murder.booklocker.com

Several years ago when I took a class in Creative Writing at Oakton Community College, we needed to add a project component (for me) that would elevate it to honors status. I had already contacted the senior center and agreed to volunteer teach a writing class once a week. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, David Koenig, who was my instructor, didn’t feel this placed enough emphasis on my own writing. Instead we agreed that I should continue writing an allegory which I had begun over the Christmas break (in addition to teaching the class!)

The good news is that I wrote another zillion words of allegory. I hope at some point that it will become another book — if only I knew how it ended! The second piece of good news is that I made a lot of friends at the senior center. I wanted to give you a tiny peak at the ceramics room (where we meet), which is also the scene of one of the murders in PARK RIDGE, as well as a look at a few of the members of our class.

Standing is Renata Galissini. Then, from left to right: Arlene Faehnrich, Helen Kaslugas, Cheryl Hagedorn (me), Angela Scott, and Joan Yost.

About these folks: Renata inspires me with her dedication to the craft; Lee (Arlene) overwhelms me with the amount of material generated over the years, particularly biographical pieces about senior center members. Joan has an incredible sense of humor which comes through in all her work. Helen is a fairly new member to the group but inspired several short stories. I’ve also borrowed her last name for one of the characters in my second book. I borrowed Angela’s maiden name, Cusentino, for Teresa, my heroine, because as I say in my acknowledgments, “I want to be like Angela when I grow up.”