Happy National Homemade Cookies Day! Let’s Write About Cooking and Our Favorite Recipes!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Today, Thursday, October 1, is National Homemade Cookies Day! October 1 seems to be a baking trifecta because it’s also National Pumpkin Spice Day and Jiffy Cornbread Mix Day!

With cooler weather knocking on the door, a baker-writer like me can’t help being inspired to get out Grandma Wilma’s mixing bowl and stir up some old-school comfort food.

Wilma was famous for many things, including chocolate-chip cookies and homemade bread, but she also excelled at making pecan pie, mastering that crunchy yet gooey goodness with just the right combination of Karo syrup, sugar, pecans, butter, and of course, a homemade crust. It is in my beloved grandmother’s honor that I designed my upcoming writing class for Women on Writing that combines my twin passions for cooking and writing: Grandma’s Pecan Pie: Writing from the Kitchen – Live Zoom Class with Ashley Harris.

GRANDMA’S PECAN PIE: WRITING FROM THE KITCHEN with Ashley Harris

WEBINAR DATE: Thursday, October 22, 2026

WEBINAR TIME: 2pm – 4pm ET

DURATION: 2 Hours

LOCATION: Live webinar via Zoom

FEEDBACK: The last 15 minutes of the lecture will be open to Q&A. Students can also send questions ahead of time, to be addressed during the lecture.

SPECIAL OPTION: Receive a personal critique from the instructor of 3 double-spaced pages of your writing within two weeks of the class. This includes at least one submission recommendation will be provided.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: In the fall, as temperatures cool and we prepare to hunker down for the winter, we often start craving our favorite comfort foods. Those made from recipes handed down through the generations, from Mom’s Lipton Soup pot roast to Aunt Susie’s stovetop mac n’ cheese. For writers such as Isak Dinesen, Laurie Colwin, Ted Kooser and Jane Kenyon, food means much more than physical sustenance, it represents love, family, and inspiration. Writing about cooking also offers a tour of the senses—sight, smell, touch, sound and taste. In this special workshop we’ll review work by the masters and learn how to bring our favorite dishes (and memories) to life in poetry and prose. We’ll also discuss publication and the many opportunities available for writing about food and cooking.

What Students Have Said About My Classes:

“Thank you for a superb class (Writing from the Garden), full of writings to enjoy, helpful prompts to get us going, and your teaching style that elicits our curiosity and our desire to write. I loved your ability to pack in so much content and context into 2 little hours. Your bright outlook, your sense of humour and your encouragement is so welcome, and I look forward to many more classes with you! I am so happy to have found you. I have been looking for you.”—Yvonne Grandbois

“Thank you so much for a wonderful workshop (Writing from the Garden). I appreciated how organized and encouraging you were. You chose some great examples for inspiration. It was so lovely to write poetry—I hadn’t in a long, long time—and see the possibilities for crafting pieces about “the garden” that can go in so many different directions. You’re a fantastic instructor!” —Amy Faeskorn

“Thanks! What a fun class (Writing from the Garden)! I was very sad when it was over. I must take Grandma’s Pecan Pie: Writing from the Kitchen. I have thought about this for years.  I have so many stories to tell, and I need to know who to tell them to. “–Toni Riley

“Thank you for the wonderful workshop (Writing is for the Birds). I am still on Cloud 9. You are the best teacher, best poet, best role model I know. I am eternally grateful for you and all that you do. Thank you for your teachings, your feedback and suggestions, your giving soul. You give me confidence in my voice. Thank you.” – Mary Alice Dixon, author of Snakeberry Mamas: Words from the Wild

Ashley, you and all the attendees are inspiring. Your class (Writing is for the Birds) was such a pleasure! I was very impressed with your approach to commenting on the work attendees shared. You not only encouraged them but also highlighted specific details of what they did well. Thank you! I love your idea of letting birds help set a scene in place, time, season, and mood. And I’m hoping to add more birds to present and future writing projects. I’m also looking forward to your class on writing about fur-babies! With much appreciation, Rosemary Poole-Carter

The class (Situational Humor II) was captivating, chock-full of resources and encouraging.  It flowed well and it was very well-organized.  I appreciated your recommendations to spice up the writing and reference The Emotion Thesaurus.   (Could there be a potential class based on those?) And the list of where-to-submit suggestions and what to read were excellent. I’m so glad I purchased the class!  And look forward to Part III next year! – M.J. Vieweg

Great presentation! Lots of food for thought and future writing. Writing is for the Birds was just the right amount of each element…the examples, the writing to prompts, the resources, etc. Thank you for doing this! – Betty McCreary

Ashley, Writing is for the Birds was an absolute JOY AND DELIGHT! The presentation, the participants, the prompts, the poems, the pacing…I loved every minute! – Michelle Seitzer      

Grandma’s Pecan Pie: Writing From the Kitchen: Class at a Glance

In two short hours, I’ll share a menu of cooking and food-based writing from authors that’ll get your tummy rumbling and inspire you immediately. I’ll cover the many ways that writing about the kitchen and comfort food can captivate readers through themes of love, nostalgia, family and more, plus tips on bringing the sense of taste alive. Along the way, we’ll participate in three writing prompts to generate your own prose and poetry, along with a selection of markets where you can publish your work. For an extra fee, I’ll critique your work and provide a targeted submission recommendation within two weeks of the class.

Topics include:

  • The value of writing about food and cooking – how it can elevate our work
  • Excerpts from food-based writing through the ages to inspire you
  • Discussion of the connection between food and themes such as love, nostalgia, family, faith, and healing
  • Tips for writing about food and the kitchen, from opening Grandma’s recipe box, to remembering her time-worn techniques, and exploring the many dimensions of taste (one of the most challenging senses to describe but the most rewarding)
  • Three prompts to generate poetry and prose on your own
  • Overview of markets to publish your work
  • Recommended books featuring food writing to continue to inspire you
  • Q & A

Materials Needed: A pen or pencil, a writing pad, and your imagination

Ashley Memory

ABOUT ME: Ashley Harris is a teacher and dedicated home cook who spends as much time in the kitchen as she does writing. She’s written about her beloved Grandma Wilma’s cooking for a number of publications, such as Bezzy M.S. (How Baking Taught Me to Slow Down and Rise Up), Wired (How to Preserve and Share Grandma’s Recipes), and Pinestraw (Modern Conveniences and the Wisdom of the Ages). Since 2021, she’s served as a critique editor and judge for WOW’s quarterly fiction and nonfiction contests, and her favorite hobby, by far, is helping other writers achieve their publication dreams.

Grandma’s Pecan Pie: Writing From the Kitchen with Ashley Harris (Thursday, October 22, 2026, 2pm – 4pm ET) Limit: 20 students. Early registration is recommended.

COST: $45, which includes one two-hour webinar with a 15-minute Q&A with your instructor.

OPTIONAL CRITIQUE ADD-ON: A personal critique from the instructor of 3 double-spaced pages of your essay for $55 ($100 total) and one submission recommendation.

To register, click here and scroll to the bottom of the class listing.

I hope you’ll join us and share your own memories from the kitchen! We’ll trade both writing and baking tips, I’m sure!

Until next time, take care, and I hope your writing is rolling as smoothly as your grandmother’s pie crust!

Ashley

Join us for the Pet Project on Friday, June 19 from 2 – 4pm

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Writer Friends and Pet Lovers! This month, I had the honor of writing the lead article in the June newsletter for Women on Writing, Never Alone, Your Pet as Muse. Just for you, I’ll share an excerpt with some of my favorite writing prompts featuring our “other babies.”

Write a story for children. Like so many other Gen X’ers, I grew up on the illustrated tales of Richard Scarry and Dr. Seuss. Featuring animals in a story is an easy way to captivate children and to gently teach them important life lessons. This is especially appealing for writers who also like to draw or are willing to learn. Or, in the example of Stan and Jan Berenstain, creators of the kid’s lit franchise, Berenstain Bears, you can also find a collaborator! 

Give your fictional character a pet. The addition of a pet can add texture to the life of your protagonist, and in the case of Jasper, the dog of Mrs. De Winter in the novel Rebecca, they can also help advance the plot. Jasper led our heroine on a number of adventures that ultimately helped unravel the novel’s deepest secret.

Where is Fido? Take a pivotal point in your life and put your pet in it. The harrowing and poignant modern essay, The Fourth State of Matter, by Jo Ann Beard, gets its momentum from the author’s masterful weave of her collie’s illness and a workplace shooting. Where was your pet during your own struggles? Make a short diary of their behavior and your dilemma and watch them magically converge into an essay of your own. 

Give your pet the pen. Write a scene from your own life from the point of view of your pet. But there’s a catch. You must be perfectly serious. Comedy will naturally arise, but it will be even funnier if you let your dog describe you baking a cake or weeding the garden without irony or intentional humor.

Your pet at work. My dogs and cat spend most of the day snoozing, to be honest. But when Little Puss is stalking a lizard or when my husky Max is alerting me to the arrival of the postal carrier, they are all business. In the spirit of White’s beloved Fred, describe the unwavering dedication of your favorite hunter or guardian in work mode.

If these prompts intrigue you and you’d like to have even more, I hope you’ll join us for The Pet Project, a two-hour workshop on Friday, June 19, from 2 – 4 pm ET. At this special event, we’ll read pet-driven poetry and prose written by masters such as E.B. White, T. S. Eliot, Rachel Wetzsteone, Mary Oliver and more, and discuss techniques from them that can enhance portrayals of our own pets. We’ll use THREE unique prompts guaranteed to generate instant work you may polish later and submit for publication. As with all my classes, I’ll also include a roundup of magazines and websites eager to publish your writing. And for an additional fee, I’ll critique up to 3 pages of your work and offer targeted submission opportunities.

During our time together, we may laugh, and yes, we may cry a tear or two, but it will be time well spent. Hope to see you (and your pets) there!

For more information and to sign up, please click here.

Wishing you and your other babies a happy spring!

Ashley, Max, Tulsi, Hermia and Lysander

Let’s Start a Nano-Palooza!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

This month I was honored to pen the introduction to the November newsletter for Women on Writing, the prestigious and inspirational writing community. I’m reprinting it here, in the hopes that my fellow writing friends will take advantage of National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo).

I was a skeptic. To put it mildly. In other words, I was the ultimate NaNoNayer (NaNo-Naysayer ☹). The idea had always seemed a little silly to me. Why write my heart out in November when technically I could do that all year long? And what’s with all the badges, tools, and community building? As an adult, I should be able to manage myself without all the hoopla, right? Besides, I wasn’t working on a novel anyway.

The truth is that I didn’t write my heart out all year long. And I couldn’t manage myself. In fact, among freelancing, taking care of three dogs, tending a garden, volunteering at church, and the normal kerfuffle of life, it was all I could do to set aside a few hours a week to finish a single essay. I needed a little push. In fact, I had been talking so long about finishing my memoir that the eyes of my writer friends glazed over every time I brought it up. So, when I found out that NaNoWriMo isn’t just for novelists, I decided to give it a try.

All writers, whether novelists, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, essayists and memoirists, are welcome at NaNoWriMo. In fact, anyone aiming to write 50,000 words toward any project will find something of value at NaNoWriMo, from motivation and accountability to making new friends and gaining new skills.

Last November, I cleared my calendar and finally started pulling together the pieces I planned for my book, which would be a memoir in essays exploring love, faith, and healing. Although I’d already written many of the pieces, I had never seen them all together in the same file. Doing so gave me the opportunity to look at them as a unit, edit and tighten, as well as plan new bridge essays to cover any holes. I also created a framework that tied together the chronological arc of the narrative—my seven years of growing cherries. Before November ended, I even had time to begin drafting a few of the new pieces. Along the way I logged onto NaNoWriMo regularly, joined a regional group, and began checking in, and lo and behold, the word count on my dashboard started to tick up and up and up! It was a true NaNo-palooza!

At the end of the month, the momentum continued. Over the next year, I concentrated on finalizing my new essays and wrote even more, ending up with a total of 22. Later, I turned back to my behemoth of a manuscript, and that’s when I re-discovered my draft framing document. This turned into the four thematic sections of “Plant,” “Believe,” “Pollinate,” and “Love,” and presto, I suddenly had a table of contents and my essays became actual chapters. Thanks to NaNoWriMo, I now have a 200-page manuscript that I’m currently circulating among my writing partners and will be submitting for publication.

Are you a diehard NaNoficionado? Or like me, are you on the fence? Either way, the tips in this column are meant to help you take advantage of NaNoWriMo and meet your own writing goals.

Think big. As mentioned before, you don’t have to use this time to write a novel, but you sure can. This is perfect for writers like me who have a short story that yearns to be a novella or longer. Maybe you have a juicy flash fiction that’s just itching to be part of a collection. Or a poetry chapbook. Perhaps you have an essay collection, or a memoir, or like me, maybe both. Whatever you’re working on, take it to the limit, and imagine what you might do with 50K words. As for me, it wasn’t the writing itself that intimidated me. I suffered from the age-old commitment phobia. But once I gave myself permission to think BIG and actually envision my work as a book, the writing itself was easy.

Go a little wild. Consider your NaNoWriMo experience as your personal sandbox. This is your chance to break personal boundaries and do something new. For example, you could try writing in second person or maybe in present tense. Or perhaps you could branch out and turn a nonfiction article into the background for a novel or short story. Or shift a poem into an essay, one of my favorite “makeovers.” In my case, I literally went a little wild. With the title, that is. Calling my book “Cherry Wild, a Memoir in Essays” sets the tone from the beginning, reinforcing the theme of my reconnection with nature.

Quash the critic. The critic inside my head was NOT invited to my NaNoWriMo. While she will come in handy as I finetune my synopsis and coalesce all the feedback, I promptly kicked her out the door during my brainstorming and writing sessions. During the month of November, make sure that your creative and imaginative writer self is firmly in charge, NOT the critical editor. Send her on a month-long cruise! See ya later, you naughty infiltrator!

Meet a new writer. While you can easily connect with friends who are also part of NaNoWriMo by sharing your usernames, you can also meet new writers. In the “My Community” tab, you will find both discussion forums and regional groups to join. NaNoWriMo also sponsors specialized virtual meet-ups for writers of similar backgrounds or interests. 

Check in. Not only did I enjoy entering my word count into my dashboard and watching it rise, I loved keeping tabs on the progress of my writer friends. Witnessing their successes inspired me to work that much harder, and vice versa. Under the “My NaNoWriMo” tab you’ll see links to “My Buddies.” Here is where you can easily see the word counts of your friends and compare theirs to your own.

Get support. This year NaNoWriMo offers more support than ever before, from yoga for writers to guidance on all genres, from fiction to memoir. The “Resource Hub” (under the “Writer’s Resources” tab) is your headquarters for support, including pep talks from celebrated writers and links to writing tips and exercises to keep your creative juices flowing. 

Celebrate! Once you begin reaching your writing goals, you’ll automatically rack up badges for important milestones, such as the 5K and 40K word marks. You can also award yourself a bevy of personal achievement badges for efforts such as planning, “pantsing,” and eureka moments. In addition, you may expect frequent kudos from your writing buddies, which will also keep you motivated every step of the way.

Ready to dive in? I hope so! My NaNo handle is “memwarrior” and I’d be honored to be your writing buddy. I hope to get some traction on a couple of new projects, including a creepy seaside novella. But if you’re still not sure, check out NaNo Prep, which offers a crash course in essential elements such as story development and time management.

For more inspiration, including craft articles, interviews and markets for submission, check out the complete WOW newsletter.

No matter where you are in your writing journey, I wish you all the best, and I hope you write your heart out this November. 

Tips on Publishing Short Pieces

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Writers! Let’s finish 2023 on a strong note. Join me and Charlotte Lit on Tuesday, November 7, from 6 – 8 p.m. for a Zoom class on where and how to publish your short pieces. We’ll survey the most exciting open calls and contests seeking your work now, whether poetry, fiction, nonfiction or hybrid.

Hope to see you there!

Learn How to Move from the “Slush” Pile to the “Rush” Pile on February 23!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

Technology makes submitting for publication easier than ever. At the same time, as more and more writers offer their work, competition for space has never been fiercer. But take heart. In this class, we’ll cover the art behind successful submissions and how to move from the “slush” pile to the pile editors rush to accept. We’ll discuss how to find the best fit for your writing, tips on putting your best foot forward, and a little secret to boost the number of marketable pieces in your portfolio. We’ll also discuss the nuts and bolts of submission: cover letters, biographies, tracking and more, such as how to stay motivated as you cast those precious pearls out into the world.

Interested? Join me on Tuesday, February 23 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. for a special online 90-minute Zoom workshop hosted by our friends at Charlotte Lit.

Cost: $30 members ($25 early bird rate); $35 non-members

For more and to register, click here.

Get Ready for the Creative Writing Expo!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

cccc1Are you as excited as we are? I hope so! The First-Ever Creative Writing Expo sponsored by the Central Carolina Community College Creative Writing Program is just three days away!

WHEN: Thursday, November 14 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Central Carolina Community College, Pittsboro campus, Building 42, Multipurpose Room, First Floor.

RSVP: Pre-registration is not required, but we encourage you to RSVP by calling the Continuing Education Office at 919-545-8044 during business hours.

WHAT: As part of this FREE special event, you’ll get to experience first hand an abbreviated workshop on the flash essay. We’ll review a few of the best essays being published today, and I’ll give away a secret that every aspiring essayist must know!

post it notesFUN STUFF: In addition to inspiration, food, and fellowship, we’ll also be giving away some very exciting door prizes….including a year’s supply of Post-It Notes! That’s right. Sticky notes are perfect for jotting down those little nuggets of inspiration in a writer’s life. Images, bits of conversation, universal truths, and more–all those little details that add zest to your writing. Check out the ZESTY colors!

EXTRA: This little workshop is just a sample of the dynamic and inspirational courses that we offer at Central Carolina Community College. Each semester, you’ll find a smorgasbord of courses meant to cultivate the writer in you, from poetry to short stories and memoir, and so much more. At the Expo, you’ll also be able to meet several of our dynamic instructors and fellow students for yourself. Check out the Spring 2020 Course Offerings here.

We hope to see you on Thursday!

 

 

Randolph Writers Rock Flash Fiction!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

flash fiction picture

We had a marvelous time at the monthly gathering of Randolph Writers last night at the Asheboro Public Library! It was a lively evening of prompts, readings and discussion on one of my favorite topics–flash fiction!

There are so many things to adore about this wonderful genre. Flash fictions or “flashes” offer everything I adore about longer stories–characters, voice, plot, and imagery–but all within a very short space, and some flashes (like “Hint” fiction) are even less than 25 words! Writing flash fiction helps you master the art of compression, build a daily writing practice, and if you like, can lay the pipe for longer works such as a traditional short story or even a novel.

flashfiction2 We opened the evening with an instant prompt, and all the participants kindly indulged me by penning a story on a page from those old-fashioned pink message pads. Remember those? I was blown away by the creativity of all the writers, and their bravery at trying this unusual prompt.

The use of a message pad is an example of a “fixed-form narrative,” which is a very popular form for writers and readers.  Writers, if you’re stumped by how to accelerate a story, consider writing in it in the form of an email, a letter, a diary entry, or as suggested by our participants: a “purchase requisition” or a “new account” form!

We also delved into some longer works (between 250 – 1,000 words), and among others, explored the writing of Nancy Stohlman (“Death-Row Hugger”), Allen Goodman (“Wallet”), Heinrich Boller (“The Laugher”), and David Galef (“My Date with Neanderthal Woman.”) And even though we had only two hours together, we managed to squeeze out two more stories of our own, inspired by these authors. And then there was the bonus — all the laughter, joy, and maybe even a few misty eyes.

Another benefit, and perhaps the greatest benefit of all, is that flash fiction allows writers yet another way to share our stories with others. Because it’s shorter, it’s unusually accessible and unpretentious, thereby offering “instant community.” Writing is primarily a solitary act, but even so, the art must be fed by support and encouragement. If this sounds good to you, I hope you’ll consider attending (or even joining!) Randolph Writers. We meet on the third Tuesday evening of every month, and welcome writers of all levels.

Many thanks to my fellow Randolph Writers for allowing me to present, and particularly to President Sayword B. Eller, who is an accomplished writer (and MFA candidate!) herself. She regularly offers tips for all of us. Please check out her terrific podcast “About This Writing Thing” or her new Author Tube channel!

In the meantime, keep writing and delighting!
Ashley

 

Hello July: Berries, Weeds…and a Lunar Eclipse!

Posted on by Ashley Harris

blackberrySummer is here. No question. The dog days of August arrived early this year. Trust me. With two canines lying flat on their sides on the cool concrete of the porch, too enervated to even wag their tails at me, I know it’s true.

I can’t complain too much. After all, July is my birthday month (the 6th!) AND our anniversary month (the 7th!) and…. the month of berries and freestone peaches. Hurray! July also brings back that cherished, although awkward, memory of the lunar eclipse of 1982. Anybody else remember that? I boiled down that long-ago experience into an ultrashort flash essay that Mental Papercuts just kindly published in their Issue 1.5, Weird Summer Vibes. If you’re hankering for wildly creative, off-the-wall summer stories that may bring back memories of your own, please check it out.

Three poems of mine also appeared today, more writing inspired by the summer. “What the Weeds in My Yard Taught Me About Social Justice” and “September Raspberry” bloomed in the Summer 2019 issue of Gyroscope Review. And “Pulling Up the Wild Blackberry Bushes” just unfurled in the July issues of the gorgeous O.Henry and Pinestraw magazines, both of which are distributed in locations across the state.

As a reminder to all my writer friends, July also marks the halfway point for what we hope will be a productive year of writing. Now’s the time to start penning, gulp, other seasonal pieces (think: Halloween and Christmas) and most importantly, setting goals to improve.

Chinese fortune cookies are fun, not always prescient, but they can be surprisingly profound. Here’s one just for you. Of all our human resources, the most precious is our desire to improve.

So what are you doing to get better? For me, it means leading two workshops this summer at The Joyful Jewel because I learn as much, if not more, from my fellow workshop participants as they do from me! It also means taking a memoir class led by Dorit Sasson through Women on Writing, my favorite space for online writing classes.

I’m a little nervous because I’m new to the field of memoir (and a beginner in the world of creative nonfiction) but the good news is that I’ve got lots to learn. This means I’ll never be bored!

Stay cool, eat your berries, and set your own improvement goals!

Ashley