LITTLE CURRENT—In November of 2022, a writing group formed using the NEMI Public Library as its base. Kathy Berry, head librarian, came up with the name Writers’ Ring and it was embraced by the group. One of its founding members, Laurie Cook, member of town council and library board member, has been influential in bringing the group recognition and attention. On May 23, the NEMI Public Library Board hosted the Celebration of Words in the library proper, with an impressive turnout.
The event was an opportunity for the members of the Writers’ Ring to showcase some of their works, but was also open to the public for writers to come and read aloud their own material. The library board deemed the open mic event a great success. Several people besides the members of the Ring were in attendance to read and display published books.
Kate Thompson was on hand to read from her ‘Prose & Versicles, A Light Collection.’ Her versicles (she assures us this is an actual word) brought smiles and laughter, and her prose tugged at the heart. Audrey Jolly of Bird Tree Studio, read an engrossing story she wrote called Ghost House, complete with an eery audio component. Two fifth graders from Little Current Public School read pieces they had written, leaving everyone aghast at the level of maturity in their compositions.
Whitney Bruno and her daughter Selena brought about a change of pace as Pastor Bruno read the play her young daughter had written, while Selena acted it out with the use of her toys – a rainbow dragon among them. It was lively and fun.
Members of the Writers’ Ring each took a turn reading pieces they had written. Some pieces were inspired by a prompt that is sent out a week or so before each meeting. Barbara Baker read her amusing piece, at the expense of her husband and men in general. (How do they not find what they’re looking for in the cupboard when it is right before their eyes and about to bite them?) Beth Richards wrote a compelling story of her grandmother and childhood memories. Ellinor Leonard shared a frightening experience of waiting out a hurricane and battening down the hatches when sailing down south years ago. Julie Morris recounted a happy memory of a birthday in Scotland as a young girl. And Laurie Cook told an unbelievable childhood story that had everyone shocked, surprised and laughing in equal measure. Each writer displayed a different style, a different technique, but all held the audience’s attention and left them wanting more.
This writer also shared excerpts from her book, ‘Caught Up,’ and was happy to see the attention given to Writers’ Ring. The idea of a writers’ group was proposed to the library and fully supported by them almost two years ago. It has grown from three, occasionally four members to a group of seven (on a good day). The group takes the summer off (including the entire month of June) and resumes in September. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Friday of each month – September through May, at 2 pm, a Zoom link is provided for anyone who needs it. If writing is something you’d like to try, though you’ve never written, this group is for you. And, if listening to others read their works is something you enjoy, the Celebration of Words is for you. It will most certainly become an annual event.
