Heart Book Series

Christmas Poem/Prayer:
NATIVI-TEA

At the moment of my birth there was a celebration, too.
The angels sang and God was all I knew.
God was all I remembered – for on earth
as in Heaven we are all one.
To remind us of this God sent us his Son.
Once a year we are reminded of His special birth.
It is a rejoicing that encircles all of the earth.
Gifts are given, hearts open wide, the focus is on good
and we all take pride.
The hope for my daily rebirth is now understood.
A child in a manger, simple and pure –
a symbol of peace and innocence –
that we are all safe from danger, sound and secure. 
To be in God’s presence is the present I truly need. 
In this time of celebration I am freed from my own greed.
I live to give – my gifts I share. 
I do not hide them or disguise them,
nor place them under a tree.
My gifts of love and laughter, kindness and caring
were meant for sharing –
not just once a year or for a select few. 
The gifts I have are unique to me
and I celebrate my own nativity. 
Every birth is planned, every child has a right,
every life is precious, delicate and meant to be. 
On the tree of life every child’s light shines bright for all to see.
 Thank you, God; my own light clears my visibility.
There is a place for each and every one of us
on God’s special tree. 
We glisten and twinkle in colourful harmony. 
We each have our place and together
we light up the world as we claim our space –
next to each other, side by side,
loving and grateful God takes pride
 at the birth of each and every one of His children –
that’s you and me.
Christmas is a celebration of all we are and all we can be.
Thank you God, for this divine festivity. 
Amen.

Dharlene Marie Fahl
Author/Inspirational Speaker/Tea Specialist
http://www.takeupthecup.com/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/takeupthecup/
http://www.youpublish.com/dharlenefahlbrittian/
(C) December 2008

Dharlene’s Tea Prayers are also published in the Heart of the Holidays, Heart of a Mother, and Heart of a Woman in Business books by Sheryl Roush.

National Authors Day:
Celebrated by North County Authors & Poets in San Diego

National Authors Day was celebrated yesterday in San Diego County’s northern-most area of Oceanside, next to Camp Pendleton’s Marine Corp Base, as the North County Authors and Poets (NCAP) hosted a full-day free event, themed "So You Want to Be An Author!"

Covered in its entirety by local television station KOCT-TV (www.koct.org), The Oceanside Channel, and reporter Faamasani S. Unutoa, the special story will air mid-November. KOCT is a non-profit Corporation that provides public, educational and government access programming and services on Cox Communications Channels 18 and 19, as well as on AT&T.

Open to the public free of charge and hosted at the Oceanside Civic Center Library, the event featured 32 local published authors and poets, reading from their works, sharing tips and offering inspiration for those wanting to become authors and know more about the publishing business. The Community Room was filled to capacity with eager attendees sponging up the information shared.

Library Director Deborah Polich welcomed everyone to the event, and congratulated the NCAP members and guests, adding her thanks for keeping the passion for reading and writing alive and healthy. She was followed by Anna McElroy, Head Librarian, making her welcoming remarks, and introducing the day’s Moderator, Dr. Elizabeth Yahn Williams.

PUBLISHING: Then-and-Now
Keynote presenter was Dr. Robert Goodman, owner of Silvercat, a San Diego based publishing firm. His comments  addressed publishing then-and-now, with all the changes that have occurred in the industry, and technology’s part in that. Twenty years ago, some 70,000 books were published each year, whereas in 2007 there were 412,000. "Marketing has become a major challenge…the average shelf-life of a book in stores is three weeks. There are fewer bookstores, replaced by megastores (CostCo, WalMart) which carry books." He also addressed eBooks, On-Demand printing, On-Line Readers (Amazon’s Kindle), On-Line Review Journals, and Virtual Book Clubs. Boldy predicting "The bookstore of the future, in 10-15 years, will be a vending machine," with much of the audience agreeing with him. Goodman is the co-founder and past president of Publishers & Writers of San Diego, co-founder and faculty member of the La Jolla Writers Conference, and a Board Member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), formerly the Publishing Marketing Alliance (PMA).

The morning’s readings were offered by authors and poets: Roger Conlee (Counterclockwise), Jennifer Kise (The Birthday Surprise), L. Curt Erler (Southside Kid & Mantilla Lady); Janie Lancaster (Julie & The Lost Fairy Tale); Teresa Gonzalez-Lee (Love Was Born During The Dance); and Sheryl Roush (Heart Book Series).

Native San Diegan author Sheryl Roush, internationally recognized inspirational speaker, and 12-time published author shared her process for creating her for Heart Book Series (five books in the past two years, featured in Borders). The series has also added Music CDs to accompany the titles for Heart of a Mother and Heart of the Holidays. Sheryl is the President of Sparkle Presentations, Inc., and a member of the IBPA. www.SparklePresentations.com

Sheryl invited Dharlene Fahl-Brittian to the stage to read her touching Tea Prayers published in Heart of a Woman in Business and Heart of a Mother. Dharlene, "The Tea Lady," and expert, is also the author of Take Up the Cup, and a line of inspirational laminated Tea Prayer cards.

Sheryl then invited Mary Lenore Quigley read her poems published in the Heart of a Woman in Business and Heart of a Woman, including one dedicated to her retired husband, Patrick, who was delightfully surprised, seated in the audience. Mary is also the author of Indelible Ink: A Memoir.

Dr. Teresa Gonzalez-Lee, Professor at Mira Mesa College, eloquently translated and read in Spanish the opening poem to Corazon de Mujer (Heart of a Woman), "Renacimiento de una mujer" penned by Consuelo Sanchez.

Following the mornings readings, the wealth of knowledge panel included
Poet: Marjorie Stamm Rosenfeld
Collaborative: Composer David Lewis (Director-San Luis Rey Chorale); Author/Poet Dr. Bob Lundy(Partners-In-Rhyme-Hither & Yahn); Author/Editor Rose E. Magyar (Mira Costa College); Artist Marion Wong;  Author/Poet Dr. Elizabeth Yahn Williams (Partners-In-Rhyme-Hither & Yahn)
Editor: Lois Winsen (Editor-On-Tap) with "Helpful Do’s and Don’ts for New Writers"
Resources: Author/Teacher Marie Giordano (Mira Costa College)
Translators: Professors Dr. Teresa Gonzalez-Lee (Mira Costa College); and Dr. Edith Jonsson-Devillers (UCSD)
Marketer: Karla Olson (Owner of BookStudio), offered valuable tips and a handout for a Marketing Plan/Proposal Template

Pictured here, KOCT-TV reporting assistant holding some of the BOOKS published by those at the event!

The afternoon’s readings were offered by authors and poets: Carol Ann Lindsay (Songs From a San Diego Morning); Glenn Jacobs (The Samson Process); Marie Giordano (I Love You Like A Tomato); David Valley (The General’s Women); Maggie Chantiloupe (Iraq-The War That Shouldn’t Be-You Decide); Barbara Deming (The Quilt Maker); and Dr. Elizabeth Yahn Williams and Robert T. Lundy (Hither & Yahn).

Faamasani S. Unutoa of KOCT-TV shown here interviewing Moderator Dr. Elizabeth Yahn Williams, regarding the success of the event, and future plans of the North County Authors & Poets.