When writers gather

Writing is a lonely vocation. Most of it is done either alone in an office or with a cadre of imaginary friends inside the author’s own head. Occasionally, that cycle is broken and a group of writers gather. That happened for me this past weekend in Gilbert, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix. 

I belong to a few different writers’ organizations, each with its own purpose. The conference this weekend brought together members of the American Night Writers Association or ANWA. Founded in October, 1986 by Marsha Ward and five other women, the group served mommies with young children. These mothers also aspired to be authors; some were already published and others saw themselves publishing one day. They wrote at night, after the children were asleep, hence the name/

The group that started 33 years ago in a living room now includes 350 members. About half are published authors; the rest aspire to be. Many members have years of publishing experience, multiple book contracts, and designation as best sellers on some impressive lists. Creative energy abounds. It practically buzzes in the air all around us. 

When we combine large numbers of writers—who, by nature, are introverts—with the opportunity to network, teach, and learn, beautiful things happen. I attended workshops on everything from how to create emotional resonance, to writing inspirational non-fiction, to book marketing and taxes; met some multi-talented people, shopped in a store stocked with members' books, and had the opportunity to share some of my own experience in the publishing industry. The weekend inspired, thrilled, impressed and exhausted us all, but it was a lovely kind of tired.

One highlight came when I sat at a table with Marsha Ward, whose vision created ANWA and whose books—dozens of them—grace a number of different publishing platforms and top-seller lists. (That's Marsha in black.) I’ve been to conferences before and I plan to attend more. Every one sends me away refreshed, invigorated, and eager to sit down and write. I can hardly wait to finish Winter Skye. Any day now. . . .

Susan loves to hear from readers. Write her at susan.aylworth.author@gmail.com, or visit www.susanaylworth.com or her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Susan.Aylworth.Author. Watch for Amber in Autumn, Book 3 in the "Seasons of Destiny" series, coming near the end of September.  Books 1 and 2, Paris in the Springtime and  Sunny's Summer are available in e-book and paperback formats. Winter Skye will follow soon. Stay in touch! 

Visiting the Neighbors

Here where we live in northern California, we boast the largest municipal park in the nation. Parts of it look like deep wilderness, until you hear a car horn from just a few dozen yards away. Other parts are truly wild, inhabited by bobcats, eagles, lynx, bears, and cougars. Some of our favorite and most frequently glimpsed wildlife are the deer.

For reasons I can understand (I'd feel the same way if I were a deer), they like to hang out on the golf course in Upper Park. The grass is well-tended and hunting is unlawful. Thus, the deer have little to fear from humans and, although not at all tame, they are unafraid if we don't approach too closely.

One day last week, my hubby and I decided to take a short drive. We wanted to visit the neighbors. It didn't take long to discover them. We found the yearling girls grazing peacefully together with the Boys' Club slightly removed. A few minutes later, they wandered nearer and we got an even better view. 

That's when I chose to pay our friends a more personal visit. One of the young bucks lifted his head and twitched an ear, letting me know he was keeping an eye on me, but other than that, they behaved in a neighborly manner and we had a pleasant time.  This is just one of the things I love about the beautiful place where we live.

Susan loves to hear from readers. Write her at susan.aylworth.author@gmail.com, or visit www.susanaylworth.com or her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Susan.Aylworth.Author. Watch for Amber in Autumn, Book 3 in the "Seasons of Destiny" series, coming near the end of September. 

Sometimes, a mom has to brag

Sometimes a mom just has to brag. I'm enormously pleased with and proud of each of my children. I've shared their successes in this blog more than once. Today my brag is about my son, John, and what he has recently accomplished.

At the end of August, we celebrated the ribbon-cutting for Xytogen, the BioTech company John founded four years ago in Silicon Valley. This ceremony fulfilled a dream our son has long harbored to bring his work back to his hometown. He couldn't have been happier.

The event turned out to be rather a big deal. Staff members from our state assemblyman's office presented a certificate thanking John for bringing BioTech to the north state. Professors who taught John in his MBA program came, as did the dean of his department and the university provost, scientists and physicians, and about 80 others.

We always knew John was bright, creative, and driven, but we could never guess what he'd do with all of that. We certainly didn't expect this.

Our son took a winding career path to find his way into BioTech. After working several years in orthopedics, he became interested in regenerative medicine. He was especially curious about the potential for stem cells, ethically derived from adult fat tissue, to soothe and heal. He began working with highly skilled scientists to investigate the possibilities.

What developed was Factor Five, a "pharmaceutical." Stem cell proteins form the basis for a serum, a cream, and an eyelash treatment scientifically proven to slow or even reverse the aging process in facial cells and increase the length and volume of eyelashes and brows. 

The company has taken off. The products, now available mostly through dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and estheticians, have been hugely successful. For John, skin care is a way in to the field. His goal is to develop burn and wound treatments to reduce suffering throughout the world.

At the official grand opening, I learned new things about stem cells. John's staff conducted tours through the building, introducing the company and the products in the large reception/conference room and then taking visitors into the lab. There, with the delicate stem cells carefully sheltered, post-doctorate PhDs who work with Xytogen explained something of the science for how and why the treatments are so effective. It's impressive.

I'm pleased for my son and for his family, who now have Dad working closer to home. I'm thrilled for the community to have the burgeoning field of BioTech growing here in our backyard. Mostly, I'm one proud mama, not just of John, but of each of my children. Stick around. I'm likely to share more of that pride in the future.

When Susan isn't bragging about her kids and grandkids, she writes swoon-worthy small town romances. Her latest series is "Seasons of Destiny." Watch for Amber in Autumn, coming soon. 

They're All Grand!

Our newest grandson turned 24 last week. Please note I didn't say our youngest who has his first birthday this week. Callum (we call him Cal) joined our family this past February when he married our eldest granddaughter, Samantha.

Cal brings a number of firsts to our clan: (1) He is our first grandson-in-law; (2) He married our firstborn granddaughter; (3) His new dad-in-law is our first son; (4) Because we could not attend the wedding (they were married two states away when I was days out of surgery), we first met Cal last month when Sam brought him to our family reunion, dubbed AylaPalooza. (See the family portrait below.)

Probably the biggest first he brings? He's a citizen of the U.K., born in Dumfries, Scotland, and studying at the University of York when he and Sam met through mutual friends. We've never had a Brit in the family until now. Because he needed a special visa to come to the U.S.A., and because things were a bit . . . shall we say, impacted? . . . at U.S. Immigration Services, Cal and Sam were engaged for almost 18 months before they could marry. It's the sort of sweet love story I may one day write.

Sam is delighted. She's been waiting for Mr. Right (not Mr. Wright; he married our daughter), and Cal fits nicely. Sam graduated a few months back and now has a high-powered job with Dell. She can support them in style while Cal attends university here to complete his degree. Until he's accepted, he is working as a teller in a bank near their apartment. That fits well into his plans; he's earning a degree in finance. He has also lived in Hong Kong and speaks Cantonese, so we can foresee an interesting and prosperous future for this cute couple.

They couldn't appear happier and we are all happy for them. For my part, I'm thrilled to have a new grandson, even if he's already several inches taller than I am. My grandchildren are all truly grand, no matter how they join our family.

Watch for Amber in Autumn, Book 3 in the "Seasons of Destiny" series, coming near the end of September. 

Making Lemonade, MCO in NYC

Some months ago, my baby girl, Rebecca, and her eldest son, Caleb, signed up with a wonderful group for an amazing opportunity. In becoming part of the Millennial Choirs and Orchestra (MCO), they looked forward to several important concerts, their summer season culminating in a highlight performance in Carnegie Hall.

Titled "Nearer, my God, to Thee," the concert began with an astonishing and deeply moving arrangement of "A Mighty Fortress" and consisted mostly of sacred music. Since the performance was scheduled for mid-July, they also offered a patriotic segment.


Five groups of choirs and orchestras from around the southwest studied the same music, preparing to divide into three casts, each of which would have one big night on the stage in the renowned Stern Concert Hall. Becca and Caleb were in the "blue" cast, scheduled for Saturday, July 13.

With a once-in-a-lifetime experience ahead of them, and a sold-out concert hall awaiting, Becca and Caleb endured an intense rehearsal schedule, costume fittings, and all the expected preparation. That wasn't all. The rest of the family wanted to see them in concert, and since they were going to be in Manhattan, they certainly wanted to take a few bites of all the Big Apple had to offer. Months of work, planning, and saving led up to the big day.

There they were, rehearsing on the concert stage, when the lights went out. At first, they didn't let it bother them. Accustomed to having the lighting technicians at work while they were, they continued on, using only the battery-operated lights on the orchestra's music stands to continue. When the blackout did not ease, the group became restless. This wasn't just normal light-testing, was it?

Soon the Hall officials came in to report that something had happened, blacking out all of central Manhattan. Yes, their scheduled performance was on that night, the night the lights went out throughout the central city on the exact anniversary of the 1977 Manhattan blackout. July 13 also came during Manhattanhenge, the one time annually when the setting sun lines up with the downtown streets.

For a short time, the musicians continued to rehearse, hoping and praying that the power would come back in time for their concert as scheduled. The Hall's staff knew when their fail-safe point occurred, the hour when it would be too late to load in an audience even if the power did return. When that time arrived, they came in to deliver the bad news: For the first time in its history, Carnegie Hall canceled a performance due to technical problems.

Imagine the heartbreak. This concert had been the focus of months of work, not just for hundreds of musicians, but for thousands of people among their family and friends, many of whom had traveled to NYC to enjoy the experience with loved ones. The disappointment was tangible for them all.

As they exited the hall, one woman announced, "I came here to sing. Let's sing." Most of the orchestra members could not participate, given the difficulty of setting up instruments on 57th Street, but the singers quickly organized and an impromptu concert began. Soon their director came up with a makeshift podium and began leading the group.

As the sun set between the skyscrapers of Manhattan, the Millennial Choirs sang. Though they missed their opportunity to perform to the 2,800+ people who would have heard them inside the hall, they ended up singing to hundreds on the streets of Manhattan. Several million have now heard their performances recorded on YouTube. (See #MCOINNYC I Stand All Amazed Carnegie Hall - NYC Power Outage, I Believe in Christ -

The Millennial Choirs and Orchestra went to New York to sing praises in a famous hall, but ended up singing to the world. It's a story I will always remember when stuck with lemons and making lemonade.