Current Member News

Prolific novelist Tina Bishop writes that her retitled Dress Her in Red has now popped up on Amazon.  In addition, her new web site is a great improvement over the old one. Check it out at http://tinabishopauthor.com/ Tina says, “I’m getting results already!”

Libby Collins' photograph Skyward was juried into the Katonah Museum of Art's triennial exhibitArt to the Point: Tri-State Juried Exhibit which includes artists from NY, NJ and CT. The show runs from January 15 - February 19 at 134 Jay Street, Route 22, Katonah, NY.

Judy Crystal’s poem "Ice Time, January" was the Poem of the Week, on January 7 on the NLAPW website. To know more about this opportunity, go to http://www.nlapw.org/nlapw-letter-gallery/.

Sarah Littman’s Want To Go Private? was nominated for a CBC Teen Choice Book of the Year. “Voting ends February 15, so everyone should encourage the teens in their lives to vote for their favorite top five books.” http://www.teenreads.com/2012-teen-choice-book-of-the-year-nominees

The Greenwich Reads Together book selection for 2012 is Zeitoun, the American Book Award winnerby Dave Eggers. Lee Paine is our liaison to the Steering Committee. Print copies, eBooks, and Audiobook CD formats are available at all Greenwich Library branches, Print copies can also be purchased at local bookstores, including Diane’s Books. Discussions, programs and lectures will occur April 15- April 29. Stay updated on the schedule of events by visiting the Greenwich Reads Together website, www.greenwichlibrary.org/GreenwichReadsTogether.aspx.

Member Spotlight

Dr. Roberta Seret is a new Letters member. Karen Heffner arranged to have Roberta interviewed for her television show on Channel 88, Creative Women. The interview will be shown on February 2 and 9 at 7:00 pm, and on February 3 and 10 at 11:30 am. In addition, the interview with Roberta can be seen on Ageless, also on channel 88, on February 3 at 6:30 pm.

Founder of International Cinema Education-ICE-, an NGO at the United Nations, Roberta fervently seeks to inspire young adults to learn about the issues encircling them through the medium of film. “Many students are visual learners,” notes Dr. Seret, “and therefore, film serves as a fantastic vehicle to learn.”

The rationale behind International Cinema Education is exceedingly practical: plights of other countries have a profound effect on shaping conditions within our own borders. This is, of course, due to the globalization that has occurred for centuries. For example, very recently the Euro had become highly unstable, an unfortunate reality not only for the countries of the European Union, but also for the investors of our own country and America’s economy.

Dr. Seret introduces pedagogy with her book, World Affairs Through Foreign Film, published in July 2011. The bookoffers an in-depth curriculum and guide that provides analyses, project ideas, and activities for a few international films she finds enlightening, such as “Osama,” a film from Afghanistan; “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days,” a film from Germany; “Tsotsi,” a film from South Africa, and many more.

Her curriculum, approved by the Board of Education, can be utilized as a supplement in English, Global History, World Affairs, Government, Geography, Anthropology, Media, Film and Journalism classes.
What Dr. Roberta Seret seeks to do, in essence, is to promote a “global classroom.” “In order for young adults to generate change, they must become aware of the issues plaguing societies, and foreign film is the vehicle to learn about these issues,” Dr. Seret proposes.

Spotlight On

Shannon White, a new Letters member, is an author, speaker and coach to those who want to live with greater integrity, authenticity and compassion. Her training and many professional roles have helped shape who she is.

She received her educational degrees from Auburn University (BA, Business Admin) and Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv). In 1991, she was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has served as minister and assistant minister of several churches in New York and Connecticut spanning 13 years. Shannon also worked as leader of an interfaith organization in Fairfield County, which brought together over 25 different faith groups and denominations in dialogue and understanding.

Recognizing that many people consider themselves, “more spiritual than religious,” Shannon decided to address spiritual issues on a broader scale. In 2001, she co-hosted “Spirit-Talk,” a radio show with a rabbi colleague, interviewing people of different spiritual backgrounds. Guests included, Tommy Hilfiger and Tom Chappell, founder of Tom’s of Maine, among others. She then brought her interest to television, first behind-the-scenes at CBS News in the Religion Unit. She was production assistant and then associate producer, creating four interfaith documentaries a year. She then pursued on-camera work at News 12 Westchester, a 24-hour cable news station in suburban New York. She has received multiple awards for her feature reporting on issues such as: alcoholism/addiction and spirituality at Sing Sing Correctional Facility and recently nominated for an Emmy for her reporting on a news special feature in the “Religious Programming” category.

Shannon’s most important role, however, is as a mother to her 10-year-old daughter. She says, “Nothing is more challenging or rewarding than to support the healthy growth of a child in this world.” Frederick Douglass once said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Shannon embraces this daunting task with fear and excitement.

Together, Shannon and her daughter wrote, How Was School Today? Fine, as a way to help elementary school-aged children and their parents have real and open conversations. The idea for the book came after she learned her daughter had been asked for sex in the 3rd grade…oh my!

Dealing with her own struggles of divorce, single parenthood and the family dynamics of addiction and recovery, she strives to help others face their truths and to live with compassion among others.
Shannon loves running, cycling and going to good movies. She has traveled extensively in Central and South America, Europe, Turkey, Vietnam and Japan. She looks forward to continuing exploring the world.