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    Community Voices: Volume V 2024
    Community Voices: Volume V 2024
    Community Voices: Volume V 2024
    Ebook132 pages1 hour

    Community Voices: Volume V 2024

    By Woodneath Press and Kyndall Tiller

    ()

    Read preview
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWoodneath Press (Mid-Continent Pub. Library)
    Release dateJun 26, 2024
    ISBN9781942337393
    Community Voices: Volume V 2024

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      Book preview

      Community Voices - Woodneath Press

      Copyright © 2024 Woodneath Press

      All rights reserved. This book, or part thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission from the publisher or author, except for the inclusion of brief passages in a review.

      FIRST EDITION

      Print ISBN: 978-1-942337-37-9

      e-ISBN: 978-1-942337-39-3

      Community Voices Volume V is published by:

      Woodneath Press

      8900 NE Flintlock Rd.

      Kansas City, MO 64157

      A program of The Story Center at Mid-Continent Public Library.

      For information, please visit our website:

      www.mymcpl.org/story-center/publishing/woodneath-press

      Cover design by Amber Noll

      Publication Management by Kyndall Tiller

      Edited by Val Cervarich of Writing Help KC

      Set in Times New Roman

      Printed in the United States of America

      Publisher’s disclaimer: All statements made in this anthology are the opinions and responsibilities of the authors and not representative of Woodneath Press, The Story Center, or Mid-Continent Public Library.

      Table of Contents

      FOREWORD by Kyndall Tiller

      FICTION

      The Lost Smile by Shawnette Brase

      Tesa The Peacock by Audrey Canaday

      Of Our Own Minds by Elle Laurin

      Wendy’s Dream of India by Cinderella Mosley

      The Artist, Again by Mel Phillips

      Entropy by Warrington Williams

      NONFICTION

      We Say Their Names to Remember by Robert Daniels

      El Camino Chronicles by Michelle Trieste

      FOREWORD

      The Story Center allows writers and storytellers access to invaluable resources that help them hone their creative skills. The Storytelling Certificate Program grants writers knowledge that is often challenging to acquire without vast resources and expertise. The Storytelling Certificate Programs enable students to develop valuable skills and apply them in a practical way, while also expanding their storytelling through increased communication, performance, and technological skills. Students can experiment and explore their abilities in a supportive environment.

      As a newcomer to The Story Center staff, I was struck by this unique offering of accessibility within a field that is often only available to people who have the time and money to pursue higher education or other learning opportunities. The Certificate Programs are self-paced, accommodating students’ schedules. Programs are offered both in-person and virtually to reach a wider audience and allow more flexibility. I think that is one of the things that makes The Story Center so special—anyone who is interested in writing and storytelling can seek out our resources and connect with other storytellers and professionals in the field. These students are not only developing their skills as writers, but also building a community of creatives in Kansas City.

      One very important aspect of the resources we provide, especially for those in the Written Program, (which is my specific area of passion) is the access to learning and instruction about publishing. Every April we celebrate Publishing Week by providing a week full of programs focused on publishing and tailored to the needs of our writing community. The week concludes on Saturday with a full day of programs on a special interest, typically led by one or more industry professionals.

      One program that The Story Center offers quarterly is Publishing Opportunities and Options, which gives the audience a full-picture scope of different publishing paths and what is required of authors for each path. Authors are also able to make one-on-one appointments with the publication manager to discuss their specific projects.

      Publishing is a field where authors encounter significant gatekeeping, and it can be very hard to find resources and information, especially if you’re an author who has never published before. This is one of the reasons why Community Voices is so valuable. After graduating from the Program, students not only leave with important skills and connections, they also leave as published authors and with the confidence that comes with that. This is a very exciting first step in their writing careers, and I cannot wait to see what they do next!

      The following collection includes a myriad of genres and their explorations from eight authors who completed the Written Storytelling Program in December 2023. This collection includes six works of fiction and two nonfiction pieces. While the genres of these stories vary greatly, many of them explore complex relationships on interpersonal and societal levels. Two of the fiction pieces are geared toward children, following a little girl who is trying to find her place in the world as she deals with transition, and a little girl learning to process her emotions with her mother by her side. Multiple stories follow unlikely self-journeys including: a stubborn ninety-five-year-old woman attempting to make it to mother’s house on her own, a fifteen-year-old girl and her dream of going to India, and a young woman’s unexpected day of amazing things. Another story explores a childhood sweetheart relationship amid a dystopian reality. One nonfiction piece is a historical project that explores the author’s ancestry, while the other records the author’s journey of self-discovery.

      Combined, the stories in Community Voices V showcase the talent and creativity of the graduates, while also demonstrating the value of The Story Center and its community.

      Kyndall Tiller

      Story Center Publication Manager

      FICTION

      Author Bio

      Shawnette Brase lives near Branson, Missouri, and when not appraising or selling homes, she spends her free time reading books, working in the garden, and enjoying Table Rock Lake. Her writing journey began a few years back when one of the family dogs became sick. It brought back memories of all the crazy things the dogs had done since they were pups. She felt that their story needed to be written and shared to make people smile. Once she finished that story, she wasn’t sure what to do with it. That’s when she stumbled across the Mid-Continent Public Library, Written Storyteller Certificate Program. She recently received her Certificate and wrote her second story, which is also very close to her heart. She’s pleased to have it included in Community Voices. She looks forward to writing many more stories and one day having a number of them published.

      Introduction

      This story is a fictional work written for children ages eight to twelve. The Lost Smile is a story about a young girl who faces a number of obstacles while trying to make it through the school year. She focuses on summer vacation and uses that as her goal to make it through what turns out to be a very difficult year. In this fictional story, you will experience both the good and bad sides of human nature. You will start out not liking some characters, only to change your mind later. The story explores what being different can feel like. Through all the pain and struggles, the main character makes a friend, ends up where she wanted to be, and feels loved.

      The Lost Smile

      Shawnette Brase

      I woke up one day and, poof, my smile was gone. I’m not sure where it went or even why it left.

      By the way, my name is Harper—Harper Payton Straight. That may be one of the reasons my smile left. We had a substitute teacher at school who called on me. I don’t remember why I was called, but the classroom erupted into laughter as she shouted, Harper P- Straight, please come to the front of the class. Yep, that was the beginning of many jokes by my classmates.

      I am lucky I inherited thick skin from my aunt. At least, that’s what Aunt Jilly calls it. I’m not sure my skin is actually thick, but the teasing doesn’t get me down; it’s mostly annoying. It’s so easy to get distracted when there are so many pieces to the puzzle.

      The day I knew my smile had disappeared was when Granny tried to take my picture on summer vacation and said, Harper, smile. I tried lifting and moving my mouth toward my ears, but all I got was a smirk. My lips would not part, and my mouth would not stretch. Next thing you know, it felt like I just ate a handful of sawdust. Sweat beads formed on my forehead, and my armpits felt like a downpour had begun.

      Granny looked so worried, and I tried to explain that my smile wouldn’t come. After all the questions, "Do you feel sick? Are you hurt? Are you sad? Is

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