Support Boston’s Writing Community!
Writers are secretive creatures. We congregate covertly in coffee shops and library cubicles, furiously tapping at our keyboards, or scratching in notebooks, working on what we are sure, in the frenzied moment, will be the next great American novel. The initial euphoria inevitably dampens when, the next day, we read what we’ve written and realize we are full of shit and have no talent whatsoever.
This is why writers need writers. Having others to commiserate with when things aren’t going well, and to join in celebration with when they gloriously are, makes the effort much easier. For the past few years, I’ve done my small part to support the community that has given me so much, by bringing together authors with readers and writers.
My next events are with debut authors Katrin Schumann, The Forgotten Hours (below left), James Charlesworth, The Patricide of George Benjamin Hill (below center), and Susan Bernhard, Winter Loon (below right), at the Newsfeed Café in The Boston Public Library (700 Boylston Street, Boston) on February 7th at 6pm and at The Goodnow Library (21 Concord Road, Sudbury) on March 13th at 7pm. These three writers have more in common than launching their first novels; they are also friends who became acquainted through the writing community in the Boston area.
“Writers working on books with variations on similar themes become quick friends,” says Schumann. “So much of the work of writing and research is done alone,” adds Charlesworth. “It’s great to have cohorts to share opportunities, and challenges with.”
Winter Loon, by Susan Bernhard, captures the resilience of a boy determined to become a worthy man by confronting family demons, clawing his way out of the darkness, and forging a life from the shambles of a broken past. The Forgotten Hours, by Katrin Schumann, is the story of a daughter grappling with old memories that collide with new realities and call into question everything she thinks she knows about family, friends, and, ultimately, herself. The Patricide of George Benjamin Hill, by James Charlesworth, is about four estranged siblings who have fought to escape the shadow of their self-made millionaire father only to be drawn together for a final confrontation with him following a national scandal.
Getting a novel published is a gargantuan achievement. Having other writers for support and encouragement has been key to the success of these three. According to Bernhard, “It’s been a comfort and inspiration to share the ups and downs of the publishing journey.”
How can you find your place in the literary scene? Go to a book signing or take a class! These authors, along with thousands of others have honed their craft at Grub Street. https://grubstreet.org/. Check out their website for news about Boston’s new Narrative Arts Center! For those west of Boston, The Writer’s Loft in Sherborne https://www.thewritersloft.org/ provides great instruction, encouragement & always has cookies! Come join the writing family!
Books for both events will be supplied by the man who knows all the authors, Dick Haley, proprietor of Haley Booksellers. http://haleybooksellers.com/ . Remember, the best way to support authors is to BUY THEIR BOOKS!!!!
See you at the library!