This facilitated group is open to all writers of fiction and creative non-fiction who want a
serious group to provide constructive criticism\, motivational
exercises\, and interpersonal accountability to keep their writing on
track. We do monthly exercises and critiques with an eye towards
individual improvement and the eventual goal of publication. Writers
are encouraged to bring copies of their work to share for critique. The
group meets the second &\; fourth Monday of each month from
6\:30-8\:30pm. Please direct inquiries to elizabeth@chariscircle.org.
This facilitated group discusses books which feature queer
characters/storylines as well as a strong attention to literary craft
and style. March's book is Spinning Tropics by Aska Mochizuki. Spinning Tropics is a lush and evocative story of an intoxicating love affair. Meet Hiro. She's tall\, lanky and awkward—a twenty-something Japanese
woman who has decamped to Vietnam from Tokyo to work as a language
teacher. Meet Dung. She's shy\, beautiful\, and tough—a young
Vietnamese woman studying Japanese\, determined to create a better life
for herself and her family. When Dung becomes one of Hiro's
students\, they are instantly drawn to each other. For both of them\, it
is their first time in love with another woman. But when Konno\, an
older Japanese businessman\, befriends Hiro\, Dung begins to grow
unbearably jealous. What unfolds is a love triangle with very
complicated\, ultimately devastating\, results. Set against the backdrop
of a Vietnam on the economic rise\, debut novelist Aska Mochizuki
vividly brings to life the buzz of motorcycles and the tastes of
Vietnamese coffee and spicy papaya salads\; the confines of the
Vietnamese family\; the lingering effects of long wars\; the rich who
ride the economic wave and the poor who are left behind.
Join us for a discussion with Debra Mazer &\; Cantor Shira Leba Batalion\, as they read from their new book\, Open-Eyed Heart-Wide Haggadah\,
a ritual guide for the Passover Seder. Debra and Shira will talk about
ways to transform your same-old Seder to include new songs and stories\,
new feminist\, queer\, and diverse perspectives\, and some yummy vegan and
raw Passover delights. This is about reclaiming ritual\, &\;
celebrating this newly published work of two longtime local members of
the Charis community.
Integrating the themes of friendship\, mother-daughter relationships\, and aging\, Out of the Pumpkin Shell tells the story of best friends Hat and
Elise who are determined not to take aging in stride. Fortifying their usual outrageous
behavior with a hefty dose of courage\, they delve into the past\, where they
discover truths about Elise's mother\, gain a wider sisterhood\, and new possibilities. Author Nancy Poling will read from her novel and engage us in a humorous and fun conversation about finding oneself and rediscovering friendship after fifty.