Southwest Chapter
MWASW Webmaster 
By Carol Bennetts
In my recently self-published novel, GALVESTON GODDESS, the protagonist is a mental health professional who takes a leave of absence and becomes an advice columnist. Using the “physician, heal thyself” method, I finally figured out a few things about what didn’t work and what did to help me cross the finish line and get the book into the world.
By James A. Hearn
Whenever someone needs a nudge to get out of a rut or take up a new challenge, out of my mouth comes, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” It adds some gravitas if you and your listener have both been drinking, and if you can trot out Emerson with an absolute straight face.
By M.E. Proctor
Three years ago when fellow crime author Russell Thayer suggested that we write a short story together I had never written any piece of fiction with anybody. My only collaborative experience went back to an economic policy report with a fellow researcher, after college.
By Mark Thielman
In the March blog for MWA Southwest, Saralyn Richard described some chance meetings along her writing path, calling them “serendipitous.” Her words resonated with me, as I often feel my entire writing career has been marked by similar fortuitous encounters.
By William Dylan Powell
Ideas always come to me at the same time: lying in bed when I’m not quite awake yet. Everyone is different, but for me they come all at once: the beginning, middle, end, characters, what could make it interesting, how a story might be structured. It all appears as though a magician has pulled it from a hat.
By Saralyn Richard
Once in a while in the writers’ journey, serendipitous moments occur, and they seem magical. I’ve had three such moments recently and will share them with you.