Presidency Message

Greetings, Sisters ~

We are nearing the end of another wonderful year for ANWA. Elections are coming up and our anthology is on the verge of publication. We have increased our membership and seen new chapters spring up in several locations outside of Arizona, where ANWA had its humble beginnings. Truly, we are becoming a national organization. Keep spreading the word. And NEVER stop writing!

Our annual ANWA Writers' Conference on October 25-26 was a huge success and such a joyful benefit to all who attended. As the various chapters grow and expand across the map, we will no doubt find Conferences being held in other areas. In the meantime, it was delightful to see and meet many ANWA sisters who flew in and drove to Arizona for our conference. Watch for detailed accounts of the workshops and activities in the December newsletter.

This issue is dedicated to journaling, a subject dear to my heart. I have expressed my feelings about journaling many times on the online ANWA Critique line. To keep a record of my days is one of my greatest desires, yet it is also one of my greatest challenges. My mother kept a marvelous journal, several different kinds, in fact. Photo-journals, written journals and even clippings of current events, trends in fashions, cars, movies, music and much, much more. These albums are so precious to me.

My father, on the other hand, never kept a personal journal. His business records were impeccable, but he left no written word of his feelings or daily activities. As both of my parents have passed on, it would mean so much to me to have a journal written by my father. One would think that would be motivation enough for me to keep my own journal, but I still struggle with it.

The more I think on it, the more I realize how important it will be for me to leave a record for my own children and grandchildren, not to mention, that this is my one opportunity to get it right before my kids have a stab at "I Remember Mama" or some such thing. So, in my own defense, I guess I had better get serious!

All joking aside, we have been commanded to keep a written record of our lives and that should be all the encouragement we need.

I hope you will enjoy this issue and glean many wonderful ideas on how to preserve your history for future generations.

Take care and Happy Journaling!!
Stephanie Abney, General Vice President of ANWA