Bet you didn’t know, but for years a group of dedicated women have been meeting weekly to read and critique one another’s writing. Having had successful professional careers, writing is now our passion. We learn from one another how to improve our original poems, plays, short stories, soon-to-be novels, memoirs, and essays. We share a safe space to relate sometimes emotional, often amusing, occasionally cringe-worthy first-drafts. We inspire each other to write.
Several years ago, we decided to publish a book. Thought it would be easy. After all, we’re all writers. So we selected a topic to write about. Each of us produced a short story or poem. We critiqued and rewrote. We attempted to self-edit. But with so many different styles, and personalities, that didn’t work. We brought in an outsider to make the grammatical corrections and eliminate the blatant misuse of run-on sentences. The book came together in some random sequence. One of the women – Irene Sperber – volunteered to create the artwork for the cover. Great job. The anthology was now ready to be formatted and … published. Self-published. Complex! When we all took a step back, one amazing women – Rene Tastet – stood still and taught herself how to do it. And “Miami Off The Page” a book of eclectic short stories about our personal Miami experiences, happened. (And we survived the behind-the-scenes drama of the process!)
So, we are now counting down to the release of our second anthology, “Transitions”. With different interpretations of the word, this book, too, will be a collection of personal stories. This time, however, a publishing company is doing the hard stuff. The targeted date for pre-publication is late June.
Also, several WWG women are in the final stage of readying their own book for release. With tremendous anticipation, “THE BOOK OF STORY RHYMES – Tales of Unpredictable People and the Baggage They Carry” from the quirky mind of Dena Stewart is scheduled for publication in early May.
Thank you 
And, congratulations are due to a few WWG members. Marj O’Neill-Butler has been busy this past year with a long list of plays that were showcased. Currently, THERE’S NEW LIFE COMING is being showcased by the Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, TN. (April 2021) and MY SILVER MIRROR The Drawing Board, NYC, NY will be showcased in June 2021.
Pamela Mayer’s short story “The Alarm Sounds” and Irina’ Patterson’s “To My Russian Father” were accepted in Fantasy Theatre Factory’s “Dear Dad-An Exploration of Fatherhood” writing contest, and Pam’s “Ready and Available at 70” story and Irina’s story “Today, While I Still Can” were accepted in the New Deal Creative Arrts Center, Hyde Park writing contest.
We look forward to other members of WWG reaching their “due dates” for publication of their book and to more of us winning those prestigious writing contests.
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