A N E X C L U S I V E M O N T H L Y C O M M U N I Q U É F O R O U R W R I T E R S

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“There’s nothing to writing.

~Walter Wellesley “Red” Smith

All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”INSPIRATION for

ritersW

We thought you would like an inside look at where your stories go after you submit them. After you paste them into that tiny box and push “submit” what happens to them?

Here’s what happens. Your stories go into a gigantic database that we maintain containing tens of thousands of stories. Each book has its own section and all the stories are collected there. Stories are then read and graded by at least one person, and the stories that make the first cut are read and graded again by the co-author of the book.

These “screen shots” from our Christmas book database shows you what we see – the author and title info and then the grades given to the stories. Each of our editors has a different grading column. I am grade 3, and since I was the primary co-author of our

Christmas books this year, you’ll see that I read every story and

all of the 10s that you see here were

permissioned for one of our books.

Keep sending those 10s! Your stories just keep getting better and better and we receive

thousands of submissions for each book. Our cup runneth over!

Thank you so much for being part of our family, Your publisher, Amy Newmark

A Note from Your Publisher

This always takes some thought, even for experienced writers.

Here’s a useful trick: If you could substitute “Mary” for “Mom” then you should capitalize Mom. For example, “Last week, Mom and I went to a bookstore together.” You could have said “Last week, Mary and I went to a bookstore together.” But if you phrased it differently – “I went to a bookstore with my mom” – then “mom” is not capitalized. You wouldn’t have said “I went to a bookstore with my Mary.”

When to capitalize

Mom and Dad

Editor’s Tips

Still changing the world, one story at a time...

“Not Quite Unbearable”In June of 2009, frequent Chicken Soup for the Soul contributor Terri Elders was on the verge of losing her beloved husband of 9 years, Ken Wilson, to long-term illness. She had just written a story called “The Legacy” for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People” and she was prepared to send copies to Ken’s sons and friends when the time came that they themselves would need to be tough.

As it turns out, Terri would have a sad and unique experience when her books finally came. Terri writes in her story, “Not Quite Unbearable” for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grieving and Recovery (Feb. 2011), “Ken knew the Chicken Soup books would arrive in June. In late May he’d dictated a list of the people he wanted me to send them to, as a final gift for relatives and friends.” As it turns out, the timing would be impeccable. Writes Terri, “The books arrived on June 5th, the very morning of his death... I already had the labels

affixed to the envelopes. All I had to do was stuff them in the envelopes.”

After such a difficult loss, the gift of the books comforted Ken’s sons and friends, knowing they had been personally selected to receive them.

A frequent subject in Terri’s writing, Ken also learned a few days before his death that he would be making an appearance in a story Terri wrote for Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Cat called “Withstanding Winter’s Woes.” Upon hearing that Chicken Soup for the Soul books often end up published in many different languages, Ken was thrilled to hear that people all over the world would soon be reading about him. In fact, his warmth and spirit live on as Terri continues to write heartwarming stories about Ken and their relationship.

Terri and her late husband, Ken Wilson.(Photo credit: Ken McKowen)

Star Teacher

Choosing to be Homelessto Make a Difference

Roy Juarez Jr. was homeless as a teenager, and now he is homeless again.

Featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraordinary Teens, Roy was 14 when he found himself homeless and caring for his two younger siblings. For two and a half years, he “couch surfed” from home to home, staying with whoever would take him in. Through hard work and perseverance, Roy graduated from Hardin-Simmons

University and started his own business, America’s Business Leaders, a human development company.

Currently, Roy is touring the country with the MyBag, MyHome: Homeless by Choice Tour, visiting 300 cities across the U.S.A.

and giving away copies of our book. Packing a bag and couch surfing once again, Roy will be speaking at any educational facility, shelter, or organization that will have him. He is charting the experience on his Facebook page and inspiring people all over the nation.

Outside of his alma mater, Hardin-Simmons

Roy signing copies of Extraordinary Teens

Sometimes it feels like we have marketing teams all across the country, thanks to our contributors!

Paul Kuhlman, who wrote a story in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teacher Tales, signed books at the

University of South Dakota Scholarship Day. Paul was the 2009 South Dakota State Teacher of the Year. He holds a BS in Biology Education from North Dakota State University and Master Degrees in Secondary Administration and Natural Science, both from USD.

Paul signing a book for Rick Melmer, Dean of the School of Education at USD

My story is being published in one of your books. When should I expect payment for my story? When can I expect my complimentary copies of

the book to arrive?

Payment for the stories published in any of our Chicken Soup for the Soul books is sent out within thirty days after the book officially goes on sale. So if the book title your story is published in was released at the beginning of November you should get your check no later than the beginning of December.

Your complimentary copies of the book are shipped to you as soon as we receive them from the printer. You will usually receive them a couple of

weeks before the books are actually available in the stores.

Do you know that you are able to check the scheduled release dates of our future titles? Just go to chickensoup.com and select the “Books and Other Products” link on the left toolbar. Then select the “Coming Soon” link from the pull down menu. The titles are listed there, including the On Sale date, in the order in which they will be released.

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Ask t h e Webmas t e r

FUN FACTSabout

Your Bookscoming out this Fall

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories

for Mothers

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Matters

101 Daily Devotions to Comfort, Encourage, and

Inspire MothersOn Sale 10/5/10

101 Unforgettable Stories about Our Nutty but Lovable

FamiliesOn Sale 10/19/10

That’s right, Chicken Soup for the Soul books are 100% made in the U.S.A. Our paper is manufactured in Pennsylvania and Ohio, our covers and interiors are designed in Maryland, and our books are

printed and bound in Massachusetts, and then shipped to the Simon & Schuster distribution center in New Jersey! And, of course, you know

our editorial and headquarters staff are located in California and Connecticut because you correspond with us and call us.

The publishing team would like your input. One new title we’re considering is something tentatively called Chicken Soup for the Soul: Food and Love. We feel that there is

such a universal connection between food and love – not just romantic love, but also the comforting kind of love between family members and friends. Whether it is a story about bringing a favorite food to a sick friend, special recipes that only Mom makes, a family tradition developed around a single dish, unique holiday specialties, or romantic foods for romantic occasions, we know that everyone has special memories that involve food and love. Do you have a story to share if we make this book? Would you buy the book for yourself or to give as a gift? Please send your thoughts – both pro and con – to Barbara LoMonaco at blomonaco@chickensoupforthesoul.com

Inside Scoop

An advance look at new book topics

Did you know that your books are made in the U.S.A.?