I did a reading for Women's Way of Ohio and Kentucky last Saturday night. The "salon" was held in the Women Writing for (a) Change building on Plainfield Road in Silverton. It was a congenial group, meeting on the Eve of Mother's Day, and I read the piece I wrote for Cincinnati Magazine about my mother and my struggle with her decline: at the age of 88 she thinks she has the right to decline her own way. The pain, as they say, is in the conflict. After I read, we formed a large circle and each woman in the circle talked about her own mother. One woman teared up. Her mother had recently died, and she was thankful for the women in the circle because they had come every day with food and support. Overall it was an intimate feeling which I hadn't expected.

This particular group has been meeting for 2 and ½ years, growing and changing, morphing into what its founders call a "salon," a meeting to discuss ideas. Founder Beverly Bowers, who is a great supporter of women artists, says she is not aware of any group like it, and anyone who has something to say is welcome to attend.

I will read again this Thursday night at the Mercantile Library with a group of writers who have contributed to a volume called The Cincinnati Anthology. And we will read again on June 12th at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. I hope to see you at one of these upcoming events.