A meme, and an open mic

At the recommendation of a number of marketing websites, I'm trying my hand at creating memes and sending them off into the world.

Members of the Endless Mountains Writers Group were the featured performers at the Dietrich's open mic night last night. I had the opportunity to sit back and listen to the creations of my fellow storytellers, which was just wonderful. So often during Group, with the paper copies before me and the author's request of things-I-want-to-know-about-this-piece, I have my critique hat on and don't really get a chance to just hear the story develop. What a delightful change of pace. I heard some nuances of voice and character that would have been less obvious on paper, and I definitely felt the overall story flow better by listening to it.
Hildy (aka fearless leader) says she wants the Writers Group to participate in open mic at least annually. For now, I've made myself a promise to let my eyes do less critiquing and to just listen more.

I'm back, I think

For a variety of personal and work-related reasons, I haven't blogged in months. Hopefully, I'm getting back in the groove now. 

 

Tomorrow night, I'll join others from the Dietrich Theater's Endless Mountains Writers Group at Open Mic Night! I'll read the opening scene of my current WIP, the sequel to Risking Exposure, tentatively titled The Path Divided. Stop by the Dietrich at 7:00, pull up a chair, and have a listen. Hope to see you there!

Warrior Writers

Last Sunday, I attended a workshop at the Dietrich Theater about the Warrior Writers project. It's a grassroots effort whose mission is to "create a culture that articulates veterans' experiences, provide a creative community for artistic expression, and bear witness to the lived experiences of warriors." - from Warrior Writers website. Through "writing and art-making workshops, we provide a creative community for self-expression and reflection, while also fostering mutual understanding and peer-to-peer support." - from the introduction to the Warrior Writers 2014 collection book.

What an amazing mission it is - use of the arts as a tool for veterans to process their experiences and express them creatively and genuinely. They have offered writing and art workshops, art exhibitions, and performances with vets throughout the US since 2007 and have published several compilation books of vets' stories and poems. This organization uses the arts as tools of healing. Even among us civilians with cushy lives, who couldn't use a little healing?


The Dietrich plans to host a monthly workshop for interested vets. Each workshop will be facilitated by Jennie, a combat veteran who has been active in the Warrior Writers in the Allentown area. A co-facilitator, typically a local writer, will assist. If the project is embraced here the way it has been elsewhere, Jennie expects that local veterans will be ready to lead the workshops in about 6 months. If you or a vet you know who would like to participate, please call the Dietrich at 570-836-1022.

Thanks for the support!

I'm touched and delighted with the turnout for my presentation today at the Dietrich - 43 people! Friends from my church and work and neighborhood lives, from the Writers Group and the Theater, and even more amazing, complete strangers who dedicated an hour or more of their lives to come and listen. Some scooted out before I had a chance to thank them personally, but I truly appreciate the attendance of each and every one.

Sharing my journey as a writer is such fun. I hope venues like this lead to more opportunities!