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Recognitions

Joan McNulty Pulver

Welcome to Recognitions, a column designed to celebrate the writing successes of Writers' Village University members!

Donna Sundblad, otherwise known to her fellow writers at Writers’ Village University as Birdie, received an email from U. S. Legacies asking for a Christmas story. From her own personal slush pile, she pulled “The Forty Dollar Christmas,” a true story that took place during hard times. It focuses on the unselfishness of two children willing to give up any hope of receiving a gift by donating the family's measly forty dollars they set aside so that their teenage aunt can return home for Christmas.

“I hadn't intended to submit this story, but they contacted me to see if I had an appropriate story. I sent it in, not sure that it would qualify. I heard back from them the following day thanking me for my submission and letting me know it will appear in the December issue! I was stunned. I guess I prepare for rejection so well that when I'm accepted I'm twice as excited.”

Donna always dreamed of being a writer, until she approached her fiftieth birthday and asked herself what she was waiting for. Enrolling in Writers' Village University provided the structure and mentoring to get her moving in the right direction.

“My skills developed and I learned the discipline of setting goals to keep moving my abilities forward. One of my first writing goals was setting aside twenty minutes a day, four days a week to devote to the craft. I've had fiction and non-fiction published. Both give me a thrill. Fiction is fun to create, while true-life stories are fun to capture. They are history in the making.”

She has new goals now. Donna writes at least 2,000 words per day, four days a week, on either her novel or her non-fiction book, and she is an editor for both ePress-online and T-zero: The Writer's E-Zine. She plans to embark on a career as a freelance editor in 2005. Visit Donna’s website at http://www.theinkslinger.net.

Cynthia Borris, author of No More Bobs, submitted two stories to Chicken Soup. “Bare Bottoms and Dancing Toes” will be in Chicken Soup for the Recovery Soul and “The Fisherman” will be in Single Parent Soul. The first will be released this month and the other in January of 2005.

She submitted her resume to Joaquin Valley magazines, two San Francisco Bay Area upscale publications. She is the humor columnist for the Inside Livermore Valley and Inside San.

“Life is good. I tell you, one never knows what a submission will bring. When I sent in my resume, I had no idea I'd end up with my own humor column. After all, they were advertising for “About Town” article writers. They didn't even know they wanted humor until my story landed on their desk.”

Cynthia joined WVU in October 1999. A member of Creative Energy Unlimited, she posts as Cindi where she says she learned the tools of the trade, discovered camaraderie and above all, “realized it is okay to be me.” Visit Cynthia’s website at http://www.cynthiaborris.com.  Her advice to writers: “Always, follow your heart and go for it! One never knows what's at the other end.”

P. June Diehl’s recent publishing successes include "Marching Through Time" and "Julie," two short stories, and two poems, "I Gaze into a Mirror Dark" and "Staying Behind - Autumn 1862"), which will be published in early spring 2005 (title of the anthology to be determined) by Infinity Publishing.

"Red Riding Hood," "Duchess," and "Snowflakes" (one short story and two poems) published in Dream Makers (an anthology) appeared in July 2003, published by Muddy Puddle Press. In 2003, Moon Mist Publishing published her chapbook of poetry, Dragon Words.

“When I first found out I was to be published, I felt a mixture of surprise and excitement! I've had a variety of articles published the past couple of years in Writer's Crossing, Pearls of Writing Newsletter, Just About Write, etc., and was named Poet of the Month in May 2003 at Aspiring Writers Magazine.” Learn more about June at her website, I Write for You.

June has several favorite writers, among them is Madeleine L'Engle. “I knew I wanted to write since about the age of 9, but after reading A Wrinkle in Time, I strongly identified with Meg and knew that I could be anything I set my mind to doing. I discovered Robert A. Heinlein's juvenile fiction when I was 11, and I've been hooked on SF & Fantasy since that time.”

She plays keyboards and crochets. “I like to play my piano when I need to think about a character, a scene, or a plot, and I can use my music to set the right mood for what I'm working on. I also use crochet the same way—not only taking a break from my pc, but using the time to let my mind work on my writing.”

June joined WVU November 12, 1999. She started out taking a lot of fiction-related classes and joined the Artistic License group. “The group has provided me the space to grow my writing in mother-may-I giant steps. The members of AL are a special group of writers: supportive, motivating, and honest. I would not be the writer I am today without the members of AL encouraging me to do more with my writing.”

Sr. Mary Joan Meyer, FSM wrote a book of poetry, titled Contemplative Solitude, published by Contemplation Corner Press, Ashland City, Tennessee (© 2004)

“I was shocked and thrilled when I found out it would be published. Someone else whom I had shared the work with told the publisher about it and he wanted to see it and liked it.”

Joan enjoys reading haiku and hokku. Her favorite poets are R. H. Blyth and Haiku by Basho, Buson, and Issa. She likes to walk in nature noticing everything in creation, trying to capture the experiences in a few choice words. She joined Writers’ Village University about two years ago. “I have taken a number of the poetry courses and they have refined my skills.”

She is a chaplain in a 400-bed hospital. “Often I will reflect on my patient visits and write a poem about my feelings or the patients' and families’ feelings and experiences.”

“After being diagnosed with lupus in 1995, my life took on a new direction. The gift of poetry opened up within me and has been affirmed by others. I began reflecting on my pastoral visits and jotting down feelings and images in poetic form. I love to walk in nature and began writing haiku on my retreat weekends. I hope my readers can meet God and be stirred by the messages or insights expressed in these poems.”

Congratulations, Donna, Cynthia, June and Joan. We wish you continued success in all of your writing endeavors and thank you for sharing your information with us.

We look forward to reading about your writing accomplishments in this column. If you or someone you know received recognition for writing, please send the information to recognitions@wvu.org. Let us know!

About the Author
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Joan McNulty Pulver moved to Florida about 30 years ago and decided to stay. She has five children (two girls and three boys) and five grandchildren (four boys and one girl). An Administrative Secretary for the State of Florida, she plans to retire in about seven years and then start her real career, writing. Joan hopes to have at least one novel finished and published by that time. She does a little volunteer work here at WVU and enjoys this community of writers. "I have learned so much here and like helping others learn along with me."