Welcome, Brian,

I love science fiction and I’m hoping to read yours. Your chapter idea is a useful goal to aim for. I’ll try it.

Thanks.

Judith

Welcome to the group, Jeanne. Glad you’re here.

Judith

My Lord and Lady Nutt,

Welcome to the course. It will be fun getting to know you.

Respectfully yours,

Judith (a simple Peasant)

I loved it, Sunny. How can I get ahold of the first one? I agree that he caved so easily. I’ll bet his mother was too. But as a mother myself, I take what I can get.

Thanks for sharing the story. I’m really looking forward to the first installment.

Judth

Steph,

Your story tore my heart out.

When my beloved friend Tom developed Cushings disease and foundered, I went through all the thoughts and feelings you list when writing about your dog.

With Tom the choice had to be mine. No one else could make it. But that didn’t keep me from feeling I’d murdered my best friend. I knew he was in terrible pain. I knew that with the best I could give him, he would still be in terrible pain. But I still felt like a traitor.

Unlike your beautiful dog, Tom didn’t go so easily into the dark. Even now, ten years later, I can’t write about it.

Thank you for writing it for me.

Judith

Ann,

What a wonderful…story? Memoir? Personal essay about how not to take a walk?

Whatever it is, I felt like I was there with you. I spend my life lost in space, so I can imagine how you felt on the walk from hell.

The time you and Ron were separated was so graphically expressed it gave me the chills. I was a little less freaked out by the water shortage because dying of dehydration usually takes a bit more time than it feels like it will, but my relief when you found the spring was real. Then you ran out of water again! Clearly you weren’t drinking enough retsina. An extra bottle would have been a real help.

I enjoyed your writing very much. My only dislike? I had to constantly repeat my mantra to keep from running away: “I am a beginning writer. I don’t have to write this well.”

I am going to learn a lot on this course from writers like you.

Judith

Hi, Gwen,

I’m glad you decided to join the course as part of your “what then?”. Looking forward to getting to know you and your work.

Judith

I don’t really know who my audience is. I write stories for adults–crazy short stories, memoir–but my some of my favorite books to read are about Very Young Adult horse-crazy kids. I’m better at writing the first than the second.

The audience I know consists mostly of friends, some family (although, ‘Gee, that’s very cute’ is not the reaction I’m hoping for) and, basically, anyone else willing to give them a go.

Clearly, I have to refine my audience profile.

James,
Can I hijack your introduction? It gave me a wonderfully precise idea of who you are. With plenty of room for new discoveries.

Glad you’re n the course.

Judith

Welcome, Lori-Marie,

I look forward to getting to know you.

Judith

Welcome, Paloma, glad you’re here.

Judith

Welcome, Chelsea! Looking forward to getting to know you. This is a truly diverse group.

Judith

Welcome Margie,

Very glad you are in the group. I’m overwhelmed by what you have accomplished already.

Welcome.