PWAC Guelph

Forget Peak Oil: Two Articles by Julie Stauffer in Small Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:08:00 +0000

Forget peak oil

According to Julie Stauffer, the real global crisis looming on the horizon may be a shortage of phosphorus. You'll find all the details in the latest issue of Small Farm Canada magazine. And is that an unused shipping container taking up space in your backyard? In the same issue of the magazine, Julie provides instructions on how to transform it into a highly effective root cellar.

(Editor's Note - if you're heading down to the Guelph Organic Conference this weekend, you can pick up a subscription to Small Farm from their booth at the show. It's a great magazine for those considering everything from urban farming to a hobby farm.)

Q & A with PWAC Guelph Writer Jean Mills

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

1. What are you working on right now?

I'm working on a story about the 113th Annual International Curling Bonspiel being held in Dawson City, Yukon this February. That's a lot of curling!

2. What are you reading right now?

For pleasure, I'm reading "Corduroy Mansions" by Alexander McCall Smith. I'll read anything by him - his characters are so alive, and real. And he makes me laugh. Up next is Carol Shields' biography of Jane Austen.

3. What's your dream interview subject/person?

I would love to go to Newfoundland and interview anyone/everyone about the incredible culture and people of that unique province. I could do that for a long time - St. John's especially is one of my favourite places ever.

4. What's your best tip for writers?

My tip is two-fold, and it seems contrary, but it's not. It's about how writers need both careful preparation as well as self-discipline. Here goes:

Before you start to write anything, go for a walk and think it through. Then just sit down and do it: "The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair."

5. Do you have any recently published items online or in a magazine that you'd like to share?

I just wrote ten days worth of news reports on the performance of Team Canada curlers at the first-ever Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.

It was a grind: following line scores online, picking up the media releases from the host site, waiting for email reports from the Canadian national team coach, finding images on the host site's image gallery, writing it, self-editing it, posting it in Wordpress and publishing it. The challenge was trying to fit this in around other professional obligations - every story was time-sensitive and I had to pull it together quickly.

I felt like a newspaper hack - but the story was quite exciting. The kids battled their way to a Bronze Medal - the first medal for any Canadian athletes at the Youth Olympic Games. Here's a link to one of the stories.

Update from Guelph Writer, Jean Mills

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:21:00 +0000

PWAC Guelph's Jean Mills has spent the last few months writing madly off in all different directions. Here's a sample of her latest publications:

She faced a challenge in telling the story of a violent, bloody and fatal riot - the Regina Riot of 1935 - for a children's magazine,Kayak, Canada's History Mag for Kids (September/October issue).

Stepping out into the non-profit sector for the first time, Jean explored fundraising gala know-how for CharityVillage.com with Getting Ready for Gala Season.

And in her regular feature, Around the House, published on the Canadian Curling Association website, she tells the story of a group of dedicated curlers who spent 12 years lobbying, fundraising and keeping the faith in order to build a club in their little Quebec town.

Kira Vermond Writes Script for uWaterloo Video

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:44:00 +0000

Writer extraordinaire Kira Vermond wrote the script for this video which showcases the University of Waterloo's residence and housing. Residence has sure evolved since I was in school. A shuttle for groceries? Luxury!

Curling Sweeps Guelph Writer Off Her Feet

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 15:33:00 +0000

Jean Mills has spent the summer leaping into her new role as web editor and feature writer for the Canadian Curling Association's very active website. Her editing duties include all announcements about championship events, features written by a member of Team Canada heading off to the World Youth Olympics and another by the CCA's head ice technician, and profiles of elite curlers across the country. Her bulging daily calendar sometimes includes four or more short articles requiring copyediting, a suitable (and suitably sized) image, and various bells and whistles to make each item stand out on the website, on Facebook and on Twitter.

On top of all this editing, Jean will be writing her own bi-weekly feature about curling clubs across the country, as well as regular profiles of junior and disabled curlers, and magazine-style features about aspects of the sport that are a little off the beaten track.

Lots of editing, lots of writing, and lots of enthusiasm from a curler/writer who is more than happy to combine two of her passions.

Check out the Canadian Curling Association website to see the many posts Jean has worked on recently. And here's a link to her regular feature, Around The House, from last season. The first post of the 2011-2012 season goes up on the CCA website on Wednesday, September 7th.

Curling and writing - Jean's happy!

Wendy Lindsay's Writing Update

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:27:00 +0000

PWAC Guelph member Wendy Lindsay had a great press trip to Ireland in May, and she's now working on two assignments based on that trip. Stay tuned for more details when they are published in September!

Melody Wren: Power Writer Extraordinaire

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:53:00 +0000

Melody Wren has been busy, and that's a bit of an understatement. Here's a taste of what the PWAC Guelph member has been up to recently.

-May 24th had an article in Guelph Daily Mercury on the local art in the Rotary Dream Home

-Had a restaurant review in the Kitchener Waterloo record June 15. and another review coming up in July as I am on 'trial' as a restaurant reviewer for K-W Record

- article in Canadian Jewish News, June 10: British Virgin Islands: Heaven on Earth http://www.melodywren.com/Articles/june2011TheBritishVirginIslandsheavenonearth

- article May 27th on a French cooking school I attended on the Culinary press trip in Wisconsin on website: www.newsamericasnow.com/french-cooking-in-wisconsin

- Community Editorial article on the joys of living downtown, Guelph Mercury, June

- June 30th article on www.newsamericasnow.com on largest monastic ruin in North Yorkshire, England

- has been offered a large writing project that will take over a year to research and write, more details once contract is signed
-two articles coming up in the Canadian Jewish news later: The Charms of Yorkshire, England and Why Wisconsin

Congratulations, Melody!

Jean Mills Appointed Web Editor for Canadian Curling Association

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:03:00 +0000

Jean Mills is now the official Web Editor for online feature content at the Canadian Curling Association. Between June 2011 and May 2012, she will be responsible for editing weekly columns and features written by a combination of professional and neophyte writers - from seasoned newspaper sports writers to teenage junior curlers heading off to the Youth Olympics to members of the CCA's corporate team to journalism interns from Algonquin College in Ottawa. She'll also be writing a bi-weekly column, weekly profiles of Canadian elite curlers, and a series of articles about curling in Canada.

For an avid curler and committed professional writer, this is a dream job - especially because it includes the opportunity to attend the sport's national and world championships. Working from home, Jean will be busy balancing her new role with her old ones: writing the monthly "Club Corner" column for The Curling News, and teaching writing skills at Conestoga College.

Way to go, Jean! Now to find you an obnoxious pair of plaid pants to celebrate...

Melanie Epp on Real Estate Mentor - Stem Cell Donor Saves a Life

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:07:00 +0000

Our own Melanie Epp recently had a story published on the Real Estate Mentor website about how a stem cell donor saved a life in Florida. Click here for this heartwarming read.

Amy Baskin in Reader's Digest and on Today's Parent Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Angela West) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:01:00 +0000

One of our PWAC Guelph writers has been sizzling hot this summer. Amy Baskin has been burning up the internet with her blog for Today's Parent, What if your friend used the "R-Word"?, which has gotten lots of comments and traffic.

Be sure to pick up the June issue of Reader's Digest to enjoy Amy's latest article on an innovative program in Ontario that "helps teenagers see seniors in a new light." The article is called The Odd Couples.

PWAC Guelph's Kira Vermond nominated for a National Magazine Award

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Mon, 02 May 2011 19:10:00 +0000

Kira Vermond

Exciting news! Guelph PWAC member Kira Vermond and a team of writers at Chatelaine have been nominated for a prestigious 2011 National Magazine Award. Kira's nomination comes in the category of Service: Personal Finance & Business. (What else would we expect from the author of Chatelaine's Earn, Spend, Save: The savvy guide to a richer, smarter, debt-free Life?)

The winner will be announced at the Gala on the final night of MagNet, June 10, at The Carlu in downtown Toronto. Read about the National Magazine Awards, here.

Check out the list of nominations (scroll to page 19 to see Kira's name).

Guelph PWAC boasts its share of award-winning authors and editors - but that's for another post...

Congratulations, Kira!

Writer at Work: Amy Baskin

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:36:00 +0000

Guelph PWAC member Amy Baskin appears in this month's issue of Today's Parent with an article about Reading Therapy dogs. You can also read it online here:
Furry Reading Buddies

Says Amy: "I've also just posted a blog about a different kind of therapy--retail therapy!"
Moms and Retail Therapy

Featured Writer: Melanie Epp

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:17:00 +0000

Guelph PWAC member Melanie Epp, also known as 100-Mile Mel, shares her thoughts on writing, reading and what to wear while at work. Read on!

What's your writing passion? 

DIY homemaking tips and anything food related.

Proudest writing moment? 

I wrote a paper for a 4^th-year Scottish history course. It was based entirely on evidence pieced together from primary sources. The paper retraces the history of a failed Scottish pioneer settlement near Elora, ON and explores why it failed. The paper itself isn’t particularly well written (now that I look back), but it is extremely well researched. To date, I am the only secondary source on the subject. It will be published this June.

Who would you love to interview and why?

 I’d say Margaret Atwood, because I think she’s brilliant, but I’m afraid she’d crush my soul. So I’d have to choose Michael Pollan or Barbara Kingsolver. They seem like much safer bets. Also, Bill Bryson, because he’s the perfect combination of laugh-out-loud funny and super nerdy smart.

What time of day do you write best?

 In the morning, with my first cup of coffee, after I do the dishes and tidy up. I’m a little OCD.

Best writing habit?

 Organizational skills and time management – I’ve never missed a deadline.

Worst writing habit? 

Spending too much time flipping through a thesaurus, looking for that perfect word. Sometimes being exceptionally organized gets in the way of productivity. Did I mention that I’m slightly OCD?

Who has influenced your career the most? 

My grade 8 teacher, Ms. MacDonald. She said, “Melanie, you have a voice. You just have to learn to trust it.” She was the first person who told me I could write.

Favourite writing tool? 

Yay, MacBook Pro.

Favourite words?

 Floccinocinihinipilification (sp?) – it means “something trivial or trite.” Spelunking – ‘cuz it sounds darn fun. Aloof, squelch, skeptical (with a K only), locavore and word.

What words would you like to see banned from print?

 Irregardless. Seriously, it’s not a word. Neither is alot. Thing & stuff - yawn. The improper use of fewer and less than. Hipster.

Most embarrassing writing mistake? 

Ummm – I haven’t made any major writing mistakes – yet. I did, however, recently sign off as “Belanie” in an email to an editor. It disappeared into the void before I could stop it. I had to write an embarrassing note stating that I did indeed know that my name is Melanie. Sigh… (insert head-shaking here).

Must-have reference book?

 Thesaurus and/or dictionary – you can never know too many words.

What are you reading right now? 

Joseph Boyden’s Through Black Spruce and Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly by James E. McWilliams (Know thine enemy).

What's on your desk? 

My printer/scanner, a stack of books, an urn full of pencil shavings, my laptop, speakers for rocking out while writing, and my cat, Miss Maxi.

Do you ever write in your pajamas? 

Ha! This morning I wrote in my underwear and tank top for 4 hours. Yes.

Best piece of writing advice you ever received? 

Don’t let your insecurities get in the way of your creativity.

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?

 A teacher or a chef. Maybe a farmer.

Writer at Work: Melody Wren

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:50:00 +0000

Guelph writer Melody Wren scored the cover of Our Homes Magazine, Winter 2011, for a house feature on a Guelph duplex that turned from derelict to European country cottage.

In the same issue, Melody gives helpful hints on "Simple ways to live a greener life."

Melody extols the virtues of the British Virgin Islands in an article on the News Americas Now website:

"Add the British Virgin Islands to your bucket list"

You can also read about Melody's recent adventures on her travel blog:

The British Virgin Islands: Paradise on Earth

Chocolate is good for you sometimes: Kira says so

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:18:00 +0000

PWAC Guelph's Kira Vermond eases our guilt in her latest article for Chatelaine.com:

"Why it's OK to splurge on life's little indulgences"

Just in time for the Easter Bunny. Thanks, Kira!

Writer at Work: Melanie Epp

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:35:00 +0000

Guelph PWAC member Melanie Epp can be found exploring changes to real estate legislation in her article published in REM (Real Estate Magazine):

Politicians push for private property rights

She's also a regular blogger for RateSupermarket.ca. Her latest weekly blog post can be found here:

Spring clean your finances in 5 easy steps

And for the green thumbs out there who want to get started on spring planting, visit 100 Mile Mel for inspiration:

It's that time again: Setting up the bathroom greenhouse

Guelph Writer at Work: Laura LaRocca

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:02:00 +0000

Guelph PWAC member Laura LaRocca is one of several PWAC writers who contribute to the online news service, OpenFile Waterloo.

Read Laura's piece on Epilepsy Awareness Day:
"March 26 is Epilepsy Awareness Day"

And here's her story about uncovering your house's past:
"Unlock your home's history"

Laura also writes for her local community publication, In the Hills. Her latest article is about the "hard-working young moms and the amazing teacher who spearheaded" a program to bring young parents and learning together. You can find it here:
"Textbooks and Toddlers"

Writer at Work: Amy Baskin

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:53:00 +0000

Did you know that April 2 is a special day in the lives of families raising kids with autism? Not just in Canada, but around the world.

Guelph PWAC member Amy Baskin, the author of More than a Mom: Living a full and balanced life when your child has special needs, writes about special needs parenting for the Today's Parent website. Read Amy's blog, written from the heart by a mom who knows:

World Autism Awareness Day - April 2

And on Saturday, April 2, wear blue in support of World Autism Awareness Day.

Guelph Writer at Work: My Story Pitch Went Bad - and Found a New Home

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:25:00 +0000

Some of my Guelph PWAC colleagues heard my sad story last year of a pitch to Reader's Digest that started out full of promise and went suddenly to the "Sorry, not interested" file - after I had put two increasingly detailed proposals together, at RD's request. That's a lot of work - unpaid, of course.

My story about curling being a family affair originally caught the attention of RD editors, especially when I secured the support of Olympic gold medallists Russ Howard and Joan McCusker. Both Russ and Joan have great stories which exemplify curling's unique qualities as a family-oriented sport. RD was interested. "Very" interested, in fact. Emails were flying between me and my sources, me and the RD editors. Proposals, interviews, encouragement and excitement from all parties.

And then, out of the blue, the phrase that freelance writers never want to hear: "No thanks." Darn.

Glenn Howard in action (Photo Jean Mills)

But all was not lost. A recent interview with a curler who is going to a national championship with his dad on the team got me thinking. I resurrected the "all in the family" idea and blogged about it for my weekly gig with the Canadian Curling Association. It's not quite the story I set out to write for RD, but it sure captures the essence of it. Curling really is a family affair. You can read it (and see a photo of two generations of smiling Howards) here:

Around the House: All in the family at the curling club

(Submitted by Jean Mills)

Finding a New Market: Gloria Troyer

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Guelph PWAC's Gloria Troyer recently ventured into a new market: writing for kids. Her non-fiction piece, "From kitchen scraps to kitchen plants", appears in the latest issue of KNOW: The Science Magazine for Curious Kids. While the article isn't online, here's a link to KNOW's website:

KNOW: The Science Magazine for Curious Kids

Gloria has lots of experience writing about health, food and education - but this is her first foray into the world of non-fiction children's writing.

Writer at Work: Melody Wren In Flight

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:48:00 +0000

Guelph writer Melody Wren explores the world's first underwater sculpture gallery in Grenada for Caribbean Beat magazine, the inflight magazine for Caribbean Airways.

And the photos are awesome! Check out Melody's story:

Something Rich and Strange in the Style section.

Amy Baskin: Author and blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:20:00 +0000

Guelph PWAC member Amy Baskin writes a regular blog for the Today's Parent website. Her specialty? Parenting a special needs child. Here's her most recent blog post:

Are your kids included at school?

Want to see why Amy's an expert in her field? Check out her award-winning book:

More Than A Mom: Living a Full and Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs

Guelph PWAC Writer at Work: Jean Mills and a very big week in curling

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Interesting fact: Curling is cool.

This week's national women's curling championship, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, has drawn a lot of attention from sports fans because of a game played Wednesday night between two former teammates: former, because one "fired" the other from her team last spring. Curling blogs, Twitter, and even mainstream media picked up the story and ran with it. The "villain"versus "victim" theme hit its zenith on Wednesday, when the fired player shot the lights out (a curling term for "kicked butt") and got her revenge, much to the delight of an enthusiastic and sympathetic crowd in Charlottetown.

I blogged about this situation last spring when the split happened, and again over the past week as the hype increased. My blog, Grassroots Curling, had over a thousand hits in two days - maybe not much on the Money, Health, Food or Parenting circuits (I can only dream!) but pretty good in the curling world.

Yes, curling got some attention this week and I had fun writing about it. If you're interested in stories of intrigue, innuendo and revenge, just search the internet for "Jennifer Jones and Cathy Overton-Clapham", or read some of my blog posts, below.

Job Insecurity Happens in Curling, Too

Jennifer Jones v Cathy Overton-Clapham: Chill, People!

Jennifer Jones v Cathy Overton-Clapham: Can we move on, please?

But enough is enough. In my weekly blog for the Canadian Curling Association, I turned my back on the controversy and took a walk down memory lane:

Around the House: A virtual visit to the curling clubs of my past

A last note: Did you know that February 23 was "Curling is Cool" day? Yes, it was a very big week in curling!

(Submitted by Jean Mills)

Check out Tips from The ASJA Monthly

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:41:00 +0000

Looking for some freelance inspiration? Want to know what New York agents really crave in new talent? Want to learn some new tricks of the trade?

The latest public section of The ASJA Monthly published by the American Society of Journalists and Authors is now available for download. The newsletter gives non-ASJA members a small look at what members read each month, but there's still plenty of information for the rest of us. You can even read old back issues. Check it out at:

www.asja.org/newspub/newspub.php

(Submitted by Kira Vermond)

Melody Wren and Kira Vermond: Winter and Workplace issues (sounds like February!)

noreply@blogger.com (Jean Mills) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:15:00 +0000

How do the Quebecois celebrate winter? Melody answers that question in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record:

Embracing the cold at the Quebec Winter Carnival

**********

Kira Vermond talks workplace issues on CBC.com. You can read - or listen to - her piece from the Money Talks column:

Want to revolutionize your workplace? Be polite