The local newspaper interviewed me about the story I submitted to the Philadelphia Writers' Conference contest. This article gives a little bit about me and the subject of my story, Corey Hollinger. He was convicted of murder at 16 and is in prison for life.

http://girlboxer1970.com/2013/06/13/book-buzz-west-manchester-twp-writer-pattie-crider-wins-award-at-philly-conference/

The link to the story is written in the article or you can click here to go directly to a versio

Ever wonder where Ben Franklin is buried? I found out while roaming around Philadelphia. For just $2 I was able to see many tombs of men and women, many of which I recognized their names. As a York College of PA student, I was amazed when I came across our college's founder, John Andrews!

Enjoy the photos and descriptions!

http://girlboxer1970.com/2013/06/11/benjamin-franklin-rests-here/

While in Philly for the writers' conference, I learned the Pride Parade was the same weekend. I didn't see the entire parade but I did manage to get some amazing pictures by walking into the press box as if I owned it!!

Enjoy!
http://girlboxer1970.com/2013/06/12/philadelphia-pride-parade-2013/

I attended the Philly conference this year. For three days I was surrounded by other writers who were full of knowledge about the book publishing world.

The workshop leaders spoke about agents, editors and self-publishing. The immense amount of information I learned is priceless.

That weekend, my nonfiction piece took first place at the conference. I was so excited, surprised and humbled by the experience.

To see pictures from the conference (and photos fro

I am a bpharmacy student and just now completed my 3 year 2nd semister exam we got holidays of about 1month meanwhile in holidays we need to go for industrial training in a standard chemical industry...me and my friends selected nsf chemical industry and joined training we are enjoying and learning alot in this summer during our training its just a new experience we never had before many things to learn and i will remember this summer for lifetime as i will not get a chance after this to learn

"How will you make this summer one you'll always remember?" ...Just imagining what to write sends this unpleasant wriggly, wormy feeling up my body.

I could write that I'll become more of a voracious reader this summer. Reading's informative and entertaining, and every good entertainer has got to know how to entertain themselves.

I could write that I'll pass my summer class with flying colors and make a new friend or two, or just strengthen some old bonds (insert cheesy s

It’s taken me quite some time to cope with the fact that I will be turning 21 this summer. I mean…21 is so close to 30…and 30 is so close to 40. HOLY CRAP I’M ALMOST 40. (I AM ALSO VERY DRAMATIC).

I know that I still have my entire life ahead of me blah blah, but this summer is different. This is the last summer that I have before I graduate from college. And then *gulp* I become …a real person (that’s what I call people who have graduated from college and/or are employed full-time)

I can officially say that I have graduated from high school three years ago. The other night, knowing that the class of 2013’s graduation was right around the corner, I was feeling extra sentimental and decided it was a good idea to go through my senior yearbook, which I haven’t even so much as thought about since June 2010.

I was definitely not prepared to look through that book, and I don’t know if anything could have prepared me for that.

When I opened the front cover

To mommy and daddy’s misbelief, this girl is not California dreaming tonight. Despite the fact that she hasn’t spent a summer away from the golden coast, she is excited to leave her roots for the southern depths of Georgia. Even though she describes herself as a wannabe Georgia Peach, she will always admit that Katy Perry was correct in saying California girls are unforgettable just like this summer will be.

This summer is all about sipping that ice-cold beer in her firs

I plan on making this summer memorable by discovering who I am. I was thinking about who I was and who I have become since high school and through self-reflection I wrote this.
I don’t like to admit it but I have feelings. I usually mask them with sarcasm or distract myself from them by keeping myself busy. You can’t feel pain if you’re busy. I take on more volunteer work, event planning, resume building, studying saying I do all of these things to get me ahead and give me an edge when the

I can’t believe this summer is really happening, I mean I can’t believe my mum’s allowing (and paying!) for this summer. Every time I think about this summer I get butterflies, great big, fluttery winged butterflies. However I find it hard to enjoy every moment, I am always, and I mean always planning ahead. Yes, there are moments when I suddenly stop and want to shout ‘Life is perfect’ and to be honest I quite often do say it out loud. Moments like this I just want to hug myself and enjoy it,

Summer bucket lists are for chumps, for nitpickers, for those who spend the entirety of their day squandering, rectifying the same list over and over again until they finally glaze over, snatch a glimpse at their watch and shrug, “Well, looks like it’s time to hit the hay!”
But I think it’s necessary to confess that I too used to fall into the chump category, as I spent countless hours rewriting and reanalyzing every last detail on a miscellaneous lists that were supposed to liven up on

My mother, I don’t know where I should begin explaining my love and adulation for her. Just her reference makes me smile, while the mind gets reminded of her endless help. Like many of us feel, I too feel that my mom is the best in the world. She is the vital force of my life. But let me tell you, when I say best, I mean “really really best”. All the quarrels, difference of opinions have only deepened my respect for her. Let me cite an event here. Once, I had a serious fight with my friend. Af

Hey Mom, remember a few years ago when we were driving through those old slums in India, and some beggars started tapping on our car windows for money? For me, it was so uncomfortable! It was saddening to see them so desperate and helpless in those poor dirty roads. I’m so sorry to admit to you Mom that the thought going through my head at the time was, “I hope we get out of here as soon as possible!”

I’m sorry because right as I thought that, you delved into your purse and pulled o

My mother… Where should I begin? That woman I came out of. That lovable being I imprinted on in my very first moments of life. The body I clung to for dear life to survive my infancy. The one I cuddled up to in bed at night, whose stomach I pressed my back to in an effort to hide from the ghosts who surely lingered near the open bedroom door—and there were ghosts, back then. The caring figure that packed my lunch every day and drove me down the winding driveway to the bus in the snow. The one