Author: Lorelle VanFossen

Lorelle VanFossen is a pioneering XR Innovator and WordPress leader, tech educator, keynote speaker, and producer bridging virtual reality and digital innovation. Co-founder of Educators in VR, founding WordPress community member, and passionate advocate for emerging technologies and human rights. Expert in immersive education, VR/XR event production, UX, and digital transformation.

The Cook

The following is by Writers in the Grove member Gretchen Keefer.

Chapter One

Having the cook was a bit expensive, but worth every dollar. Janelle had totaled up the costs of eating out or getting take-out for a month, including the lunches they both purchased most days, and showed the numbers to Jason. They could save half the cost of a part time cook by avoiding those commercial meals. The meals at home would be delicious, more nutritious and offer more variety than Janelle (and Panda Express) offered.

Jason eventually agreed. The cook came in the afternoon, five days a week, and prepared dinner. She created a shopping list for Jason and Janelle to complete over the weekend. She also cleaned up the kitchen and generated lunches from leftovers before she left.

Jason enjoyed the variety of tasty dishes and Janelle was more relaxed in the evenings. They talked more over dinner and during the evening. They discovered more topics they could discuss without upsetting one another. Entertaining also became easier and more fun. In fact, Jason and Janelle began to enjoy their lives more than they ever had.

More confident and self-assured, Jason was promoted at work; Calmer and more rested Janelle landed the management position she had been striving for. Their combined salary increases more than made up for the cook’s salary. The couple started spending their restful evenings planning the vacation of their dreams for the following year. Yes, the cook was worth every dollar.

Chapter Two

Three years later Jason had gained so much weight his blood pressure shot up and he developed heart trouble. His energy slipped and he did not think as quickly at work as he had. Janelle’s love of desserts had triggered Type 2 Diabetes. She lost the baby she and Jason had carefully planned for during their peaceful evenings. Her ensuing depression led to both of them drinking more wine with their gourmet meals, continuing into the evenings. Soon it became important to add alcohol to lunches as well. Soon Janelle was asked to leave her employment.

Jason missed a lot of work with his health issues and lost his job as well, so the cook had to go. Janelle began to learn more recipes to balance her diabetes with Jason’s weight loss program. They made time to discuss their options, such as moving, downsizing, or living more frugally. It was a difficult spot in their lives. All the good times they had spent chatting and enjoying each other’s company faded as they faced this new struggle.

Eventually they settled into new routines in the small town where Jason had found a suitable job. Their health gradually improved and they felt less pressure to keep up with coworkers and neighbors. Since Janelle was home to prepare meals on time, she felt less stressed about dinners and gradually the relaxing evenings began again. One morning Janelle woke up to realize how happy she was. Truly happy.

Yes, the cook was really worth the expense.

Veteran’s Day

The following is from Writers in the Grove member Gretchen Keefer.

November 11 – Veterans’ Day

Michael’s number was low. He knew that sooner rather than later he would go. After careful deliberation he decided not to take the available alternatives. He felt they were cowardly excuses. Michael did not entirely agree with the politics; he only knew he had to defend the principles of freedom, choices and self-government.

It was in December of his junior year of collage that the expected letter arrived. When he left home on the appointed day his mother cried, his father solemnly shook his hand, his brother hugged him. His friends did not come to see him off because they were embarrassed, or in Canada.

In his letters home Michael told very little about his war experiences. He characterized the other men and related humorous events. He described the food and the lush green of the country – but never the illness or the duplicity of the natives. He completed his assignments, supported his companions, earned distinctions. He didn’t wear the medals he had earned, and didn’t tell his family how many buddies he had watched die.

When Michael came home, his service honorably completed, he was reviled by other young people and ignored by employers. Every time a car backfired or a door slammed, he jumped. His temper grew shorter, his focus diffused. Although the government would have paid, he did not complete his college education, and eventually took a mechanic’s job. He married, divorced, drank, drifted.

Today we say we have learned from those difficult lessons of the 1970’s, and we thank our veterans for their service. However, war has not changed; the experiences are still not describable, and vets still are startled by loud noises.

2018 Authors Conference: Editor Kristin Thiel

Editor Kristin Thiel will be speaking about the pitfalls of common writing errors and how to avoid them at the 2018 Authors Conference on January 27, 2018, in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Kristin Thiel Publisher - photo by BC Debney, 2017. As a full-time professional writer and editor for fourteen years, Kristin Thiel works with writers, publishers, and other businesses to improve their professional writing skills with a goal toward publishing.

She’s also an avid hiker, backpacker, and “yes-sayer” to Northwest fun and exploration.

She joins a group of extraordinary professional editors, writers, and poets in our first writer’s conference. Other speakers include Paulann Petersen, Deborah Reed, Chip MacGregor, Holly Lorincz, Jessica Morrell, and MaryJane Nordgren.

Register today to learn from Krtisin Thiel on professional editing and writing at the 2018 Authors Conference in January as space is limited.

About Writers in the Grove 2018 Authors Conference

This is a fundraiser for the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center, a non-profit community center and the host of Writers in the Grove weekly meetings. The Center provides free and low cost meals through their dining services and Meals On Wheels outreach program, as well as a wide range of educational, recreational, wellness, and community events and educational opportunities.

Writers in the Grove is a free weekly workshop for those wishing to develop their creative writing skills. The group meets Mondays at the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center on Mondays from 9-11am, and on the second Saturday of the month at the Forest Grove Public Library from 10:30-noon. Writers in the Grove supports the freedom of expression and creative writing spirit in Forest Grove, Oregon, and around the world.

2018 Authors Conference: Editor Holly Lorincz

Editor Holly Lorincz will be speaking at the 2018 Authors Conference on January 27, 2018, in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Holly Lorincz editor Holly’s specialty is in developmental editing, fiction and non-fiction, as well as collaborative writing. She will be speaking about the publishing industry and preparing a manuscript for submission.

Holly Lorincz is an author of fiction and non-fiction and owner of Lorincz Literary Services, a literary editing agency. She worked for many years as a collaborative literary agent for MacGregor Literary. She is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and on the faculty for the Profitable Authors Institute and The Blackbird Studio for writers in Portland, Oregon.

She joins a group of extraordinary professional editors, writers, and poets in our first writer’s conference. Other speakers include Paulann Petersen, Deborah Reed, Chip MacGregor, Jessica Morrell, MaryJane Nordgren, and Kristin Thiel.

Register today to learn from Holly Lorincz on professional writing at the 2018 Authors Conference in January as space is limited.

About Writers in the Grove 2018 Authors Conference

Prompt-a-Month: Next Door

The January prompt-a-month for our Writers in the Grove members is:

Next Door

The deadline for submissions is 2/1/2018. Submissions will be published during the next 30 days.

Writers in the Grove members may hand in their submissions during the workshops or use our members only submission form. Check out the guidelines and instructions for submissions in the announcement.

2018 Authors Conference: Special Optional Sessions

In addition to our top notch speakers on writing, editing, poetry, and publishing at the 2018 Authors Conference on January 27, 2018, in Forest Grove, Oregon, you will have the opportunity to work directly with the faculty privately or in small groups for an additional fee. Registration for these optional consultations will be the morning of the event.

15 minute professional consultations:
- Jessica Morrell on a single sample of a memoir or fiction piece.
- Holly Lorincz to talk through a story idea, plot points, and non-fiction scope and sequence.
Cost: $10 paid in advance.

Small group session for practicing pitching (45 min) with Kristin Thiel. Cost: $5 paid in advance.

These sessions are in addition to the workshops and presentations by our group of extraordinary professional editors, writers, poets, and speakers including Paulann Petersen, Deborah Reed, Chip MacGregor, Holly Lorincz, Kristin Thiel, MaryJane Nordgren, and Jessica Morrell.

About Writers in the Grove 2018 Authors Conference

2018 Authors Conference: Publisher Chip MacGregor

Chip MacGregor will be presenting on publishing and editing, how to find, query, and pitch your story to agents and publishers at the 2018 Authors Conference on January 27, 2018, in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Chip MacGregor - Literary Agent Chip MacGregor is the founder of MacGregor Literary, an author agency, helping authors in the memoir, spirituality, self-help, Christian, true crime, romance, and literary fiction publish their books and negotiate movie and television projects.

He joins a group of extraordinary professional editors, writers, and poets in our first writer’s conference. Other speakers include Paulann Petersen, Deborah Reed, Holly Lorincz, Jessica Morrell, MaryJane Nordgren, and Kristin Thiel.

Register today to learn from Chip MacGregor on professional writing and publishing at the 2018 Authors Conference in January as space is limited.

About Writers in the Grove 2018 Authors Conference

Prompt: Advice from…

The prompt today is based upon the quote:

Advice from a waterfall. Go with the flow, and roar your pleasure.

Complete the following:

Advice from __________________.

2018 Author Conference: Poet Paulann Petersen

A special afternoon session at the 2018 Authors Conference on January 27, 2018, in Forest Grove, Oregon, will be presented by Paulann Petersen.

Paulann Peterson Author Photo Paulann Petersen is an award-winning poet and former Oregon State Poet Laureate. She is a former Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and author of several books of poetry including The Wild Awake, Blood-Silk, A Bride of Narrow Escape, Kindle, The Voluptuary, and Understory. She has also published five chapbooks and her work has been published in many anthologies, magazines, and websites.

Paulann teaches poetry workshops for colleges, libraries, and writer’s conferences, and serves on the National Advisory Board for Friends of William Stafford. She will be presenting an afternoon poetry workshop to help you not only improve your poetry but also move toward publishing your work.

She joins a group of extraordinary professional editors, writers, and poets in our first writer’s conference. Other speakers include Deborah Reed, Chip MacGregor, Holly Lorincz, Jessica Morrell, MaryJane Nordgren, and Kristin Thiel.

Register today to learn from Paulann Petersen on professional poetry writing at the 2018 Authors Conference in January as space is limited.

About Writers in the Grove 2018 Authors Conference

Science Fiction-Fantasy Writers Retreat in April

The annual Science Fiction/Fantasy Story Weekend with Wordcrafters writing group in Eugene, Oregon, is April 13-15 in the mountains along a river in the Oregon Cascades. The weekend is limited to 15 participants and you will be staying in lovely 3-bedroom cabins with others members of the team. There is time for gathering and solitude for writing. The group is lead by Nina Kiriki Hoffman, author of adult and YA novels and more than 250 science fiction and fantasy stories.

Disclosure: I attended this even a couple years ago and had a wonderful time. I would be going again if it didn’t conflict with another activity. I highly recommend it. Nina takes time to spend with each person once or several times throughout the weekend to hep walk you through your writing challenges, plot, the “science,” and offer any help you need with your writing. Other frequent attendees are also well-published and experienced to help you through your writing process, but don’t let that intimidate you. There are writers at all levels of experience attending, all there dedicated to the writing process.