Program Description
Event Details
The Scarsdale Library Writers Center’ Spring Festival of Writing will return in June with two festive evenings of readings! The free events will take place on the evenings of June 2nd and June 9th, from 6pm - 8pm on the beautiful front lawn of the Scarsdale Library. Members of the Library’s Writer Critique Groups will read selections from their work, including poetry, fiction, memoir, and essays. The public is invited and refreshments will be served.
The Writers Center support and promote local writers in a variety of genres. In addition to the Writer Critique Groups, the Writers Center has held a number of programs during the year, including a Meet & Greet and a holiday book fair. There also is now a separate group for local poets. In addition, the library maintains a Writers Center display at the front of library near the new books section, where books by local authors are displayed.
The twice-yearly Festival of Writing was previously held in the Scott Room and was graciously hosted by Bronx River Books in Scarsdale Village when the library was closed for renovation. The festival was also put on pause in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
The writers who will be reading are part of the two critique groups led by Barbara Josselsohn that meet at the library and on Zoom. Readers for each evening will be announced in advance of the events.
Michael Feinstein: is an aspiring Artist/Writer who has lived in Irvington with his wife and daughters for over 30 years. He has been a member of the Scarsdale Library Critique Program for over 3 years, writing personal essays, although lately he’s been focusing on short fiction as well. Other than writing, his passions include: drawing and painting, tennis, pickleball, swimming, and spending. summers with his family in Columbia County. His work in technology and finance has included much business writing which has led him to expand into other types of writing which he enjoys.
Ann Foley: was born in Dublin Ireland and has lived in the New York City area for more than fifty years. Ann’s background is in Nursing and health care. She has participated in a number of writing groups and workshops focusing on memoir and short stories. Her writing has appeared in Read 650 and Boomer Café
Greg French: is a freelance writer based in Yonkers. When he's not writing for clients, he's writing for himself. And no matter how much he writes, it's always fun. He's completed two novels (unpublished) and is close to finishing a third. His short fiction has appeared in the Westchester Review.
Jackie Friedman: has a BA in Speech and Theater, and a MA in Early Childhood Education. She has always been fascinated by stories about real people, and that has led her to explore memoir as a primary genre. She often threads political and historic elements into her work. Jackie has been published in “The East Hampton Star,” “The Darien News,” and “The Scarsdale Enquirer.” In addition, she has participated in “Story Salon East,” a group that shares stories before an audience. She is also an enthusiastic member of the Scarsdale Scribes and the Darien Writers’ Workshop. Connect with Jackie on her site redbrickstoryteller.com
Jennifer Hudson writes short and long fiction, works in higher education, and plans to pursue a call to ordained ministry. Jennifer lives next door in Connecticut and enjoys coming to Scarsdale for writing events and, of course, the chicken cutlet heros at Nonni's Deli.
Jean Huff is a semi-retired attorney from Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. She loves reading and writing about LGBTQ main characters falling in love and experiencing the happily ever after they deserve. Her passion for creating her stories comes partially from her work as a co-facilitator at PFLAG Westchester, a chapter of the national organization supporting parents and allies of LGBTQIA+ loved ones. She has workshopped both of her unpublished novels at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence and the Westport Writers’ Workshop, and she participated in From A to LGBTQ, an event featuring straight and LGBTQ writers, and had her essay, In and Out, featured through Read|650 (read650.com).
Lucy Iscaro: writing was a solitary occupation until she found the amazing Scarsdale Public Library’s Writer’s Center Workshop. She credits the patient, talented, and insightful Barbara Josselsohn, as well as her workshop peers for helping her grow as a writer. Her poetry and essays have since appeared in print in The New York Times, Good Old Days Magazine, Reflections, Pause and Reflect, and Word Fountain. Other essays and poetry can be found in the digital publications of The New York Times Opinion, Poeticamagazine, boomercafe.com, Eat, Darling, Eat, and Motherwell. She’s presented essays on stage, on youtube, and in podcasts with Read650.com. Lucy lives in White Plains where she, along with her husband Jim, and tenacious terrier, Cali, maintain a Little Free Library.
Janet Jacobson:I am a professional musician who has a passion for the written word. Always have been writing, began with daily journal writing and working now on my memoir.I had inspiring writers as instructors at my university, classes at NYU in creative writing, and benefitting now from the stimulating writing program at the Scarsdale Library.
Janice Peran lives in Scarsdale, New York with her husband Michael, and their two sons, Mitchell and Avi. Janice has been writing since she was in first grade. She has been a member of Barbara Jossselsohn’s writing group with the Scarsdale Public Library for many years.
Donna Seife: loves theater, writing, traveling and time spent with her family. She began her career as a Strategic Planner, working at several NY Advertising Agencies. She is one of the founding Executive Board members of Impact100 Westchester, a women’s collective giving organization which to date has awarded 2 and a half million dollars to westchester non-profits. Currently she is a docent at the Neuberger Museum of Art. She has been involved with Hadassah for over eighteen years, serving as the Book Group chair for several years. Donna is passionate about the arts and supports many organizations that make art and culture available to wider audiences. She has a BA in Psychology from Brandeis University and a Masters in Psychology from Yeshiva University.
Lisa VanGundy :has been a participant in the Writer's Center since it's inception. She is also a photographer, covers events for The Scarsdale Forum and has had articles and photos published in the Scarsdale Inquirer. She writes historical and futuristic fiction, how to's and parapsychology.
Mary Wasacz: has worked in hospice as a bereavement and spiritual care coordinator. She is certified by the American Nurses Association as a clinical specialist in psychiatric nursing and is a family therapist. Mary and her family live in Westchester County, New York
For more information about the Scarsdale Library Writers Center, visit scarsdalelibrary.org/scarsdale-library-writers-center/ or email SPLWritersCenter@wlsmail.org