White Dove of the Desert, San Xavier del Bac Miracle

Glen Creno reporter from the Arizona Republic greeted the Blue Garter Girls from Mankato, Minnesota. "Why are you visiting this mission today?"

Karen Anderson had the answer at hand. "This is the most ornate mission in the United States. It is the most elaborate and significant example of Spanish Colonial art imaginable. A true treasure. We are so lucky to have the opportunity to visit."

Hostess and Blue Garter member Sharon Watson drove the seven friends visiting in celebration of their 70th birthday to the mission today, Friday, August 27, 2010. Traveling from four states to reunite in celebration of their 50 year friendship the friends shared their story as published in Amazing Attributes of Aging;Silly and Sacred Stories of Blue Garter Friends. A complete story of this "miraculous" encounter will be found in the Labor Day edition of the Arizon Republic.

Mrs. Minnesota and Our Amazing Connection at the Dam Store

Our Dam Store Centennial book signing was another in a year long string of successes. The idyllic setting framed by Minnesota's finest summer weather. Visitors to the Rapidan Dam Park roamed the green under clear skies; all were warmed by unfiltered sunshine. Our booth connected us to friends, family and the gorgeous and charming Mrs. Minnesota. Soon to be seeking her next title of Mrs. America; we wished her the best.

Oprah should be so lucky! Local visitors reminiscing, laughing kids hanging out of the Wells Fargo Stage wagon; waving to their friends and family. Delighted children catching illusive cat fish; even winning unexpected prizes. We all ate homemade pie and fresh hot beef sandwiches the size of a grizzly bear's paw and washed it all down with an old fashioned root beer floats.

Our new purple "Amazing Aging" hats were a hot item. Self publishing is where the action is!

Dam Store Connections

Publishing and marketing are the twin partners to writers.

Amazing Attributes of Aging; Silly and Sacred Stories of Blue Garter Friends will be featured by Jim Hruska, the infamous proprietor of The Dam Store on Saturday, August 14, 11 am to dusk.

The serenity of the lazy Blue Earth River settlement at Rapidan, Minnesota will explode in centennial celebration. This 100th birthday party commemorates both the completion of the Rapidan Dam and the Dam Bait Shop. Thousands of loyal Mankato area fishermen, friends and family are expected to congregate to just have fun in the sun. Activities are planned to take guests of all ages back in time. The dam was built in 1910. It continues to supply hydroelectric power to the area today. Kid's fishing contests, voyageur canoe rides, Well's Fargo Wagon trips, antique car shows, music, artists, writers, and the raffle of a stunning quilt, hand made by the church ladies are some of the promised event features. The Hruska family will have loads of their special pies and hot beefs to satisfy the appetites of everyone in the crowd.

Our booth will feature Blue Garter Friends' memorabilia, books and our classy new purple AAA logo baseball caps. We hope to see you at the reunion!

WinePress Publishing for Christian Writers

Kathleen Luhrsen found WinePress to be an excellent choice for guiding her first book, Lord, Today I Choose to Live Life's Adventure to publication. The publisher's flexible contract allowed Kathleen to select her own editor, photographer, and layout designer. Paper weight, font style and color were especially critical to the unique style of this keepsake inspirational guide. WinePress has followed up the book's publications by means of a Fulfillment Service. Billed quarterly, this additional contract serves as an on-site warehousing distribution center. The book is now 8 years past publication and is available for purchase online at www.winepress.com.

A thoughtful poet, Kathleen is now at work on a new book. The first chapter shared today at my Stillwater, Minnesota "Scribblers" writers group meeting.

Lauraine Snelling and Wendy Lawton

July 20, 2010 Upsala, Minnesota, a delightful town, perhaps the sister settlement to Lake Woebegone, played host to best selling author Lauraine Snelling and her agent Wendy Lawton. The town's public school (K-12) library comfortably accommodated a room full of authors young and old; local and long distance; male and female.

Successfully writing and marketing over 50 books, Lauraine charmed us all with her organizational system for researching. Staying with characters throughout an entire series of books has led her to develop an extensive outline for analyzing every aspect of fictional personalities until each "demands to have her story told." Snelling added, "In a romance novel, the only point-of-view to be conveyed is that of the main female character." A captivating saga contain at least 10 "cliff hangers," each more demanding than the first.

Wendy titilated our dreams by reminding us that Lauraine's formula has sold millions of books; thereby providing a stimulating and comfortable life style.

The Stillwater "Scribblers" are anxiously awaiting Wendy's critique of our own Stephanie's manuscript!

For more details visit WWW.laurainesnelling.com.

David Fabio's Latest Book

Thursday afternoons in Stillwater, Minnesota, the public library conference room is a buzz with laughter and conversation as the "Scribblers" test out their latest 1200 word compositions among kindred writers. Now into our second year of scrutinizing sentence structures together, I am proud to announce the publication of Search and Seizure by one of our most faithful participants. Author of self-published novels for teenage boys and a columnist for the Stillwater Gazette, Dave came upon the inspiration for his latest release a year ago. These past months clarity and accuracy have defined his manuscript as helpful comments focused a creative idea into an intriguing read. You will find Search and Seizure advertised by Barnes and Noble alongside Steig Larsson's trilogy. I am so proud! Mentoring aspiring writers as well as providing support for established St. Croix Valley writers these past two years has taken me to the top of the ladder as an teaching professional. More publications by Scribblers will be forthcoming in the near future.

Money Can Bring Love: Writing Brings Happiness

Robb Stein writing for the Washington Post this week summarized a new Gallup survey which some call the "first representative sample of planet Earth." Detailed questioning in 2005 and 2006 of 136,839 residents age 15 or older in 132 countries from rural villages to huge cities were asked to form an answer to the frequently asked question, "What makes people happy?" Their answer... money can bring happiness but the positive feelings of respect, being in control of your life and having friends and family to rely on in a pinch are the desired components of every society.