Chicken Soup Story for the Soul...Candlewood Member, Beth Molinaro

New Milford resident Beth Molinaro is a featured contributor in the recently released Chicken Soup for the Soul, Shaping the New You.

A book signing will take place Saturday, Jan. 22, from noon to 2 p.m. at Bank Street Book Nook on Bank Street in New Milford.

Ms. Molinaro is a freelance writer, and her humorous story “Pool Walking” was selected from the many submissions to the popular series, which features stories told from a first-person perspective and are meant to be inspiring as well as entertaining.

An employee of Ability Beyond Disability, Ms. Molinaro has been writing for many years. Her focus, she said in a news release, has been on looking at the world with her own brand of humor, light hearted and quick witted.

Before moving to New Milford in 2001, Beth, her two children, Zach and Annie, and her husband, Anthony, lived in Pittsburgh, Pa.

“Chicken Soup for the Soul, Shaping the New You” will be available in area bookstores on Amazon.com.

Published in the Danbury News Times, January 2011

Here's to Tracy and Beth.....

Our Writer's Group is beginning to garnish some glory. First, Tracy wins a competition on Skirt.com. Not a small feat, for Skirt is highly regarded and the submissions, I imagine, are many. To top it off, the word count was small, making each word count. She wrote a great piece and I'll see if I can post it here.

Now it's Beth's turn as she's in the final count for a new Chicken Soup book, due out towards the end of the year. We know those submissions are many...to get this far is quite an accomplishment. Beth turned in a story very much in her own voice....it's full of humor...Beth's humor...yet spot on honest...very true to who Beth is. With so many trying to get into Chicken Soup, I believe her unique take on the topic...which is health and fitness...made her story stand out. I can't imagine how many, "I lost weight" stories they received? Take a chance...dig deep into your creativity....no matter the immediate out come...whether it's personal or publishing success, it will happen.

Having other people read you work...offer thoughtful comments...as well as encouragement... is a win-win situation for a writer. Taking those comments and making the decision to either change up the story or not, makes for a writer who is willing to take chances, be creative, stay true to themselves and improve how they choose to be expressive. There's nothing like a group working together for every ones benefit.

If you send it out, yes, you stand the chance of having it turned down, but, ahhh....you also have an opportunity of being published. That's a rush for any writer who wants their work out there. Oh, and don't diminish the fact you also end up feeling you've accomplished a personal goal...doesn't get any better than that.

Here's to Tracy and Beth.....