October 10, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Yocum Institute
Rev. Dr. Harry L. Serio on Reflections...
Harry Serio will share his reflections: on the reasons for writing each of his books, sources, and progression to his latest book - including elements from his personal journey; on how his fourth book, Gray Matter, Dark Matter, and Doesn't Matter (2024), reflects his changing attitudes toward philosophy and religion, and the nature of consciousness; on his early connection to our writers group and the late Linda Thomas.
BIO: Harry L. Serio is the author of four books: The Dwelling Place of Wonder (2016), The Mysticism of Ordinary and Extraordinary Experience (2021), The Other Side of Memory (2022), and Gray Matter, Dark Matter, and Doesn't Matter (2024). He is a minister in the United Church of Christ, a frequent lecturer and workshop leader in the areas of archaeology, spirituality, and the arts and meditation, and is past-president of the Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies.
November 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Yocum Institute
Marilyn LT Klimcho on Son of a #@%$
Marilyn plans a ninety-minute writing exercise she calls: Son of a #@%$, which begins with discovering how to write witty aphorisms, and then shows the participant how to turn aphorisms into either part of a short story or part of the beginning of a much larger piece. There’ll be plenty of time to share your work as we move through a simple, three-step process for producing a finished piece of writing.
BIO: Marilyn LT Klimcho is the author of numerous poems, one-minute plays, and short stories. Her work has appeared in the Schuylkill Valley Journal,
the Pennsylvania Poetry Society’s annual prize poem publications, the National State Poetry Society’s annual prize poem publications,
and her short plays have been staged in New York City and in the UK. She’s also the producer and host of Pub Date with an Author,
available on Berks Community Television and YouTube, among other platforms.
(Aphorisms are concise, clever statements that convey a general truth or principle. Examples are: Every cloud has a silver lining; Better safe than sorry; A penny saved is a penny earned.)
December 12, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Yocum Institute
J.A. Stein on Balancing Passions: Creating a novel while doing what you love
Ever wanted to write your story and just couldn't find a way to start? Is the balance of time, family, and work preventing you from getting it down on paper? Join J.A. Stein as she shares her journey to publication after years of working in another career, and how she continues to write in the midst of a life shift into motherhood. Full of tips on managing your time, chiseling away on your manuscript, and the steps behind her process to get from draft to print efficiently without breaking the bank.
BIO: J.A. Stein grew up exploring the woods surrounding her Pennsylvania home. It was there that she learned to let her imagination run wild. Love of the outdoors led to a career training horses, now shared with her passion for writing, for which she has a bachelor degree. Her novels Knightess and The Last Farm are winners of a Royal Dragonfly Book Awards