Two Writing Students, Two published Stories

Nothing pleases me more than hearing from my students and learning that they benefited from my class on writing about your life.

In the past two days, I was delighted to receive emails from Ginny and from Ashe, both of whom attended the 8 week class I taught at Tri-County College. Their life stories about World War II experiences informed, enlightened and entertained. Filled with images and detail, their stories begged for a larger audience. Following one of my suggestions on publishing for the first time, Ginny contacted the Smoky Mountain Sentinel and her story will be published as part of a Veterans Day issue. Ashe's story has been accepted by the Clay County Progress for their Veteran's Day issue.

Ginny and Ashe, like many senior citizens want to write about their lives for their families and others, to let them know how world events affected them when they were young adults. World War II touched all Americans. Ginny's brother served in the South Pacific. Ashe was a soldier and a part of the Army that helped free citizens in Europe. These two articles which will appear in newspapers are a small part of their extensive unique life experiences. These experiences will not be recorded in history text books but will be passed down like the oral histories of old. But my students will save their stories in binders, soft cover books, and self published hard-back books with appropriate photographs easily scanned and enhanced on computers.

Thanks, Ginny and Ashe, for sharing your stories.