World War II Home Front Exhibit

The East County Historical Organization, a non-profit created to commemorate local history, has identified more than 30 items from my collection of World War II "Home Front" materials for inclusion in an exhibition beginning June 20 and running about six months. Items will include materials about WWII rationing, anti-Hitler and anti-Mussolini materials, Portland shipbuilding operations, civilian aircraft spotter training, the internment of Japanese-Americans, war bonds, Armed Servicemen book editions, and other materials. The exhibit will continue for about six months at the Heslin House, located on Main St. in Fairview. Much of this material either has been the source for a WWII history article that I have written, or will be the source of such an article in the future.

Willamette Writers Association: Spotlight on Bill Leslie

I was recently spotlighted in the Willamette Writers Association newsletter. I've been a member since 2007. With more than 1,600 members, Willamette Writers is the largest U.S. writer's association west of the Mississippi. It has branches in Portland, Eugene, Medford, Newport, Salem, Corvallis, and Central Point.

A Word to Freelance Writers: It Pays (Literally) to be Persistent.

More than two and a half years ago I emailed the editor of a newspaper that I wanted to write for. I received no response. About six months later, I emailed him again. No response. I asked a friend who knew the editor to drop my name, which she did. No response. Months later, I emailed the editor's assistant and she confirmed that he had received my query letters and that my name had been mentioned. Still no response. A couple of weeks ago, I reached out to the editor again, and this time I received an assignment for five articles.

It would have been easy to give up. More than two and a half years had passed since my first inquiry, but I just kept going back again, trying every angle that I could think of to get my name in front of him.

You can do the same. Be polite, and persistent, and use all the avenues you can think of to connect.

It won't always pay off, but it did for me.