In 2016, Keith Charisma, a founding member of the Writers Guild, contacted OU Writing Center Director Michele Eodice asking for faculty volunteers to mentor a creative writing group.
Soon after, Eodice, Rachel Jackson, Nick LoLordo, and Catherine Mintler, lecturers in the University of Oklahoma’s Expository Writing Program, began monthly workshops with the eleven committed and focused writers, and in 2019, Expository Writing lecturer Timothy Bradford joined the group as another writing mentor.
By year’s end, Mongrel Empire Press published Emergence: Writings by the JHCC Writers Guild, featuring work by Michael “Rico” Cruz, Shonach Lokisson, Dilemma, Luke Anthem Sinclair, Elzie Hooks, Jr., Shannon D. Hunt, Moryé D. Chandler, Sr., Anonymous Kquote, Kirby Lowe, Keith Charisma, and Mr. Washington.
The publication of Emergence was followed by a release reading inside the facility and a public reading at the Norman Public Library Central. Two additional readings were held at Gabby’s Southern Cuisine in Ardmore, Oklahoma and Commonplace Books in Oklahoma City.
You can purchase of Emergence from any OPWAF member at public readings or on Amazon.com by clicking on the following link: Emergence: Writings of the JHCC Writers Guild
OPWAF has been invited to to read selections from Emergence as part of the Dreamscapes art exhibit at Chimera Cafe in Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 6, 2023.
In the summer of 2023, the Writers Guild received a grant and materials from PEN America to do a ten-week workshop trial of PEN America’s new textbook and curriculum, and the results of this workshop will be published in the forthcoming anthology, Sidewalk Discussions.
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