The Golden Thread: True Stories of Sisterhood
The Background: While there has always been stereotypes and negativity regarding collegiate Greek Letter Organizations, fueled by media and Hollywood (Animal House, PCU, MTV's Sorority and Fraternity Life shows), this has issue has become highly prevalent in recent years.   In 2002, MTV Networks funded and produced expose' type "reality" shows about two local organizations in Fraternity Life and Sorority Life.  Because of those shows, the National Panhellenic Conference placed all organizations under their govern on media blackout, stating that if no one spoke to the media, the media would have nothing to manipulate or skew to their own agenda.	One reporter, Alexandra Robbins, found a way around this blackout.  When no one would talk to the young reporter, she went undercover and rushed a Sorority, getting her scoop that way, for a book she called "Pledged: the Secret Life of Sororities."  Outlined in her book were themes of drinking, parties, promiscuity, and vanity, among many other stereotypes. In September of 2004, two students at Colorado universities (the first at Colorado State University-Fort Collins and the second at University of Colorado-Boulder) died of alcohol poisoning at two separate Fraternity houses.  Two students on two campuses in one month made for some very negative press coverage and speculation of Greek Life.
The Mission: Reality Shift Books has taken on the task of counterbalancing this media - some of it, at the very least.  The finished project will be a heartwarming, inspirational collection of true Sorority stories from around the country.  Stories of friendship, of devotion, of love, of sisterhood.  All of the stories in the collection will be written by the sisters who lived them, their own personal accounts of what their sorority and their sorority sisters mean to them.	How to get involved: From now until November 1, 2007, Reality Shift Books will be accepting stories via email for inclusion in the anthology.  The following guidelines have been applied, somewhat loosely. *  Stories should be stories. Our goal is 4-6 pages per story in a standard 6x9 inch novel.  That is approximately 2500-4000 words.  We realize that we are asking people may not necessarily be writers by trade or hobby to write so if your submission falls shy of that goal but you succeed in getting your point across, we are not going to split hairs.   * While nearly all subjects will be considered, stories containing heavy themes of drinking, drugs, hazing, promiscuity, or any other potentially negative activities will be declined.  As with anything there is always room for negotiation but we are fairly firm in this decision.  These are the stereotypes we are trying to draw people away from; including them in your story would be counteractive. * Please proofread.  And if you are not the great American novelist, ask someone else to proofread.  Time permitting, we can offer some proofreading services for your contribution but we prefer that it come in ready for print.   * Formatting issues.  We will do all of the layout work for the final product but you can help us tremendously by formatting your contribution the same way everyone else has.  Please click here to see an example of the best way to format. For more information on this project or to submit your story, please email Reality Shift at realityshiftbooks@spoonbenderpress.net