Inspiration | Cathy C. Hall Writes

Oh what a beautiful moooorning, Oh what a beautiful day!

When I stepped outside to get the mail, I felt like singing. Okay, I did sing…but I did a little look-see first to make sure the neighbors wouldn’t catch me being myself. But here in the South, when the Good Lord blesses you on the first day of summer with no humidity, a gentle breeze, and a hint of Confederate Jasmine in the air…well, if you don’t find yourself singing, then I don’t know what to say.

Wait, I do know what to say. Maybe you need to find something that will lift your soul, like a Cup of Comfort book, or maybe a Chicken Soup for the Soul essay or two. Better yet, try writing one yourself. Check out the COC books here and the Chicken Soup books here. They’re always looking for good stories and a few deadlines are drawing near. You don’t have to be a famous writer; you just have to share a good story. If you want to increase your chances of getting published, read a few of these books to see what they’re choosing.

And hey, I’ve got a beautiful feeling, you could find yourself singing, too!

I’ve had connections with Alabama all my life; some good, some not so much. But now I have a great connection and I’m tooting my horn!

I sent one of my all-time favorite children’s stories to the Alabama Writers’ Conclave Writing Competition and I won…er, something. The actual prize (First, Second or Third) won’t be announced till July, but in any case there’s a little Fame and Fortune coming my way. Stay tuned next month and I’ll tell you all about it.

But maybe more importantly is the story behind the winning story. I kept working on that little story till I got it right. You know how you have a gut feeling after you’ve written something? A feeling that says, “Dang! That’s some good writing!” But then, when you send it out into the world, no one else seems to think so. Still, my gut was telling me not to give up on “The Chocolate Cake Bait.” (My gut was awfully chatty, wasn’t it?)

I believed in that children’s tale of boyhood friendship. And I guess the good writers in Alabama did, too!