We mourn them and then we honor them. Donate blood and join the bone marrow registry.

The US is having a hard time.

Feeling helpless?

Feeling like you need to contribute in some way?

I've said it before and I will say it again and again and again. You can save lives.

How?

Donate blood. Blood banks are in desperate need of donations all over the country.

Wild fires up and down the West Coast, large storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes all around the country, oh, and don't forget the ongoing pandemic, equals a shortage of life-saving blood products at your local blood bank.

Find a blood drive in your area by reaching out to these groups.

Red Cross

New York Blood Center
and the NYBC Family

If you personally can't donate, you can still help. Share blood drive events near you on social media OR host a blood drive of your own at a local school or church. 

AND

Join the Bone Marrow Registry!!

Today marks the 19th year since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
 

Our community still feels the pain of that day and the health repercussions continue to take our heroes.


"The FDNY added the names of 27 department members who died of illnesses related to their work in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center to the FDNY World Trade Center Memorial Wall in a closed ceremony at FDNY Headquarters Wednesday. Those 27 former New York City firefighters died of 9/11-related illnesses in the past year, bringing the total number of firefighters killed after the World Trade Center attacks to 227. That's in addition to the 343 FDNY members killed on September 11, 2001."

As First Responders suffer from September 11th related illnesses, many of them with blood cancers, they will most likely need a bone marrow transplant.

Normally, they're the ones saving lives, but this time it could be one of us saving them.
Join the bone marrow registry.

This website, Be The Match, will tell you everything you need to know about joining the registry and WHERE to find a drive near you.



I hope my blog friends living in any of the fire and storm areas are all okay.

#IWSG - August? September? What month is this?

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.


The awesome co-hosts today are PJ Colando, J Lenni Dorner, Deniz Bevan, Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, and Louise - Fundy Blue!


September 2 optional question - If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be and why? 

Hello nice people!
I totally missed my post for August, and I'm running late for September, but I'm here!

I joined a free accountability challenge, with a professional editor, for the month of September to hopefully get back on track, focus, and get some writing accomplished.

I'm hoping to write some new words for 1/2 the month and if it's not going anywhere, to work on my old MS that needs a complete re-write for the rest of the month. We shall see.

School starts next week for the kids here in NY. Let's all take a moment to hope that kids, teachers, staff, and parents will all stay safe no matter what school they go to.

And now...for some funnies... Stay safe out there!

(AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Find us here:
Facebook, Twitter - hashtag #IWSG, Instagram, and on Goodreads
And you can sign up for our monthly newsletter loaded with tips and more here - IWSG Newsletter

The newsletter also lists new books by members, so contact us if you have a new book out.

Writers and authors, join us for #IWSGPit on January 20, 2021.

It will be here sooner than you think!

Polish those pitches and check the #IWSGPit rules.
 
Multiple authors have signed with publishers and agents as a result – it could be you!