tonja won the silver medal in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1995 Track and Field World Championships. A year later, she won the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. Dayton born, Tamika Williams, is another athlete who made it to the professional level. She earned her stripes playing for the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.

Another Dayton basketball standout had great success at the collegiate level. Roosevelt Chapman, played basketball for the University of Dayton. Chapman would lead the team to the 1984 NCAA championships. His athletic achievements would later earn him a spot in the University of Dayton’s Hall of Fame.

More Exceptional Athletes from Dayton, Ohio

When it comes to baseball, Mike Schmidt and Roger Clemens are two of the most famous athletes from Dayton, Ohio. However, it’s at football that a large number of Dayton athletes excelled. Javon Ringer (Tennessee Titans), Mike Nugent (Cincinnati Bengals), Nick Mangold (New York Jets), John Henderson (Minnesota Vikings) and A. J. Hawk (Green Bay Packers) are some of the Daytonians who earned a lifestyle playing in the NFL.

Like Akron’s LeBron James, when it comes to athletic standouts, Edwin Moses is Dayton’s king. He may be the only professional athlete who never experienced a defeat while actively participating in a sport (track and field) more than 100 times. Edwin won gold medals at the 1976 and 1984 Olympic Games. In addition, he set the world record in the 400 meter hurdles four times. He is truly a champion, an elder statesman of the sport, someone Dayton is proud to call “Son”.

It’s my love of sports, particularly track and field, that inspired me to develop the main character in my new book, Love Pour Over Me, (Raymond Clarke) as a track standout. As with other athletes mentioned in this article, Raymond is from Ohio. Home for his father, Malcolm, and he is located in West Dayton. Raymond’s life, as happens to everyone, is filled with shifts, setbacks and triumphs, one of his greatest being the love relationship he shares with Brenda, a woman with a strong appreciation for life and the outdoors, a remarkable woman from the mountains of Tennessee.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com, or any other online or offline bookseller and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Writing Books and Stories that Touch Readers Deep Within

Posted on April 9, 2013 by admin

By Denise Turney

It’s been said that authentic stories come to writers instead of writers simply sitting down and creating stories we share with book readers. Truth may be that stories that touch readers deep within may actually come from deep within writers. It’s as though these stories speak to us, characters pushing us to tell their stories.

Powerful Emotions Touch Book Readers

Then again, there are stories, like those found in non-fiction books, that come to writers directly from experiences we observe in this physical world. It is then that stories can touch the core of book readers while the stories also keep accurate records of historic events, experiences that create strong, compelling emotions.

Developing stories that move print and electronic book readers requires that writers be honest with themselves, explore their own issues. In fact, it’s not uncommon for novelists to revisit their fiction books and see bits and pieces of their own experiences dispersed amongst the books’ pages. Specific steps book writers can take to engage their reading audience include having book characters write personal letters to their friends, parents or children.

Authors can also have major book characters share personal experiences in their diaries and include some of those diary entries in novels they craft. Raymond Clarke does this in the new book, Love Pour Over Me. Painting pictures to create images of major and minor book characters can also help authors to connect with and get to know their book’s characters more fully, more deeply.

By creating character sketches, authors can find out how old members of their book’s supporting cast should be. Other information that may surface while book writers do character sketches are the hometowns supports cast members should be from, the type of personality characters should have and particular motives major book characters should have.

The more deeply connected book writers are to the characters they create, the easier it can be for writers to flesh characters out for print and digital book readers, making the characters feel real. Another tip book writers may find helpful is to read dialogue and character scenes out loud. Sometimes the ears will catch something the eyes miss or don’t want to acknowledge.

To move book readers deeply, it’s important that writers create book characters readers will genuinely care about. The most talented and technically well crafted writing in the world may not engage readers if characters are flat or unbelievable. By adding strong dialogue, intriguing scenes and strong character motives to stories, book writers may start to develop a readership

Get your copy of “Love Pour Over Me” Now at –

http://www.ebookit.com/books/0000001582/Love-Pour-Over-Me.html

Sources:

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Love-Pour-Over-Me-ebook/dp/B007MC0Z2C

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-pour-over-me-denise-turney/1109600654

What if you can’t stop writing?

Posted on April 6, 2013 by admin

Some people write because they’ve heard that it’s a great way to gain fortune and fame. Other people write because they feel compelled to share their ideas with others, intent on causing other people to think the way they do. And then, there are folks who sit down and write or type out one-word-after-another because they simply couldn’t stop writing if they wanted to.

As much as I don’t like admitting it, I’m in the latter group.

Oh, sure, I’d absolutely love the fortune (you can keep the fame), but I’m gonna write no matter what. It’s in my DNA. I can’t help it.

Curious if this fits the bill for you as well? Consider reading these few scenarios/facts, and see how well they match you.

When I listen to conversations people have while commuting to and from work on the train, airplane, etc., I often find myself turning the conversations into short stories, poems, novels or I ponder how the conversations might work in a screenplay.
I write more than I think I do (i.e. journal writing, blogging, writing copy for friends) and don’t mind at all.
If I’m reading a newspaper, magazine or website article, I find myself enjoying the cadence, the very pace of the writing, more than the actual details noted in the piece.
People tell me it’s like I’m “right there” talking with them when they read letters I’ve written them and sent via the mail.
Seems like a story’s always going in my head.
I have an endless imagination.
Impossible seems like the most useless word in the dictionary to me (again . . . that endless imagination).
I absolutely love being in a library or bookstore!
When I talk with another writer, I feel like I’m talking with someone who really knows and understands me.

Oh, the joys of being a writer! They abound!

Testing the meanings of your life’s dictionary

Posted on April 2, 2013 by admin

By Denise Turney

Believe it or not, meanings we give events, including expressions other people wear when they’re around us, could play in our favor. Meanings in our personal (internal) dictionary could also set us back, causing us to believe that people don’t care for us, aren’t supporting us, think we’re boring, etc.

Keep this us and it won’t be surprising if we start feeling insecure, maybe even depressed. But, what if the meanings we give events are wrong? What if a man frowns at us on a train because he’s dealing with acid reflux, an ulcer or arthritis? Surely, he wouldn’t have to stop and tell us and everyone else he met why he was frowning. Would he? Would you if you were the one frowning due to physical pain? Would you have to tell everybody you met why you were frowning?

It’s a reason it’s an excellent idea to leave room for the wonderful fact that the meaning you give an event just might be WRONG! If you leave just a little room to consider that your personal dictionary might have wrong meanings in it, you could avoid stress, sleepless nights, fatigue, frustration, etc.

You might even really start to live . . . for the first time.

You might stop allowing other people’s expressions and conversations to have control of your day, how you feel about yourself, etc.

10 Must Haves to be a Successful Freelance Writer

Posted on March 31, 2013 by admin

Absolutely! Successful freelance writers have a lively, energetic imagination. It’s the heartbeat of the very work that creative writers design. However, that isn’t the only element that freelance writers need to be successful. In fact, imagination alone could find writers struggling to build ways to transfer the many ideas filling their head onto paper (or onto a computer screen).

Without these other 10 “must haves,” freelance writers could also spends weeks or months (dare I say . . . years) trying to land quality clients (who doesn’t want their savings to grow?), sharpen their craft or grow their readership. Absent a few of these “must haves,” freelance writers could also start feeling frustrated and (oh, no!) quit.

So, without further ado, here’s the 10 “must haves”. How many of them do you already possess?

Determination – Freelance writing isn’t always easy, especially at the start of a career. By being determined, you can hang in there when client work has dropped off, novel sales are sluggish or you find yourself racing to catch up to lightning fast technology advances.

Open Mind – No one knows everything about anything. An open mind makes it easier for you to receive new ideas, continue to learn and accept reader feedback without losing focus of your writing goals.

Solid Skills – Okay. You don’t have to be an English professor to enjoy phenomenal success as a freelance writer. But, you do need to have a good handle on grammar basics. If you feel you have room for improvement in this area, consider enrolling in an online or offline course so you can get up to speed.

Marketing Drive – Whether you work as a copywriter, technical writer, medical writer, etc. or as a book writer (fiction or non-fiction), you’re going to need to market your work to pull in more clients or readers. Participating in marketing discussion forums is one way you could start learning about tricks you could use to attract a larger audience for your work.

Financial Acumen – There really isn’t much sense in working hard to make money if you’re only going to waste every cent you earn. A budget (as well as sticking to a budget) could keep you on track, helping you to grow savings.

Courage – Should this one be Number 1? Okay. These “must haves” aren’t in any particular order. But, that said, courage is HUGE. Without courage, you might avoid contacting interview subjects (i.e. CEOs, celebrities) so you can land freelance writing gigs. You might also steer away from reaching out to book club presidents, readers, etc. to gain reviews for your latest novel. In fact, courage probably impacts everything you’ll do as a freelance writer.

Humor – Despite your best efforts, there’s no guarantee that you’ll always get the winning results you seek. It’s also highly unlikely that you’ll never make a mistake. Learning to laugh and take all that comes with freelance writing in stride could save you lots of frustration, disappointment and anger. Try it!

Appreciation – Although we writers often work alone, our lives don’t unfold in a vacuum (and, who would want that?). Appreciation for other people can help you remember what’s primary as a writer (regardless of the type of writing you do) — readers . . . aka “other people”. By focusing on writing to improve other people’s lives, you could really start to win as a freelancer. This cannot be overstated.

Great Editors – Sure. You can edit your own writings. In fact, it’s a great idea to do so. However, if you want to truly improve as a writer, moving closer and closer toward ongoing success, there’s a huge chance that you’re going to have to work with editors — great editors. The better the editors you work with, the better your writing will likely be.

Vision – That’s right. Imagination alone may not be enough. You need to “see” what you want, including how you want a story to unfold, what you want to achieve as a freelance writer each day, week, month and year. It’s this inner vision that can help you to know which choices to make (i.e. what to say “yes” or “no” to).

Resilience is another ingredient that can propel you to the top as a freelance writer. After all, down times might come, but if you are determined and resilient, you can stay the course, holding on for more and more writing success.

Thank you for reading my blog. To learn what happens to Raymond, Brenda and the other characters in Love Pour Over Me, hop over to Amazon.com, B&N.com, Ebookit.com ($3.03 – lowest price I’ve found so far) and get your copy of Love Pour Over Me today. And again I say – Thank You! Consider Love.

Men Love Romance as Much as Women

Posted on March 16, 2013 by admin

By Denise Turney
Men might not want it to get out, but they appreciate romance as much as women do. However, men express romantic feelings differently than women do. It’s easy to see why. Men, whether they are raised by a woman or a man, are generally raised to hide certain emotions. For example, emotions that lend the perception that a man is emotionally or psychologically weak, are taboo for boys to express in many households.

Some of these emotions are sadness, fear and vulnerability. It might not seem like it, but when you see a man who finds it hard to express his romantic feelings towards you, you’re actually looking at a man who has been taught to hide those feelings. Make him feel safe (or give him enough time to start to feel safe with you on his own, as he shares more experiences with you) and don’t be surprised if he begins to let you see how he feels about you more fully.

Truth is, we all desire to both give and receive love. It’s part of the circle of life, what keeps us connected, whole. Where we differ is in our genetics and our childhood programming. Even more, it’s during the first five years of our physical experiences that our brains are developed. Now, imagine that a boy was scolded or belittled each time he expressed “soft” emotions from the time he was two years.

If you meet that man when he’s in his twenties, you might feel like you’re pulling your own teeth when you try to get him to express romantic emotion. There’s nothing wrong with the man; it’s the coding or programming he received as a child. What you have to ask yourself is if you enjoy being with the man enough to wait until he sees that he no longer needs the old programming (programming he might have been given by well intentioned parents, friends and extended relatives).

It’s also important to remember that there’s no guarantee that a man (or woman) will feel safe enough to express his romantic emotions for you fully. In this case, you might decide to stop at friendship with this person. Whatever you decide, this much is sure. There’s a loving person, someone who wants to feel wanted, beneath the surface, at the core. Gender can’t stop that from being the case.

Advantages of Working with Book Editors

Posted on March 9, 2013 by admin

By Denise Turney

The marriage between book writers and book editors might be one of the most divergent relationships around. If you’ve ever worked as a writer or editor, you probably know what I mean. As a book writer, you might think that your work is excellent, certainly not worthy of an editor’s criticisms. Yet, that’s where you are likely to always be wrong.

Zoning in on Talented Book Editors’ Trained Eyes

In fact, there might not be a perfect book, especially to a talented book editor’s trained eye. When they’re working on a book, editors look for grammatical errors, voice inconsistencies, awkward tone and style, to start. Book editors also examine characterization, dialogue, setting and plot while editing a book. Because they are trained to look for and zone in on elements authors might ignore, book editors notice weaknesses in stories that authors don’t. This could be a reason why authors argue passionately when they receive an editor’s feedback.

It’s also a reason why some book editors handle writers with kid gloves. After all, who wants to fight with the people who are paying her? No. . . Who wants to argue with anyone every time he does his job, even if it’s a job that can deal a striking blow to a book writer’s fragile ego?

More Advantages to Working With Book Editors

The funny thing is, it’s nearly impossible to avoid receiving feedback on a book if you’re an author. Think about it. If talented book editors, people who have the best interest of your book at heart, don’t offer you feedback, book reviews and readers almost certainly will. Unfortunately, when book reviewers and readers notice weaknesses in your novels, they may not be nearly as kind or as gentle as book editors. Unlike book editors, reviewers and readers also might tell others about the weaknesses in your stories, costing you book sells.

Other advantages inherit in working with book editors include:

Smoother scene transitions
Fewer to no typos or misspelled words
More believable book characters
Strong, realistic dialogue
Improved timing and pacing
A workable number of characters instead of too many or too few book characters

Book editors offer critical reader feedback to authors. Their work can help turn an average story into an above average story. Furthermore, as book writers continue to work with the same book editors, the pairs can form rewarding relationships. They could also become familiar with each other’s style, and come to fully respect what each brings to the creative table. It’s a marriage that’s worth fighting for.

Spotlighting Positive African American Males

Posted on February 16, 2013 by admin

By Denise Turney

Rey Flemings, Stephon Alexander, Tyler Perry, Curley M. Dossman, Jr., Dr. Howard Rasheed and Milton Jones are just a few of the many positive Black men in America. These men do more than start businesses, lead their families and promote forward thinking in others. They also mentor other males, particularly youth, helping to inspire and motivate them toward rewarding adulthoods.

Positive black men like Rey Flemings, owner of Stripple, employ their talents to capture every day as well as uncommonly seen events. Milton Jones and Dr. Howard Rasheed develop educational as well as mentoring programs through 100 Black Men of America, an empowering organization that launched in New York in 1963.

Work that these and other men, like Tyler Perry and Curley Dossman, Jr. perform has made its way into the media, gaining the attention of the masses. However, there are many positive African American males who never get spotlighted in local or national media outlets. It’s these positive Black men who do the inner work to strengthen their marriages, improve the communications they share with their children, study with their offspring, contribute to communities they reside in, etc.

Some positive African American males raise children single handedly after the mothers of their children pass or after they experience a divorce. Daily responsibilities they perform include cooking meals, checking homework, bathing and dressing their infant children, transporting their children to school, attending school events, carving out time to have fun with their young children an hour or more a day, including taking their children with them to sporting events, museums, etc. Positive Black men fulfill these and other responsibilities while balancing full-time jobs.

It’s these images, the stories of these men, that teens need to hear about, images that smash at negative depictions of men. As these real life images get more exposure, people won’t look on in shock when they hear about positive African American males who are finding ways to empower themselves, their families and communities every single day. These men are out here, everywhere — it’s just that so few people take the time to notice or spotlight them and the great things they do.

As other men commit to doing, Raymond Clarke’s father raises a child alone, yet he has inner issues to deal with that he refuses to face until late. He loves his son, but struggles to balance sharp inner conflicts. Some fathers, from all cultures, struggle to find balance within themselves. The good news is that when they do, they offer positive contributions to society and . . . to their sons. Support men who are like Raymond’s father receive from organizations like 100 Black Men in America, the National Organization for Men, Positive Men’s Organization, Men’s Health Network, Boys to Men Foundation and The Good Men Project could help them become even better fathers and contributors to society.

Sources:

http://blackmanoftheday.com/

http://www.100blackmen.org/education.aspx

A Lifetime of Loving Books

Posted on January 26, 2013 by admin

By Denise Turney

Like millions of readers, I have spent a lifetime loving books. One of the reasons I love reading books has to do with the way intricately developed literature penetrates misgivings I might have about my ability to progress, convincing me that I can triumph by introducing me to characters who, although deeply challenged, overcome.

Loving Books for Several Reasons

Sometimes I want to read books I can finish in a few hours, no more than a day. Yet, time savings aside, I can honestly say I love reading books most that take days for me to finish. In fact, like many people who love books might desire, if I truly enjoy a book, I don’t ever want the story to end. Could be a reason why some of us love books that are part of a series.

But, those aren’t the only reasons we have a love of books. After all, don’t true book lovers want to find and enjoy stories that make us think, stories that could change our lives, regardless of where the stories are set or when authors penned them? Don’t we want to have the opportunity to explore complexities of believable characters, the chance to follow dynamic characters through uncommon situations that force the characters to transform, to change.

Never been to historic, faraway places like Paris, France, West Africa, New York City, Scotland or Tokyo, Japan? Pick up an intriguing novel that’s set in these or other cities and regions, places rich with history, tradition and culture, and you could feel as if you have been transported to these locations in a matter of minutes.

Clearly, books can have an empowering impact. Those of us who have spent a lifetime loving books know this firsthand. Great books help us deal with challenging situations in our own lives, beginning in our childhoods. . . early. Great literature shows those of us who love books that there is another way life can be, that we really can live rewarding, eventful lives.

Reasons I Love Reading Books

Like you might, I remain grateful to the authors who did what it took to create stories that packed an entertaining wallop, stories that helped change my life. As it is with many people who love books, starting early in this world, I was extremely fortunate, finding books that connected with me deeply, books that both entertained and inspired me. Because of these early stories, I acquired a growing appreciation for reading great books. My passion for reading shortened the time it took me to understand school text, lesson plans and news articles. In a nutshell, it helped to increase my learning, made it easy for me to excel academically, and, years later, professionally.

Over the years, I have loved turning the pages of the hundreds of books I’ve read. I’ve used all sorts of things for bookmarks (i.e. folded sheets of paper, paper clips, post-it notes, actually bookmarks). Curling up in bed with an amazingly good book has long been a wonderful way to drift into sleep for me. After I finish reading books, I add them to my bookcases, making it easy for me to return to the books months or years later, to enjoy reading parts of the stories.

Loving books is easy, especially when we stop and consider how great books open up new worlds, introduce us to amazing possibilities. After all, what other invention, small enough to fit inside a tote bag, can inspire, motivate and entertain us all at the same time? What other invention helps change our lives the way great books do?

Real Life Stories, Books and Self Help

Author Denise Turney's Writing and Books Blog

Category Archives: Writing Musings

Penn Relays Sports Brillance

Talented Athletes From Dayton, Ohio

Writing Books and Stories that Touch Readers Deep Within

What if you can’t stop writing?

Testing the meanings of your life’s dictionary

10 Must Haves to be a Successful Freelance Writer

Men Love Romance as Much as Women

Advantages of Working with Book Editors

Spotlighting Positive African American Males

A Lifetime of Loving Books

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