I'm a founding member of the Bluegrass Writers Coalition, formed about 18 months ago in Frankfort, Ky., to discuss everything related to reading and writing.
We get together the second Thursday of each month at the local Panera Bread Co. and share our thoughts about poetry, fiction, nonfiction, promotion, marketing, or whatever anyone cares to discuss in the one-hour meeting (we set the alarm to ring one hour after our 5:30 p.m. start). We also have brief readings and share our work as we build the writing community.
We have about 20 members but usually around 12 to 15 show up for meetings since many of them work full-time jobs. Our ages range from the 20s to the 70s. We have newbies and published authors. No dues. No commitments. Just show up when you can.
It's an eclectic group of interesting men and women from various backgrounds and vocations who simply enjoy writing and reading. And on top of that, we seem to like each other so you might say we're a social group as well.
This past summer we decided to publish an anthology, with members submitting novel excerpts, short stories, poems, essays, and creative nonfiction works. The result was the 154-page "From Pen to Page: a selection of writings from the Bluegrass Writers Coalition," published in late October. It's available in print and ebook (and just in time for Christmas gift-giving).
The book is dedicated to Mark Kinnaird, a founding member who passed away unexpectedly last summer at age 59. Besides an insightful poet, Mark was a staffer at the Paul Sawyer Public Library in Frankfort, involved in book clubs and the annual Gathering of Authors" event as well as other responsibilities. He loved the written word.
Our group has other plans such as book signings and public readings. Other activities may develop in the coming months.
Feel free to join us at our next meeting on Dec. 12 (or any meeting on the second Thursday of the month). We also have a Facebook page if you want to learn more about BWC.
Until the next time . . .
We get together the second Thursday of each month at the local Panera Bread Co. and share our thoughts about poetry, fiction, nonfiction, promotion, marketing, or whatever anyone cares to discuss in the one-hour meeting (we set the alarm to ring one hour after our 5:30 p.m. start). We also have brief readings and share our work as we build the writing community.
We have about 20 members but usually around 12 to 15 show up for meetings since many of them work full-time jobs. Our ages range from the 20s to the 70s. We have newbies and published authors. No dues. No commitments. Just show up when you can.
It's an eclectic group of interesting men and women from various backgrounds and vocations who simply enjoy writing and reading. And on top of that, we seem to like each other so you might say we're a social group as well.
This past summer we decided to publish an anthology, with members submitting novel excerpts, short stories, poems, essays, and creative nonfiction works. The result was the 154-page "From Pen to Page: a selection of writings from the Bluegrass Writers Coalition," published in late October. It's available in print and ebook (and just in time for Christmas gift-giving). The book is dedicated to Mark Kinnaird, a founding member who passed away unexpectedly last summer at age 59. Besides an insightful poet, Mark was a staffer at the Paul Sawyer Public Library in Frankfort, involved in book clubs and the annual Gathering of Authors" event as well as other responsibilities. He loved the written word.
Our group has other plans such as book signings and public readings. Other activities may develop in the coming months.
Feel free to join us at our next meeting on Dec. 12 (or any meeting on the second Thursday of the month). We also have a Facebook page if you want to learn more about BWC.
Until the next time . . .
