Class of 1977’s IMAGINATION: Where It Can Lead And The Creative Writing Process to Capture It

Three of our classmates have agreed to facilitate a discussion on their Creative Writing Process and where their imagination has led them in their works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. 

And we are also planning on conducting a short imagination exercise during the Zoom call, so each of us can explore an interactive, creative moment.

Below you will find bios on our 3 classmates, as well as links to their websites and books.

Deborah E. Boyle(she uses her middle name, “Ellen”) is a nurse practitioner and a writer of fiction and memoir. She is a member of the Bethesda, Maryland Writers Center, the Maine Writers and Publishers Association and the Firedrake Writers. She published Miriam’s Dive, a work of fiction, and is currently working on a memoir about her Maine parents – one who served in an important U.S. military position following W.W.II and the other who landed in federal prison for fiercely defending her beliefs. She lives in Maine.

Synopsis of Miriam’s Dive:

The story belongs to Miriam, an artist who works in metals. Her life is spiraling out of control until she lands a place in an international art competition whose theme is The Divine Feminine. To gather inspiration for her art piece, she travels to France to behold the mysterious Black Madonnas. Along the way, she is forced to come to terms with unexpected betrayal and loss such that everything she thought she understood about art, friendship, and the divine feminine is turned on its head. 

details at: www.deboraheboyle.com 

Karen Klussman Lewis’poetry, fiction, and essays appear in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. She’s written cultural geography pieces for young readers in Cricket Media magazines. One of her main interests is leading creative workshops for writers of all ages, focused on the imaginative process. She is a seven-time California Arts Council – Artists in Schools grantee and works closely with California Poets in the Schools and the Arts Council of Mendocino County in curriculum development. Karen Lewis is an alumna of Antioch Los Angeles (MFA) and Stanford University (BA). Karen (Klussman) Lewis also attended Mount Holyoke College and U.C.L.A. 

https://www.wordjourneys.org

Christie Horn Barnes ’77 

Although Christie writes about statistics that counter people’s misguided perceptions, her books are meant to be ‘popular’ so her writing requires much storytelling and taking the reader through an experience in hope of changing entrenched beliefs that make up their personal identity, linked to their social currency. 

What Every Parent Needs to Know About College Admissions

https://mangopublishinggroup.com/press-room/what-every-parent-needs-to-know-about-college-admissions-press-kit/

This guide has had great reviews and hit #1 Best Seller for Education Research releases in the first week….best college guide behind 12 SAT prep books.  It’s for the Undecided—undecided about which college, undecided about which major, undecided about which career, etc.  It’s 370 pages—researching facts versus perception and showing what education departments, universities, and HR teams of top growth companies advise for the future – what other countries are shifting to, while the US is ignoring the new direction. And as counselors say, US parents (especially of the middle and upper classes) are like passengers cozy in their deckchairs on the Titanic, unaware it is sinking.  

Paranoid Parents Guide – Another book by Christie

http://www.paranoidparentsguide.com/home.html