Give Thanks...A Writer Reunion

 Last weekend several writers at various stages of their creative career gathered for a one-day writing conference. It was a reunion for sorts for four of us. Those of us in the above picture all have at least one thing in common...we were all published through a small press, Xchyler Publishing. 

The name brings back so many wonderful memories.

Xchyler was my first paid gig. They published three of my short stories, two steampunk shorts and a paranormal, in various anthologies. The first one came out ten years ago and it changed my life.

I had graduated with my masters in English a few years before. I saw a call for submissions on a steampunk anthology. I entered. My piece was chosen. The year Mechanized Masterpieces came out, I went to my first writing con. As I sat at a vendor table, a family passed, everyone decked out in excellent steampunk cosplay. The father stopped and we chatted. I explained Xchyler was looking for submissions in their anthologies and hopefully publish any novels their short story writers had written. The man took the card.

He was a writer and submitted several stories to Xchyler. His stories were chosen. He told his co-worker about Xchyler and the co-worker submitted stories, too. His were also chosen. Those two authors have gone on to write and edited numerous novels. In addition, they have become ambassadors for writing in my state.

All of us at one time opened a box of books and saw our names on the cover. We can thank Xchyler for that. I'm grateful for Xchyler for publishing our words and stories. I'm grateful I can call these writers friends. I'm grateful someone took a chance on some unknowns. The reunion was wonderful. Hopefully, we can do it again next year.