As we reach the halfway point of the 2021 Authors Showcase, it is a real pleasure to feature the first contribution this year from Carolyn Muir Helfenstein.

I am sure you will enjoy Carolyn's dramatic story from her farm days as much as I have. You can read Sixteen in the belly, below the belt  by clicking here.

Carolyn Muir Helfenstein 

1955 At the age of 17 Carolyn Muir began her teaching career in a one-room rural school, near Toronto.   Attending Toronto Teachers’ College to complete her certification followed. She received the highest academic standing award that year.

After a period of teaching and marriage to British-born Harold Helfenstein, they fulfilled a dream to farm. And they had three children. Many of Carolyn’s short stories come from that era.

1986 The opportunity to buy the local newspaper arrived in the mail; her answer — Why not? CBC-TV learned of the farmers who bought a newspaper. Well-known entertainer Wayne Rothstad and CBC-TV crew spent three days filming the scenes and the interviews and the Teeswater News went prime-time in “Out Your Way.” 

Carolyn was elected to the Board of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association; and eventually sat as president.

1991 The News produced an Extra that helped in savings a seniors’ home from being relocated. The community revolted. Another 1st prize provincial win.

1993 After reading of the government’s decision to close institutions for adults unable to live independently, Carolyn wrote Belonging. Her readers began to understand all they wanted was to belong and local communities made that happen. Belonging won 1stprize, provincial competition. 

2008 Carolyn’s memoir Why Not? was published, filled with stories about running the Teeswater News. Her readers say they can follow the experiences, the laughter and the tears, as they read.  

2010 Carolyn knew she wanted to regain her connections with Newfoundland where she was born. She learned that Waterloo University’s three-year Independent Studies Program would help her research. But she was 73… She graduated with a Bachelor of Independent Studies in 2013. Both Rock Solid and Why Not? are now in the Newfoundland Folklore Archives of Memorial University, NFLD. And Carolyn has regained her Newfoundland identity.
 
For more info— Google: Carolyn Muir Helfenstein -Spirit of the Hills
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A warm welcome back to Shane Joseph, with his second contribution to this year's Authors Showcase.

You can read Shane's latest story The Ten Million Dollar Club by clicking here.

As we approach the halfway point in the 2021 Authors Showcase, it is great to be able to feature this second contribution from Susan Mellsopp.

You can read her insightful story My Jewish Experience by clicking here.

Susan Mellsopp is happily retired and lives in Hamilton New Zealand with her new guide dog Maya, a cream and gold Labrador. She also has her retired guide dog, a golden retriever named Jay. Much of her life has been spent as a dairy farmer, and also working as a librarian, archivist and accessible transport researcher. She runs a writers group and is constantly being challenged to write in genres other than travel and memoir. Susan has published two school histories, written for an alumni magazine, and writes for a national magazine which is published monthly. She is a voracious reader, loves to travel, listen to classical music, cook, spend time with friends and use modern technology.   ​

I just wanted to let you know that the Kindle version of my award-winning memoir, Summer of ’77: Beaches, bars and boogie nights in Ibiza, is FREE from today until Saturday 26th June. If you have not read my book yet, please take this opportunity to download your copy. Here is the link: getbook.at/Summerof77
 
Please pass the news on to others who might be interested,
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For our latest entry in the 2021 Authors Showcase, I am pleased to be able to feature the second contribution this year from Captain Denis Dextraze. 

Read Denis's story The Cuban marriage that lasted only one week by clicking  here.

Don't forget, If you have your own Life-Changing Event to share, I'd love to feature it on the blog. You can find out more about the submission guidelines here.

Author Bio

Canadian born Captain Denis Dextraze started traveling internationally at age 18 when he hitchhiked around Europe during a summer break.  After graduating from two U.S. universities, he specialized in international high-tech marketing which took him around the world.  He retired early to enjoy sailing his 45 ft. ketch.  Between his career and his port-o-calls on Aventura, he visited close to 100 countries.

He is currently completing the last chapters of a book called “Once upon a time in Cuba” which is about a two years time capsule of Cuban history, starting in May of 1998, when he was living on his sailboat in Marina Hemingway, near Havana.  All events reported in his book really happened no matter how ludicrous, illogical or incredible they appear.

These were interesting times. The docks of the Marina were hosting an array of adventurers not representing any normal and organized society in the world.  They ranged from millionaires, drug smugglers, Hells Angels members, pedophiles, smugglers, tough Vietnam vets, world class sailors, escaped refugees. For more info on the coming book, please, contact Captain Denis at: dextraze@yahoo.com.
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Today, it is a pleasure to feature this second contribution from Syd Blackwell in the 2021 Authors Showcase.

I am sure you will enjoy Syd's recollection of another life-changing event. His story is called AN AUDACIOUS AUDITION and you can read it by clicking here.

A warm welcome back to Ronald Mackay with his third contribution in this year's Authors Showcase,

You can read his fascinating story entitled When Cutty Sarks Run in Your Mind by clicking here.​

​Don't forget, If you have your own Life-Changing Event to share, I'd love to feature it on the blog. You can find out more about the submission guidelines here.

Ronald Mackay combined farming and university teaching in Ontario for more than a decade and a half. In the early 1980s 100-acre farms were inexpensive as farmers were retiring and their children had already left for the city. During his Ontario farming years, Ronald made every possible mistake – but usually no more than once! He ended up as a fairly competent farmer and, in Ontario, has had experience with beef cattle, dairy cows, pigs, geese, free-range meat-chickens, horses, donkeys and even rabbits. He has grown corn, soybeans, oats, and alfalfa. His farm had a woodlot that he managed for both firewood and for lumber. Today, he and Viviana live on Rice Lake, Ontario, on a lot of the perfect size – 50’ by 150’. More than enough for “retirement”.

For our latest submission in the 2021 Authors Showcase we have a moving story from Roger Knight.

You can read about Roger's life-changing event in his latest contribution Diagnostic Doom by clicking here.

Roger Knight

I continue to write prose and short stories mostly based on my experiences of having lived and worked in around 15 countries and 30 cities. I have had some of my work published in magazines such as the Writers and Readers publication and the Bermudian, as well as Robert Fear’s annual travel stories and highlights and memorable life experiences publications.
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I have recently completed an anthology, “A circuitous journey taken”, which is a picaresque memoir that I hope may eventually find a publisher.  
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It is always fantastic to be able to welcome a newcomer to the writing features on Fred's Blog. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing Margaret South, with an excerpt from her upcoming memoir. You can read her story Other Plans by clicking here.

If you have a contribution for the 2021 Authors Showcase, I'd love to hear from you. Please check out the guidelines here.

About Margaret South
 
For over three decades, Margaret South has guided writers at all skill levels. After launching her entertainment career in New York and Los Angeles, she founded the successful film company, “All Girl Productions” with Bette Midler and Bonnie Bruckheimer. Ms. South developed feature film projects for Disney, Fox and Tri-Star Studios, HBO, ABC, and NBC, including the beloved Beaches.

Using her knowledge of story structure and heroic traits, Ms. South also created the innovative Kids Talk Story curriculum which was provided in over forty schools in the state of Hawai’i through a contract with the federal government. Serving in the Georgia public school system as a middle school teacher, Mrs. South was nominated in 2014 as Teacher of the Year.

Ms. South frequently appears as a speaker, offering her workshop, The Art of Story, or lecturing on topics ranging from the role of women in Hollywood, story as a tool for teens to develop character, and personal motivation for writers. She has appeared at the Crossroads Writers' Conference, the Maui/Hawaii Writers’ Conference, the Women in Film Convention, as well as American Pen Women and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Ms. South plans to publish her memoir, Other Plans, in 2022. 
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