Thank you to all who joined us for the
San Diego Decameron Project Celebration!
To view the full event including the ten story readings
and live Q & A with the authors hosted by Beth Accomando
CLICK HERE!
In October 2020, inspired by The Decameron written in the 14th century during one of the worst plagues in history, Write Out Loud and partner organizations, San Diego Public Library, the La Jolla Historical Society, and San Diego Writers, Ink. invited San Diego County authors to submit previously unpublished stories for the San Diego Decameron Project.
The top 100 winning stories are published on the four websites (25 per site). Visit our three partners to read the other winning stories.
The top 100 winning stories are published on the four websites (25 per site). Visit our three partners to read the other winning stories.
The San Diego Decameron Project
Write Out Loud, San Diego Public Library, the La Jolla Historical Society, and San Diego Writers, Ink. invited San Diego County authors to submit stories for the San Diego Decameron Project. This project is inspired by The Decameron, a book written shortly after the Black Death overtook Florence in 1348, and a collection of novellas structured as a frame story by Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375). The book contains 100 stories told by a group of seven young women and three young men sheltering in a secluded villa. They fled Florence to quarantine themselves for two weeks from the pandemic that ravaged Europe between 1347-1351. To pass the evenings each member of the party tells a story each night, except for one day a week for chores and one for religious observance, resulting in ten nights of stories over the course of two weeks.
For the San Diego Decameron Project, local authors were invited to submit previously unpublished fiction or nonfiction narratives based loosely around the theme of the current pandemic. Twenty-five judges read all submissions and chose the top 100 stories. Winners have their stories posted on one of the partners’ websites - check out all four partner sites to read all the stories! The top 10 most compelling stories were read by Write Out Loud actors and presented in a virtual presentation on February 26, 2021. All stories submitted will be digitally archived with the San Diego Public Library and La Jolla Historical Society.
The importance of this project is threefold. First, there is every intention to let creative writers comment on the present experience; to help all of us unpack and understand this moment; to reflect on what it means to live through the COVID pandemic as related through the written word. Second, during this time we’re all staying at home more, and as a result people are reading more. So, to some degree, there’s been a rediscovery of the narrative form, the written word, and this project very much relates to that notion. Finally, there is this idea that we’ve been here before and survived. The 14th century Decameron was written during one of the worst plagues in history. Yet humanity survived, the human condition recovered, civilization re-emerged, and the early traces of the Renaissance resulted only a few years later and then carried on for two centuries.
For the San Diego Decameron Project, local authors were invited to submit previously unpublished fiction or nonfiction narratives based loosely around the theme of the current pandemic. Twenty-five judges read all submissions and chose the top 100 stories. Winners have their stories posted on one of the partners’ websites - check out all four partner sites to read all the stories! The top 10 most compelling stories were read by Write Out Loud actors and presented in a virtual presentation on February 26, 2021. All stories submitted will be digitally archived with the San Diego Public Library and La Jolla Historical Society.
The importance of this project is threefold. First, there is every intention to let creative writers comment on the present experience; to help all of us unpack and understand this moment; to reflect on what it means to live through the COVID pandemic as related through the written word. Second, during this time we’re all staying at home more, and as a result people are reading more. So, to some degree, there’s been a rediscovery of the narrative form, the written word, and this project very much relates to that notion. Finally, there is this idea that we’ve been here before and survived. The 14th century Decameron was written during one of the worst plagues in history. Yet humanity survived, the human condition recovered, civilization re-emerged, and the early traces of the Renaissance resulted only a few years later and then carried on for two centuries.
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Anna Glynne
Story: The Sea is a Deceitful Thing Anna Glynne fell in love with books at the age of eleven while confined to her bed for months in a full body cast after spinal surgery. Although an English major, she worked in Silicon Valley as an IT consultant before moving to Southern California. Anna Glynne lives in La Jolla, along with her husband Richard, their two teenage daughters, Pepper the dog, and a shy corn snake named Ziggy. |
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Barrie Owens
Story: The Rind Stuff Barrie Owens, a second-generation San Diegan, is a free-lance writer who lives in San Carlos. She loves to write about everyday occurrences that reveal people’s unique perspective of life. If it brings a smile to the reader, better yet! |
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Anonymous
Story: Miss You Anonymous is a San Diego resident for the last twenty four years, and is grateful to have been taught by other local writers, and to have been previously published locally. The author has made this piece in an attempt to balance the power of literature, the necessity for the truth, and the resulting ability to heal. |
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Cherie Kephart
Story: Doris Cherie Kephart is an award-winning writer and inspirational speaker, best known for her memoir, A Few Minor Adjustments, which won several awards including the San Diego Book Award for Best Published Memoir. After receiving an outpouring of heartfelt responses, she was motivated to write two companion books, The Healing 100 and Poetry of Peace. By sharing her experience and insight, Cherie inspires people throughout the world on their personal transformation, healing, and writing journeys. CherieKephart.com |
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Claudio Torres Garibay
Story: Lost and Found Claudia Torres Garibay used to write poetry and short stories as a hobby in her early youth. Over time she put these interests aside to pursue other passions in a career in engineering education. Recent events led her to take a leap of faith and move to San Diego County, where she is rediscovering her creative literary outlet. |
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Elizabeth S. Pappas
Story: The 48 Hour Nightmare Elizabeth S. Pappas lives in and loves San Diego. She is often blissfully walking barefoot on the beach, riding her bike to yoga, sitting on her backyard step with her sweet dog, Clementine. She works as an education consultant and faculty member at UCSD's Education Studies Department. Her work is meaningful and she is committed to transforming education with a social justice, anti-bias emphasis. Life with her two daughters has helped Elizabeth live a full human experience. |
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Irene A. Márquez
Story: Communions As a child, Irene A. Márquez wrote on red Old Chief paper tablets. Now it’s Word, and through the years, her essays and articles have been published in various publications, including a play under The Old Globe Community Voices Project. She has also edited several books. In addition, she was the founder and executive director of a non-profit bilingual literary organization. Love of her family is followed by her passion for writing. |
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Jack Keane
Story: Dispatches From Terra Jack Keane has spent the last 38 years on a personal quest for peace and serenity. He has worked diligently to provide other seekers with the tools to live a more serene life. He has published a self help book, From Fear to Serenity, which is available on Amazon. He also is an abstract artist. He has sold many paintings. View some of his works at www.ArtPal.com/JackKeaneArt. |
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Jim Caputo
Story: The Day the Music Died Jim Caputo is an award-winning playwright, whose work has been produced from coast to coast. His screenplay, Amy’s Wish, was produced and accepted at four indie film fests. His teleplay, Brief Encounters, won The NY Public Access TV Competition, and was produced and distributed to stations across the country. His latest, The Miracle of Ballydonal, had its Equity premier last winter at The Fusion Theatre, Albuquerque. His plays can be found at newplayexchange.org/users/2782/james-caputo. |
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K.A. Bergan
Story: Steal. All. The. Blue. Marbles. K. A. Bergan grew up in El Cajon, back in the day when you could buy gravel of any size at Inland Supply on 2nd St. |
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Kara Stevens
Story: White Rose Kara Stevens is a fiction writer from San Diego, CA. She mixes mind-bending twists, salty humor, and sweet redemption in her mystery stories. The perfect recipe for a satisfying read! Find out more about her upcoming literary projects @KaraYAauthor on Facebook. |
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Kelley Gusich
Story: Sweet Delusions Kelley Gusich (Kelley Kaye, Kelley Kay Bowles) taught High School English and Drama for twenty years in Colorado and California, but her love for storytelling dates back to creating captions for her high school yearbook. Maybe back to the tales she created around her Barbie and Ken. A 1994 MS diagnosis and many years of fertility struggles have (circuitously) brought Kelley, finally, to the life of writer and mother, both of which she adores. |
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Kristin Helms
Story: Unraveled and Awake Kristin Helms is the author of Grace + Oak: Inspiration in Poetry and Photographs from Dover Publications, March 2020, and From Boardroom to Baby from Career Press/RedWheel Weiser, 2018. Kristin’s soulful prose and inspiring thoughts have been published in Literary Mama, PopSugar, Home & Garden Magazine, Motherly, and The Huffington Post. You can connect with Kristin on her website: KristinHelms.com or Instagram: @KristinHelms_Writer |
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Lisa Ambler
Story: Paint-Prep Lisa Ambler announced she was an artist at the age of three and has been writing, creating, and studying art most every day since then! She has exhibited in the U.S. and Mexico. Her works have been juried into American Art Collector, Studio Visit Magazine, and American Artwork multiple times. |
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Lisa Lampert-Weissig
Story: The Visitation of Uri Tsevi Lisa Lampert-Weissig’s scholarship takes her all over the world, but her favorite travel is through time. Currently she is tracking the movements of the legendary Wandering Jew. She teaches at UCSD, where she once lectured on King Arthur, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and the zombie apocalypse all in one day. She has been writing fiction for decades, but this is her first story to share in a long while. https://literature.ucsd.edu/people/faculty/llampertweissig.html |
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Lisa Witz
Story: Tethered Lisa Witz grew up the youngest of nine children on a sheep and cattle ranch in western Marin County. She left the small town to feed her wanderlust, but often returns to the rolling hills and trails of her childhood. She lives in the California beach town Carlsbad with her husband and their three children. Visit http://www.lisareginawitz.com/ for her work. |
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Louise Julig
Story: March 194th Louise Julig (she/her) is a writer from Encinitas whose creative work has appeared in Lunch Ticket, FEED, Crack the Spine, and A Year In Ink Vol. 11. She has also performed at the VAMP showcase of So Say We All, telling stories about her fixation with people’s teeth, an epiphany at a summer camp dance, and her first field trip to an adult store. Connect with her Instagram and Twitter @LouiseJulig. |
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Marilyn Woods
Story: Sweet and Sour Marilyn Woods, artist, educator, author, and docent at The San Diego Museum of Art spent her career in broadcast in major US cities. Life changed radically when she and her husband retired and bought a small farm. Her book, launched in May, The Orange Woods – Seasons in the Country Artfully Lived, tells the story of their adventure. Her published work and her blog, Life’s Second Acts, are humorous, often heart-wrenching, and captivating. https://www.marilynwoodswriter.com/ |
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Melissa Mandel
Story: The Wall Melissa Mandel (she/her/hers) has been writing about justice and crime for 25 years. As a career prosecutor specializing in political corruption cases, Melissa has written hundreds of criminal briefs and prosecuted cases in the United States and California Supreme Courts. Outside of work, Melissa writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; teaches for the California District Attorneys Association; and serves on the San Diego County Bar Judicial Elections Evaluations Committee and the Juvenile Court Book Club. |
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Natasja Rose
Story: Essential Natasja Rose is an independent author who writes mainly fiction, but occasionally dabbles in non-fiction and online articles. In the Hellscape of 2020, most of her time is taken up in her day-job as an Essential Worker in Aged and Disabled Care. |
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Opal Reinbold
Story: Another Day Opal Reinbold is a retired health care administrator (for thirty years) who now teaches in the Health Administration program for National University. She is the mother of three, grandmother of four magical little people and loves travel, books, the ocean, the mountains, and all things in nature. Today, she is glad to be alive! |
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Raymond Hardie
Story: Finnegan's Walk Raymond Hardie was editor of the UC San Diego Alumni Magazine, Triton, for ten years and previously a senior editor at Stanford University. His novel No Man’s Land was published by Endeavour Press (London). His novel Fleet, originally a TV series for the BBC, was published by Hodder and Stoughton (London). His first novel Abyssos was published by Tor Books in New York. He is currently writing the sequel to No Man’s Land. http://www.raymondhardie.com |
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Robert Thomas Lundy
Story: You Can't Go Home Again, at Least Not on This Ticket Robert Lundy is a retired Demographer, Epidemiologist, and Software Engineer who has lived in the San Diego area on and off since 1960 and does a lot of travel since retirement. He also writes and edits poetry. |
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ShuJen Askew
Story: Just Forty-Five Minutes ShuJen Walker Askew explores a variety of genres. Her works are published in literary magazines at Mesa College, Grossmont College, and the San Diego Writers & Editors Guild. She is a journalist for Image Seed Magazine, writes scripts, and participates in the San Diego Writers Meetup Group. ShuJen completed her first novel, Across All Skies. She is a mother of two and enjoys writing. Visit her website: http://sywalker.com |
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William Lamb
Story: The Playground William Lamb is a writer living in Encinitas, California. For more about the author and his work, please visit www.stompingtuna.com |
Congratulations to the Authors!
The following authors will be included in the San Diego Decameron Project Anthology!
The following authors will be included in the San Diego Decameron Project Anthology!
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Aaron Garretson
Aditi Kavi Aimee Truchan Ainsley Schafer Allen Tu Anastasia Hipkins Anna Glynne Anonymous Barbara Huntington Barbara Javor Barrie Owens Barrie Sands Brenna McKee Brett Bookser Carolyn Kinnare Cherie Kephart Clara Frank Claudia Torres Garibay Connie Henry Cora Womble-Miesner Cornelia Feye Cory Blancet Cynthia G. Robertson D.B. Cunningham Daina Krigens |
Diane C. Lowrie
Elizabeth S. Pappas Helen Broady Irene A. Márquez J. R. Quirk J.A. Jensen Jack Keane Janelle Kim Janet F. Williams Janice Coy Janis Heppell Jeannie Meigs Jeff Duclos Jeff Meyer Jennifer Whitelaw Jim Caputo Jonathan Horn K. C. Sherwood K.A. Bergan Kara Stevens Karen Scanlon Karen Waters Kelley Gusich Kelly Bargabos Kevin A. Brown |
Kristin Helms
Kyle G. Roesler Lauren Cross Leah Ollman Leslie Clark Libby Brydolf Lisa Ambler Lisa Lampert-Weissig Lisa Witz Louise Julig Lydia Cutler Lynda Felder Madeleine Cowee Marilyn A Pate Marilyn Woods Marivi Soliven Martha K. Davis Mary Lindenstein Walshok Maureen Meadows meghan conley Melissa Karolides Melissa Mandel Michael Jude McMahon Mike Stewart Nancy Alvarado |
Nancy Nygard
Nancy Tomich Natasja Rose Ona Russell Ondine Brooks Kuraoka Opal Reinbold Peter Hodsdon Raymond Hardie Rick Seidenwurm Robert Arends Robert Gilberg Robert Thomas Lundy Ross Mann Sarina Dahlan Scott Tinley Shannon Haynes ShuJen Askew Susan Delgado Taffy Cannon Thelma Virata de Castro Thomas Waldron Tim Simmons Victoria Tenbrink Wilda Wong William Lamb Yubeen Cho |
Click on the publication below to read about the
San Diego Decameron Project
San Diego Decameron Project
Hear La Jolla Historical Society's Executive Director Heath Fox talk about the San Diego Decameron Project.
Watch a special segment on an edited (censored?) edition of the original Decameron housed in the Special Collections of the San Diego Public Library.
Watch a special segment on an edited (censored?) edition of the original Decameron housed in the Special Collections of the San Diego Public Library.
