New friendship and new realms

When others were whiling away their weekends at rooftop bars, a group of friends were sitting in silence for hours.

This septet, which formed 3 years ago after a free writing workshop at Logan North Library, spent their free time attending their at-home writing group session.

Now, the group – Cheyenne Appleby, Ari, Lauryn Lambert, Chris Leach, Alyssa Simone, Tanja Tuovinen and Lilamaya Warner – has just self-published its first anthology, The Writers’ Hexagon.

‘We decided that writing was something we wanted to invest in, so a writing group was the perfect way to set that into motion and keep each other accountable,’ Alyssa says, adding that the book was borne out of their mutual love for writing and their friendship.

Most of the group members were looking to rediscover their love for writing and hone their craft. Cheyenne, who is currently a veterinary nursing student, used to write countless stories in notebooks as a child.

Ari says the book is a record of everyone’s growth as writers and an exploration in creativity.

The anthology has something for every reader: fantasy, teen romance, horror and more.

For Chris, whose evenings were once consumed by computer games and other commitments, the publication is a testament to the power of friendship.

‘I put writing on hold for a very long time and it was this group that got me back into writing again,’ he says.

‘It’s easier to stay motivated to write when you have people supporting you – I doubt I would have something in print if it wasn’t for this group.

‘The self-publishing process was challenging, but it just shows how a group of friends can encourage each other to achieve something special.’

Lauryn says the group is now stronger than ever.

‘After sharing all my work – the good, bad, ugly – I trust them like never before,’ she says.

‘I’m also a bit in awe of their talent.’

The Writer’s Hexagon is now available on Amazon.