In August 2008, Dan DiStasio
presented me with certificates and a
check for winning first and third
places in the Key West Writers Guild
short story contest. The stories,
Confession and The English Lesson
are included in the  Guild anthology,
Voices From Key West.
At the party to celebrate
the publication of Sand
Dollar, elements of the
book that had only been
ideas and words on
pages became real. I made
a wedding cake like the
one Ann made for Mary
and mixed up some
punch --- complete with
a rum bottle beside it. By
the way, the bottle was
empty by the end of the
party. A lavish bouquet
of palm leaves, ferns, and
orchids completed the
wedding theme.
A
laudanum
bottle, a
reminder
of the
sadder
elements of
the story,
flanks an
antique
writing set
that
belonged
to Eric's
grandfather
The party was hosted by artist
Eric Anfinson. Eric's web site is
ericanfinsonpaintings.com
Cliff Saylor kept the cake and
punch coming!
© Jane Louise Newhagen
jane@janenewhagen.com
Reading and Writing in Key West in 2008
Fran Decker, the cover artist for Sand
Dollar, and I signed copies of the book
at SoDu Gallery on Duval Street
where Fran is a partner and exhibits
her work.
In January, I
spoke at
Voltaire Books
on Simonton
Street about
the things to
consider before
publishing on
your own.