INSPIRATION for

ritersWThe flesh of prose gets its shape and strength

from the bones of grammar. ~Constance Hale

INNER CIRCLE M A R C H 2 0 1 5

A Note from Your PublisherIs your participle dangling? No, you don’t have to check whether your fly is open or you tucked your skirt into your pantyhose by accident. A dangling participle is only embarrassing if you’re a grammar geek like me. And especially annoying if you edit fifteen books a year. My world revolves around dangling participles and improper use of the subjunctive tense and all the different ways that we mangle our language. I don my grammar tool belt every morning and get to work repairing everything we publish. Our team of editors does the same. Managing editor Kristiana Pastir has a notepad on her desk that says, “I am silently correcting your grammar.” And she’s not always silent about it! I’m so zealous that I correct typos in library books—in ink. I know that’s obnoxious, but someone has to do it. Dr. Jeanne LaMont said, “The secret to happiness in your work is to find a job in which your neurosis is constructive.” We’re happy, neurotic editors here at Chicken Soup for the Soul. So don’t be upset if we suggest a few changes to your stories. We’re just being our happy, neurotic selves. The next time someone says your participle is dangling, don’t be alarmed. That just means you have a phrase in the wrong place, seeming to apply to the wrong subject of the sentence. Here is an example: “After being thrown in a snowdrift, I picked up the newspaper.” You weren’t thrown in a snowdrift, were you? The newspaper was thrown in the snowdrift and then you picked it up. Be warm, use your grammar geekiness, and keep writing. Your publisher, Amy Newmark @amynewmark

A N E X C L U S I V E M O N T H L Y C O M M U N I Q U É F O R O U R W R I T E R S

the

For moments that become storiesTM

A Paternity Suit Against the Governor of Rhode Island

Hurry, Submit Your Stories in March!

When Kara Sundlun was a teenager she filed a paternity suit against her biological father, the governor of Rhode Island. It was a brave thing to do, and it led to an unforgettable tale of forgiveness, reconciliation, and family bonding—one that Kara tells in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Forgiveness and also in her memoir, Finding Dad. Watch Amy and Kara, a newscaster on CBS affiliate WFSB, discuss the book on Better Connecticut TV. Watch the clip here and learn how to use the power of forgiveness to change your own life!

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dreams and Premonitions When we sleep, we dream. Are dreams a connection to the unconscious mind? Are they omens of things to come—both good and bad? In our dreams we can be anything we want to be. We are looking for stories about your dreams and premonitions and the impact they have had on your life. What have you learned from your dreams? Have you ever had a dream come true? Did a dream or premonition strengthen your faith or help you change the direction of your life? Did a premonition serve as a warning about something that was going to happen? Tell us the stories that give people chills! The deadline for story and poem submissions is March 15, 2015.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Volunteering & Giving Back We’re making another book about volunteering! How has your life been changed by volunteering? Have you been a volunteer in a hospital, a school or in your community? What have you done to make a difference in the lives of others? Do you or your company “give back” in some way? Or do you want to thank a volunteer who helped you? Share your true stories about how you found purpose, passion, and joy in your life or how a volunteer helped you. And by volunteer, we mean an unpaid position, so save those stories about paid heroes in your life for another book! The deadline for story and poem submissions has been extended to March 31, 2015.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Merry Christmas! Our holiday books are very popular. We do a new edition every other year, so we are now collecting stories for our Christmas 2015 book. Share your special stories about the holiday season—including Chanukah and Kwanzaa—from inspirational and joyous, to heartwarming and humorous. Remember, all the stories in our Christmas books are “Santa Safe”—we don’t want to spoil the magic for children. This title was previously posted as “Stories about the Christmas Season.” If you submitted a story for that title it will be considered for “Merry Christmas!” The deadline for story and poem submissions has been extended to March 31, 2015.

Your Latest Books!

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Joy of Adoption 101 Stories about Forever Families and Meant-to-Be Kids

Co-author LeAnn Thieman is back! On Sale: 3/31/2015

This updated collection of stories includes our favorites from Chicken Soup for the Adopted Soul, plus 17 new stories. With great stories for parents, grandparents, and children, you’ll read about miracles, reunions, bonding, and the privilege of adoption.

We’re pleased to have two books coming out this year with LeAnn Thieman, the co-author of a dozen Chicken Soup for the Soul books. In July, we’ll be publishing her latest book for nurses, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Nurses!

Winter Giveaway—Soup’s On!

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks to My Mom 101 Stories of Gratitude, Love, and Lessons

with co-author Jo Dee Messina! On Sale: 3/17/2015

A mother’s job is never done, but in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks to My Mom, she gets the praise she deserves! Children of all ages share their words of thanks in these 101 stories of love, learning, and gratitude to the woman they couldn’t have done without!

The book is co-authored by country superstar Jo Dee Messina! She shares her story about her biggest and most supportive fan, her mom. From her first day of kindergarten to her first national tour to her new role as a working mother, Jo Dee’s mom has always been there. Jo Dee recently released the new album ME and is touring nationwide. You’ll see her doing lots of PR for the book in April and May.

It’s cold out there! We want to share some warm, hearty Chicken Soup for the Soul soup with you and your family. Five lucky

contributors will each win four boxes of our delicious soup. All you have to do is e-mail your name to our webmaster at webmaster@chickensoupforthesoul.com by March 26th. Put “Free Soup” in your subject line! You must be a published Chicken Soup for the Soul contributor to enter—just another benefit of reading

the communique every month!