First, thanks to everyone who showed up yesterday for our 5^th anniversary meeting in spite of dire warnings about the weather. And congratulations to member Alison McBain who came First  in the Connecticut Press Club’s Communications Contest for her editing of When to Now, the anthology of time travel stories published by Fairfield Scribes in October. My story in When to Now, Misconception, came First in the Short Story category, as did this blog you’re reading (Nonprofit, Government or Educational blogs division). Yay us!
Entries were judged and ranked by professional communications experts in Connecticut, and are eligible to go forward to the National Federation of Press Women’s contest. The moral is: submit!
There’s lots going on for writers in the next few weeks. So much, in fact, that I’m splitting this update into two. (Look for part 2 next week.) To make sure you get it, feel free to follow this (did I say award-winning? I thought so.) blog. Here are some upcoming events:
On Sunday, February 24 from 4-6pm, the Pequot Library is hosting a Women in Suspense Panel featuring psychological thriller authors Liv Constantine (The Last Mrs. Parrish), A.F. Brady (The Blind and Once a Liar), and Wendy Walker (All Is Not Forgotten and Emma in the Night). Free, with a chance to meet the authors afterwards.
On Wednesday, February 27, from 6:30-8pm, the Rowayton Arts Center is offering a creative writing workshop, Art as Inspiration, an evening of art and writing. Using the current Abstraction art exhibition as inspiration, the group will engage in individual and collaborative exercises under the guidance of novelist Liz Matthews. This workshop is free and open to all levels of writing experience.
Memoirist and novelist Dani Shapiro, author of Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love, will be appearing at the Darien Library on Thursday, February 28 at 7pm. From the acclaimed, best-selling author comes a memoir about the staggering family secret uncovered by a genealogy test. I imagine his will be well-attended, so sign up at the library’s website.
A new workspace for writers, The Fairfield County Story Lab, is opening in Westport in a few days. Head over there for their Grand Opening on Friday, March 1, from 12-2 pm, to find out what they’ll be offering. Ribbon-cutting at 1 p.m. Free.
The Fairfield Library’s choice for their annual One Book, One Town, is Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me.    To celebrate the book, they are running a Writing Contest, in three age categories (middle school, high school and adult) in any genre. The work must be unpublished, 750 words or less, and on one of the following themes: 1) Feeling harbored (protected, safe, or comfortable), whether it is with a particular person, in a specific place, or doing a certain activity or 2) Helping to harbor another person. For full details on how to submit, check here. Submissions due: Friday, March 1.  BTW, the signature event of OBOT is always Meet the Author, and Woodson will visit the Library on Monday, March 18 at 7:00 pm Registration opens Friday, March 1, and spaces are probably limited.
The National Parks Arts foundation is offering a one-month Poets in Parks residency in Gettysburg in September/October, staying in a 100-year-old-farmhouse, plus $1000 stipend, and a national poetry tour sponsored by the Poetry Foundation. Deadline for applications: March 2.
The Fairfield University Bookstore Fairfield University Bookstore will be featuring bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson on Monday, March 11 at 7pm. Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Her award-winning novel Speak opened the door for a national dialogue about rape culture and consent. Now she reveals her personal history as a rape survivor in a searing new poetic memoir, SHOUT. Tickets ($17.99) are required for entry, and include a copy of her book. Memoir and non-fiction writers should find this interesting. As of this posting, there’s an additional special guest, Meg Wolitzer, author of The Interestings, The Wife and The Female Persuasion.     

Until next time – stay warm and keep writing!