F.A.Q./Frequently Asked Questions
1. What
is it?
2. How
much does it cost?
3. How
many times a year does it come out?
4. How
can I participate?
5. How
do I send submissions?
6. How
is this newsletter different than your website?
7. Is
this newsletter available online?
8. Why
isn't this newsletter free?
9. How
can I get a free issue?
10 How
do I subscribe?
"The Belle Curve International Newsletter" is a new snail mail newsletter started by myself and a few friends. For now, it remains an actual newsletter and is not available online, since one of the main reasons for creating this is to bring together people who do not have regular access to the internet. It is devoted to all things scoliosis, and is for/by scoliosis sufferers, their friends and family. When I was a teenager, in those pre-web days of the late '80's, I belonged to a number of 'fan clubs' devoted to my favourite singer and band at the time. The best part of being a member of those clubs was receiving the newsletter in the mail, and also being able to contribute both artwork and writings of my own. Today, thanks to the internet, the world is indeed a very small place. It's easy to connect with like-minded people and to find support or information. But not everyone has intrenet access, and the fact is, my friends and I miss those old-fashioned, snail mail newsletters.
2. How much does
it cost?
Annual fee: $15.00 Canadian
$10.00 USA
£6 UK Pounds Sterling
70 French Francs
3. How
many times a year does it come out?
Four times a year. Plus supplementary issues (possibly having specific themes) depending on amount of submissions received. These special issues will be included in the annual fee.
Everyone is encouraged to send submissions for the newsletter. If your submission is accepted and published, you will receive a free copy of that issue whether you have paid the annual fee or not. We are looking for a wide range of submissions, from essays to artwork! However, if we only publish a couple of lines (for example a joke or a recommended website), then it obviously wouldn't be fair to send a free issue. It has to be substantial. We are also keen on success stories and submissions that inspire hope or give useful advice. You are welcome to write in languages other than English, as this is an International newsletter (my 1st language is French). You are certainly encouraged to send in your ideas and comments, and participate in any way you can. We are open to new ideas and ways to improve the newsletter.
Submissions can be sent by regular mail or by the internet. Let us know if you want your postal submissions returned.
Mailing address:
Email address:
The Belle Curve, c/o Lise Robichaud
deviated@angelfire.com
Suite 230,
9049 Commercial Street,
New Minas,
Nova Scotia, CANADA
B4N 5A4
Please specifiy the category your submission most fits in:
Featured
Story (success story)
Entertainment (movie or book review, for example)
Arts & Literature (poem submissions, for example)
Classifieds (people who want to connect/penpals/looking for...etc.)
Featured Websites
In Our Thoughts (people having surgery)
From The Ward (from nurses, doctors, patients)
Jokes & Quotes (humour, bits of inspiration, etc.)
Pictures (including drawings/paintings, xrays)
Other/Misc. (you can suggest a new category)
6. How is this newsletter different than your website?
The website "Scoliosis: My Story" (http://members.tripod.com/my_back/scoliosis) was created and is maintained by the editor of The Belle Curve Int'l Scoliosis Newsletter. As such, the newsletter may sometimes contain writing by the editor that is similar to content on her website, but the two are totally separate. There may one day be a site for the newsletter, but for now this page is the extent of it, as its purpose is mainly to be a snail mail 'support network' rather than an online site. When leaving messages on the editor's website (guestbook or forum), you are not writing for the newsletter.
7. Is this newsletter available online?
No, this is a snail mail newsletter that is not available online.
8. Why isn't this newsletter free?
We would love to provide this newsletter completely free, but that would not be financially possible for us. We have to charge a small fee to cover our production and postal costs. However, we feel that our annual fee is low compared to other similar newsletters and clubs. We want to keep it fair, and easily accessible to everyone.
9. How can I get a free issue?
If your submission is published, you will receive that particular issue free, whether you have paid the annual fee or not. By being a regular contributor, you could in theory receive all the issues for free. But in order to receive a free issue, you do have to submit something substantial (an essay, poetry, a drawing, an article, etc.) -- in other words, more than a couple of lines; more than simply recommending a website or sending us a short joke (otherwise it just wouldn't be fair). But if you regularly get small submissions published, we will take that into account and send a free issue.
To subscribe, send a check or money order
(preferably an international money order), to this address:
Lise Robichaud
Suite 230,
9049 Commercial Street,
New Minas,
Nova Scotia, CANADA
B4N 5A4
Annual fee: $15.00
Canadian
$10.00 USA
£6 UK Pounds Sterling
70 French Francs
Do give us your name and address when subscribing (and your age if you want to). You can also fill out the form below (you don't have to give us your phone number!). This will help us in keeping track of members. Also, please feel free to fill out the form below if you just have questions or comments about the newsletter. Thank you.