Where in the world is Wordslingergal?

I’m back! Yes, I have taken a hiatus, but it was for good reason. Wordslingergal has been completely redesigned and now is an official website. The purpose of the website/blog has also changed. In addition to a place where I post recently published articles, posts will now be focused on helping new writers break into the publishing world and writing industry. So, if you would love to learn tips on different types of writing, how to create a book proposal, how to get your first article published, branding yourself and a ton of other helpful articles, then please visit http://www.Wordslingergal.com! You can subscribe to my new blog there. And for my current subscribers, I just want to say thank you for following me and I hope you will continue on this new journey with me.

To a new journey…

Wordslingergal – Marisa Zeppieri-Caruana

Check out today’s post – Hot Topic Tuesday: Memoir Writing Part 1 – Today is Hot Topic Tuesday! http://www.wordslingergal.com/2012/11/hot-topic-tuesday-memoirs-part-1.html

Eating Well

Health and nutrition are really important to me…as I think they are to most people who suffer from a chronic disease. Because of this, I am currently working on a website and book on the topic. Anyway…here is my point; I am so thankful and grateful to be featured in the May/June 2012 Issue of Eating Well Magazine in an article on inflammation and in a short blurb in Ladies Home Journal. And the articles both premiered in May, Lupus Awareness Month! Coming from one reporter and editor to another, Holly Pevzner, did a fantastic job!

11 years later, it’s time to tell the entire story…

Tomorrow, May 1st, Lupus Awareness Month begins. My goal for this month? To educate. I’ve had Lupus for 11 years now, though unless you know me well, you would probably never think I am “sick.” During the past three years, I have had over 225 articles published about other people and their personal stories. I love interviewing these people and writing about the amazing things they are doing to help others. This month, my editor asked me to write about Lupus…about my personal story. It was tough. I’ve never told the entire story; never have I been completely transparent about the past 11 years. I guess at one point I was worried about what people would think of me, or if they would judge me because I am not like them. I don’t worry about that stuff anymore! 😉 So, here it is. The raw truth about having Lupus, living with Lupus and what I expect the future to hold. Thanks for reading! XOXOX Marisa

http://goodnewsfl.org/content/view/from_anguish_to_activism

Rapists, murderers and the like…only a click away!

A few months ago, after watching the movie Trust on Netflix, I was intrigued by how intricate the plot of an online predator actually is. The patience shown by these individuals, the time spent grooming the young man or woman…all with a goal of gaining, well, their trust. The experience of the movie was enough to prompt me to write an article (Trust by the way was fantastically written, had amazing actors, including Clive Owen, and was directed by David Schwimmer, yes, from Friends).
Shortly after the movie, I came across a true story from England of a young girl who innocently started talking to a young man on Facebook. After months of conversation, the two agreed to meet. The plan: his father would pick the girl up at her home one evening. Unfortunately, the father never showed up. There was never a son in the first place. The older gentlmen had been acting as the son all along. This naive and innocent girl got into his car and drove away. He raped and killed her that night, buried her in a field and eventually confessed to the crime. Between the movie and news article that I came across, I knew I had to write a more in-depth article about what the young men and women of today are facing. What is safe these days? Where can teens or tweens spend time, enjoy their youth and be safe? And, what type of netiquette should parents be teaching their children?

With the help of a well-known psychologist and retired juvenile jugde, I had all of these questions answered and more in my latest article. Read the full article here: http://goodnewsfl.org/content/view/the_plot_of_an_online_predator

Would You Reach Out to Me?

You may be familiar with the story of Ashley Billasano – the shocking headlines and details gripped readers of print and online papers worldwide and left them asking “Why?” Billasano – a striking 18 year old girl from Texas – took to her twitter page on November 7, 2011 and poured her heart out to her 500 followers regarding allegations of sexual abuse and forced prostitution. In a compilation of 144 tweets, she described how her life had been forever changed by not only the abuse, but also the struggle she was encountering to see justice prevail.  After spending six hours tweeting intimate details about her life, Billasano sent her last message to the world at 2:08 p.m. before committing suicide.

Read full article here: http://goodnewsfl.org/opinion/would_you_reach_out_to_me

Tortured for Christ

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, author of 18 books, was a Romanian Christian Minister of Jewish descent who had the misfortune of growing up during a time of severe anti-Semitism in Communist Romania. Pastor Wurmbrand had publicly declared that Christianity and Communism were incompatible, and thus Pastor Wurmbrand was tortured mercilessly and imprisoned for 14 years for his beliefs; his wife Sabina was imprisoned for three years. One of the many trials he had to endure during this time period was spending three of those years in solitary confinement in a cell 12 feet underground, with no light. He slept during the day and stayed awake at night,  exercising his mind and soul by composing sermons which he would deliver in his cell (about 350 of those sermons are in his book, With God in Solitary Confinement).

Read full article here: http://goodnewsfl.org/news/tortured_for_christ

The Appeal of the MBA

Why has the MBA remained a popular degree through the years? What are the forecasts in salary and job opportunities for those who have an MBA? Read my recent feature published article on the subject here:

2012 has arrived and for those already attending universities across South Florida or others who are considering where to apply, one thing is for certain – the January term of new classes is beginning. One particular degree that has continued to show a favorable trend as far as desirability and is the preferred choice among working professionals is the MBA (Master of Business Administration). This graduate degree prepares professionals for management responsibility and is one of the most widely-known degrees in the world. More students enroll in the MBA program than any other postgraduate course, it is hailed as one of the most powerful and practical paths towards a significant change in careers and is considered a main route for aspiring business leaders who want to advance in their careers. “Demand for MBA graduates by the great businesses of the world keeps increasing. As businesses grow in complexity and scope, companies need more and more skilled and well-educated leaders,” Paul Danos, Dean at Tuck/Dartmouth College, stated during questioning for a recent global MBA study. Research reveals, and working professionals agree, that in certain fields, having just an undergraduate degree isn’t enough. With the climate of today’s economy and a high number of individuals applying for the same position, research shows that persons who have obtained an MBA degree can propel forward, past other job seekers who don’t possess a graduate degree.

Full Article: http://goodnewsfl.org/news/looking_to_continue_your_education

(No) Baby on Board

It’s a hot button issue; more than ever before women have control over their reproductive lives. We have everything from birth control pills to fertility treatments at our fingertips. We can choose to have a baby now or freeze our eggs and save them until, well, just about whenever we feel like it. In the future, it is forecasted that people will be able to choose everything about their baby from gender to eye color. The question is: Where do we stand as Christians in this ever-changing world? The truth is that opinions on the subject vary within the body of Christ.

This article, from my monthly women’s column, can be read here: http://goodnewsfl.org/opinion/no_baby_on_board

Are you really happy?

We have two choices when we wake up in the morning: be happy with the life we have or live in constant turmoil about the “what ifs”,  “if onlys”, and “if I had…(fill in the blanks)”… If you find yourself stuck in a rut or wishing for a different life, learn what God and the Bible say about being happy – Check it out in my latest women’s article: http://goodnewsfl.org/article/full_story/happiness_is_a_choice

The Great Debate Continues

The debate against Creationism and Evolution can stir up mixed feelings for many. The best way to decide when faced with numerous options is to arm yourself with knowledge about all sides. You can get started here with my latest article: http://goodnewsfl.org/top_stories/story/creationism_vs_evolution