Pronto! Writings from Rome

This is a sensitive yet eclectic mix of stories, essays and poems inspired by Rome and written in Rome by 40 writers on Retreat. Stories deal in great measure with the stuff of Rome: ancient artifacts and their ghosts, the romance that permeates the air, the exquisite food, the Church, the memories of loved ones passed, the stuff of being a writer in such a sensously rich locale. Stories were inspired by the gypsies, nuns, catacombs, pickpockets, the ubiquitous dogs and feral cats, tourists, the open-air markets, the gathering places, the way the ancient ruins coexist side by side with modern architecture. Rome is a place for the imagination to run free. The Invitation: Come to Rome. Leave all expectations behind. Bring only your writing materials, an open mind, and an open heart. The Challenge: To write provocative stories, essays, and poems on demand, on deadline, ready for editing and publication. The Result: Pronto! A smorgasbord of tasty tidbits revolving around an ancient city that breathes life into souls, stirs the emotions, and allows the fanciful to merge with the remarkable. Stories, essays and poems, inspired by Rome, written in Rome, by Elva Adams, Susan Agee, Dorothy Allison, Kathleen Antrim, Olivia Barbee, Mary Ann Brock, Terry Brooks, Joni Brotherton, Carolyn Buchanan, Judith K. Clements, Barbara de Normandie, Phillip Dibble, Robin Gainey, Christopher Haviland, Octavia Hudson, Ann Klein, Adrea Mach, Diana Rowe Martinez, Kathryn Mattingly, Brian Moreland, Larry Mulkerin, Myrna Murdoch, Bill Neugent, David Nutt, John Oglesby, Sandra Loera, Mark E. Prose, Marie E. Reid, Janette Ressue, Sandra Richardson, John Saul and Mike Sack, Jack Smith, Mark Sylvester, Eldon Thompson, Coco Tralla, Leah Tribolo, John Tullius, and Suzanne Tyrpak.