That’s the name of my Screw Iowa outreach program; the first was Thursday night and I am still reeling from the great success of the evening.  I had a keynote reader, a friend who agreed to read a snippet of her novel, and hoped for at least two others to sign up to read.  I’d rented out the local coffeehouse for two hours, done up flyers, sent them out and hoped for six people to show up.  I had 15 there and 6 read!  It was a huge success!  When I told them I wanted to do it again in the fall, they clamored for an earlier date, so we are doing it again in June.

I may read this next time, but the point was to stimulate other writers to get together and from critique groups of their own and get experience reading in public.  I had an essay, some novelists, and even a playwright read.  Even Doc, who graciously accompanied me, said the evening was a huge success and he enjoyed it.

The friend who was the keynote reader is thanking me by taking us to a chamber music concert tomorrow in the newly renovated old time theatre in town, so it’s a double-whammy weekend~I was so giddy I spent three hours in the sun today helping Doc with a gate he’s making to keep our puppy Radar from going over the marsh bridge to play where he’s not wanted.  I have weird neighbors who are hermits and don’t like puppies.  They happen to be relations, too (big sigh).  But that’s for another blog and another weekend~