Nicola Lewis Kemp uses writing as a coping mechanism.
Diagnosed with depression as a teenager, it’s something she always struggled with and poety was a useful outlet.
After putting it down for a number of years, she was spurred to pick up the pen again when her step-brother died of a drug overdose a few years ago.
That’s when she found the GIFted Genre Writing Group and started experimenting more with prose writing.
“I can’t express how amazing and how valuable the support is of people that you look up to and admired for their work.”
Now, for the second time, her writing is being featured in the third annual anthology of the group’s writing, GIFt Horse Episode 3: Revenge of the GIFt, which had its official launch on Sunday afternoon at Bar1911.
The book features the writing of 10 Island authors and in a variety of genres, from westerns to fables and works range from short stories to plays to a song.
It’s that variety that makes the group special said member Ryan Gallant, who acted as one of the editors of the collection.
“I think we bring out the best in each other because we’re kind of all peas in the same pod of weirdness.”
Weirdness may be the only through-line with all the stories as everyone writes in different genres and often experiment, said Lewis Kemp.
“We have that great diversity within our group … we don’t stick to just one genre, we have all kinds of different kinds of writers.”
While Lewis Kemp is thankful for the support of the group, Gallant finds the accountability provided by the monthly meetings to be the most useful.
In one of the few structured parts of their meetings, everyone participates in an accountability circle, telling the others what they’ve been working on and what they need to do next, he said.
“It kind of makes you take stock of writing for the month. If you’ve had writer’s block or been swept up in other things, it gets you back on track.”
Award winners
The writing group attracts and nurtures its share of talent.
It’s talent that has been recognized, too, including winning all three Maritime Electric Short Story Awards at this year’s Island Literary Awards.
For his part, Gallant won the P.E.I. Writer’s Guild Battle Tales competition in April.
Despite the accolades, the group is always open to new writers who want to reach out on the group’s Facebook or Instagram accounts, said Lewis Kemp.
“Newcomers are always welcome and for those who are wanting to write, just put pen to paper and write what you know.”
GIFt Horse Episode 3: Revenge of the GIFt can be purchased on Amazon.
