As Bruce Coffin noted yesterday, on Sunday a group of us gathered at Bull Feeney’s in Portland for Noir at the Bar, thanks to the great organization of Brenda Buchanan. Each of us read a small passage from one of our works.

I had invited some friends and one couple showed up with their daughter who wants to be a writer. Talking with her before Noir started reminded me what a benefit events like that are, and also what a benefit groups like Maine Crime Writers are. As we all know, writing is a very solitary endeavor. Certainly, there are parts that are not solitary. There are many opportunities for collaboration and critique groups and the like, but writing is primarily a digging deep into ourselves and our imaginations. Sometimes, after a lot of digging, we find water (or oil, depending on what we’re looking for), but sometimes that hole can get a little deep and dry.

Events like Noir remind me what a wonderful, supportive community we all write in. It is a joy to hear smart people put pieces of their imagination on display.

It inspired me. And I hope it inspired my friends’ daughter.

To check out books by Brendan as well as by his father and son, visit their website.