Issue 6: Winter 2020

by Charles Templeton

Did you know The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is celebrating its Twentieth Anniversary in 2020? Well, if you are on our mailing list, I’m sure you are aware of our major fundraising campaign. If you are not aware…you are now!

Things have been progressing at the speed of light here at the Colony. Two of our suites have been remodeled and await the pleasure of providing you with an environment conducive to writing. And we have two more that have been sponsored and ready to be renovated. So when you are ready to write, the Colony will be ready for you.

We also have a new Scholarship fund established to assist our residents with some of the financial requirements to stay at the Colony. Schedule a visit, and I am sure the muse will visit you. But you do not have to write the entire time you here, like Stephen King says, “I am always chilled and astonished by the would-be writers who ask me for advice and admit, quite blithely, that they “don’t have time to read.” This is like a guy starting up Mount Everest saying that he didn’t have time to buy any rope or pitons.” We keep a library of books published by our writing residents. There will always be something on hand to pique your imagination or broaden your perspective.

In this edition of eMerge, we once again bring you stories to inform and amuse, and poetry that will make you laugh, cry and look at the Earth’s beauty and majesty with a sense of awe. Our authors have courageously shared a piece of their humanity with you. We hope you can appreciate and enjoy their contributions. They are unique stories. Hopefully, they will encourage you to write in your own unique voice. The voice that is you.

I have already used one quote from a writer, but I am not so proud that I won’t use another. One I find amusing, as well as insightful, is from Kurt Vonnegut. “First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college.” In other words, don’t take yourself so damn seriously. Just tell your story. Ignore the critics as well as the rules and write. Preferably, here at the Writers’ Colony!

So, if you run into James Patterson or Susan Phillips while you are out golfing, you might tell them about the Writers’ Colony and eMerge. Or maybe, while you are attending the San Miguel Writers’ Conference in San Miguel de Allende, you bump into Joyce Carol Oates or Gail Sheehy, you might mention our little writing sanctuary located in the Ozarks. If you look at our updated eMerge website, you will see that we have a new tab, Write Now, Podcast. The tab will take you to the podcasts being produced by the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow, and we invite you to listen to one of them!

Every dollar matters! Please, help us acquire the financing that will keep the Writers” Colony at Dairy Hollow flourishing as a sanctuary for writers and writing. You may donate here: https://www.writerscolony.org/contribution-options

Until
Next time,
I remain,
Just an exhausted Zororastafarian editor trying to figure out why turning down the car stereo helps me see better…