BEAR RIVER WRITERS' CONFERENCE

“Family at Booknook” is available on Amazon, at Nicola’s in Ann Arbor and the Adrian and Ann Arbor Meijer’s stores, also available on Kindle. Currently I’m engrossed in a rewrite of my second novel.

The Bear River Writers’ Conference has been my summer highlight; Hosted by The University of Michigan, it is held at Camp Michigania on beautiful Walloon Lake. This was my sixth year at the conference.

Richard McCann, professor of Creative Writing at American University and author of memoir, poetry and fiction was the workshop leader for our group of ten. This was my second workshop with Richard, an exceptional teacher, who is open and honest and touches you deeply. This year he was editing a memoir about his mother’s death. “Be in the moment; write the hard stuff, unflinchingly;” is his motto. His words and writing triggered much emotion.

We became a group of mourners, writing about the deaths of our loved ones and supporting each other in our losses.

The last day I felt lighter and did not write about my mother’s death, but about her life, her hard work and ability to persevere. The following is an excerpt:

"RED APPLE NAILS"

I remember my mother’s hands in motion, always in motion, with her delicious apple-red nails, filed almost to a point, polished to perfection—pristine. This, in spite of her cleaning our motel—six rooms, six toilets—scoured by hand, with a rag and Babo. Not even rubber gloves. Several times a day she applied lotion, which diminished the calluses on her hands and kept them almost smooth. She wore little jewelry, only her wedding ring, white gold with a tiny diamond—a gift from my father years after their marriage.

Late Saturday afternoons she relaxed in our tiny living room with her drink of choice, Coke and Jim Beam, manicuring her nails. Mesmerized, I watched her apply two coats of shiny-red. I don’t remember wanting my nails polished. That was for grownups.