Dear Sun Spots: The Program for Grieving Children and Teens will hold a 10-week training session for families on Tues. Jan. 3, 2006, at St. Phillips Church in Auburn.

The program is co-sponsored by Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. We provide peer-to-peer support for children and teens who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Children must be accompanied by an adult and adult groups are provided for those who wish to participate. This service is provided free of charge to the community. Preregistration is required. For more information please call Jake Lariviere at (207) 777-7740 or 1(800) 482-7412. – Jake Lariviere, No Town.

Dear Sun Spots: I’ve been writing a book of short stories, poems, poetry and more and would love to get my book published. I know they expect money to pay for publication and I would like to get some profits. I’ve been writing since I was 19 and am now in my 30s.

Also, I had the address to Minerva Press Publishing Company in London. I’ve lost the address over several moves. – No Name, Norway.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, regarding your publishing question, Sun Spots had the pleasure of talking with Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance executive director Shonna Milliken Humphrey, (e-mail [email protected]) who says among the upcoming workshops is one that might be of interest to you and other writers.

MWPA will hold an all-day workshop early in the new year, and details will be forthcoming on MPA’s Web site at www.mainewriters.org. It will consist of a series of 20 seminars held throughout the day on such subjects as grant writing as an alternative to publishing and will include publishers, agents and authors. Millikin Humphrey described this event as a great opportunity for writers to contact and network with published authors, writers and more. Milliken Humphrey notes it’s a way for writers, whether published or not, to network and get ideas, support from others at varying degrees along their writing journey. She called it a nod, of sorts, from MWPA to help boost the creative economy here in Maine. Having taken several workshops with MPA, Sun Spots would highly recommend you check them out. In addition, you might like to check some of the local adult education/university course offerings open to the public, as many often offer writing workshops.

Sun Spots would also encourage you and other writers to contact Maine Writers And Publishers Alliance who are also in the process of moving from their Bath location to the USM Glickman Family Library in Portland on Dec. 1. Their new address will be 318 Glickman Family Library, University of Southern Maine, P.O. Box 9301, 314 Forest Ave., Portland, ME 04104, (207) 228-8263. You can also contact them via e-mail at [email protected]

You might also be interested in joining a writing group who might help you in critiquing your work. Again, consider contacting MWPA for a listing in your area.

Lastly, write to Minerva Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA.

Dear Sun Spots: Once again, I must thank all of you great sunspots who responded to my need for National Geographics. I have all that I need for quite a while, again. If I didn’t call you back please know that I appreciated your call and will be keeping phone numbers for the next time my supply has dwindled. Thanks again and happy holidays to you all! – Cheryl, Rumford



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