Playing it “By The Book!”

Whether leaving written legacies for the next generation, or just writing for the sheer joy of it, the prolific community of resident writers at Atlantic Shores is expressing themselves in their own personal way, and giving back to the world with their talent.

For almost 20 years, a rotating group of nearly 20 writers has been gathering to explore and creates using the written word. Initially starting with a group of retired professional scribes, the Atlantic Shores Writer’s Group has grown to encompass a wide variety of writers in a variety of genres.

Meeting twice monthly, the first gathering is a free-form session, with each member reading something they’ve written on a subject of their choice. Leaning to the personal strengths and interests of each member, styles range from memoirs and short stories to poems and fiction.

At the second monthly meeting, members lend their personal styles to a single common topic, chosen to challenge their creative juices.

This diverse group spans a wide range of writing abilities but shares a common love of writing.   Some members come from career paths involving writing, from technical writers to textbook publishers. Others have taught writing to the next generation, serving as English teachers and college Communications professors.

Some are discovering writing as a new creative expression for the first time, evolving from prior careers as diverse as scientific lab professionals, military engineering psychologists, ministers, and interior designers.

Each year, the group self-published two short compendiums of member’s work, as a tangible way to share and carry forward their writing. Residents throughout our community with a love for writing are also producing published works that explore their passions, or monumental times in their lives. Some are also using sales proceeds from their works to support causes important to them.

Resident and retired Virginia Beach City fishing blogger Mike Halperin turned his love of Virginia saltwater fishing into a popular fishing memoir, True Tales of the Tide: An Angler’s Lifelong Quest. A portion of the books’ royalties is being donated to the Healing Waters Fly Fishing Project, which teaches wounded veterans and PTSD victims to fly fish as part of their recovery, at no cost to the veterans.

We salute our talented writers!