Sunday, April 19, 2009

A Meeting of Minds


This week, I had the opportunity to read a short excerpt from Fatal Encryption to a group of people who all happened to be writers. There are a number of writers’ groups in and around Vancouver, and while most of them have websites, we don’t really have many opportunities to meet one another face to face. So The Brock House Writers’ Society came up with the idea of inviting other groups for an afternoon of reading and food and schmoozing at Brock House situated on Jericho Beach. Brock House itself is a stunning piece of Tudor-style architectural, but to be situated so close to the water with a panoramic view of the mountains was a totally uplifting experience. Honestly, I didn’t want to leave the place.

Also uplifting was the opportunity to match faces to names I’d seen in local newsletters or internet forums. Everyone brought a sample of their work and it was truly amazing to listen to the variety of poetry and prose. Everything from memoir to personal essay to historical fiction, humorous, sad, and poignant were represented. When I experience afternoons like this, I remember not only why I like writing so much, but why I really enjoy listening to the work of others. It was a wonderful afternoon’s entertainment.

To read excerpts of Taxed to Death and Fatal Encryption, visit www.debrapurdykong.com

No comments: