Storied - Chronicles by the Circle of Six

PREFACEWe did not intend to write a book. In the fall of 2017 we were a disparate bunch who shared a desire to tell our stories and to tell them well. By the time our month- long weekly workshops with facilitator Linda Bond ended, we had become a co-operative group-writers helpingwriters-and friends as well. Six of the group wanted to continue, agreeing to meet monthly at the Belleville library. Around the boardroom table we read our stories aloud, praising and encouraging each other while learning to give and receive feedback for improvements.
Something left out? Too much detail? Some clarification required? We concluded our three- hour sessions with lunch at a nearby restaurant. Our camaraderie made the food taste even better. Then we went home to our computers to revise, sometimesrewrite, our stories. Who are we? All residents of the Bay of Quinte area on the north shore of Lake Ontario, we range in age from mid-50s through mid-80s. Veterinary technician Donna McDonald; author and retired school administrator Wendy Russell-Sheppard; restorer of historic buildings and artist Kim Fedor, and retired teacher Linda Bond, all live in Belleville.
NellDavidson, a retired office managerand business owner, comes from Quinte West; Pat Whittaker, a retired journalist, is a Prince Edward County resident. At the end of 2018, as we celebrated the holiday season with lunch at a small Wellington restaurant and read our seasonal stories aloud, Linda took us by surprise."These stories are so great! We should put out a book together." That was a daunting thought.
Was it really possible? Linda has remarkable powers of persuasion. She assured us our stories were worthy of publication, with a bit of fine tuning. Six stories by six writers .