Reviewed by Pennell Paugh
July 26, 2023 (San Diego) — The San Diego Writers & Editors Guild is a nonprofit, member-supported organization dedicated to promoting the writing arts for youth and adults in San Diego. The Guild has been publishing anthologies of its members’ short stories, essays, and poetry since 2012. The 2022 version, New Beginnings, is the Guild’s best collection of stories so far.
“New Beginnings” is the anthology’s theme.
The book contains 19 short stories, 13 poems, and 13 memoir essays. For instance, a neophyte rower wins a league medal for his school, a washed-up detective looks for that redeeming case, an ex-con questions his self-worth, a new bride has second thoughts, and the world is saved by changing the past.
In the innovative entries, Guild authors have taken the “new beginnings” theme, spun it around, whipped it up, and turned it into something refreshing, stimulating, thought-provoking, soul-wrenching, or simply fun.
his reviewer found the majority of stories to be polished, inspiring, profound, or funny; some had a combination of these qualities. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys originality and variety.
One Response
I can’t thank Dennis Moore enough for the wonderful, touching review on the memoir I wrote, “Charlie’s Notes” –the story of my father’s life as a jazz musician. He really captured the intent and the tenderness of the story and I’m so grateful for the points he covered in his review. Dennis has taken extraordinary care with all his reviews and I’m so grateful I was included in one of his finest.