Below are writings our members have offered up. Read, enjoy, share, comment…
If you are ready to share yours, simply submit it to our communications chair for consideration at Communications@gulfwriters.org. If it is selected for the site, we will also put a short excerpt in our NewsMag – Word Song.
To submit a listing for your book(s), fill out this form: Member Book Submission
Four stories in 20 minutes: Piano Man
May 5, 2024Four stories in 20 minutes! At the April meeting of Gulf Coast Writers, everyone was talking at once. Amazingly, the result was not chaos. Four teams of writers collaborated to create stories based on lyrics from the American songbook of the 1970s. Members were given just 20 minutes to craft a story based on their song assignment. Take a look at the results, below. Teamwork opportunities will continue in future meetings. We are the new Gulf Coast Writers! “Piano Man” lyrics It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday The regular crowd shuffles in There’s an old man Continue reading ...
Four stories in 20 minutes: “Eleanor Rigby” the story
May 3, 2024Four stories in 20 minutes! At the April meeting of Gulf Coast Writers, everyone was talking at once. Amazingly, the result was not chaos. Four teams of writers collaborated to create stories based on lyrics from the American songbook of the 1970s. Members were given just 20 minutes to craft a story based on their song assignment. Take a look at the results, below. Teamwork opportunities will continue in future meetings. We are the new Gulf Coast Writers! “Eleanor Rigby” song lyrics Ah, look at all the lonely people Ah, look at all the lonely people Continue reading ...
Four stories in 20 minutes: “Copacabana” the story
May 3, 2024Four stories in 20 minutes! At the April meeting of Gulf Coast Writers, everyone was talking at once. Amazingly, the result was not chaos. Four teams of writers collaborated to create stories based on lyrics from the American songbook of the 1970s. Members were given just 20 minutes to craft a story based on their song assignment. Take a look at the results, below. Teamwork opportunities will continue in future meetings. We are the new Gulf Coast Writers! “Copacabana” lyrics Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl With yellow feathers in her hair and a Continue reading ...
Four stories in 20 minutes: Bad, Bad…” story
May 3, 2024Four stories in 20 minutes! At the April meeting of Gulf Coast Writers, everyone was talking at once. Amazingly, the result was not chaos. Four teams of writers collaborated to create stories based on lyrics from the American songbook of the 1970s. Members were given just 20 minutes to craft a story based on their song assignment. Take a look at the results, below. Teamwork opportunities will continue in future meetings. We are the new Gulf Coast Writers! “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” lyrics Well, the south side of Chicago Is the baddest part of town And Continue reading ...
The Way Cancer Has Shaped Me
March 7, 2024By Brian Sluga Looking back on my experience with testicular cancer at a young age, I realize that cancer didn’t define me — it helped shape me. Illustration of a man with blond hair and rectangular glasses wearing a black t-shirt, smiling. My personal experience brought to life the all-pervading turbulence of testicular cancer. A harrowing impact on a youth. Turns out, that there was only one question for me: how to go about living? During this time, my mind had the capacity to understand the force of cancer and the limits of humans to affect outcomes, but I Continue reading ...
Imposter in the Woods by Lori Goshert
August 2, 2022See Lori’s blog. Imposter in the Woods by Lori Goshert The call of a cardinal echoes through the trees. A brown anole skitters up a palm trunk, pausing to listen and bob her head. With one finger jammed between the pages of my book to mark the place, I crane my neck to peer under the lounge chair, seeking the fat brown ant that disappeared underneath. I examine the back rails to make sure the insect is not making her way toward me, and I shake out my discarded shoes. I regard the jumping spider on the arm of Continue reading ...
Declaration of Interdependence — Joe Pacheco
July 4, 2022For the people of Ukraine: Declaration of Interdependence On this day of celebrating independence, I declare interdependence a new truth to be held self-evident, humanity created free, interdependent on each other; I declare what defeats and hurts any human, anywhere, also defeats and hurts me; I declare that suppression in any corner of Earth suffocates, narrows the air of the whole planet, and I declare that one day the uncontrolled emissions of anguish from those yearning to breathe free may vanquish all of us unless we free ourselves to declare on this Day of Interdependence: “No one is safe Continue reading ...
Author’s Bakers-Dozen Marketing Points
November 2, 2021The Author’s Bakers-Dozen Marketing Points By Jan Nieman Always carry your book with you. Even at the gym, someone will ask, “What do you do?” and as you flash your book, you answer with your one minute elevator speech. Don’t become so flustered when speaking to a large group that you forget to mention your book’s title and pass out business cards. If a vendor fee is over $50, it’s probably not worth it – even some under $50 aren’t, but you never know. Be aware, that at bazaars you’ll be tempted by other vendor’s merchandise. Do not — Continue reading ...
The Viking Funeral by Mary Charles
August 8, 2021The Viking Funeral by Mary Charles In an era long ago when the captain of a Viking ship died, his family and ship’s crew would place the captain in his longboat, set the ship afire and release it onto the outgoing tide to carry the captain to Valhalla. My husband was born in Norway. He loved nothing better than to be on a boat. On summer visits with him to the village of his childhood on the east coast of Norway, he took me on magical rides in his father’s old wooden boat, out in the sunlight to the Continue reading ...
A Poem by Joe Pacheco
August 8, 2021Poem Begun For Marjorie On 2-11- 87 From neither the brightest Nor the warmest Nor the tallest Or even the sharpest Not certainly From one coming on Still strong still full Of praise and promise But rather on this Superlative August 8 Eightieth Birthday From the one who needs And wants and loves you Better than all: Happy 80th Birthday! Completed 8-8-21 ~ Joe Pacheco Continue reading ...
Bob McCarthy Article Posted Online
June 4, 2021Bob McCarthy has an article, Adams Street, Springfield, Ma, featured on New England Memories. Continue reading ...
FOR MARJORIE AT SEVENTY-NINE — Poetry by Joe Pacheco
August 13, 2020FOR MARJORIE AT SEVENTY-NINE (Inspired by Janis Ian) No truth to learn at seventy-nine Except that living on is fine. So many friends now turned to dust, Their camaraderie once robust. A few, surviving faint and frail, Now faraway as memories fail. No unlived dream for which to yearn — At seventy-nine not much to learn, Except sometimes the past unwinds And leaves a word or thought behind, A song or phrase recalls a scene — The world was old at seventeen But still too young for “might have been” Before the births and deaths begin — Now living Continue reading ...