"Crooner" by Teresa Moore.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory ... that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
- Marianne Williamson

Have you ever had a moment or a time when you felt you had truly outdone yourself -- yet you knew at that moment that you had also been more yourself than ever before? Have you ever done something that made you feel particularly brave, sexy, strong, spontaneous, intelligent, compassionate, or beautiful? A time when you dared to be fearless?

You Dared to be Fabulous!

Daring to be Fabulous is simply about being true to yourself, to your core, and daring to express yourself as you truly are, even if it means being "unconventional," "inconvenient" or standing out. DTBF is an opportunity to celebrate your individual and unique self on a daily basis.

Each occasion when a woman dares to stand up for who she is and what she believes in, no matter what others might think, is an important contribution towards changing the status of women in the world. DTBF is not just about big or serious decisions, but just as important, about the seemingly small ones, the ones that provided an unexpected dose of levity, pleasure, and laughter. The more daring moments and decisions that women allow themselves to celebrate, the more positive their associations with such actions until, one day, they find themselves behaving a whole new way, daring to be the vibrant and powerful creatures that they truly are.

Of course, each woman's experience is unique. What might be considered daring for one woman may not be so daring for another. What might be uplifting for one might be considered usual fare for another. The universal theme here is about daring under one's own personal circumstances. It's about that rush of empowerment and joy that individual women experience when they dare to face their fears and be true to themselves.

Dare to be Fabulous was conceived for women who claim their individuality and celebrate it. DTBF cheers women on through fear, inhibition, fatigue, or overwork.

Patricia Howard and Johanna McCloy, co-editors of Dare to be Fabulous, are looking for stories to include in this collection of essays by women about their own daring moments and experiences. "Moments" will feature stories about spontaneous experiences or decisions that lifted a woman's spirits and brought a sense of self-actualization. These moments could include speaking up (or saying nothing), dancing (or sitting down), walking away (or coming closer). "Life" will feature stories about decisions women made to take a new direction in life based on being true to themselves. These stories could include changes in career, relationships, or ways of life. "Forays" will feature daring experiences that fall in between the spontaneous and the long-term, such as taking up a performing art, going on that solo trip, picking up an unusual hobby, or getting involved in a new cause or relationship.

Women of all ages are encouraged to submit their personal stories of joy, empowerment, and transformation. There is no limit to the kinds of stories that will be considered. The only caveat is that no person or living being was hurt either physically or emotionally by your action. (After all, fabulous women would never let that happen!)
Share your stories with us. Celebrate those experiences in your life. Tell us what you did and why it made a difference for you!

Deadline:	Open.
Maximum Word Length:	Any length up to 1,500 words.
Format:	Please send your submissions as MS WORD attachments. Double space your document and be sure to include a cover page with your name, address, telephone number and Email address, along with the word count of your submission. Write "Submission" followed by the category "Moments," "Forays," or "Life" in the Subject heading. If your submission is a reprint, please tell us where and when it was previously published and add "(reprint)" at the end of your subject heading. (Please note that we will consider reprints only under special circumstances, as we prefer to receive original stories for this anthology).
Biographical information:	Include a couple of sentences about yourself.
Remuneration:	Currently, there is no renumeration for selected stories. When a DTBF book compilation is published, selected authors will receive a copy of the book.
Submissions:	E-mail your story to submissions@daretobefabulous.com. E-mail is preferred. Posted submissions should be double spaced and include a SASE. Please send these to: DTBF, Attn: Story Submissions, P.O. Box 5872 Berkeley, CA 94705

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