Ageless Authors presents award-winning stories and poems
at events from the Southwest to the West Coast
Prize-winning tales are about to be told all across the West by the senior storytellers of Ageless Authors.
To celebrate the launch of their new anthology, DANG, I Wish I Hadn’t Done That, and herald the group’s current writing competition, writers age 65 and older will read their works at special events from Albuquerque to San Francisco.
At each stop during February, award-winning elder writers will read their work from the hot-off-the-press collection of 34 stories and poems all penned by seniors. They will sign books and answer questions from aspiring writers such as how to get started on a writing project, how to make your characters come alive and how to write dialogue.
“These are unique events we’ve had in Texas and up in the Northeast,” says Larry Upshaw, executive director of the international writers’ group and emcee of the events. “This will be our first time heading west. We start in Albuquerque, then two in Southern California and at least one in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are still in the process of adding tour stops to promote these writers and the anthology, so stay tuned.”
Kirkus Reviews has called the new book “A vibrant collection of pieces by an eclectic group of older writers…” OnlineBookClub.org was even more impressed: “A display of courage and vision, this remarkable collection of stories and poems could be a step forward in laying the foundation for a new literary field that reflects the wisdom and experience of seniority.”
“This generation of 65+ writers has some wonderful stories to tell and Ageless Authors has the best of the best,” says Upshaw, a long-time author, journalist, and marketing executive. “Seniors have a lot to say to people of all ages, and they say it in very creative ways.”
Ageless Authors provides a high level of literary competition to people who may not be able to find it elsewhere. Thousands of publications accept submissions, but Upshaw says the others favor young writers.
“An obvious vacuum existed in the publishing world before we initiated our first writing contest four years ago,” he says. “The response to our contests has been tremendous, from older writers worldwide, who tell us we are the only game in town for their creative expression.”
Ageless Authors anthologies include fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Various competitions offer prize money. Writers should go to agelessauthors.com/current-contests/ for the rules and guidelines of the group’s current call. Stories don’t necessarily need to win a contest to be included in an anthology. Decisions are made by an editorial board of writers, editors, educators and working professionals.
Writers with stories in DANG include long-time working professional writers as well as those who decided to return to writing after retirement from many other professions. Scheduled events are as follows:
Sunday, February 9 3PM
Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM
Tuesday, February 11 7PM
Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA
Wednesday, February 12 3PM
Barnes & Noble, 728 Spectrum Center Dr, Irvine, CA
Thursday, February 13 7PM
Books, Inc., 317 Castro St, Mountain View, CA
For further information about these events, contact Larry Upshaw, larry@agelessauthors.com, or (214) 405-5093.
