Ya Gotta Have Friends, Part 2: My Pack

Last night I got together with my pack—a group of extraordinary moms, friends and writers. We began almost six years ago as virtual strangers. We came together in kind of a happenstance karma: a friend of a friend who knew two of us were aspiring writers and scribbled our names and numbers on an envelope; a failed attempt at forming a Writers’ Group; a chance conversation between new neighbors.

Through the magic of time and the unabashed sharing of dreams, disappointments, successes and troubles, we have grown into the kinds of friends that you might read about in a really good Chick Lit book and know that it had to be totally made-up— just too good to be true.

We call ourselves The Literary Lushes, which is surely a bit of an embellishment (we’re writers, after all!) Introducing my pack, in the order in which they appear:

Amy Moellering—the modern incarnation of the 50’s sitcom moms like Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best, with a little I Love Lucy on the side. Amy is now busying herself putting the finishing touches on her wonderful, heartfelt YA novel. Amy also writes a weekly column for the local paper about schools, a subject about which she is quite the expert as she tirelessly volunteers and shuttles around her three very talented, super-active kids.

Keely Parrack—an inspiration to us all—a smart, funny Brit with a laser-beam focus, who can’t be tempted away from her writing schedule for silly pursuits like going for coffee, cleaning the toilets or grocery shopping. Keely just landed a Big-Time New York City agent to represent her YA novel, Fragments. Remember this name, and that you heard it here first.

Cameron Sullivan—what else can I say about Cameron, that I haven’t already said, here. Other than being the Other Woman in Dog’s life, she is contagiously fun and enthusiastic and passionate and one of the most prolific writers I personally know. She has written over 100 humor columns for our local paper and so many feature articles that I don’t even think she bothers to clip them any more. Cameron is now furiously working away on her YA novel.

Grace Navalta—award-winning storyteller, and one of the most generous, kind and joyful people I know. And resilient! No matter what life throws at her, Grace comes roaring back—wiser and wilder than ever. Grace is working on a totally amazing multi-generational tale of her family’s life from the Philippines to the United States.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I love my pack.