Valerie_z
Further to the very sad news about valerie_z her sister talula728 has published the following entry giving details of a memorial award being set up in Valerie's name:
http://talula728.livejournal.com/98916.html
As a tribute, we have set up The Valerie Lewis Memorial Award for Excellence in Creative Writing. In this way, her life's work and her influence on her students can continue. Checks can be made out to Mercy College, memo: Valerie Lewis Memorial Award and mailed to Mercy College, English Program, English Program, c/o Frances Biscoglio, 555 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522. This information will be in her obituary but I have had so many people asking if there's something they can and so wanted to get this information out there. I am so proud of my sister for always doing the work she loved and teaching with the same enthusiasm and uniqueness of her character. She never gave up on a student and she was always so excited when they made progress and began to share her love for writing. I know this award can never replace her impact on future students, but I hope in some small way it keeps her influence in this world. Please pass this on to others as you can.
There is also a stub article on fanlore, which I am sure would benefit from some more links:
http://fanlore.org/wiki/Valerie_Z
For my own part, Valerie was one of the first authors I posted feedback to, and she encouraged me greatly by writing back and being just as friendly and funny as you would expect. She beta'd for me later, as well, which was just part of her general habit of being friendly and encouraging to everyone on the WBoB site. I met her in London about a year later - with her sister and mother and Aexia - when she was very shy, but still charming, and she went on to keep WBoB as a friendly, happy, place to play for several years.
I am going to end with a quote from the WBoB board rules, because I think it gives an excellent flavour of her personality, and explains why so many people have so many fond memories of her:
Conduct - No flames or personal attacks on other members. Similarly, don't provoke someone to attack.
The only thing forbidden is anything blatantly illegal.
Self-Esteem- Just mentioning this because I see it on a lot of boards, not just this one. Don't ever think, "Oh, I shouldn't be posting this" or "This isn't important enough to start a new topic" or anything like that. It's a posting board; the entire purpose of it is to post. Everyone here is very cool and I don't have the energy to be a bitch, so don't feel intimidated at all. Whore your fanfic, discuss your favorite video, make a post about why you like your own shoes; I don't care.
I really can't stress this enough. Short of threatening to kill someone or selling child pornography, do whatever the hell you want to, and don't ever apologize for it.
As Anya once said, "The rules are stupid".
RIP Valerie.
ETA: And Talula728 has posted a link to an obituary and book of memories at the funeral home:
http://talula728.livejournal.com/99127.html
http://talula728.livejournal.com/98916.html
As a tribute, we have set up The Valerie Lewis Memorial Award for Excellence in Creative Writing. In this way, her life's work and her influence on her students can continue. Checks can be made out to Mercy College, memo: Valerie Lewis Memorial Award and mailed to Mercy College, English Program, English Program, c/o Frances Biscoglio, 555 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522. This information will be in her obituary but I have had so many people asking if there's something they can and so wanted to get this information out there. I am so proud of my sister for always doing the work she loved and teaching with the same enthusiasm and uniqueness of her character. She never gave up on a student and she was always so excited when they made progress and began to share her love for writing. I know this award can never replace her impact on future students, but I hope in some small way it keeps her influence in this world. Please pass this on to others as you can.
There is also a stub article on fanlore, which I am sure would benefit from some more links:
http://fanlore.org/wiki/Valerie_Z
For my own part, Valerie was one of the first authors I posted feedback to, and she encouraged me greatly by writing back and being just as friendly and funny as you would expect. She beta'd for me later, as well, which was just part of her general habit of being friendly and encouraging to everyone on the WBoB site. I met her in London about a year later - with her sister and mother and Aexia - when she was very shy, but still charming, and she went on to keep WBoB as a friendly, happy, place to play for several years.
I am going to end with a quote from the WBoB board rules, because I think it gives an excellent flavour of her personality, and explains why so many people have so many fond memories of her:
Conduct - No flames or personal attacks on other members. Similarly, don't provoke someone to attack.
The only thing forbidden is anything blatantly illegal.
Self-Esteem- Just mentioning this because I see it on a lot of boards, not just this one. Don't ever think, "Oh, I shouldn't be posting this" or "This isn't important enough to start a new topic" or anything like that. It's a posting board; the entire purpose of it is to post. Everyone here is very cool and I don't have the energy to be a bitch, so don't feel intimidated at all. Whore your fanfic, discuss your favorite video, make a post about why you like your own shoes; I don't care.
I really can't stress this enough. Short of threatening to kill someone or selling child pornography, do whatever the hell you want to, and don't ever apologize for it.
As Anya once said, "The rules are stupid".
RIP Valerie.
ETA: And Talula728 has posted a link to an obituary and book of memories at the funeral home:
http://talula728.livejournal.com/99127.html