Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Celebrating the WLC - Emerald Barnes talks Uniting a Community

Guest Post by author Emerald Barnes
Events Communication Coordinator for the WLC


I’m Emerald Barnes.  I am a volunteer at the WLC.  I’m a WLC Events Communications Coordinator along with the amazing, Amy Manemann.  Together we work hard to bring the participants news about the events, what they need to do during the event, and we want more than anything to let them know that we support and care about their books as much as they do.  I also volunteer to do other small things that need to be done when someone else needs help, but my official title is WLC Events Communications Coordinator. 
I got involved with the WLC during Melissa Foster’s Come Back to Me Launch.  I worked alongside some amazing authors, and more than anything, I loved the message behind the WoMen’s Literary Café and the community I felt while working with these authors.  I have formed friendships with the people involved, and I know that’s what Melissa was shooting for when she created the WoMen’s Literary Café.

When I was posed with the opportunity to be a volunteer for the WLC, it didn’t take me long to realize that this was what I wanted to do.  I have met some of the most amazing people, as I mentioned, formed friendships that I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t have gotten involved with the WLC.  
Being a part of the change the WLC is bringing to the literary community means the world to me.  When I first self-published my novella, I was completely alone.  Writing up until this point had been a solitary thing.  I didn’t feel as if I belonged anywhere, and when I met Melissa, that all changed.  Even though she didn’t know me, she made me feel like I belonged somewhere.  She continues to do so now.  She has graciously helped me not only learn the ins and outs of what it means to be a self-published author, but she’s made me feel like part of a family of writers.  I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m pretty sure, as you will find out on Stacy’s blog, most of everyone who knows her feels that way.  She’s an incredible lady, and she puts others before herself – always.  No questions asked. 

If you follow my blog or have stumbled across it at one point, you may have seen me mention the WLC more than once.  I want everyone to feel the tremendous sense of community that we have.  If you come to the forums, you’ll see that not only do we talk shop, we have fun.  We joke around; we make people feel welcome; we love communicating.  (After all, isn’t that what we do as writers?)  We also want to make our readers feel like they, too, are part of something great, so there are now forums for readers to be involved as well! 

The WLC is about brining readers and authors together, making authors feel like part of something instead of sitting at home and being frustrated over that

chapter that just isn’t working!  If you need questions answered, Melissa now has an Ask Melissa section, and she gives AMAZING advice!  She’s given me some advice more than once, and trust me when I say, you can always count on her. 

If I can say one thing about the WLC, it’s this.  Don’t miss out on it.  If you need to feel like you’re part of something great and part of a community, look no further.  Stop by and join us.  I don’t think you’ll regret it one bit.  I look back at my first day of signing up for emails for a site that hadn’t even begun yet, and I don’t look back at it with regrets.  I look at it as something that I was meant to join.  A place where I could meet, amazing authors, readers and friends.    

Author Emerald Barnes

Thank you Emerald for your guest post today! You are shining in the light my lady! A true pleasure to work with you!  Thank you for all the hard work you do and for the friendship you give out so freely!  Your friendship is a true blessing!!  ~ Stacy
To learn more about WoMen’s Literary Café 
(hosting both men and women), please visit:

4 comments:

  1. Emerald you're as sweet as honey! I'm delighted to be working with you too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Christine!! :) Thank you, Stacy, for the kind words! I love working with all of you and forming the friends that we have was just icing on the cake!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Em, I imagine your wonderfully sweet accent while reading this:-) You add so much joy to our group, not to mention organization and your unending offers to help. I'm so glad that we've me and become friends, and members of WLC are lucky to have you in their lives!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I appreciate that, Melissa! I'm glad to be part of this! :D

    ReplyDelete