Before I forget, I was interviewed yesterday by Mandi M. Lynch on her Book in the Bag blog. Thanks, Mandi!

Now, about this writer pal. Pat and I met around 30 years ago at a Midwest Writers Workshop in Muncie, Indiana. This was back when MWW was held on Ball State campus and we stayed in a dorm. We could save money by electing to room with somebody. Pat and I just happened to be assigned to the same room.

We liked each other, and kept in touch after the workshop was over. Back in the day, that meant writing letters. On paper! We attended many other MWWs many other years. We each gave birth to daughters pretty much the same year and missed a lot of workshops through wanting to stay home with the babes. Our girls grew up to be interested in writing, and each took our girls to a MWW or two.

I drove up to visit her a few times, especially if it had been too long since we attended the same workshop.

Writer Pal

Paper letters gave way to email, and email threatens to dribble away to Facebook, but we still keep in close touch.

We encourage one another by saying we’ll go to Paris when we get rich from writing.

I still have that shirt, by the way. Drive ’em til they drop, is my motto.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Give your character a long, long, LONG-time friend. Jane, in your case, have your character make a new friend! lol

MA