reading

PROMPT: READING AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO YOU AS A WRITER

The prompt for the weekly meeting began with a reading from the book A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, by Betty Smith.

OH, MAGIC HOUR WHEN A CHILD FIRST KNOWS IT CAN READ PRINTED WORDS!
     For quite a while, Francie had been spelling out letters, sounding them and then putting the sounds together to mean a word. But one day, she looked at a page and the word “mouse” had instantaneous meaning. She looked at the word, and the picture of a gray mouse scampered through her mind. She looked further and when she saw “horse,” she heard him pawing the ground and saw the sun glint on his glossy coat. The word “running” hit her suddenly and she breathed hard as though running herself. The barrier between the individual sound of each letter and the whole meaning of the word was removed and the printed word meant a thing at one quick glance. She read a few pages rapidly and almost became ill with excitement. She wanted to shout it out. She could read! She could read!
     From that time on, the world was hers for the reading. She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of intimate friends. Books became her friends and there was one for every mood. There was poetry for quiet companionship. There was adventure when she tired of quiet hours. There would be love stories when she came into adolescence and when she wanted to feel a closeness to someone she could read a biography. On that day when she first knew she could read, she made a vow to read one book a day as long as she lived.

The prompt is to write on a moment when you recognized the new world opened to you as a reader, or more generally on the importance of reading to you as a writer.

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Writing Workshop at Oregon City Library July 30, 2017

Oregon City Library is celebrating its 175th anniversary with a free writing workshop with Cindy Williams Gutierrez and Paulann Petersen on Sunday, July 30, 2017. The workshop will help participants generate new writing of prose or poetry on their library experiences, “with treasured books, with the magic process of reading.”

The workshop is from 1-5PM, followed by a dinner (bring your own sack dinner) together, and a reading that is open to the public at 6:30PM at the newly expanded and remodeled library in Oregon City, Portland.

Please register for the workshop by calling the library at 503-657-8269 ext. 1017.

Wintersong Deadline Extended

Due to weather, and some other holiday excuses, Writers in the Grove has extended the deadline for submissions to our annual Wintersong Reading Event 2017 until December 19, 2016.

Get your submissions in as soon as possible to be considered for reading your 4-minute max piece(s) on January 21, 2017.

Celebrating National Poetry Month

The Vernonia Library has announced that Oregon Poet Laureate Emerita Paulann Petersen will have a reading at the Library on Sunday April 10, 6-7:30 pm.

This unusual opportunity has prompted the library to open on Sunday to accommodate this special reading event. The reading with the celebrated poet and teacher is open to the public.

Contact the library (503) 429-1818 or library@vernonia-or.gov with questions.