Success Stories

Diane Bier had three pieces published—“Radium Girls” in the January edition of Steel Jackdaw, a UK literary print journal, and in Red Rose Thorns—“Iron Cross” and “Weddings.” Diane said, “I’ve taken many classes with PWN since 2018 and currently take Lunchtime Write-Ins which have seen me through book inc and now my MFA.”

Liz deBeer, both student and instructor at PWN, had many pieces accepted for publication:
– “Broken” in Bright Flash Literary Review (February 2025)
– “Empty Bag” in Flash Fiction Magazine (February 2025)
– “Alternative Medicine, Inspired by ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’” in Please See Me (April 2025)
– “Making Luck” in Flash Fiction Friday (April 2025)
– “Channel the Birch” in Cosmic Daffodil Journal (April 2025)
– “Farewell to Emptiness” in Fictive Dreams (May 2025)
– “Torn” in Bull (June 2025)
– “Bottom Feeders” in Closed Eye Open/Maya’s Micros (June 2025)

Lauren DeFelice, book inc member and intern, received the Monmouth University Award in Academic Writing for her paper proposing the fusion of Mystery and Fantasy genres (Title: “The Alchemization and Subversion of Hardboiled Noir Through the Inclusion of Fantasy”). She also completed her fantasy-noir undergraduate thesis and successfully defended it this semester, read her poetry at an open mic (in Ireland!) which was a really special experience, and she graduated with Departmental Honors from Monmouth on May 15th—B.A. English with a concentration in Creative Writing.

Jaz, who teaches our Living Poetry class, wrote, directed, and produced her poetic short (10 minute short play) “Out Of The Heart Wicked Things Doth Come,” which was developed from her poem of the same name, at Venice Island Performing Arts Center’s 4th Annual ShoeBox Theatre Festival in May 2025. Her short made its debut in March for The Collective Mic Productions 2nd Annual “An Evening of Shorts Theatre and Multimedia Experience,” then again at Venice Island Performing Arts Center. Also, her poem “Please Don’t Drop The Children” was published in the Spring 2025 issue of Porcupine Literary.

After years of development, Jeffrey Delano Davis, student in many classes and frequent Lunchtime Writer, recently completed his screenplay: “I’m Chad, He’s James,” a profoundly personal dramedy exploring memory, identity, and grief through the lens of identical twins. The writing process challenged him to take emotional and structural risks—and pushed him to blend grounded drama with surreal, hallucinatory moments. The logline: When Chad’s estranged twin finally agrees to meet, he embarks on a journey to reconcile their past, only to realize that the reunion is merely a figment of his imagination.

Gay Edelman, writing instructor and leader of many of our retreats, had her poem, “Dandelion Boy,” published in the June/July issue of Friends Journal.

Jennifer Gaites, who runs Extraordinary Ordinary Stories as well as helping out with book inc programs, had an acceptance in the March/April issue of Literary Mama with her piece called “Unglued.” She also participated in “My Alter Ego” April show of Generation Women NJ.

Nathalia Garcia, PWN intern and teaching assistant, received her bachelor’s degree in English and education with an honorable mention in English from Georgian Court University.

Ann Marie Gardinier said: “PWN helped me get back into the routine of writing after a dry spell (due, primarily, to the loss of my mom). I have participated in Morning Pages since January; the routine and camaraderie have led to greater confidence in my writing, inspiration/ideas, and an awareness of different publications and opportunities. In addition, I also credit Morning Pages, Liz, and all the inspiring and supportive fellow writers with my submission and publications in Medium (February) and Spillwords (May), my application and acceptance to a writing residency in Amherst County, Virginia (May), and the reading of my work at public events in Richmond in April and June.”

Lisa Hartsgrove, PWN’s program coordinator and Lunchtime Write-In facilitator, was a featured storyteller in February’s Generation Women NJ show representing Team 30s under the theme of “End of an Era.” She was also accepted for publication in Friday Flash Fiction with her piece, “Fate.”

Longtime Lunchtime Writer Tina Hudak had her poem “Speaking to Starlings“ published in Spillwords Press. She also had three poems published in Chewers By Masticadores and her poem “Atrium” was one of the winning poems for the “Seesaw Quirky Poems” competition by Prolific Pulse Press.

Program manager Liz Jannuzzi’s memoir Sober Mom, which she wrote in the 2023 Memoir Incubator, will be published in July 2026 by She Writes Press. She also has a flash essay forthcoming in Under the Gum Tree. Liz is currently a PAL in book inc’s Memoir Incubator and she hosts PWN’s weekday writing group, Morning Pages.

Anna Kasun was a Team 20s storyteller at the May Generation Women NJ event. She read a story under the theme of “My Alter Ego” and it was her first time reading her own writing in front of a crowd. Anna is a participant in book inc’s Novel Incubator.

Lori Krein published her memoir, Chasing Bruce: Through the Backstreets and Beyond (confessions of a Springsteen fan). She said: “PWN was helpful through the Memoir writing class, and the Morning Pages Zoom meetings I attended for the past few months.”

Shanda McManus has signed with Split/Lip Press for her forthcoming memoir, Brother Epistles! Shanda has been taking classes with PWN for years. 

Lisa Johnson Mitchell, who teaches our Short Story classes, had her creative nonfiction book, Hair Brush with Fame, accepted by Finishing Line Press, the same publisher of her short story collection. 

Jenny Morelli, longtime student and Creative Writing instructor, published her third chapbook with Bottlecap Press, “My Heartshell,” which contains twenty-one poems about her childhood. She was also published in Friday Night Library, Issue 2, for six of her art-inspired poems, in Scars TV for “The Elevator Stop,” in Syncopation, Volume 4, Issue 2, for a music-inspired poem, in Moonday Magazine for a fantastical narrative poem to be released in print April 2026, in The Writer’s Journal for three poems, in Micromance for a microfiction piece, in NJ Bards for her poem, “The Rainbow Carpet” of which she did a live reading in Parsippany, NJ, in The Mersey Review issue 7, in Suddenly and Without Warning, in Sudden Flash, and in Spillwords for “The Pages of My Life.” 

LM Velez said she wants to express her gratitude for the creative inspiration and support she’s received through our Lunchtime Write-In classes, which she has attended in recent years. “Those sessions offered not only a space to write, but a sense of community and connection that deeply fueled my creative journey. Since then, I’ve gone on to publish two poetry collections: Poeta Vol. 1 and Poeta Vol. 2, which explore themes of love, memory, and the ephemeral nature of time. These books reflect my growth as a writer, and the quiet confidence I nurtured in your workshops.”