Writing Their Own Story

Hey howdy one and all from Curious Penman! Writers write for all different reasons: education, entertainment, politics, activism, journalism, and much more.  For Women’s History Month, consider just three women of the many outstanding women writers of the last century.

Rose Marie, born Rose Marie Mazzetta (1923-2017), an American actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer was memorialized by Nell Scovell as “the patron saint of female comedy writers.”

Chinese American Jade Snow Wong, also known as Connie Wong Ong (1922-2006), author and ceramic artist, wrote two memoirs about her life as a Chinese American.  During the Cold War Period of the 1950s, Wong was chosen to go on a diplomatic tour (“good will mission”) in Asia to exemplify the cultural and racial diversity of the U.S. democracy.

Rosebud Yellow Robe, in Lakota Lacotawin (1907–1992) was a Native American folklorist, educator and writer who authored two children’s books depicting the daily lives of seven different Indian tribes as well as authentic Native American folk tales for children based on the stories from her own childhood.

To read a firsthand account of mid-century American woman’s life, check out Collected Snippets by Ada Jensen.

ScribbleCon ’25

02/18/2025 ‑ Greetings one and all from Curious Penman! It was that time of the year again, where local writers, poets, and storytellers get together and share their passion with interested participants at ScribbleCon, a writing event that welcomes students of all levels and anyone who loves writing. ScribbleCon ’25 was held at Benton Middle School on Saturday, February 15, 2025, and it was a blast!

This year’s keynote speaker, Prince William County Poet Laurriette Emeritus Robert Scott, gave a speech on the importance of telling the truth. Curious Penman introduced a new crime fiction workshop, “Crime Tech: The Techniques and Technology of Crime Fiction,” which talked about the methods and tools used in crime and crime solving. He also brought back his crime fiction workshop, “Creative Crimeology: Fun with Fictional Felonies,” about the history and cultural relevance of crime fiction. Both workshops offer pointers on how to structure a fun, believable crime story. John Dutton of Spilled Ink VA presented a workshop on how to use the writer’s software site “Groovelit”, and Nick Kelly held a workshop on worldbuilding for stories, just to name a few of the 15 learning experiences to be had. ScribbleCon also had tables for local authors to promote and sell their literary wares during the lunch break.

We here at Curious Penman certainly look forward to next year!

Catch y’all on the flip side!

#WriteTheWrongsforCrimeFiction!