Open to attend Fall Retreat of Antioch Writers’ Works hop at University of Dayton
Darla Baker discovered apass ion for writing as she recovered from Lyme disease.
“I have a degree in finance from Wright State University,” Darla explains. “And I worked in technology for a Silic onValleythata llows its employees to work from anywhere.”
Whenshec ontracted Lyme disease, she took a leave of absen ceto recoveratherandher wife’s summer house on Lake Cumberland.
“I spent a lot of time at our lake house, and ironically, though I needed plenty of physical rest, I found myself restless,” Darla says. “Even though I felt crappy, I needed to do something. So, I started writing.”
The result was her novel, “Eagle Cove,” the first book in her “Thalia Chase: Sex Therapist” series. She self-published her novel in 2016, and it became an Amazon bestseller.
“It just so happens,” Darla adds with a chuckle, “that I set it on Lake Cumberland!”
As Darla began to know the publishing world, she realized there was a gap in publishers specifically for lesbian writers and literature. The two largest publishers of lesbian fiction, she explains, are Bold Strokes and Bella, which fill a worthy commercial niche. However, she adds, “there’s a range of diverse voices that still need to be heard.”
With that realization, Darla’s passion for writing, her college studies in psychology, her degree in finance, and her technology career as a management consultant and software engineer all came together to enable her to form the 501c3 non-profit Stone Soup Community Press (stonesoupcommunity. com).
Darla, who gr ewupin Dayton and makes her home here with her wife of 20 years, had the idea to provide a publishing outlet for LGBTQ voices, with proceeds going to support LGBTQ organizations: Lambda Literary, Golden Crown Literary Society, It Gets Better Project, and The Trevor Project.
Darla serves as president of the nonprofit, which also has a vice president/editor-inchief, and a secretary/ treasurer.
“There’ snolac k of talent among lesbian authors, and we’re just getting started with our press,” Darla says. “Our goal is to publish four anthologies a year, built around themes, such as the current political climate, historical topics, and other topics as we come up with them.”
The press is open for submissions now through Dec. 31, 2017 ; guidelines areava ilable on the press’s website.
Revenues not directly shared with the authors contributing to the anthology, Darla explains, will go to the organizations, which ar ede scribed in detail on the press’s website. Donations to the press may also be made directly on Stone Soup Community Press’s website.
Now through Aug. 15, application
— The workshop’s fall retreat will be Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the Bergamo Center in Beavercreek. Retreat leaders are award-winning novelist Meredith Doench and Pulitzer Prize Finalist novelist and memoirist Lee Martin. Learn more and apply to attend at www. antiochwritersworkshop. com.
Mondays, Aug. 14-Sept. 18 (no class on Sept. 4), 6:308:30 p.m., Oakwood Starbucks, 2424 Far Hills Ave.
— Word’s Worth Writing Center (www.wordsworthdayton. com) offers “Life Writing” with author and creative writing instructor Katrina Kittle. This series explores autobiographical writing a ndhowtoshape experiences into memoir and personal essay. See the website to register.
Monday, Aug. 14, 1-3 p.m., WashingtonCenterville Public Library, Centerville Library Lobby, 111 Spring Valley Road
— This month’s “2nd Monday Authors” program features Allison M. Dickson and her novel of dark contemporary fiction, “Strings.” Visit www.wclibrary.info, click on “Programs” in the upper right corner, and then on “2nd Monday Authors” for more details.
HARDCOVER FICTION
Maden Dean Koontz Elin Hilderbrand Michael Crichton Nora Roberts Janelle Brown
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Mark Manson Franken Grann Mike David Fisher Sandberg/Grant Robert O’Neill Steven R. Gundry David
TRAD PAPERBACKS
Doerr Michael Connelly John Grisham Daniel Silva Patterson/Roughan Paula Hawkins Danielle Steel Brad Thor Amor Towles B.A. Paris Milo Yiannopoulos Joshua Green William H. McRaven Newt Gingrich Eric Bolling Kevin Hart Ruth Ware Martha Hall Kelly John Grisham B.A. Paris Sha riLap ena Anthony Patterson/Fox