Take a Reading Journey with WriteOn Joliet this Summer

Several years ago, a member of WriteOn Joliet brought a photograph of a black pump in ditch to the meeting as a writing prompt.

That inspired shoe-themed stories of all kinds and many sugggestions that we compile a special WriteOn Joliet anthology based on "shoes" and "journey."

Well, we finally did it, and we had a good reason to pick this year, too.

"Write Where We Are: Tales Our Soles Tell" is now available for purchase on Amazon.

And Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara (BryonySeries author and character and WriteOn Joliet member) and hiw wife Nancy Calkins (an artist who designed this cover) generously ffered to sponsor 100 copies of this book as their gift to the community.

We plan to offer limited copies of this book for free at the following events:

June 27: "Presentation 101: An Overview for Authors Entering the Industry" 1 p.m., Joliet Public Library, 150 N. Ottawa St. Joliet. 

July 3: Joliet Eve of Independence: America 250 Fireworks and Celebration: 6 to 10 p.m., Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre, 201 W. Jefferson St., Joliet. Live music, food vendors, and children’s activities by B.L.O.CK.S., the BryonySeries umbrella brand. B.L.O.C.K.S. will also have limited giveaways of BryonySeries books for all ages and WriteOn Joliet's upcoming "Shoe" anthology. The evening will conclude with a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Aug. 1: Kid Fest: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., City Square, Downtown Joliet. For the third year in a row, WriteOn Joliet will have a tent at the annual Kidz Fest celebration. Write your own story with our unique, one-of-a-kind, made-just-for-us story manipulable story blocks. And be sure to pick up one (or more) WriteOn Joliet-authored books (titles for all ages), which we will distribute for free.

WriteOn Joliet will also offer copies at a special "shoe" event for writers on Sept. 24 at the Joliet Public Library. Details to come later!

We also have a few events this summer where a few copies MAY be spontaneously gifted (depending on available supplies, of course).

Here is the book's synopsis:

For 150 years, Joliet Public Library has been a place where stories begin. For the last 14 years, the Joliet Public Library has given space to WriteOn Joliet, for writers to begin and refine their stories, too.

In that spirit, WriteOn Joliet presents this special shoe and journey-themed anthology to entertain, inspire, and connect with readers on their journeys.

As Judy Quilty Smith wrote in this anthology, we hope readers “remember their Shoes and Journey stories because we all have them. I hope they remember the shoes that hurt and the shoes that felt beautiful, the shoes that looked lovely, and the shoes they received as a gift from one of their loved ones.”

Enjoy!