Jane,

I’m sure you don’t remember me, but five years ago I took a Writing Salon workshop with an instructor there named Laura (can’t recall her last name at the moment but she had longish blond hair). Anyway, my name is Vinny Carrella and The Writing Salon was my FIRST exposure to fiction writing. I wrote my first short story there and subsequently went on to write a prize-winning story called The Serpent Box and the Poison Jar that received enough attention to land me an agent. This led to me writing my first novel (same title).

I will spare you the details about what a long, difficult struggle it was to write the novel, fire my agent, find a new one and then attempt to get the novel sold. What I wanted to tell you was that we just sold the novel to Harper/Collins Perennial. It’s slated for release in February of 2007 and I give YOU and the Writing Salon credit for getting me started. I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for the Writing Salon I would never have written my book. The love and support, the relaxed no-pressure, non-competitive atmosphere and the level of instruction itself (not to mention the quality of the instructors) was perfect for me. As you know, writing is incredibly difficult on both a technical and emotional level. I think that your Salon helped me to understand what I needed to know not only to write something of high-caliber, but to get it published. You guys set the bar high and you held my hand and you made the beginning painless.

I just thought you’d like to know. I thank you. And I hope that someday I can come do a reading for you and the Writing Salon and do my part to help other new writers find their wings.

All the best,

Vinny Carrella

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