Community Connection
by Meagan Frank
A well-respected literary festival, inspired by William Faulkner, takes place each year in New Orleans. Writers and readers flock to the city to celebrate Faulkner, literature, and what it is to be an aspiring writer. The Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society brings together a community of literary enthusiasts through writing competitions, education, parties, and literacy initiatives. “You go to Words & Music to build relationships,” says editor Shari Stauch. “[Cofounders] Joe and Rosemary do more for writers than any two people on the planet.” […]
Shared Experience
by Mary Hertz Scarbrough
Bethel Lutheran’s Tuesday morning book club may at first seem like any other book club. The group has read several dozen books and enjoyed virtual and in-person chats with a diverse group of authors. What sets it apart? Its participants are Madison, Wisconsin’s homeless population. The club began when a homeless man named Eric Manley died on the steps of Bethel Lutheran on a bleak winter night in 2009. Eric’s friend Mark Wilson, manager at a nearby Taco Bell, wanted to make a difference. […]
Turn the Page
by Erin J. Simpson
The thrill of having someone appreciate your accomplishment is a sensation that cannot be replicated. But having someone praise your hard-earned achievement can take years of work and perseverance. Two entrepreneurs decided to give children control of their own creativity and provide them with an outlet to see their work come to life right away. Scribble Press allows children to share their own stories and capture a dream: to be published writers. […]