Sunday, August 26, 2012

Step right up, folks!

Step right up! If you are a member of a blended family, you may have a story to tell that could earn you a nice big fat "C" note; that's one hundred buckaroos.

This is our wild bunch celebrating hubby's 70th birthday yesterday. The four children on the far left are "mine", and all the rest are "his", although actually, all of them are OURS because we've been married since before they were born. We love all of them!
We have always been known as Paw-paw and Nana. The one exception in this photo is the center child wearing green, who is our "adopted grandchild", the daughter of a close family friend. When she was little, she called me Nana Banana, and she nicknamed Bill Paw-Paw Apple, and that's what she still calls us. Her little red-haired sister refused to be photographed. Those two giants in back are standing on chairs. The kid with black under his eyes was leaving to play football.

Stepping Up Anthology, Samantha Ducloux Waltz is seeking first-person essays from women who are or have been part of stepfamilies that are nurturing places and also stepfamilies where family members must find ways to rise above the challenges they face/d at home. She is looking for a diversity of voices and welcome submissions from a variety of family situations. As an editor she values honesty, clarity, specificity, showing, not telling, tight writing, and the sharing of insights. Pieces should be between 2,000 and 4,000 words in length. Pays: $100 plus two copies. Deadline: September 30, 2012. See the full announcement at http://www.literarymama.com/blog/archives/2012/06/call-for-submissions-stepping.html and submit via Ms. Waltz's website, as per her instructions.

10 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

Linda--Thanks for the information on the call out. I don't know if I would "qualify" but I will check it out and see.

What a good looking crew--from both of you.

Bookie said...

How nice they could all be there at once! Happy Birthday to your hubby...that is a special year! Linda, your blood shows in those four...they look like you! But I know that in your heart, they all look the same!

Debora said...

"What a big family you have," said your blogger friends.

"The better to love me with, my Dears," answered Linda.

We blended families 25 years ago. Toughest thing I ever did! I might go for that essay.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful group. I hope you had an enjoyable b-day celebration. Seventy years young is pretty awesome.

BECKY said...

Hey Linda! You know I'll be looking into this one! Thanks for passing along the info. And happy birthday to Bill! When I first read "The four children on the far left are "mine", and all the rest are "his", I thought.....hhhmmmm....you and Bill certainly have young children!! :)

Claudia Moser said...

Happy birthday for your husband!

jabblog said...

Happy Birthday to the Happy Man:-)

Kim Lehnhoff said...

Perhaps my story that was "too sweet" for NYMB will be put to good use.

Great pic! The Mister and I each have three kids in the "his" and "mine" category. He's winning in the grandkids race with five to my two...but the final count isn't in yet. It doesn't matter, really - we all win.

Cathy C. Hall said...

Well, dang. I was kinda hoping that hundred bucks would just be sitting around, ready for the taking.

Well. I suppose it is, if you've got the write stuff. ;-)

(Good luck to you! What am I saying? You don't need luck--you've probably already written five essays!)

Tammy said...

Thanks a lot. Now I have The Brady Bunch song stuck in my head! Happy birthday to Paw-Paw Apple. What a great bunch you all have!