GraceWords
"...so your words may give grace..."
About Us
GraceWords was created as way to share my writing with others. The first four chapters of my latest novel, short stories, poetry, and an essay are on the e-publications page.
"... so your words may give grace..." comes from Ephesians 4:29.
This venture, guided by faith, is part of the fulfillment of a dream.
During my career as an administrator at the University of California, Berkeley, I wrote and published professional journal articles - even won a prize for one of them. But my creative writing was only shared with my family and close friends. I've been writing poetry, essays and short stories since I was a teenager, but I never had the desire or fortitude to take it to the next level - that is, to put my all into it and try to get published.
My children inspired me to go for it. My daughter used to volunteer a few hours a week at her children's charter elementary school. After a year, the director asked her to work at the school as an AmeriCorps volunteer. When that ended, she was hired as a full-time parent-teacher-community organizer.
On a trip to Brazil, my older son saw some men practicing Capoeira. He had done break-dancing and some of the Brazilian martial art looked the same. A couple of years later he had an opportunity to learn the sport. A few years after that he started his own Capoeira school. Now he teaches it at a university.
My younger son was trying to make it as an actor in Hollywood. He had some small successes but not enough to let him quit his "day job". He decided: If they won't hire me for their films, I'll make my own. He wrote, directed and produced a short film which won multiple awards at festivals and led to a year as a featured character on a soap and then a writing and, now, producing job on a top-rated cable TV drama.
Do what you love and success will follow. I wish I'd thought of that a long time ago...
So I keep writing no matter what. And I love it. I won first prize in a novel writing contest in 2008 and, in November 2009, I had a short story published in the San Francisco Chronicle. I love to write. I won't quit the dream.
Your comments and questions are welcome. Please send an email to wordsgivegrace@gmail.com.
April Kutger
