WRITE-O-RAMA!

The very phrase conjures up an event of epic proportions, full of furious scribbling, bottomless baskets of muffins, and clanging bells. Twice a year, Richard Hugo House puts on this spectacular extravaganza of writing, and even if you're not going to be in the Seattle vicinity on Saturday June 6th, you can still participate by clicking on this link http://www.hugohouse.org/laureates#tanya and donating to Hugo House on behalf of yours truly. By doing so, you'll be supporting a place that supports writers of every sort from every walk of life.

My favorite memory of Hugo House (to date) is chatting with Charles de Lint out on the loading dock after taking a class from him last October. It had been a long day, and although the class was excellent, I was tired and had sunk into "I'm a lousy writer" mode. I was sitting out on the concrete dock, waiting for Russ to come pick me up, and Charles came and sat down next to me while he waited for Leslie to finish up with a few things inside. Just sat down as casual as could be and we chatted about books and writing. It was truly magical. (If you are unfamiliar with Mr. de Lint, here's a link to his website: http://www.sfsite.com/charlesdelint/ )

Through classes I've taken at Hugo House with Charles de Lint, Michael Dylan Welch, Monica Drake, Ellen Klages, Gregory Frost, and most recently, Paul Park, not only have I learned about the craft of writing, but I've learned that these magnificent writers are actually people. (Gasp!) They're not just awe-inspiring names on the front covers of books, but actual people who learned how to write and are willing to share their knowledge with aspiring writers. This is the sort of magic that happens at Hugo House, connecting writers with other writers, and it's worth supporting this connection, worth supporting the dreams of other writers.

One last shameless plea: donate to Hugo House. Who knows, that next book or poem or article you're reading when you're stuck overnight in the Phoenix International Airport could be written by someone who found their writing boost at Hugo House!