Valerie Ormond's Thoughts On …

Writing Tips from Valerie Ormond

Tag: MWSA

  • Celebrating International Impact

    The International Impact Book Awards presented my latest book, Believing In Horses Out West, an award at their book awards gala in Phoenix, AZ this past weekend.

    Nim Stant, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the International Impact Book Awards said, “Being selected as a winner at the International Impact Book Awards is a testament to your exceptional talent, dedication, and creativity. Your work has truly made an impact, and it is our honor to celebrate this remarkable achievement with you.”

    This award was personally significant to me not only due to the words “international impact” in the title, but also because it is likely the last awards contest I will be entering Believing In Horses Out West in. It’s been a fun run for the past three years, and I’m happy with the recognition we have achieved.

    Since many of my blog readers have been part of my “team,” I wanted to share a wrap-up of awards for Believing In Horses Out West.

    Winner, International Impact Book Awards – Pets and Animals

    First Place, National Federation of Press Women’s National Communications Contest – Young Adult Book – Fiction

    First Place, National Federation of Press Women’s At Large Communications Contest – Young Adult Book – Fiction

    Gold Medal, Military Writers Society of America MWSA) – Young Adult

    EQUUS Film and Arts Festival – Winner – Equine Fiction

    Second Place, BookFest Book Awards – Animals

    Finalist, The Authors’ Zone (TAZ) Book Awards

    Finalist, The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

    Thank you to the judges who have found to book worthy of these awards and to all those who have been along for the ride.

  • FACES OF MWSA (Military Writers Society of America) Annual Conference

    FACES OF MWSA (Military Writers Society of America) Annual Conf. (kathleenmrodgers.com)

    I returned from the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) Annual Conference this week energized and was happy to see my writer friend Kathy Rodgers had prepared this wonderful blog post on the same event. So, I share Kathy’s post with you…and her pictures and story are way better than mine.

  • Who’s That Indie Author?

    Thank you to Barb Vitelli for hosting me on her Book Club Mom site and introducting me to her followers and readers. I loved her questions

    Who’s That Indie Author? Valerie Ormand | Book Club Mom (wordpress.com)

  • Write Your Story

    Military, Veterans, Family Members, and Caregivers

    The Workhouse Arts Center will present its first “Write Your Story” course for writers and soon-to-be-writers during the Winter Quarter 2023, as part of the Military in the Arts Initiative.

    The course will be held in person from Jan 10 – Feb. 14, 2023, on Tuesday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00 pm. The location is the Workhouse Arts Center, W16, McGuire Woods Gallery, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, VA 22079. Here is the direct link to register: Write Your Story | Workhouse Arts Center.

    Take the next step in getting your story out and making your voice heard. The goal is for participants to walk away with a written product reflecting their work.

    Terese Schlachter and I are both members of Military Writers Society of America (MWSA), and this is an extension of MWSA’s “Write Your Story” programs held since 2014 across the country. This is the first MWSA workshop held in the Washington, DC area in this particular format. We look forward to seeing writers of all skill levels there! 

  • Untold Stories

    K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune, Jan. 3, 2022

    This month, the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN deployed with the first female commander in charge of an aircraft carrier in history, Capt. Amy Capt. Bauernschmidt. I had a personal connection to this event from my Navy career dating back to 1995. I recently wrote a related story for the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) Untold Stories anthology, which starts:

    “The term ‘pioneer’ conjures up images of early settlers venturing out West taking risks for new beginnings. I never saw myself as a pioneer but found myself among a group of pioneers as one of the first women to deploy on a combat aircraft carrier.”

    The story ends with a salute to Capt. Bauernschmidt, and those who follow her, for continuing the adventure and pioneering more new beginnings.

    (more…)