Each year members of our writers group dress in scary (or otherwise) costumes for Halloween, and we bring our spooky (or otherwise) stories to share with the group. It’s one of two nights in the year that we don’t critique. The other night is when we celebrate the birthday of Robert Burns with poetry.

This year the costumes and stories were extraordinary! Unfortunately, our photographer was not extraordinary (me) so some of the photos were too dark to post. But you get the idea. Here is Mary Bess – You guessed it: “Writer’s Block”!

Another fantastic SFB! I attended a dinner Fri. night hosted by John Seigenthaler and John Seigenthaler, Jr. and was able to talk with some wonderful authors, including Walter Mosley. Sat. morning WNBA sponsored a panel of four, including Ann Patchett. Sat. night was the reception for all participants, and I was so glad to see Gail and Les Kerr among the familiar faces. Sun. afternoon Doug and I had our session. Our big room was not full, but it was not empty! As always, we had a great audience who asked some good questions. Thanks to Whit Stokes for being the moderator. Here is one of the photos.

It’s that time again! We’re expecting glorious weather at the SFB, October 14-16, at Legislative Plaza in Nashville. Doug Jones and I have a session on Sunday at 1:30 in Room 12. (A Season of Darkness – the Marcia Trimble case) Please join us!

“What We Keep, What We Throw Away” is the 2nd place winner in the Knoxville Writers Guild Awards, Creative Nonfiction category. The piece won 3rd place in the spring in the Writers Workshop of Asheville contest. Continued revisions are in order and maybe an entry in another contest – or an attempt to get it published.

The creative nonfiction piece is about the Nashville flood in May 2010 and especially about the loss that my daughter and her family sustained. They lost their house and lived with me for 7 months, during which time baby Evelyn was born.