The Moon Shot and Woodstock

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

Last week there was a celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of Man on the Moon on July 20^th, 1969. The Moon Shot is one of those vivid memories I have. Although I was 17 years old, just out of high school and headed for college, I remember where I was and who I was with watching it on TV.

A buddy of mine had gone with me to our place on the lake for a day of water-skiing. Although the carefree teenagers we were, we had a great interest in space travel and especially man on the moon. Enough so we knew the exact time to head to the shore and catch the landing live on TV. It truly was a life changing event for us and the world.

I also remember that less than 30 days later August 15-18, 1969 was another world changing event. That was the Woodstock Music Festival. Although Rock and Roll had been around since the 50’s, it had not been brought to the attention of America and the world like Woodstock did. After Woodstock Rock and Roll Stars became world renowned figures and a subculture was no longer a subculture. It soon became a most lucrative business.

What we saw that summer was the youth of our country was capable of a peaceful gathering of over 400,000 at Woodstock. I say 400,000 but some 5 million have claimed to have been at Woodstock. Maybe in their minds they were.

The other event, the Moon Shot, was carried out by not only young minds but brilliant minds. Gerry Griffin, Flight Director of Apollo 11, noted the youthful group in Mission Control in Houston. Griffin said, “The average age of those in Mission Control for the Apollo 11 flight to the moon was 27 years.” 

The two groups had basically one thing in common. They were part of the Baby Boomers generation. Beyond that common ground, individual goals seemed to be opposites. The two cultures did come together that summer and was noted brilliantly in the movie “A Walk on the Moon” with Viggo Mortensen, who has graced the cover of Southern Writers Magazine as a poet, and Diane Lane. A love story took a summer vacationing couple in upstate New York from gathering to watch the Moon Landing to attending the nearby Woodstock Music Festival.

Bringing people together with a background of two life changing events is a great concept. This is a common theme with historical romance and other historical fiction. As a child reading historical fiction really made history interesting to me. I would encourage writers to pay close attention to current events being aware it may be something to use in their writing.

In a February 2013 Suite T Blog post titled, "Story Plots from Carrier and the Sistine Chapel." I wrote of using the event of refurbishing the Sistine Chapel by Carrier as a story line. One thing I mentioned was writing about what the Carrier, United Technologies, engineers found in the 10-foot-thick walls of the chapel. Déjà vu! Last week thousands of bones were found in a hidden chamber in the Vatican. So now that is part of real history you may want to use that to solve a murder, uncover a conspiracy or a disappearance. Keep you mind and eyes open to current events. You may find the background story you are looking for.   

   

One of Our 1,032 Authors Attended the Golden Globes!

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

As of the Jan/Feb 2017 issue 1,032 are the number of Authors we have promoted in Southern Writers Magazine since we began in 2011. You may be one of the 1,032 and if so you are in good company. Many of our authors have done well. Many have been recognized for their abilities with acknowledgements from their peers, publishers and institutions.

While watching the Golden Globes on Jan 8^th, 2017 I noticed one of our 1,032 authors in the crowd of celebrities. Later I found that he was also a nominee in the Best Actor in a Drama category for Captain Fantastic! Yes, there sat Viggo Mortensen, the poet. Mortensen graced our Issue #6 in 2012. The article was titled On the Poet’s Road and was written by Sherry Perkins as a fantastic insight to the actors handling of rejection. I offered a Suite T post on this in May 2012 you can read. Better yet you can order a back copy of issue #6 and read the magazine article on Viggo Mortensen. It will be well worth your time.

The important thing to note about Mortensen and the other 1,031 authors is they all have shared with us what their thoughts are on writing and the way they have found to be the best for them to do so. In business it is said the “Sin of the Desert” is to know where the water is and not share it. These authors know where the water is and they are more than willing to share that with each of us that want to know. You can only imagine how invaluable the knowledge shared by these thousand plus authors can be to the new, the published or the established author.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to gain some of this knowledge you can begin today. Don’t let another issue go out without your name on it. 

Also read our blog site Suite T every day. It too has a lot to offer from our authors. Become knowledgeable and once you do you too can share with others where the water is. Go to our Home Page and click on Subscribe today! 

Who knows, we may even see you at the Globes!     

Celebrities Who Write

Even many of his avid fans were surprised.  In the current issue of Southern Writers Magazine we learned that in addition to being an Academy Award nominated actor, Viggo Mortensen is also a painter, photographer, musician ... and prolific writer.

What celebrities have you discovered are also writers?

Viggo Mortensen on Rejection

by Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor

Sherry Perkins has a great article in our Southern Writers Magazine May/June issue entitled Viggo Mortensen: On the Poet’s Road. Many of us know Viggo Mortensen as the actor of such great films as Witness, A Walk on the Moon, 28 Days, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The King Returns,  Hidalgo, A History of Violence and many more. What many of us may not know is Mortensen’s talents as a painter, jazz musician, photographer, writer and poet. Sherry Perkins has brought out his writing talents and discussed with him many challenges writers face.

One thing Mortensen was asked about was rejection. Sherry asked,

“Before you were a celebrity, how did you deal with rejection?”

Mortensen pointed out that he doesn’t like them any more now than he did then. Mortensen went on to say one learns to take it a little less personally or to at least to recover from it a little more easily. We can only wonder how long or how many rejections it takes before it gets easier. It would be great to know the rejections we get will eventually be easier to accept. But we must realize, as Mortensen said, if we cannot learn to accept rejection we will end up trying another line of work.

Rejection is a personal thing each and every one of us must deal with. It can be hard for us to understand that an award winning actor continues to deal with it but it is there. It may become easier but it is there. If we are fortunate it will become easier but only if we continue to put ourselves out there. Here is hoping you continue and it does become easier.   

  

Mortensen’s insights on joining a writers group, his influences, writer’s block and other topics are of great value to writers and I hope you will take the time to give it a read. Sherry Perkins did a fantastic job with this article. Thank you Sherry!

Mayday! How Can We Help You?

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director

While universally recognized as a distress signal, “Mayday” is also what today is, and I’ve mock yelled it at least once every year on this date, usually to some tolerant friend who pretends to appreciate my often groan-worthy puns. Perhaps broadcasting it to the blogosphere today will finally get it out of my system.

Meanwhile, it’s appropriate that this attention-getting term is derived from the French phrase m’aider (“help me”) because today the magazine staff’s attention is focused on two things intended to aid our fellow writers.

First of all, being May 1^st, the newest edition of Southern Writers Magazine hits the virtual streets (online and by mail) today and it’s packed full of bestselling authors and topnotch writing advice.  Notable is the fact that this issue includes a special emphasis on research and historical writing, two areas you’ve been requesting.  You’ll find helpful insights on bringing history to life from Ann H. Gabhart, learn how to do reliable internet searches with Sheila S. Hudson, and get inspiring thoughts on writing memoirs from Kimberly Rae.  You’ll also sit down with Allison Chase, Robert Noonan, Dorothy Love, Mona Hodgson, Ed Southern, and others who share their secrets of artfully capturing history on the printed page.

Have I mentioned Viggo Mortensen?  A familiar face to moviegoers (Lord of the Rings is just the tip of the Viggo iceberg), you’ll discover a whole new side of this prolific poet in an exclusive interview with Sherry Perkins. And if you saw Courageous at your local cineplex you’ll especially enjoy Vicki Moss’ conversation with author and producer Michael Catt. Look over the shoulder of children’s illustrator Robert J. Blake, get a look at Vicki Allen’s private writing hideaway, and discover how daily discipline helps Irene Latham find publishing success.

There’s lots more and I could go on all day about the May issue, but you’ll see for yourself.  Just keep telling us what you want in the mag and who you want to read about, and we’ll keep delivering.  As our editor Susan Reichert said back in issue #1, this is your magazine, and you are helping to make it what authors tell us is their favorite publication for wordsmiths.

As for the other May Day event on our minds: Tonight at midnight is the deadline for our Short Story Contest 2012!  So you still have time to get your 1000-word opus into us for a chance to win cash prizes, subscriptions, and an appearance in a special short story issue we’ll publish of the winning entries.  Details and guidelines are a click away.  Thank you for participating, and good luck!

Well, this has turned out to be one big shameless plug for the mag and the contest, but today it’s all we can think about here so I hope my enthusiasm has been at least a little contagious. In any event, we all learned a little French today. M’aider!