About Our Members: jd young

jd young, a displaced Bronx native, resides in Virginia with her husband. She has published three books. Scarlett's Letters and The Butter Pecan Diaries are filled with laughter and wry humor - a combination of Erma Bombeck and Dave Barry. Both have a five star review on Amazon. Her latest offering, The Woman on Pritchard Street, opens the door to reveal her intense and often times darker view of life.She believes her remote and heavily wooded haven with moonlight shadows and bumps in the night fuels her imagination to run the gamut from ordinary, to fearful, to bizarre.

The Woman on Pritchard Street

THE WOMAN ON PRITCHARD STREET - 1st in the trilogy of the Vasile Chronicles

Sometimes things just fall into your lap. Some make you smile and enjoy the ride. Others make you grab your balls and pray for redemption. When this job fell my way, the easy money clouded my senses. Though my balls ached, I ignored my gut. I figured, why not?

Another city, another job, another haphazard collection of notes to take up space in my luggage. I don't know why I keep all these journals. Perhaps one day these chaotic impressions will come in handy....Simon Nicolae Gautreaux

OLIVIA - The second in this trilogy is due out late summer and promises to continue the intrigue, addressing relationships between the White House, Congress, the Vatican and nefarious organizations including The Collective intent on world dominance. The extensive world of entities mingling within our daily life and infiltrating Congress becomes obvious when power mongers argue for complete control.

 9 customer reviews

The Butter Pecan Diaries: Scarlett's Letters - Part Deux 

Scarlett is back and continues her tongue-in-cheek look at the trials and tribulations of family life. Many responded to Scarlett's first book, wondering if she had peeked into their homes. They wondered how any other family could possibly be living their same life. More reported that Scarlett's truisms gave them comfort to find out how similar family units act and react in their daily walk. Many believed they were the only ones to have: renegade siblings, health care insurers whose repertoire included a single phrase, “No, you are not covered!” Doctors who reluctantly granted 3.2 minutes of time usually in the hospital corridor, gas pumps that required both a degree in accounting and engineering. Phone companies and cable conglomerates that… well, let’s not discuss those quite yet. Others learned that teenagers have an entirely different language. When they turn 12½ no adult is privy to their secret handshake of words. It does not matter that they grew up under your firm hand and loving guidance, anything a parent says will go unheeded. Everyone found out that although they are Super Mom and Super Dad, their magic powers are no match for teenagers, healthcare providers, phone and cable companies, doctors, computer help desks or clerks with attitudes. ...but, Scarlett again proves that we are not alone!

  

6 customer reviews

Scarlett's Letters

Before I learned the calmative qualities of butter pecan ice cream, I thought seriously about taking my tea cup to the river. From my sister-in-law s spur of the moment decision to dig up her husband s grave, my daughter s planned sabbatical to Kosovo, and my inability to grasp the simple concept of insurance deductibles as they relate to third person injuries incurred when a dependent is hit by a blue Bronco that is simultaneously licensed in two states with liberal Governors. Scarlett s Letters are for those kindred spirits who wonder if they are the only inhabitants of personal Twilight Zones

  

16 customer reviews

Please visit her at: www.ScarlettsLetters.com --- www.jdyoung.net ---

Contact: literarylady@gmail.com

About Our Members: Clif Berry

F. Clifton Berry Jr.

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F. Clifton Berry, Jr. Photo copyright Photography By Design

CLICK HERE TO ORDER BOOKS BY CLIFTON BERRY F. Clifton Berry, Jr. owns and operates FCB Associates, LLC, an international communications  enterprise based in Northern Virginia near Washington, DC. Recent Projects Since 2007, Clif and his teammates have been creating illustrated four-color visitor brochures for the overseas  cemeteries operated and maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) The Commission  performs the mission to commemorate the service and sacrifice of America’s armed forces since our entry into  World War I. It places special emphasis on this objective, extracted from the ABMC FY 2009 Annual Report: The Commission continued its efforts to increase public awareness of its commemorative mission and to  encourage more U.S. and foreign citizens to visit its cemeteries and memorials worldwide. Suggest that you visit the ABMC website via this link: http:/​/​www.abmc.gov. Recent Books Berry and his team produced the illustrated book, Airborne Forces at War, for the Association of the United States  Army. Robert K. Wright Jr., Ph.D., and John T. Greenwood, Ph.D., were co-authors. The Naval Institute Press  published the book in December 2007. His team produced and he co-authored with John T. Greenwood the illustrated book Medics at War, also sponsored by the Association of the United States Army and released by the Naval Institute Press in June 2005. His team produced and he wrote United States Army at War: 9/​11 Through Iraq, sponsored by the Association of the United States Army and released by the Naval Institute Press in September 2003. In December 2002, Howell Press released his illustrated book, Milestones of the First Century of Flight, another product of his book packaging team. Background Clif Berry has edited several aerospace and defense magazines. He edited AIR FORCE magazine, then became chief U.S. editor of Interavia Publications. After that, he edited Air Power History and National Defense  magazine. Clif is a member of the Authors Guild of America. He earned a Bachelor's in Mathematics at George Washington University and a Master's in Communication at Stanford University while on active duty as an airborne Infantry officer in the U.S. Army. Berry received a direct Regular Army commission in Infantry while serving in the 82d Airborne Division. He saw combat in Vietnam as operations officer of a light infantry brigade. He commanded two rifle companies and an  Infantry battalion during active service. He also served in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public  Affairs), on the staff of a presidential commission, and at the Department of State. Berry is a master parachutist and private pilot with land and seaplane ratings. Clifton Berry's books include the following, in reverse chronological order: Author: United States Army at War: 9/​11 Through Iraq. Naval Institute Press, 2003 Milestones of the First Century of Flight. Howell Press, 2002. Once A Soldier, Always A Soldier; Members of Congress who served in the Army. Association of the United States Army, 1999. Inside the CIA; the Architecture, Art and Atmosphere of America's Premier Intelligence Agency. Community Communications, 1997. Inventing the Future; How Science and Technology Transform Our World. Brassey's/​Macmillan, 1993. Air Cav; the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam. Bantam, 1988. Gadget Warfare; Technology in Vietnam. Bantam, 1988. Chargers; the 196th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam. Bantam, 1988. Strike Aircraft; U.S. Air Force air-to-ground operations in Vietnam. Bantam, 1988. Sky Soldiers; the 173d Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. Bantam, 1987. Co-author: Medics at War: Military Medicine from Colonial Times to the 21st Century. With John T. Greenwood, Ph.D., Naval Institute Press, 2005. Flights: American Aerospace, Beginning to Future. With C.V. Glines and H.M. Zubkoff. Community Communications, 1994. CNN: War in the Gulf: From the Invasion of Kuwait to the Day of Victory and Beyond. Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 1990-91. With T. Allen and N. Polmar. Turner Publishing, 1991. Editor and packager: Airborne Forces at War, Naval Institute Press, 2007. Spies, Black Ties &  Mango Pies. Stories and recipes from CIA families all over the world. Community Communications, 1997. ...and several more, including editing and packaging five titles in the the Near Future Warfare series published by Avon Books. Most of the books may be ordered from Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com Copyright 2013 FCB Associates, LLC

National Grandparents Day Writing Contest Sponsored by the Writers of Chantilly

Deadline: July 15, 2013

To celebrate National Grandparents Day on September 8, 2013, the Writers of Chantilly, a not-for-profit organization of local professional and aspiring writers in Chantilly, Virginia, is sponsoring a free writing contest open to high school students in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Students are invited to write an original essay, short story or poem about a special memory with a grandparent(s) or lesson learned from a grandparent(s).

First through third place winners will be chosen to read their work at a National Grandparents Day author event held on Sunday, September 8, 2013, from 2--4 p.m., at the Chantilly Regional Library in Chantilly, Virginia. Winners also will receive a writing prize package, and have their work published in a future Writers of Chantilly story collection.

Rules:

• Only one entry per author may be entered
• Entries must be received by July 15, 2013 to be eligible
• Works must be written by students, and reflect their own original ideas
• Pieces will be judged on creativity, content and structure (stories and essays should have a beginning, middle and end; poems may be free verse)
• Stories can be fiction or nonfiction
• Only unpublished works are eligible
• Entries must be typed in English
• Maximum word count of 1,000
• Open to Fairfax County, Virginia high school students only

Please enclude your name, grade, mailing address, email address and phone number with your entry (your information will be kept confidential), and note if your piece is fiction or nonfiction. All entries will be acknowledged; winners will be notified by July 31, 2013.

Email entries to: WOCwritingcontest@gmail.com

Students interested in participating in a workshop for young writers led by the Writers of Chantilly, please email WOCwritingcontest@gmail.com

About the Writers of Chantilly

The Writers of Chantilly meet twice monthly at the Chantilly Library, Chantilly, VA, to encourage and support writers at all levels--newcomers warmly welcomed. WOC has published several anthologies, the most recent being Nana...And Other Grandmothers, available on Amazon.com or through the Fairfax Public Library System.

The Anthologies of The Writers of Chantilly

AND STILL WE CELEBRATE

(July 2001)

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January White Sale tells about a woman who collapses under the weight of her catalog problem. . . .Trash Day describes how a slovenly neighbor pushes a man to the brink of insanity. . . .A Tribute To Grace Staton Peile is a loving eulogy to a ninety-seven year old grandmother from her grieving granddaughter. . . .A Day In The Week After That Surprise St. Valentine’s Day Wedding tells what can happen when a man is secretly engaged to two neighbors at the same time. . . .The Downs And Ups Of An Indian Easter shows how two young matrons experience the pleasure and perils of a visit to a hill station in India. . . .ariadne is poetic beauty. . Hell Is An Aisle Seat begs you to step aboard and experience the airplane trip from hell. . . .Bad Day At The Office reveals how a secretary humiliates the office equipment. . . .The Easter Playhouse portrays a young father’s struggle with madness. . . .Roses For Donald takes us on a visit to the Vietnam War Memorial that brings pain and healing to a mother and son. . . .Mother’s Day is poetry for the heart. . . .Peeping Patti follows a newly divorced woman and her young son as they venture out on their own to find a strange woman spying on them at their new apartment. . . .The Singing Tower tells us to forget harps; it’s the bells they have in heaven. . . .Wedding Belle shows how Iris learns that shopping for a husband and shopping for underwear are not mutually exclusive endeavors. . . .Confessions Of A Marital Renegade explains how a trip to Martha Stewart’s website sends a woman on a personal odyssey. . . .The Wedding Cake proves that baking for a wedding is not always a piece of cake. . . .A Letter To Missy a father’s letter to his daughter on her wedding day explains where she came from. . . .Barbara’s Party describes a wild and crazy party that took place in the sixties. . . .Room And Board tells what happens when a pregnant mongrel shows up on the Fourth of July. . . .Astor’s Independence acknowledges that she was old and dying, but something keeps her clinging to life until she finds what she had waited for all her life. . . .The Commuter shows how sometimes the Metro takes you places you didn’t expect. . . .What Did You Do In The War, Mom? describes a girl who dances through World War II right up to VJ Day. . . .Hot August Date Night proves that choosing the wrong romantic location such as a favorite golf course could really dampen a great August date night. . . .Wrong Place - Wrong Time lets the author tell how she was lured into a psychological test that peeked into her fears. . . .The Fortieth Anniversary warns that a surprise drink can really surprise a recovering alcoholic. . . .Odd Mom Out takes us on a hike in the Great Smokey Mountains that turns a mother’s thoughts to her role in the family. . . .A Stormy Samhain lets us ride along with two women as they search the stormy night for a psychic who claims to be speaking with their dead husbands. . . .Christmas In October recalls memories of childhood Halloween haunts. . . .A Handful Of Fire depicts a young boy’s misadventures with fireworks during Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights. . . .South China Sea takes us to an American Destroyer on patrol in the South China Sea during a 1950’s Thanksgiving. . . .We Won’t Be Home For Christmas tells what it’s like to ship out on December 23rd aboard a troop ship bound for Europe. . . .Some Christmas Rabbits describes a Christmas rabbit hunt in the Australian Outback. . . .The B&O recalls a military family’s unforgettable train ride home for Christmas. . . .The Frozen Tree reveals how a fir tree frozen to the ground changes a family’s Christmas. . . .A Happy Christmas Story explains that all Trudy Hogan wanted for Christmas was her dad, but what she got was better. . . .The Wish, A Christmas Story reveals that a daughter resents her mother’s favoritism.

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WE CELEBRATE THE MACABRE

(September 2002)

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AMAZON REVIEWS:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good overlooked book, November 17, 2007

By Alice J. Flaherty (Barrington, IL) - 

This is a book of many great and interesting stories. For some reason it is being overlooked and should not be. Pick this book up, you won't be sorry but make sure you are not alone in the house when reading!

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of the best writers haven't yet made it big, June 4, 2007

By Giovanni Scriva

Great stuff! And an excellent example that you don't have to be on the best sellers list to be talented. This collection is diabolical as it is diverse. Spend a rainy Saturday with this one, you'll become surprisingly engrossed...or dismembered...but not necessarily in that order...

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WE CELEBRATE FOOD FOR THE SOUL

(November 2003)

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WE CELEBRATE FOOD FOR THE SOUL is an eclectic collection of stories with the central theme of food – plain, fancy, sweet, sour, occasionally inedible and sometimes downright poisonous. Some stories transport you to exotic or fanciful places. Some never leave the kitchen. Each author interprets the word food in his or her own way. Each is touched by the gentle encouragement and keen guidance of Mary Ellen Gavin, our founder, teacher and friend. So, welcome, Reader! You are our guest. Take your place at the head of the table and enjoy the feast. Some of this is pretty tasty stuff.

AMAZON REVIEWS:

5.0 out of 5 stars November 17, 2007

By Alice J. Flaherty

These writers of Chantilly are a great bunch of storytellers. The stories are really good and sometimes nice to have a book where you can read a story in it's entirety put it down and read another later. Each story is well written and entertaining.

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WE’RE IN THE MONEY

(November 2005)

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We're in the Money is an eclectic collection of stories with the central theme of money earned, stolen, laundered, buried, owed, occasionally counterfeited and often the cause of evil. Some stories transport you to exotic or fanciful places; some go no farther than the neighborhood bank. Each author interprets the word money in his or her own way. So, welcome, Reader! You have won the lottery. I'll bet my bottom dollar  you're going to enjoy our stories. They're all good as gold.

AMAZON REVIEWS:

5.0 out of 5 stars November 17, 2007

By Alice J. Flaherty I love this group of writers and hope others do too Don't miss their books, I believe four or five they are great reading.

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CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF THE WRITERS OF CHANTILLY

(December 2008)

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These CHILDHOOD MEMORIES, coming to you from The Writers of Chantilly, are as different as the writers themselves. Each has a story to tell that is unique. Some tell of fun times, their most memorable loved ones, exciting vacations, unexpected happenings or meetings with people who changed their lives. Others take you to mean, unholy places that you will not soon forget. The range of stories is astonishing, traveling from dark to light and back again. So welcome, Dear Reader. Enjoy our book. As you turn these pages, we promise an encounter or two with childhood memories of your own.

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SCALES, TALES & WEBBED FEET

(November 2009)

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A collection of animal stories and poems.

Melanie Florence  

I am a contributing author to this anthology. I've had short stories and poems published in 12 anthologies so far and this one is my favorite. The stories are well-written and vary in genre. Something for everyone!

AMAZON REVIEWS:

5.0 out of 5 stars February 22, 2010

By MEg Gavin

I love animals which is why I love these stories. Each one is different: some tell how animals interact with people and others tell how people interact with animals. I laughed and I cried. I was reminded of the animals of my childhood that I still mourn to this day, and also the animals that I dream about welcoming me into heaven when the time comes. This book will give you faith that this animal lovers' dream will come true.

5.0 out of 5 stars  October 28, 2010

By Desert Marigold

I must admit that I am one of the authors in this book. I've read it all and enjoyed every one of these stories immensely! I have had a lot of short stories published in various anthologies, but I liked this collection of stories the best. If you love animals, you will enjoy this book.

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A MEDLEY OF MISCHIEF, MAYHEM AND MADNESS

(June 2011)

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The talented Writers of Chantilly bring us another medley of stories, this time themed around “mischief.” The authors offer a stellar collection of exciting and funny short stories and poems that range from innocent to malicious. Whether stories of office pranks, childhood hi-jinks, or just humorous observations of life, this anthology aptly captures the essence and diversity of its subject. You’ll experience each fantasy, every memory, and all the circumstances attributed to mischief. Each page will keep you guessing—and laughing—as you realize just how wonderfully silly and sometimes serious “mischief” can be.

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NANA…AND OTHER GRANDMOTHERS
(December 2012)

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Every person has two grandmothers. Every grandmother has at least one grandchild. Without grandmothers we would not be here. The characteristics of grandmothers and grandchildren vary infinitely. So do their relationships, ranging from adoration to antagonism. The Writers of Chantilly explore those topics widely in this anthology. They approach the privilege of writing about grandmothers from different points of view: as grandchildren and as grandmothers, and also as observers.