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Contagious Optimism, Silver Lining Stories From People With Disabilities
- 1,200 words or less.
- Include a title.
- Include a bio of 125 words or less and feel free to include a website and/or email address if you would like that published as well.
- Please send a hi-resolution head shot photograph no larger than 3MB (JPEG format).
- Please send your submission in MS Word or in the body of an email program.
- Single space after sentences.
- No indentation.
- Please share your silver lining story. Tell us about your life and what you have done, learned, etc. and how you have persevered. There are no wrong answers. The most important thing to remember is that our readers will love your story and will gain so much from it that it will also help their own lives.
- Feel free to peruse the sample story below.
- Please include a short takeaway at the end of your story (see sample story below).
- Be sure to include your contact information should our team have any questions.
- Please tell us the name of the organization that connected you to us (i.e. Miss Wheelchair USA, Ken's Krew, Special Olympics, etc.) so that we can properly credit them.
- Submit your story to submissions@lifecarrots.com. Please be sure to include a signed copy of the Statement of Copyright & Originality if you haven't done so already. This document is required and can be found by clicking here.
Please remember that these are guidelines only. We are flexible! And, your story does not have to be written perfectly. We have a terrific team of copyeditors that will address grammar, spelling, etc. prior to publication.
If you are a third party or professional, please feel free to share stories or insight and guidance along with supporting examples. (Pen or anonymous names are accepted for privacy purposes).
Help us spread the power of Contagious Optimism and get psyched to potentially be published in our bestselling global book series. We appreciate your interest and look forward to having you on board! Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Interested in learning more?
Submission Guidelines
© 2014 Contagious Optimism. All rights reserved.
WE ARE PROUD TO LAUNCH THIS SPECIAL EDITION WHICH OFFERS STORIES FROM PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
How would you like to be a coauthor in our bestselling book series? Now is your chance!
Benefits of joining the Contagious Optimism family...
- Coauthor status once your essay is approved.
- Book testimonials from other bestselling authors - domestic and international.
- Grassroots and online marketing campaigns managed by our publisher, our publicists, and our team at Contagious Optimism.
- Copy-editing, publishing, printing, distribution, reviews, promotion, and more are all included.
- Each coauthor will have their essay credited to them along with a bio in the "meet our coauthors" section of the book and website. The bio can also be used to reference their business, their website, and their contact information (if applicable).
- Invitations to appear on radio, television, web, and print along with invitations to book events in the coauthor's geographic area. Coauthors will be asked to sign their chapter at book signing events.
- Profits are shared with charities and nonprofits.
- There are no fees to participate whatsoever.
Still interested? We welcome you to submit your story for potential publication in a future volume of Contagious Optimism. Below please find our submission guidelines along with a link to the required Statement of Copyright & Originality. If you prefer not to write, we do offer optional Ghost Writing services. Send us a request or ask your dedicated team member for details. Thank you for your interest!
Submissions - Silver Lining Stories From People With Disabilities
SAMPLE STORY
Life on Wheels
By Jordan Lowe
When I was seventeen, a month away from my high school graduation, I was in a motor vehicle accident.
My boyfriend and I were coming back from a dirt track race that ended late. It was 1:30 a.m. We both fell asleep and I woke up right as the truck started rolling. I knew something was wrong immediately but I was more focused on my boyfriend and how he was doing. He got out of the vehicle and called the cops, and stood by me until the paramedics got arrived. After all the tests and X-rays it was official; I suffered a spinal cord injury. The doctors diagnosed me as a quadriplegic and told me I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
I decided I wasn’t going to let my condition get the best of me. I was going to move on with my life. I knew too many people who just gave up after something like this and I wasn’t going to do the same. My mom was diagnosed with postpartum depression after I was born. Instead of getting help for her problem, she turned to drugs and alcohol. But I have always been a strong-willed and stubborn woman, so when I was dealt this hand I decided I was going to play it to the best of my ability.
I went through three months of intensive inpatient therapy and I continue to go back when I need it. During those three months I learned how to get dressed and how to move from place to place along with other important day-to-day activities. It was extremely difficult re-learning how to do simple tasks, but I stuck it out. Being in rehab and listening to everyone’s stories made me a better person. It gave me a different outlook on life and on my situation. I realized all the things I had taken for granted and saw that I had a second chance to appreciate my life. I finished my senior year in the hospital and, to my surprise, the doctor let me go to graduation. When I got out of the hospital I reenrolled at Fairmont State University in the psychology department.
Since my accident I have accomplished so many obstacles. Many people doubted my ability to live a normal life. When I started school my sister would come home and tell me that people believed I would never make it in college. They said I was going to live off disability the rest of my life and I wouldn’t make anything of myself. They were wrong. In the summer I ride four wheelers almost daily. I am definitely a country girl, so hunting is a must. I also like to fish and to swim—well, float—in the river. This past summer my friend, Jennifer, and I decided to try horseback riding. Though we don’t have it perfected yet, I still got to ride. It was incredible. I am also in the process of getting my driver’s license. I can drive with hand controls that work with the gas and the brake. The rest of the vehicle works the same as a regular vehicle.
In September 2013, I entered the Ms. Wheelchair USA pageant. I was then selected to be Ms. Wheelchair West Virginia and I will represent my state in the national pageant in July 2014. As a participant I had to come up with a platform I felt strongly about. I chose to educate and to promote awareness about people with disabilities and the type of support they may need. I chose this platform because I know people who have experienced no support and have traveled down the wrong path time and time again.
Nowadays, I spend my time going around to different events and hospitals talking about my platform and sharing my story. One thing I always tell people is that the only true handicap you can have is yourself. You can do anything as long as you set your mind to it.
Contagious Perspective (takeaway sample)
Having a disability doesn’t mean you have to give up on life. Don’t dwell on what you don’t have; embrace what you do have.
Jordan Lowe (bio sample)
Jordon suffered from a spinal cord injury when she was 17 years old which has left her in a wheelchair. She is currently enrolled in Fairmont State University for a degree in psychology. Jordon also travels as a motivational speaker. She is currently the title holder of Ms. Wheelchair West Virginia and will be competing in the upcoming national pageant. Her goal is to show young men and women that they can do anything regardless of the obstacles. Her mantra, “Never give up on your dream no matter how hard the journey.” (insert email and/or website address here)
Also accepting stories for the these upcoming editions:
