On My Toes, Too!

I have really enjoyed your new section, Music & the Arts. I especially liked last issue’s story, On Her Toes, about Tamara House. I am only twelve, but I have also started a ballet school called The Art of Christian Dance. In ‘992 I attended Ballet Magnificat’s summer workshop. I have been in dance since I was three, but it wasn’t until that summer that I decided to use my talent for the Lord. As I grow older, I hope to either join a Christian dance group, or enlarge my school. I’m trusting God to show me exactly what I should do. Thank you for the article. It was a real encouragement to me!

Heidi Schooner-Fort Worth, TX

It’s Not All Provocative

In the Music & The Arts section [Fall ‘94] you made the comment, “Tamara’s refusal to participate in any form of dance that is suggestive or provocative has angered many of her instructors who told her that without training in jazz or modern she would not be well rounded.” I agree that some moves in jazz or modern dance look a bit risqué. But the statement that you wrote made it sound like all jazz and modern was provocative and suggestive.

I enjoy dancing very much. I especially like to dance jazz. I think that it is wonderful that Tamara House won a scholarship. I think that it is also cool that she didn’t have to dance provocatively. But to make a statement that sounded like all jazz and modern is suggestive is not true. I think that you need to go to a good dance concert and check out jazz and modern. But I did enjoy the rest of the article, and I look forward to another one.

Skip Cavanaugh

Paradise Valley, AZ

I’m Convinced

I would like to thank you for the articles you have printed in N.A. about courtship. My parents had given me a pamphlet about courtship to read. I read it, but did not agree with everything mentioned. I never knew anyone who believed in courtship, so I did not realize real people were doing it until I read the article in N.A. “Dating Problems, Courtship Solutions.” [Summer ‘93] Your magazine is what finally convinced me that courtship really is the best thing.

Hope Beardsley-Phoenix, AZ

Best Yet

Thanks for what I think was the best issue of N.A. yet: four hard-hitting, seriously soul-searching articles which didn’t just leave the reader with good information, but really challenged us to know, to do, and to dare. I hope it was a life-changing issue for many.

Debbie Lechner-Lancaster, PA

More Contests!

I enjoyed participating in your 1994 short story contest. It really challenged me to use my skills and my creativity, and I eagerly anticipate entering again.

I urge you to consider holding other types of contests as well, such as poetry, art or photography. Contests are beneficial because they stimulate your thinking and force you to use all you’ve got to complete a task.

David Alsdorf-Pasadena, TX

David, as soon as we can line up our judges (hopefully, by next issue), we’ll announce the guidelines for our ‘95 fiction contest.

Oh, Please!

OH PLEASE BRING TREVOR BACK!! Can you make him a regular feature?? PLEASE!!!!! PLEASE!!!!! Everyone in my family laughed until they cried when we read it. (Except, of course, 2-year-old Matthew... He didn’t quite get it.)

Kelly Hoffman, V A

via Compuserve

I’ll just say that we’re negotiating with Trevor for a second article...he’s a very busy young man, you know.

Publishing Rights

If I were to send you a manuscript, poems, etc., would any publishing rights, besides that of publishing it once in NA, go to you? Or are all rights still the author’s?

Jessica Dorfsmith

Big Bear City, CA

Though the chances of this: ever being a big issue are small, I’m glad you asked. We have two priorities: first, helping our writers succeed by giving them flexibility and full rights to their work, and second, keeping the majority of NA’ s articles and stories unique to this magazine. As a courtesy, we ask writers not to sell a story that has appeared in NA for 6 months after publication.