At the last Writing at the Ledges meeting, attendees were challenged to write in response to pictures provided by Rosalie Petrouske, WATL founder. The prompt was Wading Through Water, given to accompany the pictures. This short, short story by member Ashtyn Rapp is the first of several brief pieces written in response to the prompt that we will feature here.

Wading Through Water

by Ashtyn Rapp

Noah dragged his feet through the muddy river bank, trying his best to mask his footprints. He hesitated at the water’s edge. It was late fall, almost winter really and the water was sure to be freezing. That morning when he had slipped from bed just before the sun began to rise there had been whorls of frost on the window pane and the tip of each blade of grass was silver with frozen moisture. “Noah!” His mother’s frantic voice broke the still and a flock of mourning doves rose from the trees not far behind him. Taking a deep breath, Noah began wading through the water. At its deepest the frigid water was thigh-high and the current was stronger than he remembered from the times he had swum in the river’s wide arms in the lazy heat of summer. He struggled against the pulling water, trying to hurry. Reaching the other side, he scrambled up the embankment and began running to where he had seen the soldiers camping the day before. His feet sunk into the wet soil and there was a constant crackle of leaves crunching underfoot, punctuated by an occasional stick cracking like a gunshot. It didn’t matter anymore. He was almost there. “Noah,” his mother cried again, but less desperately, as if she already knew it was too late.

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Many of the authors of Writing at the Ledges newest anthology, Voices from the Ledges, will read and discuss their works at the Grand Ledge District Library as part of the library’s Authors in the Garden series. Rosalie Sanara Petrouske, Randy Pearson, Colleen Nye-Shunk, Ashtyn Rapp, Abe Khan, Liz Wilson, and Lori Hudson, both as herself and her alter-ego, children’s author Judith Wade, will present at different times throughout the summer season. For specific dates and times, click on the following link, which will take you to the latest Lansing State Journal story about the series, complete with schedule of events.

LSJ Story about Authors in the Garden

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We will celebrate the new Voices from the Ledges anthology at a book launch party from 12 noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 1 at the Everybody Reads bookstore, 2019 East Michigan Avenue in Lansing. Many of the more than 20 authors will be on hand to chat, sign books and read selections from their works.

Come on down and celebrate with us!

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Writing at the Ledges has produced its third anthology, Voices from the Ledges. More than 20 authors contributed to the anthology, which includes short stories, poems and personal essays. Some of the pieces will tug at your heartstrings, others will tickle your funny bone, and still more will spark and emotional connection to another place and time. That should be expected because Writing at the Ledges is a very diverse group. Our backgrounds, beliefs, and politics vary as does our age range, the youngest not yet 20 and our senior member just past 90. This anthology is our gift to you, without whom are words are, as the popular song goes, “dust in the wind.”

We will celebrate the new anthology at a book launch party from 12 noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 1 at the Everybody Reads bookstore, 2019 East Michigan Avenue in Lansing. Many of the more than 20 authors will be on hand to chat, sign books and read selections from their works.

Come on down and celebrate with us!

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