A View from the ‘Owl’s Nest’

By Terry Henry, Pensacola Branch

If you have never been to the Pen Arts Building in Washington, D.C., you should plan to make that pilgrimage at least once in your life.

Evelyn Wofford (NLAPW treasurer) will most likely greet you at the door if she is not busy somewhere else in the four-story historic building. Built in 1887, Pen Arts has been home to the National League of American Pen Women, Inc. since 1951. Evelyn will gladly show you around and give you interesting tidbits of history concerning the treasures that have been collected, curated, and donated over the years.

What you will learn throughout this tour and talking with Evelyn is that she is one of the greatest NLAPW treasures.

As past president and Pen Arts building director, she has held numerous board positions, but now she is a “Pen Woman in Residence,” as she protects the building’s past, present, and future. As I pulled my suitcase up the staircase, Evelyn forged ahead cautioning me to be careful. There are four floors in this grand historical building with no elevator, and the “Owl’s Nest” — which includes shared and private rooms — is at the very top. As a Pen Woman coming to Pen Arts for the first time, I was about to breathe “rarified air.”

Going to Pen Arts was certainly a thrill, but being asked to attend a writers retreat was icing on the proverbial cake.

The retreat was developed and implemented by Nancy Dafoe, NLAPW second vice president and former letters chair, an educator, and an incredible writer. Her vision was to bring together a group of writers who were working on a book that they were trying to finish and publish soon. These writers would receive individual coaching and assistance in getting published, as well as share their work with other writers for review and critique.

Through her generous nature in sharing her knowledge and experience with us, Nancy showed us what being a good writer is all about.

Good writers are not simply those who are published or even those who achieve national acclaim for their outstanding contributions to the literary world. Good writers are those who honor the craft and share their knowledge, insight, and suggestions with other writers to make their work better. Good writers are those who take and give constructive criticism as they learn in the process. Good writers are always aspiring to be better writers from what they learn through sharing their work with other writers.

I was able to work with seven such talented women at this retreat, some who were published authors and poets, and some well on their way: Susan Sparrow, Kirsten Hines, Stacey Murphy, Lori Duff, Sandra Hughes, Kari Ebert, and our fearless leader Nancy Dafoe. We wrote in different genres, came from different backgrounds, and had our own stories to tell — and all of us were Pen Women. Attending this retreat with such accomplished and generous writers made me more aware of the value of our organization.

We are part of a legacy of female artists, writers, and musicians who share their work with the world while supporting their fellow members of the National League of American Pen Women. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to share and learn from extraordinary and generous writers, and wish to thank Nancy for her vision and Evelyn for her warm hospitality at the Pen Arts building.

As Evelyn says, “This is our house” and we can visit any time we want. I suggest that all Pen Women put that on your bucket list — you will be glad that you did.