LONG BEACH – The “Writing Together Group” (WTG) began their fall session Saturday at the home of Karolyn “KC” Carroll in Tides West under the tutelage of Barbara Haines Howett. Last session the WTG produced a Peninsula best seller when Trish Garrett took it upon herself to put together a booklet of essays created during the summer session.

“It was a big hoot to see them (The Peninsula Writer) disappear from the bookstores,” Garrett said with a satisfied grin. “For many of us the book was a soul-deep accomplishment.” Garrett will not be a part of the fall group as she is dealing with health issues, but she frankly explained how much the group meant to her. “I basically came to the Peninsula to die, but instead I found creativity and received encouragement through the group. I was so excited about the good stories everybody brought and about myself, as well.” Garrett is working on a novel, as are most of the members.

Author Haines Howett is the mentor of the group, although she humbly said, “We all mentor each other.” The former writing teacher at the community college level stated, “We give ourselves permission to write and we develop trust. By the end of the eight-week sessions each writer chooses one piece to be critiqued.” The result of those contributions was The Peninsula Writer last summer. “Trish came up with the idea of making a book out of the blue,” Haines Howett said.

Group members write for 20 minutes on a prompt Haines Howett presents. The first week’s topic was, “At a very young age I … .” Betty Ownbey said, “Barbara has helped all of us make progress with our writing. The group is supportive, encouraging. I was able to get away from the familiar and create from the unfamiliar. This has been an adventure.”

Carroll was a counselor and psychology teacher before retiring. She said of some of her most recent work, “People told me they had difficulty in reading about child abuse, but that it was very meaningful for them.” Many of the excerpts in The Peninsula Writer are far from “light reading,” with a range of human emotions coming into play in every story or excerpt.

Mary Frances Bowers related, “I enjoy writing. I enjoy fiction, writing about life, or poetry and I enjoy being with the other people in the group. I enjoy discovering what I know of myself and of beauty.” Alisabeth Buck added, “The workshop gives me hope. I can write about difficult problems, express total resentment, pain, recovery and healing.”

Newcomer Patty Hardin explained with a wry smile, “I have had five characters bouncing around in my head the past couple of weeks and I am learning how they relate to each other. I know there is a novel there somewhere.” She is already a member of another writer’s group, but had praise for Haines Howett. “I learned from Barbara while taking a seminar that it was OK to write badly. Just write and you can always go back and clean up the mistakes later.” Another first-time member, Laura Roberts, said, “I’ve always enjoyed reading and I love words. I am looking forward to being a part of this group.”

And so the members write about themselves at a very young age, share their hopes, hone their writing skills and give support to each other each Saturday afternoon for three hours. Haines Howett said, “Many of us are late bloomers in life’s garden and we are creating something where there was nothing before – and we’re doing it with faith, joy, and for the sheer fun of it.”

Anyone interested in attending WTG is encouraged to call Barbara Haines Howett at 665-6862. The group meets at Carroll’s home in Tides West each Saturday afternoon for eight weeks and there is a fee charged. Other members of the group include Susan Holway, Becky Buford, Una Boyle and Jole Williams.