October | 2010 | Cathy C. Hall Writes

I just couldn’t make up my market mind this month, so I’m doing a Two For. And if I’m being perfectly honest, we all know that it will be December 1st or so before I find another market. So, off we go!

I came across Dew on the Kudzu whilst zipping around on Twitter. When The South combines with short fiction, I’m going to stop zipping and settle in for awhile to see what I can find. So I found that Dew on the Kudzu is looking for stories for November and December, and I also found that this is a non-paying market.

Sometimes, a writer has a story he or she wants to tell. Perhaps he or she has not had much success in getting that story out there. This ezine is ready and waiting for you, and honestly, I really liked what Idgie the Editor had to say. But really, Dew on the Kudzu had me at “celebrating the Southern way of life.”

My next market might seem a little strange, me being a city girl and all, but I love The Farmer’s Almanac. There’s so much interesting information in that book! I never knew how fascinating the Almanac was until I picked up a copy once while visiting the Beneficent Mr. Hall’s mom (who grew up out in the country and never quite left her farm roots). Oh my gosh, I couldn’t believe all the neat stuff I’d been missing!

I’m not sure I’ll be able to think up an article pitch for the Almanac, but I’m going to try and channel my mother-in-law (may she rest in peace) for ideas.

Click on the Market(s) of the Month in the sidebar for the writing guidelines and submission details. And good luck until we meet again. Or should I just say, “Merry Christmas!”

I am not gonna lie. I wanted my team to still be in the playoffs when I featured baseball on my October Things Giveaway. But you can’t always get what you want, as the song goes. Which brings to mind another song I’ve prepared for the occasion of Bobby Cox’s retirement. We’ll get to the baseball giveaway goodies, but first a little baseball philosophy…

A Tribute to Bobby (Sung to the tune of “My Way”)

And now the end is here, and Bobby faced the final showdown.
My friends, I’ll say it clear, I wished we’d had more of a hoedown.

He gaves us fits, he gave us thrills,
He gave us cheers along the highway.
And more, much more than that,
He did it his way.

For what is a coach, without a team?
If he can’t yell, or really scream?
To say the things he truly means,
Get thrown from games and make big scenes!
The record’s done, his Braves sure won!
Doing it hiiiiis waaaaay!

I’m seriously a little farklempt here. So I better move on to the goodies you can win:

1. A really neat sports card album from 2000’s FanFest (AllStar game tie-in). Juniorest Hall filled up one album, but never used the other. So wheee for you! Um, you’ll have to get your own cards.

2. A crafty Braves pin that you can wear next year…or try making one with your favorite team’s colors. Honestly, I thought I’d get my preschoolers or Girl Scouts to try this craft, but as those kids are 20ish now, the time has come to give up on this idea.

3. A shiny baseball charm bracelet that I thought I’d wear when Juniorest Hall played baseball. Then he switched to golf. So, yeah, never quite got around to wearing it. But I polished it nicely for y’all.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. What’s this baseball stuff have to do with writing? If you want to win, leave a comment by October 16th telling me how baseball and writing connect. Then we’ll all know.

(P.S. Want extra chances? Sign up to follow me, send a friend over, tweet about this post…oh, you know the drill.)