Memoir, poetry, essay, and story converge in this anthology from a Florida writers group. With multiple selections from each contributing member, the collection works as a body of evocative personal writing and also as the story of a dedicated, structured writing community committed to its craft, the revision process, and the benefits and challenges of committing to and participating in a group.

While each entry is personal and unique, with no overriding topical theme, there is strong connective tissue here. According to the biographical information prefacing each chapter about its author, many of the writers share roots in the northeastern U.S. and New York, in Judaism, and in education and social work. These seasoned neighbors have in many cases raised their families, worked their careers and volunteerism, and now, with grandchildren and sometimes great-grandchildren, they are exploring and in many cases continuing their writing practice with pieces that reflect upon life events, ironies, and lessons learned. Some of the pieces are many decades old and recently revisited and revised as per the detailed requirements of the group. Some are fresh and timely, even referencing the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2021.

J. E. Bruno captures the resigned fatalistic voice of a noir narrator who finds himself in a jam and assumes the worst about himself and the trajectory of his life. Marilyn Orr Cruz looks back on the past through time and place, visiting specific locales and addresses from her youth, thoughtfully concluding that memories live on even as places evolve beyond recognition. In a series of revelatory, confessional poems, Jeff Langer reveals truths previously undisclosed about family, military, career, illness, and more. Each entry stands alone and together. The collection is a testament to the power of the written word and the call to write.

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