TODAY'S ARTICLES:

• Writing makes the time fly: sharing the big OOPS in my book manuscript
• RVing during the dogs days of summer where the living is easy
• My essay on the latest Supreme Court ruling, copied from 6/29 posting at: http://lookingbackboomersrememberhistory.blogspot.com
  
  

WRITING MAKES THE TIME FLY

Nothing tells me it is summer more than looking at the thermometer and seeing we’ve hit the century mark. When did that happen? I’ve had my nose (and mind) buried in the new book for the past couple of weeks, trying to make sure everything is perfect before it goes to press. Yesterday I went out and suddenly noticed that it is really hot. The “monsoons” haven’t arrived yet, so we don’t have the thunderstorms to cool us down in the afternoons.

Writing is something that comes easy to me, but getting it right doesn’t. So, I thought I would share the most common boo-boos that my editor found with my manuscript. Some are silly mistakes. Come to think of it, most are, because I should know better. I know that some would-be writers are afraid to commit their stories to paper because they’re afraid they aren’t perfect enough. So, here’s imperfect. Look at it and see if you can’t do better.

The worst thing I did (I think) was not sticking to the same usage throughout the book. Not even through one paragraph. I sometimes wrote “US” and sometimes, “U.S.” Same with Washington DC, and Washington D.C. And sometimes I wrote the forties, the 1940s, and ‘40s. I didn’t notice, but my editor sure did!

To make it worse, when I got the manuscript back, I thought I could go under “edit” and “find ,” then type in US and change all of them to U.S. at the same time. What a mistake that was. I was really confused when my program showed it had found over 1000 uses of US. No, I thought! There’s no way that I mentioned the United States that many times. It didn’t take me long to figure out what had happened, but by then I had to go all the way back and check each U.S. separately until I got it straightened out. Unfortunately, it had automatically changed every place “US” or “us” appeared, even in the middle of words like cU.S.tard and tumultuoU.S.

The same thing happened with DC. Suddenly words like grandchildren became granD.C.hildren. Now I have to read each page carefully to change them all!

Then there was number usage. I know the rule: ten or under, you spell the word out. Over ten you use the number. Just one of those stupid mistakes I make when my mind is working on autopilot. When thoughts are flying at me, my mission becomes to get them entered into the computer and not worry about mistakes until later. However, I should have caught these simple problems when I proofread the manuscript before sending it to the editor.

It’s getting corrected, but I’ve spend extra time now trying to get it all straightened out. What’s my message here? If I can get a book written and published, considering the ridiculoU.S. mistakes I make, then I know each of you can do better. Next time, read about more of my goofs that the editor caught!

NOTE: Some of this newsletter’s talented subscribers submitted essays to my new book. You can read some of these great essays when the book gets published—hopefully this month.

RVing during the dog days of summer

Here it is again, the 4th of July weekend, and the RV Park has filled with working people who are taking a holiday with the kids. While I think it’s too hot to fire up the motorhome engine and head out on the road, people from Phoenix and Tucson are rushing to places exactly like where we’re staying to cool off. Funny how “feeling the heat” is relative depending on the individual’s perspective.

Owning an RV and being able to jump in it and hit the road for a weekend away is a fantastic choice, and it is less expensive for families than motels and eating out. I’m also reminded by all the rain and flooding in Texas that having an RV is convenient when you need to escape the ravages of nature—assuming you manage to get out before the floods hit. Those owning RVs in California have their own emergency preparedness kit on wheels, assuming it isn’t destroyed by the earthquake. Some people keep their RVs stocked with clothes, food and fresh water just for such an emergency. Since the RV is on wheels, it is less likely to suffer damage from the ground motion as long as everything is put away safely into cupboards or a tree doesn’t fall on it. And as long as escape routes remain open, owners only have to drive away until it’s safe to return home.

About those families who have come to stay for the holiday, once they arrive there’s swimming, fishing in what remains of the water in the river, hiking early in the morning before the sun gets too fierce, or lying out and relaxing under a shade tree or the RV’s awning. Sightseeing at Indian ruins (one actually has shade trees and a creek) and exploring funky little mining towns are within a few minutes drive from here. We have everything available that resorts nearby offer, only they charge $250-600 per night for the experience. I’ve stayed in one a few miles from here and it was nearly perfect, but believe me, it’s cheaper to stay here in our RV. I could have done a lot with the change left over from the $325 per night they charged for the “exclusivity” of sleeping in one of their lovely, but costly casitas.

The only bummer this weekend is that cooking outdoors on the grill is forbidden right now because of the dry conditions. However, it’s only a short trip into town if eating barbeque is important to the camping experience. Meals are even served in the clubhouse on some days here, especially on holiday weekends, and there are lots of activities for the kids.

The air conditioner is keeping us cool, but it’s only a short hop to Dairy Creme or Cold Stone Creamery if we need something cooler. Life doesn’t get any better than this!

Looking Back needs update with new Supreme Court Ruling

As I sent the book Looking Back to the editor, I expected to be finished with it except for making the changes she suggested. Instead, one important, historical news item after another has filled the airwaves during the past week, and some of them seem to be important to the book's promise to cover history from the '40s to the present.

For instance, yesterday the Supreme Court turned back the clock on racial integration. So in the year of the 50th anniversary of school desegregation in Little Rock, racial diversity is no longer a goal of our society. Apparently, neither is equal education for all, because that will certainly change as many parents rush to move their children to new, segregated schools.

Why does this disturb me? Well, 50 years ago this September, I was one of the 2000 white students at Little Rock Central High who had our lives turned into a media frenzy by the forced integration of our school when nine black students were admitted. We lived a year filled with fear, pain, and humiliation as we watched on TV nightly as mobs of racist bigots, with the help of an over-zealous mob of photographers and reporters, turned what would probably have been a non-event, or at least a less dramatic moment in history, into a media circus.

We faced almost daily bomb threats, and had to nervously stand around outside while all lockers in the building were searched for explosives. We lived in fear that our school would suddenly be bombed, or closed down by politicians trying to placate their most vocal voters. Our parents were frightened out of their minds as they sent us off to school each day to face, what? No one knew for sure.

We students had no voice in what was happening. We were merely victims of a Court ruling and were suddenly picked out of a lottery of faceless young people to become guinea pigs for that first experiment in integration in the South. We were forced to grow up—to prove that we were more adult than the racists who waved signs and shouted in front of the school each day. And yes, we were scared. Yet, more than 600 seniors managed to graduate that year, along with one black student.

Students the next year weren’t so lucky. Schools were closed down and some dropped out. Others were forced to live with relatives out of town or else their parents had to pay for them to attend private schools.

That is the price we paid. Now, after all these years, we find that it was all for nothing. A Supreme Court that is out of touch with the real world, real lives, of people in this country, both black and white, has decided that racial diversity doesn’t matter. So, if parents want their kids to live in an all-white (or black, or Asian, or Hispanic) community and not have exposure to others of different races, they can move to segregated neighborhoods where they never have to rub shoulders with someone different from them.

That’s not the real world. Well, yes it is in some exclusive gated communities like where Supreme Court Justices live, but do the rest of us really want things to be like they were back before integration? Personally, I think my life has been richer for knowing people of all races. How would I have survived moving to Honolulu in 1964, where white faces were few and far between? What would I have done when I was sent to a black home as an interior designer? Refuse to go in? Walk in and say, “Hi, oh I see you’re black. Too bad. Goodbye”?

Right now, I’m thinking this is the scariest thing our Supreme Court has ever done—even more frightening than the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education was to those of us in Little Rock at the time. Maybe I’m over-reacting, but I worry about more race riots and violence, more hatred and less respect and understanding of others. I hope I’m wrong.

The sad thing is, I can see the point of people who don’t want their children bused out of their own neighborhood. It has to be hard to put a child on a bus early each morning and not have her or him come home until late. But, as I write in the book, no ethical question is either black or white. There are all shades of gray when these types of problems face us. I feel with this decision, the Supreme Court has created a situation that will haunt us all for a long time.

And I’m mad about having gone through all I went through at Central High, only to find out 50 years later that it was all for nothing. I'm mad about the sacrifices we made, and for what? What had been accomplished has been erased by this decision, and justice has not been served by the “Justices.” If they’re concerned at all about the future, they should realize we’re a nation where the Caucasian race will soon be a minority. Isn’t it important that we be exposed to other cultures, other races, before we become the minority?

You can read all about Central High in 1957 in the book, Looking Back, when it is released in July (or possibly, August). In it are essays by two other students who were there that year. In all, 22 exceptionally expressive essays and poems on a wide variety of historic events provide personal insight into the times that shaped Boomers’ lives, and the lives of all of us.

I’ll list the essays and point out the contributors who are also subscribers to Portable Writing Newsletter as soon as the book comes out.

RVING AT MILITARY CAMPGROUNDS


I know many readers of this newsletter can’t access military installations because they’re not eligible, active-duty or retired military personnel. However, for those who can, I’d like to pass on information about some that we’ve stayed in recently. These campgrounds are usually located on a military installation, or next to one, and they’re most often located near major highways. Sometimes they’re located in remote recreational areas, or at military installations in the middle of nowhere, where you’d find it difficult to find other camping facilities.

Before I tell about the ones we’ve stayed in, I should mention that almost every military installation entry is now protected by an obstacle course. If you’re driving a car, it’s easy to wind between the concrete barricades that force you to take a zig-zag route. However, if you’re driving a large rig, you might find it difficult to maneuver through the barricades. Always call the installation in advance so you can get directions for entering. They may have a commercial entry for big trucks that you can use, but entry times to these gates will be limited to business hours.

Sometimes the obstacle course is unavoidable, so don’t try it during rush hour as you might hold up military personnel rushing to get to work. We had one guard offer to call for moving equipment to remove a couple of barriers when we entered, but my husband drove very slowly and took extreme measures to wiggle his way through, so the heavy equipment wasn’t necessary. You might not be so lucky!

Our favorite military campground is south of Tacoma, Washington, just off I-5 (exit 122), and is situated on the banks of American Lake in a beautiful setting. Camp Murray Beach Military FAMCAMP is often busy, especially in the summer, so if you fail to secure reservations, try Ft. Lewis next door, which is located on the same lake but lacks the spectacular views. Another nearby park is at McChord AFB, across the freeway and north about three miles from Camp Murray. Camp Murray closes from December to March (check your military RV & camping directory for details), but the other nearby FAMCAMPS may stay open year-round.

Ft. Lewis FAMCAMP is at exit 121 west has lovely wooded sites, and log cabins and bungalows are available for rent. Propane is sold within the campground and Ft. Lewis also has 30 additional rustic camper and tent sites that are free.

McChord AFB FAMCAMP is at exit 125 east, then follow road to the gate. The FAMCAMP is located in the woods among giant fir and pine trees, and is populated with wildlife. You will hear jets taking off and landing, but the thick woods help muffle the sound.

All three of these facilities are located near Mt. Rainier and only about 60 miles south of Seattle and its waterfront. There are many recreational opportunities available in the area, including boating, fishing, and swimming on American Lake. Prices are reasonable compared to commercial RV parks, which are few and far between in the metro-area of Seattle/Tacoma.

In Wyoming, we stayed for a few days at D.A. Russell FAMCAMP, which is at exit 11 on I-25 in Cheyenne, WY. One entrance to the campground has a low clearance, of 11’6” under a railroad trestle, but guards at the gate can tell you the best route to take to avoid this underpass. Speaking of the railroad, the tracks run right above the campground, but very few trains go through and they’re traveling extremely slow—especially when antelope are roaming the base during hunting season.

This is an area we would love to explore more someday, so may go back for a longer stay.

In Southern California, we stayed at March AFB FAMCAMP, which is on a former Air Force installation that now belongs to the National Guard and Reserves. It’s at the March exit on I-215 just south of CA-60. There’s nothing special about the campground, but does have a nice laundry room and restroom facility. And this park is located within easy driving distance of many Southern California attractions. No reservations—first come, first served, year-round.

We checked out the FAMCAMP at Nellis AFB, NV, but decided not to stay there. Somehow, having noisy jets taking off and landing overhead didn’t appeal to us. However, it does have nice, level RV sites and is convenient to on-base activities and Las Vegas casinos. It’s located north of Las Vegas, just off I-15 east.

Another beautiful FAMCAMP we’ve stayed in several times is at Little Rock Air Force Base, which is located in central Arkansas just off US67/167. It is an on-base park next to a lake. Some of the RV sites are paved back-in, tree-shaded, facing the park and lake; pull-thru’s and more back-ins are located in a clearing past the back-in spaces. The restrooms are nice, but you’ll have to go into Jacksonville, outside the base gate, to find laundry facilities. This FAMCAMP provides a central location for exploring Little Rock and the rivers, lakes, and tourist attractions the area offers. You can drop your payment in a drop box at the entry to the park, and a gas station with a mini-mart is located across the road from the park.

Just off I-40 and I-17 outside of Flagstaff, AZ at 7000-foot elevation is the Luke AFB FAMCAMP. It is called Ft. Tuthill Recreation Area and is in a beautiful wooded site that holds RV sites as well as yurts, cabins, multi-family cabins and a hotel. This is within easy driving distance (80 miles) to Grand Canyon, Skiing at Snowbowl, and about 20 miles, straight downhill through Oak Creek Canyon or by I-17, to beautiful Sedona and the Verde Valley. This area is cool in the summer and very cold and snowy in the winter.

We have stayed at numerous other FAMCAMPS overnight while traveling, including Gila Bend, AZ and Edwards AFB, CA, but haven’t had occasion to stay long enough to rate their quality.

Military campgrounds do offer an alternative to commercial parks, are usually cheaper, often nicer, certainly secure, and sometimes are located in areas where there are no other RV camping facilities. If you are eligible to use them, check http://www.RVBookstore.com for their current edition of U.S. Military Campgrounds Directory on CD.

Writing (and Rolling) Down the Road

I can just hear you asking what is meant by “writing and rolling.” Well, it’s the world’s best way to earn income from writing while traveling. And it becomes easier to do every day. With a satellite-ready portable computer with an air card, an online connection that works almost anywhere, and a portable inverter, anyone can continue to write and submit their work, or research the Internet while rolling down the road. In other words, you can work just like you would if sitting at your desk or dining table at home.

When I started doing this, it was not impossible to write while traveling—but forget about submitting an article via the Web. There was no such thing as the Internet for average users then. We had a cell phone, but forget about being able to contact anyone, or them contact us. We could receive and send calls in our home area, but if our cell phone provider didn’t have an “agreement” with those in other states, we were forced to stand in line at the pay phone to keep in touch with business contacts. Ditto for anyone else we had to speak with. All of America was supposed to be connected by satellite by the end of 1992, like Canada already was. It has never happened!

We started out with a cell phone, a computer and everything we thought would be necessary to operate our business on the road. We picked up the phone in Nevada (our residence then), but as soon as we drove into California, we could no longer receive our messages or calls. Arizona was even worse since we had to use our long-distance phone card to make a call on our cell phone. Arizona definitely didn’t have an agreement with Nevada!

Thank goodness for mergers. Cell phone providers got larger, then started sharing towers. Finally we could stay in touch with those important in our lives and to our livelihood.

With our new satellite equipped laptop, we were finally able to merge Internet with cell phone usage. Then by purchasing a portable converter, I was able to work while we’re traveling down the road.

Wow! It just keeps getting better!

In case you are interested, the costs involved in setting up a working system like ours follow:

Laptop computer with satellite capabilities: between $500 and $1000.

Cell phone: Watch ads for providers in your area. Verizon often runs specials that include the cost of the phone and some accessories for under $100. You’ll have to sign a one- to two-year agreement for service (meaning that if you decide to cancel before the agreement ends, you’ll pay a hefty fee). We’ve had our service since 2002 and couldn’t be happier with it.

Cell phone service: Service for 450 minutes (peak time) with no roaming and no long distance charges runs about $40. Calls after 9:00 p.m. in your time zone, and on weekends are free.

Internet service: Unlimited Internet access runs about $60 per month. Most ISP’s that provide email service will charge from nothing to $30 per month. Yahoo is free for now, and Juno charges a small yearly fee. We’ve been able to connect everywhere we’ve been so far.

Portable Inverter that plugs into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter: $60

All prices of the above products depend on where you buy them, and are subject to change. Watch for sales. Check prices at www.Fryselectronics.com if there’s no store nearby since they seem to consistently have the best prices on electronic equipment.

WAS THIS THE ORIGINAL RV?

My ancestors traveled the Oregon Trail around 1878 on their way to Union County, Oregon in a covered wagon similar to the one pictured above. Their trip was neither smooth nor easy. Wagons were oxen or mule powered instead of driven by diesel or gas engines like modern day RVs. And it took six months of numerous perils and untold tragedies before the more than 300,000 pioneers that included my great-grandmother, reached their destination.

The above photo was taken at one of the interpretive museums along the Oregon Trail in Northeast Oregon. It offers a wonderful contrast to glossy photos of modern RVs that are found in magazines today. Aren't we lucky to be able to travel as far and as often as we like in air-conditioned, padded comfort? Or, are we unfortunate not to have been part of that great adventure in the 1800s?

TODAY'S ARTICLES

• Getting your self-published book printed
• Green RVing - yes it is possible!

UPDATE ON THE BOOK "LOOKING BACK"

My new book, Looking Back: Boomers Remember History from the '40s to the Present is still being edited, but as soon as I get it back and make needed changes, it will be on its way to the publisher. The name has gone through a couple of changes that the editor suggested, and I've decided she's right. It is a compilation of history as seen through the eyes of those who lived it! and includes 2 poems and 17 essays contributed by writers and other extraordinary Americans who lived through that timespan - from World War II through Katrina and beyond. The final chapter covers future challenges we all face as we look forward.

Look for my soon-to-be-announced release date, which will probably be in July. This is a book that everyone who wants to reminisce about the past can enjoy as they read stories submitted by people who were personally involved in history-making moments as well as those who were only witnesses as events swirled around them.

History is a living, breathing document that continues to evolve. It is there for all of us to recall and enjoy its most memorable moments - both good and bad.

GETTING BOOKS PRINTED IF YOU PLAN TO SELF-PUBLISH

I’ve heard about Morris Cookbooks for years and had heard that they also print regular books, so I finally decided to order their kit to see exactly what is offered in the way of cookbook printing. I received three examples of their cookbooks (complete cookbooks, but all the same recipes) that include a padded notebook, padded hardcover that’s plastic spiral-bound, and laminated soft cover that is spiral bound. They are lovely. The cost for the soft cover is only a little over $2.00 per unit, and the notebook edition costs a little over $5.00 for each copy and includes a holder that you can stand on a countertop to hold it upright. Their work is extremely nice, as are the layouts of the books and the artwork. They furnish everything for the price, but you can make changes for an upgrade in price.

They provide a CD that has all the information on it as well as a step-by-step book that displays their covers, page designs, etc. in color.

The only downside I could find during my quick read through their how-to-book was that they put their copyright on it UNLESS you provide your own artwork, do your own setup and send it in camera-ready. Also, I don’t think it is a “print-on-demand” company, meaning they can’t print small runs immediately. Minimum order is 200 copies.

When I had 25 copies of a self-published cookbook printed four years ago, it cost about $5 per copy for a cover of card stock and a plastic comb binding. Then I had to go back and get 25 more printed! I did them simply as Christmas gifts for friends and family, but found there was a demand for them from others who saw them. So my total cost was about $250. I could have had 200 copies of the same book, better looking, for less than $500.

Morris is a viable source for printing that cookbook you’ve been thinking about writing and if you want to get their publishing kit to see exactly what they offer, you can order it for free from their website: www.Morriscookbooks.com. They’re set up to print for non-profit organizations, but they also do family and individual cookbooks.

I know there are plenty of printing companies that self-publishers use that have “print-on-demand” capabilities. I don’t know anything about the prices they charge, though, or even the names. The best way to find out about them is to network with other writers and ask those who have self-published who they use. I’ll write more about self-publishing as I learn more.

If you are thinking about doing a self-published cookbook or regular book, Morris should definitely be contacted for pricing before you choose a printer. The quality of books they send in their kit is exceptional.

NOTE: You should always check several sources of printing for pricing and offerings. I have never personally used Morris for a self-published book, so can’t recommend them based on personal experience.

GREEN RVING? YES IT IS POSSIBLE!

I know some of you are wondering, what is up with anyone who believes it’s possible to be a green RVer? Is she crazy?

No, I’m not (officially), and yes it is possible to be a nomad and still demonstrate concern for the environment. In fact as a group, we RVers are much more conscious of our natural world because we spend so much time in it. We appreciate the splendor that we see unfold beyond our windows as we travel, and many of us love to walk among newly fallen leaves, or take a hike when the leaves are just beginning to bud in the spring. Some of us even appreciate a fresh blanket of snow and frigid temperatures that nip at our noses. We tend to spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying nature’s beauty.

Few stick-house dwellers ever spend time just enjoying what nature has to offer unless it is during their too-short vacations. They’re too busy earning a living to pay for their homes, cars, and the kid’s piano, soccer, tennis, and cheerleading lessons, and then rushing them back and forth between home, work and classes/practice.While they may live in a gorgeous region of the country with beautiful mountains as a backdrop to their lovely homes, most don’t get much time to relish the view. I’d venture to say that most are just biding their time in unfulfilling jobs until retirement, when they plan to sit on the porch and suck in the view while they suck up cocktails. Some are even waiting for the day they can hit the road in their own RV.

Still, many of them are hesitant to dream of a life on the road because they think RVs waste fuel and pollute the air. They don’t want to be accused of contributing to the destruction of the environment. Frankly, I get r-e-a-l-l-y cranky when ALL RVers are accused of being polluting, fuel-wasting gas or diesel hogs. Sure, some can be accused of being mega-polluters, but so can everyone who drives a big SUV.

To those who accuse all RVers of being guilty of harming the environment, I want to ask, “What have you done for the environment lately?” Do you keep your thermostat turned up to eighty in the summertime and down to 68 during the winter? Do you turn it off at bedtime? Do you use solar panels or wind power to heat and cool your home? Many RVers do one or all of the above.

How big is your home? If it’s the average-sized house, do you know how much energy it takes to heat it as compared to a 300-400 square-foot RV? Lots more, I can promise. Plus RVers are prone to head to sunnier climes if the weather gets cold and rainy, cutting heating costs even more. The same goes for when it gets steamy and hot. We usually rush to cooler locations to spend the dog days of summer. And as a group, we tend to leave the windows open to capture fresh breezes.

Do you know how much water you use when you take a shower? RVers do. We have small fresh water and holding tanks, and even tinier water heaters. We know not to stay in the shower one minute longer than necessary!

Do you help clean up the environment by picking up litter alongside your community’s roadsides? In many RV parks, you’ll find days set aside for just that duty. Even if there’s no special day, a lot of active RVers (meaning those young and flexible enough to hike and bend over, then manage to get back up without help, and those strong enough to tote heavy garbage bags) organize groups or go out on their own to pick up trash along highways.

How many loads of laundry do you wash and dry each day? RVers have to travel light, so many own lightweight clothes that they can hand wash and hang in the shower overnight to dry. Few of us enjoy spending $2.00 or more per load at the Laundromat, so we wait until we have a FULL load before heading over to drop our quarters into bottomless slot machines that never pay out. Somehow, a clean load of laundry doesn’t have quite the same impact as a big, noisy payout on a slot machine!

What about the magazines and books you read? Do you go to the library to read magazines and check out books, or do you recycle your reading material by passing it on to someone else? Most RV parks have a place where guests can leave magazines and books they’ve finished reading, and pick up more that they haven’t read. This exchange shelf keeps our minds sharp by offering reading material that is sometimes not found at local newsstands, plus we get to recycle our onboard libraries.

Does every home in your neighborhood have an under-used swimming pool? Think of all the water that is wasted, the chemicals that are released into the environment, and if the pools are heated—well!!! We RVers usually find a nice, clean pool in the parks where we stay and can all swim or play to our heart’s content. And it only takes one set of chemicals to keep it fresh and clean.

What about the cleaning chemicals you use for your home? Again, RVers don’t have much storage space, so most learn to exist with only a couple of cleaning agents. Some even make our own cleaning solutions from natural products that we already have on hand—like vinegar and baking soda.

I don’t want this to sound critical of home owners. Certainly, I don’t mean to come across that way. Anyone anywhere can conserve energy and live a more “green” lifestyle, whether in a home, motorhome, or teepee. I know many house dwellers that go out of their way to help the environment, and I know some RVers who think nothing of littering, polluting, and otherwise damaging our atmosphere.

We RVers sometimes face rude comments when we pull into gas stations, especially when a vehicle pulls in just in time to see the total amount of gallons we’ve bought. However, they don’t realize that this may be a one-time fill-up before we park for several months.

Yes, RVs notoriously squander gas like it was flowing freely out of a gushing spring. However, the average RV is on the road for fewer than 6000 miles per year. People drive them for their vacation trip, or full-timers travel back and forth between a couple of favored spots. Neither of these types of RVers put a lot of miles on their rig. Very few of us drive our RVs daily! Who can afford to? And if you’ve ever driven a big rig, you know it’s not an experience most people would relish doing every day.

Sheer economics force RVers to conserve energy and travel fewer miles than if we had daily commutes to jobs, and limited storage space forces most of us to travel light and lean.

Some Americans have been environmentally aware for years, and others are now joining the movement, what with the new data on global climate change. It is possible to travel and enjoy your RV lifestyle and still keep your journey and home on the road “green.” It takes planning—just like at home—but it’s worth the effort if it helps protect our environment. When it comes down to it, it’s the only one we’ve got!

“LOOKING BACK” IS BEING EDITED AS I WRITE THIS

The history book, Looking Back – 1940-2005: History as seen through the eyes of those who lived it is now in the hands of the editor. This book has turned into my favorite project of all times—especially with the addition of 17 essays and 2 poems written by people who responded to my call for their personal stories.

Four subscribers to this newsletter will have their essays featured in the book. Some share memories of specific moments during the forties up to 9/11 and Katrina, while others cover a lifetime of recollections. An excellent assortment of events were covered, and some essays and poems were very touching as the writers recalled poignant moments like visiting the Vietnam wall for the first time and losing everything they owned to the wrath of Katrina. There’s one very touching story from a retired Air Force sergeant who helped in the mission to return the Vietnam POWs home in 1973.

The book will make an excellent gift for those in your families who have lived long enough to recall much of the information--especially Boomers who made history by their sheer numbers and influenced everything from education and family life to transportation and technology. They'll find much that will stir memories of their younger days growing up in America, including incredible recollections from the exciting and tumultous sixties.

I intend to make it my personal mission to see that youngsters are exposed to the book if I have to go to schools and read it to them, myself! It will certainly be more interesting to them than learning history from dry facts taught from a textbook, even if they have to put up with an old lady with a southern accent reading it aloud to them. I hope parents will share this book with their children and tell about their memories of the events that are covered in the book.

The people whose essays and poems appear in the book will, of course, get their own free copy as thanks for their generosity in sharing their thoughts with the world. To those of you who shared your memories: your contribution is tremendously appreciated. I don’t know if you realize how much enjoyment readers will get for years to come from your wonderful and heartfelt stories! You are the reason this country is so great!

Read more about Looking Back at the blogsite: http://lookingback1940-2005.blogspot.com.

FIVE SURE-FIRE WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING

Below are 5 more ways to make money writing. All 25 projects that I’ve used to earn writing income for the past twenty-plus years appear in my book, Portable Writing, with instructions for how to produce them and how to market your skills.

News releases and press kits
Press releases pay huge dividends to business owners, so write one for your own writing business and use the published copy of it to generate new business. You’ll probably get some clients from people who saw your first published news release in your hometown newspaper. Always, always send news releases to your local or regional business newspaper, and to the business editor of the local paper.

Sometimes a client will approach you with a request for a press kit. This is simply a folder, usually personalized, that holds information on the business, including published articles, some of which you will have written.

Ghostwriting articles and books
Many business and professional people want to share specialized knowledge about their industry and they need a writer to produce an article for them. As a writer you’ll interview the expert and write the article, although you might be asked to do some research. In some cases you might be asked to write the query letter to a magazine or trade journal proposing your client’s article.

These same people will sometimes want a book published on their topic, so you could land a much bigger project. I’m just now reading, Where Have All the Leaders Gone? by Lee Iacocca, which shows a co-writer on the cover. It could be the name of his ghostwriter, or it may be someone who collaborated with Lee.

My husband grew up next door to the Iacocca’s and played with Lee’s younger siblings. I can guarantee that if it was me who had that kind of connection, I would have long ago made sure I had written him to let him know that I would love to be his ghostwriter. Make sure you use your connections, no matter how tenuous.

Trivia Newsletters
I’m sure you’ve noticed those little papers filled with trivia and jokes that cafes and family-style restaurants have on the tables or stacked by the checkout stand. Writers can produce these by simply typing up a sample issue that includes information on local history and tourist attractions along with some jokes and trivia. Leave plenty of room for ads, which you will sell to local businesses to pay for printing. Find out how many local eateries are willing to carry them, then get enough copies printed to distribute them to the restaurants that want them. Usually home-style cafes are more receptive to these little newsletters than finer restaurants.

Brochures
Almost every business needs a brochure to help market its products or services. Sometimes corporations need help writing a brochure, which can be multi-paged, but most businesses want a simple tri-fold. Learn to write strong, short blurbs that highlight products and services, but focus on stressing the benefits of doing business with your client.

This can be a flyer that’s folded in half or thirds with an eye-catching cover, or a well-designed multi-page brochure with great artwork on the front, but the main point of it is to get your client’s message across to people who might become your client’s customers.

Speech writing for local politicians and businesspeople
To write speeches, you’ll need to know the speaker’s style of speech. Does he speak slowly or fast? Does she pause often for effect? Is there a tendency to stumble over complex words? Get an idea of what the speaker wants to say and ask how many minutes the speech should fill.

When you finish writing, ask your client to give the speech out loud so that you can find any trouble spots and check the time, then adjust if necessary.

My speech writing and the fact that I taught classes on color usage in marketing and advertising got me an offer as campaign manager for a local politician. I turned it down because, 1) I didn’t have time and, 2) I would have felt awful if he didn’t win—like it was my fault. By the way, he didn’t win and I could sleep easily knowing it definitely wasn't my fault.


Business writing is a great way to increase your income as well as to improve your writing skills. Learning how to write succinctly while getting paid isn’t a bad way to practice and improve your skills.

All of the above projects can make money while you’re traveling if you network and promote your skills in the towns that you visit, and you can still work with clients back home. For worldwide exposure, set up a Website or Blog, or get a friend to do it for you. If the Internet isn’t possible for you, then create a professional-looking brochure that you can hand out or mail to prospective clients. Tell them what you can do, how you can do it, and how your help can increase the viability and visibility of their business. That's what they want!


Kay Kennedy is author of Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom. In it you’ll find step-by-step instructions for producing the above projects and all twenty others. Visit Kay’s Web site: www.kennedyk.com

THE RISING COST OF FUEL - WHEN WILL IT STOP?

Yikes! RVers--what's happening to gas prices? Can we control the costs? Another question popping up among environmentally sensitive citizens is: Is it possible to "go green" and still RV?

Most RVers are being affected by gas prices, although you won’t find that information in RV magazines. They’re in business to promote RVing–especially to attract young, new buyers into the market–and negative thoughts about the cost of traveling aren’t usually expressed within their pages. In fact, almost all of the RV magazines (Escapees magazine is the one exception I’ve found) focus on the younger crowd who still have two incomes and take their kids out for weekends with their off-road vehicles.

I don’t think these “good news” RV groups and magazines are in touch, anymore, with retirees who find it a little more difficult to keep up with rising prices, or with people who are chucking the rat race and choosing a nomadic lifestyle on the road in their RVs. Some members of these two groups have to budget to maintain their lifestyles!

However, all is not doom and gloom for RV owners on a budget! We’re still traveling. We’re just choosing to stay put in one spot longer, and not travel from one end of the country to the other, then back within a six-month period. I can remember the days not long ago when gas was only a buck a gallon, and friends traveled completely around the perimeter of the United States on one long trip. However, they didn’t travel at all this fall, even though they usually make it down to Yuma for a couple of months or more each winter.

If saving on gas by traveling less is out of the question for you, maybe you would like to know what our family does to save money. Well, one way is by keeping our food costs down. We don’t buy more than we’ll eat in a reasonable amount of time. We buy what we need, use it, then buy more. We don’t have that much storage space in our RV to carry a huge surplus. We buy at farmer’s markets so we can get the freshest vegetables and fruits possible, and we buy what is in season. Sure it costs more, but we don’t have to buy more than we need at farmer’s markets. If we want one orange, we don’t have to purchase an entire bag full.

We time our travels with the seasons so we don’t ever need heavy, winter clothes. We don’t have room to store those, either, and they’re more expensive to buy than the lightweight, year-round clothes we need. A couple of sweatshirts and jackets for chilly nights and rare, cool days suffice. Following the seasons also helps keep heating and cooling costs down.

We can work camp where we’re staying if we’re so inclined. I’m not! I have enough to do with my writing career, but right now my husband works 2 days a week in the camp store. No commute costs, they furnish his shirts, and it’s just enough time to keep him out of my hair for a few hours.

Bonus: The job pays for our site! We make it okay, and we can travel when, and if we choose! Gas may keep going up, but we’ll figure it out because this is such a good life!!!

There are many ways RVers can cut costs, and still get to see the country in style. Don’t let the new, ”green” movement scare you off. The movement isn’t new to most of us–we’ve been environmentalists all along. RVers who have been at this for a few years can tell you that we consume less energy than most homebound Americans.

Few of us travel further than 6000 miles a year, and many of us travel far less than that. We make short trips to change the scenery and the climate. Stack that up against your neighbor’s big SUV, which doesn’t get any better gas mileage than an RV, but is driven daily for the commute to work, and on weekends for leisure pursuits. That is a waste of fuel! Most RVers (not all, I’ll admit) tow small, economical cars behind their RVs for local travel to sightsee, shop for groceries, and for other errands. Most RVers also use bicycles for short trips, which don’t use any fuel.

Many of us use solar power–which saves energy usage. Solar power is free once you’ve set up your system. Most RVers that we know believe in preserving the environment, because they enjoy its beauty. Most are very careful to avoid using excess water, and are cautious when disposing of waste water. And most RV parks have recycling bins for paper products and aluminum cans.
Some RVers go to extremes to avoid leaving their footprint on the environment, but even those who live a normal life within the confines of their RV manage to conserve energy when compared to a large home.

So go green! Go RVing. Figure out the best way for you to save money and the environment while seeing the USA. Do your part to protect our wonderful vistas by volunteering to pick up litter along highways, or in the park where you choose to stay. You can be tree-hugger (I’ve been accused of being one) and still enjoy the lifestyle and freedom that an RV offers. Believe me, you’ll enjoy the ride!

Gas prices aren’t likely to drop, or if they do, it will only be by a few cents for a short period. Think you can’t afford to travel? You can’t afford to be held hostage by high gas prices if you’ve always dreamed of someday RVing. Sacrifice where you can to find the money to buy gas, and seek out ways to economize so you don’t jeopardize your freedom–or the environment.

Showy Snow

I just realized that I haven't posted any photos to the blog in quite a while. Well, here's one that shows why we love this part of Arizona--any time of the year.

Sun on fresh-fallen snow is delightful anytime and anywhere, but when it's on the beautiful red rocks of Sedona, there's nothing else like it! We always drive over when there's new snow simply to marvel at the surroundings and snap a few photos like this one. But there's no way to capture all the majesty and glorious beauty of even this limited view of God's masterpiece within the frame of a snapshot. This is one of the scenic spots in our country that everyone should see at least one time.

Now if I could only paint a picture like this ...

FULLTIME RVERS – WARNING ABOUT NEW LAW!

I just discovered information at RV Travel's Web site about a new law that was passed in 2005 that might have an impact on fulltime RVers. The Real ID Act was hidden in another act, which apparently was one of those things tacked onto another law to slip it through the system. It may pose a problem for those of us who don’t have an actual home, but who use a mail-forwarding address and don’t spend much, if any, time there.

The new law mandates that all states provide verification of identity when renewing a driver’s license or state-issued I.D. card. The problem appears crop up when renewing our driver’s licenses: we’ll need to be there in person to verify our identity. The law also mandates that we show proof of our principle residence address, which of course, fulltimer’s don’t normally have. We're driving our homes! To prove your residential address, you are usually required to provide a rent receipt or a copy of a utility bill.

We wanted to get a library card when we stayed in our home address area in Texas for a few months, and the library accepted a rent receipt from the RV park where we were staying. But it is unclear if states will accept this tenuous record as proof of our residence, especially if it doesn’t match the address on your license or I.D. card. Probably Escapees Club will provide something to prove our residence—but I’m not sure they have done anything about this yet. They do have a legal defense fund that members can contribute to that lobbies for RVers.

The verification process is supposed to begin in 2008, but it looks like states can extend the deadline to December, 2009, and many states have already said they’re not about to go along with the federal law. I think the states that have lots of RVers will probably fight this if it isn’t too late, because that’s usually what happens when their honest, taxpaying RVing residents are having their lifestyles (and sometimes livelihoods) threatened.


The problems that may occur if this law isn’t complied with is that we may not be able to board a plane or enter a federal facility. I’m not sure what that would mean for those of us who are retired military and have military I.D. cards. Maybe we won’t be able to renew those, either.

It will be interesting to see what happens when this law goes into effect. If you’re concerned, visit the National Conference of State Legislators Website to learn more.

SHOULD YOU MAKE YOUR BOOK AVAILABLE AS AN E-BOOK?

Yes, yes, yes! Especially if it is a non-fiction book! So many more of my books have sold as e-books than as hard copies! I was skeptical at first, but I’m positive I wouldn’t have sold as many books if I hadn’t offered it in e-book form, which is priced a few dollars lower than the hard copy.

Many people (like we RVers) don’t have space to store reference books like Portable Writing that we’ll want to refer back to often. Storing it on a CD or in our computers makes it much more accessible and doesn’t take as much room as a book. If you’re self-publishing, you can offer your book on a CD or as an ebook download, but make sure to learn how to protect your work from being copied and distributed by an unethical, opportunistic buyer looking for just such an opportunity to make money.

What if you do find your work being distributed illegally? Usually a letter to the perpetrator will scare them into stopping, and you may convince them to pay you the profits they’ve made (yeah, right!) I would have a lawyer write a letter to the guilty party, which will make it appear more official and maybe convince the perp that you are willing to pursue him or her through legal channels. It’s amazing how quickly an official looking letter can scare some people straight.

Should you take it further and file suit if you find your work being used illegally? That would depend on how widely it has been distributed and how willing you are to push it. It is expensive to pursue legal avenues, so I would want to be sure I would recover what I’d lost.

OFFERING FREE CONTENT FROM YOUR BOOK ON THE WEB

If you are trying to sell your book, why would you want to give part of it away free on the Internet? There’s one good reason. Before people buy your book, they want to know if it has anything interesting in it, and if your writing is enjoyable. In bookstores, potential buyers can pick up your book and browse through it, maybe read some of it before they buy. If they’re buying through the mail or over the Internet, they have no idea what the book is like if they don’t get a chance to hold it in their hands and at least read the information printed on the cover.

To sell more books, put a copy of one chapter of your book on your Web site to attract customers. Or at least, put a photo of the cover and include the Table of Contents and some information about what they’ll find inside.

Buyers can read two chapters of my book Portable Writing, which appears at: http://www.booklocker.com/books/2461.html. I don’t know how many books have sold because buyers could read an excerpt, but I suspect most of them have sold because readers got to preview it before shelling out hard-earned cash.

WEB SITES FOR WRITERS

The following are resources that might be useful to writers. The following Web sites were all checked by me, and I include comments about what I found there.

www.fundsforwriters.com

This site is loaded with links to sites where writers can find grants, contests, and fellowships, BUT you must pay for what you get. I copied the following from their Web site

TOTAL FundsforWriters - Our biggest and best newsletter
Writers claim it's the best investment they've ever made in their freelance careers. $12 a year for 26 biweekly issues containing 90+ grants, competitions, markets, jobs, publishers and agents seeking your work and all paying $350 or 20cents/ word and up.
I have not subscribed to the newsletter, so can’t comment on its usefulness. If any readers have a subscription, we’d all love to know if it is worth the price.

www.constant-comment.com

I went to this site expecting to find them buying writing on any topic, which would then be placed on their site. However, it is not up and running yet. I have no idea whether it has been up in the past, but it was listed in Writer’s Digest “101 Best Websites for Writers.”
I will check back with this site after my book is finished, and hope to find that the information I found in Writer’s Digest is correct, which states that writers name their price for their work and place it on this site. Then, those in need of written material browse the site and pay for articles, etc. that they want to use. You are charged 35 percent commission on any work of yours that they sell, but it doesn’t cost anything to place your work on their site. And you get to keep 65 percent. It sounds good—almost too good to be true. That’s why I’ll check it again so I can let you know if it’s as good as it sounds—or you can check it out for yourselves.

www.literarylawguide.com/resources.htm

I was hoping to quote the first line of lyrics to a song that was popular during the sixties in my book, so I went here to find out how to go about getting permission, or find out if using this line would violate copyright law. I didn’t learn what I needed to know (darn!), but I found some articles on various subjects that might be helpful to some of you (and me, maybe).

I did find out that celebrities (like the ones who wrote the song lyrics I’m interested in) will often sue anyone who uses their name or likeness for financial gain. Since I was hoping to quote those lyrics and name their creators in the next to the last chapter of my book, I didn’t think using their names would attract more buyers for the book since I wouldn’t be using their name in advertisements, but these celebrities might think otherwise. I had thought their words might just provide a frame of reference for readers to the times I had written about.

I finally went to a quote Web site and found something that would work. Check out the above website to find out if it has answers to questions you might have. There may be much more to the site than I discovered during my two minute cruise through it.

www.writerswrite.com

The above Web site contains good sources of information on self-publishing.

The magazine: Writer’s Digest

If you want to find the complete list of “101 Best Web sites for Writers,” it’s available in the June, 2007 issue of Writer’s Digest. I would recommend that you get a subscription to Writer’s Digest since every issue has something useful for writers. On the Web, www.writersdigest.com/newsletter for a free e-newsletter, or buy the current issue and subscribe with one of the enclosed cards.

Almost everything I learned at first about writing came out of several years’ of back issues of Writer’s Digest that I read at the public library.

LOOKING BACK 1940-2005
History as seen through the eyes of those who lived it

The book I'm writing on history, with contributions from several other writers, is coming along great. Several essays have already been sent in for Looking Back, but if you want to contribute something check the Web site: www.kennedyk.com, then contact me for guidelines.

History was the most boring subject I studied in school because I couldn’t understand how it related to me. I hadn’t been to any of the places history books spoke about, and memorizing dates and place names was meaningless to me.

Then I realized one day that I and my generation had lived through some of the most exciting, and at times appalling and frightening events in history. I’ve also come to realize that the one element missing in all history and civics lessons is personal accounts by people who had actually witnessed past historic moments.

It’s no secret that history is even less important to today’s students, perhaps because it’s still taught as a boring, lifeless record of the past.

That’s why I’ve gathered a group of writers and extraordinary citizens to help recount their memories of pivotal moments during the past sixty-five years along with their personal views on what happened. They and I were there, and we sometimes suffered anxiety over events like the assassinations, wars, politics, and civil unrest that, at times, threatened our democracy. We also shared moments of sheer joy as we watched the first man walk on the moon. We watched (and some of us participated) as the counter-culture rocked our safe, orderly existence, and then on 9/11, we were shattered by an attack that revealed our nation’s weaknesses and vulnerability.

History is not boring. It is exciting! We Americans are in danger of forgetting our past if we don’t all take responsibility for teaching our children about our wonderful history and our shared heritage of courage.

This book will be an important contribution to the collection of historical documents because it will be told from a personal perspective, emphasizing human emotions and consequences for every historic moment that we’ve survived. I hope everyone will buy a copy and share it with your children, grandchildren, and schools.

TODAY'S ARTICLES

• Make money writing with these five projects
• Internet hasn't been cooperating with me
• Subscriber gets first writing assignment
• History book in the works; now has a name
• Work-camping to earn extra money--great for your traveling partner while you pursue ypur writing goals.