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Publication of Writing Circle Mondays

Hot off the presses: Writing Circle Mondays Reflections on Life & Cancer. This anthology co-edited by Ames Writers Collective founder, Ana McCracken and Terri Dorothy, a John Stoddard Cancer Center patient, gathers together heartfelt stories from women who found strength, hope, and healing through writing.

Every author wants you to buy their book. Know that when you purchase Writing Circle Mondays Reflections on Life & Cancer, all royalties support the Charlie Cutler Healing and Wellness Program at John Stoddard Cancer Center. This program funds Writing Circle Mondays—a FREE resource for individuals living with cancer. Books can be purchased through your local independent bookstores such as Dog-Eared Books in Ames, Iowa, Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Barnes & Nobel, and of Amazon if no other resource is available for you.

This anthology would not have made it to publication without Ana’s co-editor Terri Dorothy, who writes with her and others on Mondays. Additionally this book was published with the assistance of Polly Letofsky of #mywordpublishing. Ana met Polly at the Okoboji Writers’ Conference (#okobojiwriters) in 2023, kept in touch and Polly shepherded Ana through the process of publishing this collection of stories and poetry. A resounding thank you to Terri, Polly, all those who contributed to the anthology, and the John Stoddard Cancer Center.

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Ana McCracken Featured on Dish with Nish Podcast

 

Our very own founder Ana McCracken had the opportunity to be a guest on “Dish with Nish,” a podcast hosted by Dr. Andrew Nish, Medical Director at the John Stoddard Cancer Center. The podcast is a new series exploring topics of interest in cancer prevention, the human spirit and how new ideas are changing cancer care. Listen to Ana McCracken and Dr. Nish as they discuss “Writing Circle Mondays,” a writing group at the Ames Writers Collective aimed at providing a safe space for cancer patients to share their experiences. Click here to listen to the episode.

“Writing Circle Mondays” is also available on Spotify and Amazon music. 

Art Write Now at the Christian Petersen Art Museum

“Art Write Now” invites writers of all levels to showcase the powerful connection between visual art and creative writing. Through this program, participants will explore how art can serve as a writing prompt—evoking emotions, triggering memories, and sparking conversations. Participants will draw inspiration from the exhibitions at the Christian Petersen Art Museum to create and publicly share poetry, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or perform monologues and music.

The program will begin with a guided tour of the museum’s exhibitions, led by University Museums curator Alison Ranniger. Afterward, Ana Hays McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective, will introduce the concept of “writing to writing prompts” that will connect writers to the exhibition through writing exercises, using the art around them as inspiration to craft meaningful responses. The combination of visual arts and literary exploration aims to create a space where participants can connect deeply with both the artwork and with one another, fostering creativity and dialogue.