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Penning the Pandemic: An anthology of creative writing from the beginning of the COVID era
Creative writing applied to the sudden crisis of 2020 shares the shock, the anguish, the courage, and the resilience of humanity in extraordinary times. After science and politics have had their say, art is left to record what the survivors felt and what they learned at heart.
Penning the Pandemic was produced through cooperation between the Monadnock Writers Group (based in Peterborough, New Hampshire) and Khotso Publishing, This anthology contains personal experiences, poetry, short stories and theater.
Penning the Pandemic was produced through cooperation between the Monadnock Writers Group (based in Peterborough, New Hampshire) and Khotso Publishing, This anthology contains personal experiences, poetry, short stories and theater.
172 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2020
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October 20, 2020
Penning the Pandemic: An anthology of creative writing from the beginning of the COVID era.
Disclaimer: I am one of the contributors to this anthology of personal experiences, poetry, short stories and theater.
These works were written during the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic, between March and May, 2020. Writers submitted their works to the Monadnock Writers Group, based in Peterborough, New Hampshire. While most of the authors are from New England, some are from other parts of the United States, as well as Canada, Bangladesh, and other places. Many have had works previously published, a few have won awards, and others are seeing their writings in print for the first time (either ever, or in a long time).
I read this volume with a great deal of interest. The theme of the early days of the pandemic runs through virtually every work. Many touch on loneliness, isolation, staying home, venturing out for the first time, wearing face masks, searching for toilet paper and other essential items, foraging and gardening, and reading and writing to stay sane. Prayer and meditation come up a few times. Aggressiveness and violence is addressed once directly, and in another place humorously.
The book finally came out in print 6 months after the pandemic arrived in this region, and four months after the submission deadline. It is fascinating to read this volume from this perspective, when we have learned to “live with” this pandemic, not knowing when it will end, and knowing that winter is coming when we will all have to go back inside. In many ways the book is a sobering reminder of where we’ve been, and maybe a bit about where we’re headed again. It is a priceless time capsule of this era.
Disclaimer: I am one of the contributors to this anthology of personal experiences, poetry, short stories and theater.
These works were written during the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic, between March and May, 2020. Writers submitted their works to the Monadnock Writers Group, based in Peterborough, New Hampshire. While most of the authors are from New England, some are from other parts of the United States, as well as Canada, Bangladesh, and other places. Many have had works previously published, a few have won awards, and others are seeing their writings in print for the first time (either ever, or in a long time).
I read this volume with a great deal of interest. The theme of the early days of the pandemic runs through virtually every work. Many touch on loneliness, isolation, staying home, venturing out for the first time, wearing face masks, searching for toilet paper and other essential items, foraging and gardening, and reading and writing to stay sane. Prayer and meditation come up a few times. Aggressiveness and violence is addressed once directly, and in another place humorously.
The book finally came out in print 6 months after the pandemic arrived in this region, and four months after the submission deadline. It is fascinating to read this volume from this perspective, when we have learned to “live with” this pandemic, not knowing when it will end, and knowing that winter is coming when we will all have to go back inside. In many ways the book is a sobering reminder of where we’ve been, and maybe a bit about where we’re headed again. It is a priceless time capsule of this era.
Displaying 1 of 1 review