Community for Learning
To accommodate the numerous schedules the Colorado members met on both March 8 and 11, 2012. The March 8 group met at the Penrose Public Library in Colorado Springs and included a tour of Special Collections. The following comments by members attest to the value of local WWW meetings.
I enjoyed our Colorado WWW gathering in Colorado Springs immensely. It was great to spend time with our pals, as we exuberantly shared updates about our writing paths and projects. The beautiful Penrose Library was a great venue, and we were enchanted by Tim Blevin's tour of the treasures available for research in the archives. It brings forth ideas for so many possibilities, and makes us wonder about others waiting for us to discover. Joyce B. Lohse, WWW Administrator.
In these times of technology, e-books in particular, I felt I was taken back in time in the Carnegie Library to the history of Colorado Springs. The preservation of the building and the contents, books, maps, archives were all brought to life by Tim's outstanding knowledge and commentary. Pulling books, reading excerpts, showing street maps and borders, telling medicine tales, showing food prices, holding ledgers in authentic, original handwriting, he gave me an array of information that I had not known. What was fascinating to me was...being from the East and knowing of those times there from ancestors, education and storytelling...happening at the same time. Oh, the historical parallels I was making! "When Washington Irving was writing Hudson River legends...this was happening where I was now standing. I loved that." No e-readers could give me that experience. Nancy Jurka
It was fun to catch up with women I had not seen in awhile and those I knew only by their posts on the listserve. It is amazing what varied projects we all have underway. Listening to Mara Purl’s experiences gave me new insight into publishing fiction. Tim Blevins tour of the Carnegie Library introduced me to resources I had never considered before, and I have used that library for research many times. I spotted material that may relate to my next biography. And I wanted to sit right down with some of the reference books Tim pulled off the shelf. I could write a year’s worth of blog posts out of one or two books of historic miscellany. Cynthia Becker
On March 11 a group met at the Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau in Colorado Springs with Dianne Hartshorn , of Blanche's Place, speaking on historic clothing. Here are their thoughts:
I joined WWW last year in part to have access to the authors of this group as part of a writing project for school. This spring WWW meeting was my first interaction with the group. They greeted me warmly with a genuine welcoming ambiance and I immediately felt at ease sharing details of my project after listening to their presentations. I found each and every woman in attendance genuinely interested in one another's work and more than happy to share their knowledge and expertise. I look forward to developing relationships with each of the talented authors over the next year. Marissa Redman
I just basked in the joy of being with a wide range of wildly gifted women at our recent get-together on Sunday at the CVB. Here are a few things I jotted down from our conversation, to read or look up on the internet:
SherryJohns.com (I hope that's spelled right.)
Two Sisters by Sandra Dallas
Pieces of Light blog by Susan Tweit
Carol Caverly's books: All the Old Lions and Dead in Hog Heaven
The Smashwords formatting guide
The Steinway Diaries
I got so caught up in the conversation, my notes have little context. And that's why I'm thankful for Google! Liz Duckworth
It's a two-hour drive to Colorado Springs from my neck of the woods, and the route there either goes down a winding mountain canyon or up over the high country of South Park. The morning of the WWW get-together, it was snowing in the high country, so that made the choice easy: down the canyon I went. Once I navigated my way through the "big city" to the visitor's bureau meeting place, I was greeted wonderfully warmly right in the parking lot by Dori and Gayle, and met the rest of the group inside. We talked about our work, heard from Diane Hartshorn about how to research and date historic women's clothing styles (all those sleeve fashions and skirt styles--what fun!), and traded tips on everything from writing and publicizing our work to research and ebooks. That evening, driving back home over the mountains (spring had replaced winter by then), I thought, that's why I belong to Women Writing the West: for the community of writing women and all I learn from every one of you! Susan J Tweit
From left to right in photo #2 Liz Duckworth,Sherry Johns,Gayle Gresham,Dianne Hartshorn,Carol Caverly. Kneeling Marissa Redmond, Susan Tweit. Photo taken by Doris McCraw
4 comments:
Doris, Thank you for organizing the March Colorado gatherings, welcoming us so warmly, and putting up the news and the photos. My drive to the Co Springs gathering was long, but it was more than worth it! We are a pretty amazing group, aren't we?
I agree, we are such a talented and sharing group. My own growth has been intensified even more just knowing and interacting with such talent.
It's always so much fun to get together with other WWW members! Your Colorado group seems to be the most active. Way to go!
Thanks Heidi. We have Linda Wommack to thank along with all the other dynamic women here. It is probably about time for another get together. If not I will see folks in Albuquerque.
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