Chatham Writer's Sister Story Premieres In New Anthology About Sisterhood

CHATHAM, NJ — Colleen Markley understands the dynamics of sisterhood relationships and when the call came out for submissions for the Nickie’s Prize for Humor Writing, the winners to be featured in the new book "Sisters!: Bonded by Love and Laughter," Markley knew she had a story to tell.

Her essay, “Unflappably Calm, Occasionally Furious, Ready and Willing to Hide the Bodies,” was one of 21 submissions picked from 263 entries from 39 states, as well as Australia, Canada, Israel, Kenya, Spain and the United Kingdom, for placement in the Sisters book.

Described as the “humorous ups and downs of sisterhood,” with writers from all levels and walks of life, those chosen were inspired by the sisterly bond between humor writer Marcia Stewart and her sister Nickie, for whom the award was named, who passed away in 2018, only two months after learning that she had lung cancer.

Stewart called the submissions like Markley’s in a news release from the University of Dayton’s Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, the publisher of the anthology, as capturing “hilarious childhood memories to the meaning of sisterhood late in life.”

The book is being celebrated in a virtual launch on Nov. 1, with more details here on Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop’s Facebook Page. Registration is required for the launch, though it’s free to attend.

The contest for writers like Markley, Stewart added, was to honor the memory of her sister and “Make opportunities available to writers like Nickie - particularly those who wanted to try their hand at humor writing.”

“I’m thrilled to be included in this anthology with so many impressive humorists,” Markley said. “And my sister is excited to know what she’s getting for her birthday this year.”

For Markley, who was named the “Humor Writer of the Month” by the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop in June 2021,” to which she quipped she’s “working on being funny all the other months of the year too,” when she learned about the Nickie’s Prize contest, she said she “knew exactly what I wanted to write about.”

It was that bond with her sister, Karen, who she joked in an email to Patch was “obviously named before memes,” but who Markley said she's always called by the nickname “Petunia," which inspired her to pen her piece.

The sisters grew up in Pequannock Township, with Markley a Chatham Borough resident for nearly two decades, her 20-year anniversary in the borough this coming February.

“Karen shares my sense of humor and she and I love to laugh together, to get through all of what life throws our way,” she said of her sister.

The book features, “Q&As with famous sisters, poems and songs about sisters, quotes from and lists of trivia about real and fictional sisters in books, television and film,” with writers including author Kelly Corrigan, Jenny Lawson, Deborah Tannen, Marion Winik and Carol Saline; Saturday Night Live’s Laraine Newman; songwriter Stella Parton; and comic Wendy Liebman. There are tributes in the book about Bombeck, including one of her columns and an interview from writer Nancy Berk celebrating the relationship that Bombeck’s sons Andy and Matt, cherish with their sister, Betsy.

Described as “an award-winning writer, speaker and do-gooder” on her website, Markley recounts in her bio she began studying English at Boston University and when she read "Beowulf," became fascinated with the art of adapting classic books to screenplays, switching over to the College of Communications, where she delved into screenwriting, interned at Jim Henson pictures and won both the Screenwriting Achievement Award and Blue Chip Award before graduating cum laude.

Before staying home to raise her children, Markley worked as a writer for Thirteen/WNET.

Once she became involved in the Chatham community, Markley became active with the Newcomer’s Club, the Chatham Education Foundation, the Junior League of Summit, the Junior Leagues of New Jersey and Small League Big Impact, according to her website.

When Markley wrote that she returned to freelancing, she started her blog, “Yes, It Really Happened” in 2013 and began drafting novels.

Her book Lilith Land, is described as a “speculative fiction novel,” and is a “story about a pandemic virus and the end of the world where only the women survive,” which she follows with, “it’s a novel, not an action plan.”

Follow Markley’s writing adventures on her website at www.colleenmarkley.com and her Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/AuthorColleenMarkley.

Click here to view Sisters!: Bonded by Love and Laughter on Amazon, with proceeds from the book earmarked for the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop endowment fund.

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