VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

"Life happens" is a saying I've heard thrown around a lot throughout my life. What does it really mean though? Life gets in the way of your dreams? Really? Isn't it life we are living everyday and aren't your dreams part of it? Does it mean bad things happen so we must learn to deal with it and just keep moving forward? However, isn't that really a road block in your journey through life instead of life itself?    Here are a couple of quotes using this saying:   "Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It's a journey of discovery - there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair." Rick Warren   "I believe that we can, in a deliberate way, articulate the kind of people we want to become. We can articulate the culture that we would want to exist in our family, and you can then, as the rest of life happens to you, you can utilize those things to ...

Join Marsha Casper Cook and "VS" Grenier on November 19th at NOON PST 1PM MT 2PM CT 3 PM EST for their premier show on THE WORLD OF INK NETWORK   when they discuss topics in response to their listeners questions. It's going to be an open discussion and a live chat on Twitter.Over the last five years they have been asked so many questions that have not been answered about writing and marketing and everything in between. It's their turn to talk and to help other authors. They will be sharing their trials and their success on their new monthly show. Together they have built their network and have reached over two million listeners with their blogs,  websites and radio shows. Virginia "VS" Grenier is one of the partners of the World of Ink Network. She is also a Silver Mom's Choice Honoree, Award-winning Author, Freelance Editor, Creative Writing Instructor at Dixie State University Community Education, Speaker, BlogTalkRadio Personality, ...

Live Radio Show on Wed. November 18, 2015 at 3pm Eastern - 2pm Central - 1pm Mountain - 12 noon Pacific Welcome to BlogTalkRadio's featured World of Ink Network. Listeners will get to meet author Ellen Cromwell and illustrator/artist Desiree Sterbini as they chat about their newly released picture book about a Hopi (pronounced: hope-ee) Indian girl who takes readers through many metaphorical doors to explore the different aspects that make each our lives: family, friendship, culture, education, creativity, and nature. TALASI... A Story of Tenderness and Love exposes children to new experiences as Talasi explores her native world and later the modern culture of the white man while holding to Native American beliefs and traditions. About our guests on the show: Author Ellen Cromwell is the founder of the Georgetown Hill Early Schools in Montgomery County, Maryland and has been an educator of young children since the 1970’s and is the author of early childhood pr...

Or do you? Writers write. You shouldn't wait around for inspiration to come. But sometimes, there are days you can't get anything written down. Or you're at a loss for words. You can't think of anything to write. You don't have any idea what to write about. And then you end up believing you're having writer's block. You end up believing it too much, you stop writing altogether. You might even think of yourself as not a real writer. And all because of what? You think your muse deserted you? You think you have writer's block? Think again! You sure as heck don't need inspiration to write! What you do need are prompts to help get your writer's mind working and your hands writing or typing. These prompts are your beginnings; the glimmer; the little sparks that you can shape and fashion into stories, articles, essays and features. You don't need inspiration. All you need is an idea; a spark. And here are a ...

Vivid and clear descriptions make stories come alive. Concrete and specific details paint a more memorable picture for your reader. Carefully chosen words to describe something or tell a story make your reader use her senses. Not only can she imagine, she can also feel what she's read. As a writer, it's your job to provide a vicarious experience to your reader. The only way you'll be able to do this successfully is by stimulating your reader's imagination. Not by bombarding her with too many details in one go, but by gradually drawing her into your story or essay using descriptions. Avoid abstract and general words. Don't just say that a girl is beautiful. Instead, describe her beauty. Maybe she has large, dark chocolate-colored eyes with long lashes and wing-tipped brows. When using description, you're not working with just one sense, seeing. Stimulate your reader's other senses -- sound, touch, taste and scent. So don't...

Reading through a writer's notebook or journal is like discovering pearls, rubies and diamonds amidst a pile of rubble. That little notebook is a powerhouse of ideas for every writer: The more you write down bits and pieces of your thoughts and observations, the more you are adding into the well of ideas for future works. Here are a few things you can record in your notebook or journal, so that in case you run out of ideas to write about, you can refer to it: Your Shoeboxed Life : Write what you know, feel and experience. Jot down snippets of events in your life. Write a sentence or a paragraph about a funny, embarrassing, happy or infuriating experience. The Interesting People . Scribble descriptions of people you meet every day. How do they react in certain situations? How do their names fit their image? A Word a Day . Whenever an interesting word catches your attention, write it down. It may have a different meaning for you a month or a year fro...

Overcome writing blocks and writing anxieties by setting goals! If you find yourself wanting to become an Expert Author, but are anxious about your writing abilities, or feel you have exhausted every writing bone in your body, listen up: YOU CAN WRITE! Goal setting, in article writing, in business, in publication and even in one's personal life, helps you focus your efforts into a plan. Whenever you are stuck or feel anxiety looming, you can refer to this plan and stay on the road to success. Here are some tips on how you can effectively set goals and conquer any writing anxieties once and for all. 1. Set a Goal Setting a goal can be as broad as "I want to write more articles or books," or something a little more focused as "I want to master 2 niches related to my expertise." Once you have set a goal, it will become your mission to achieve this goal. When you are in a tight spot, you can revert back to your original goal and consider the...

When I began as the Director of the St. George Book Festival three years ago, I had a dream of what it could become. I wanted the book festival to be more than just coming to hear an author talk about their latest book. I wanted it to be a family, reader of all ages and community event. But even though I had this vision of what could be, making it happen was another matter. A lot of people pat me on the back for a job well done, but in all honesty, I couldn't have done it without my committee: Dave Smith, Darren Edwards, Dawn McLain, Lenore Madden, Lin Floyd, Bonnie Anderson, James Duckett and Ami Comeford. Or without our partners and supporters: Joel Tucker and Alan Anderson at the Washington County Library System, Pam Graf and the Spooky Town Fair committee, Mary Nell Lundquest and her team at the St. George Children's Museum, Jon Braaten at Abby Inn, Donna MacBean, and David Rowland at Comics Plus. It's been a long road and this year was filled with grow...

Write Poetry Who hasn't written a poem before? Even once? I believe most people go through a phase in life and it pushes them to pen a poem; ok, or something that resembles a poem. At an early age, we have been exposed to poems. Remember the nursery rhymes? They're poems. Someone put melodies on them so adults can sing the rhymes to little kids and the little kids can remember them easily. You've probably written a poem of some sort in the past. Whether you write poems for fun, for personal reasons, or for publication, here are 3 poetry prompts you can try out: 1. I Am. For each of the letters in your first name, think of at least 3 positive adjectives. Next, go over your adjective list and circle the ones that describe you best. Then use those adjectives for your "I Am" poem. 2. A Quinzaine. Quinzaine is from the French word quinze, which means "fifteen." A quinzaine is an unrhymed verse having 3 lines and 15 syllables. Li...

Write Where You Are I caught the writing bug when I was ten, when I joined an essay writing contest. The topic was: "Where did you spend summer and what did you do?" I wrote about the summer I spent with my grandparents. I described how grandpa taught me to climb trees, and how soon after that, I discovered how scary it was to climb down from a branch ten feet above the ground. I described how my grandma brewed strong coffee, and how the aroma drifted and lingered throughout their little hut every morning. I described the long walks and spontaneous swims in the rivers I took with my aunts and uncles. It was a simple topic, but it had a tremendous impact on my life. I knew writing was what I wanted to do. And now, nearly 20 years later, I can still hear grandpa's laughter, still smell grandma's coffee, still shiver at the memory of how cold those rivers were. Their little hut is forever etched in my memory. I grew up; now I'm a writer....

7 Writing Muse Kickers to Fill Up That Blank Page Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to stare at a blank sheet of paper. When we stare at a blank sheet of paper, we often think, "What am I going to write?" A few minutes later, it becomes, "Oh my goodness, I can't think of anything to write!" And several minutes later, it turns into something like, "Write, darn it! Write! Write! WRITE!" Some writers call this writer's block. But I call it the "Writing-Muse-Needs-A-Kick" syndrome. And that's exactly what we're going to do with your writing muse gone truant. We're going to kick her back into gear so you can fill up that blank page. Here are 7 writing muse kickers for you to try right now: 1. First Line: Begin a story with "There was once a chance I didn't take..." 2. Cliche Starter: Weave a story or poem around the cliche, "keep your powder dry." 3. Po...