With all the writer’s groups that already exist on Face Book,
what makes your place unique?
Even though the Den is still in its infancy and currently confined
to a secret Facebook group, it provides a platform where Black
women writers can come together to share information, discuss
writing challenges, celebrate accomplishments (no matter how
small). The place is a space for everyone to know that even
though writing is a solitary profession, we are not alone. Since
January 2017, over 90 women have joined, which lets me know
others are looking for the same thing. I know more are on the
way and I’m keeping the light on for them.
How has the group impacted your writing?
The group makes me more accountable in my writing practice
because I usually check-in on the page when I start a session. I
do this by posing the question: “Is anyone else writing tonight?”
And when I’m done, I post it on the page along with an image
of a lantern, asking the last person writing to turn it off. It helps
to know I may not be the only person up writing until 3 a.m. It
also sets a routine that I’ve been told is welcome.
Do you think you’ll ever meet the women face to face?
We are currently planning our first public reading in August of
this year to introduce ourselves to the world. Stay tuned.
Victoria Kennedy is the author of Where Love Goes, a short
story collection. She is also a contributing author in The Dating
Game anthology. Her debut novel, Sometimes Love is coming
soon from Brown Girls Books. Victoria holds an MFA in Creative
Writing and Publishing Arts and resides in Baltimore, MD.
Naleighna Kai Literary Cafe Magazine July/August 2017 37