June 30, 2010 – Peace Corps Worldwide

"The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there

Jun 30 2010

We all know L. P. Hartley’s famous line from his novel, The Go-Between, “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” Yes, they did, and there is a comment by “Joey” on the site today which reminds me that I should pay more attention to just ‘what they did’ back then, in that other country. I admit I have collected stories from those early years of the agency that paint an interesting time and want, for reasons of my own nostalgic self, to remember the best of times. Joey, however, lived through the worst of times, and she rightly remembers them, as she writes in her comment: “I love reading about the early romantic days of the Peace Corps. That is the Peace Corps I wanted so much to join. The Peace Corps I served in was very different. I try to be as accurate as I can about what I did, what I . . .

Finding A Job In Publishing # 1

Jun 30 2010

RPCVs who love books and magazines and want to find work that matches their love of literature and language are drawn to the world of publishing. They want to get a job where they can sit around all day and read books and get paid for it, you know, like being a PCV. As a way of helping newly returning PCVs, I am going to post a series of short blogs about finding work in publishing. It is an area that I know a little about and these blogs might be of some help to all of you currently going through reverse cultural shock. Getting a job in publishing can be a problem because most RPCVs lack “publishingese,” the insider’s special blend of vocabulary, knowledge, skills, and manner of doing business that conveys a cosmopolitan, confident, can-do attitude worthy of an entry-level position. Aspiring publishers also lack information about the . . .

Looking For A Good Editor For Your Book?

Jun 30 2010

A free lance editor who has worked very successfully with an award winning RPCV writer is Lorraine Bodger. I want to recommend Lorraine to you if you are looking around for help with your manuscript. If you are submitting anything to an agent or publisher, it has got to be ready to be published. Lorraine might be the person who can make it happen for you. Here’s what she has to say: LORRAINE BODGER: PRIVATE PROFESSIONAL EDITING FOR YOUR WORK Whether you’ve got a book proposal or finished ms that’s ready to be submitted OR you’re under contract and working on a final ms OR you’re aiming for a POD book, your best chance of success is to present as perfect a piece as possible. I can help. A lot. I’ve been working with writers for more than fifteen years, and I treat my clients with the respect and care . . .

Archive - June 30, 2010