Introducing the A-Z Joyful Brigade

Today, I’m pleased to introduce my gang on the Joyful Brigade, so without further delay, please meet the team, who’ll tell you about themselves in their own words.

Sheena-Kay Graham

Sheena-kay Graham was never meant for a traditional job behind a desk. So naturally she decided to be a writer who writes from her bed. The love of the written word has always been with her, leading to stories, novels, poetry and way too much fan fiction. She mainly writes YA fiction and is ready to unleash her creativity to wow the masses. With her love for fantasy, magic and young adult novels, her first series is naturally contemporary and written in poetic prose. Her first book Where is Sarah? will be out June 15 and is part of The Missing Girls Series. Sheena blogs at Queendsheena.

Susan Oloier

I have been a part of the A to Z Challenge on and off since 2011. Outside of writing, I am a mom, a wife, and a writer of YA, Adult fiction, and memoir. During my day job, I work with kids in special education, and my younger son has a wide array of medical and special needs. 

I have independently published six books and a screenplay. I also have been published in Inside/Outside Magazine as a columnist, at The Fertile Source, in Cliterature Journal, and at The Daily Beast. My seventh and eighth books should be out later this year. When I have spare moment, I love to read, rock climb, and ride my bike. 

Susan blogs at Susan Oloier - Author.

Philip Verghese

Philip Verghese 'Ariel' is a freelance writer and knol Author from Secunderabad, Telengana State, India.  A follower of Jesus Christ.  A Poet  and an Editor of a bi-monthly magazine.  Born and brought in Kerala, A southern state in India. Now based at Secunderabad, Telengana State, yet another southern state in India.

My work has appeared in newspapers, weeklies, magazines and on the web, mainly on Christian religion and the Bible. I was a reporter and contributor for Malayalam weeklies and magazine mostly of Christian publications. I am a regular contributor to the web since 2007, and now manages several blog pages in English and Malayalam language. 

Philip's blog is here

 

Michelle Wallace

Michelle Wallace is a writer-in-the-making who has embarked on a never-ending journey; a lover of flash fiction who dreams of writing and publishing a mystery/suspense/thriller story, one day in the not-too-distant-future... 

As a multi-colored rainbow nation child of God, she embraces an optimistic-realistic life view and believes in a good and honest work ethic. Her many titles include songbird, entertainer, pianist and educator. 

Michelle blogs at Writer-In-Transit. 

  

There's the brigade as of now, and of course, there's me. 

If you're interested in helping - even if you aren't doing the Challenge - drop me a line or leave me a comment. 

That's all for now folks! Have you signed up for the Challenge yet? Selected a theme? Interested in helping with visiting and such? 

Reflection Post - 2012 A-Z Challenge

Last year, the A-Z sounded like a fun and interesting challenge. I wanted to see whether I could post thirty days in a row, and I did. At the end I felt like I’d been pushing myself hard, but 2011 was a better A-Z challenge year for me in many ways.

I was smart enough to write a few days in advance and only covered a writing related subject, as well as a Jamaican food  item. This year, I got more inventive and did people, places and things Jamaican.  This seemed to work well, as the people who came by found the information interesting.

Oku Onuora, Old Harbour Bay & The Ortanique

Oku Onuora

Oku Onuora: born Orlando Wong is known as the father of Jamaican Dub Poetry. He has led a colourful life in that he demonstrated against police violence and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for his involvement in the robbery of a post office. It is said that the proceeds were supposed to help fund a community project. 

He started writing poetry in 1971, and while in prison, had his poems confiscated as they were deemed subversive. He won several awards in a local literary competition on 1976 and has since been published. A campaign was launched by university students and local literary personalities for Onuora’s release. He received a pardon and was released in 1977.

The A-Z Challenge - People, Places & Things Jamaican

So last week, I hit on what I can do for the A-Z Challenge. 

I was getting a little panicky over the fact that I couldn’t think of anything to write about, but eventually, I settled on people, places and things Jamaican.  I figure that since I write so much, or I used to, the things I come up with will come in useful where my setting is concerned. 

I actually started and had got to the B’s (not far I know) when I made a silly mistake and saved over the few bits of information I’d already collected. Not to worry though,  I still remember what little I had written down.