Issue #4

Kaleidoscope

Letter from the Editors

When was the last time you looked through a kaleidoscope? It’s a wondrous device, turning the world into a prism of shapes and colors, giving you a new, creative perspective on what is in front of you. It’s a terrific metaphor for the writing in this fourth issue of Lines & Breaks, featuring work by WriteGirl teens and alums.

From California to Uganda, the writers in this issue share their views on the colors, shapes, flavors, scents and conversations that they experience and imagine – and you, the reader, have a chance to travel with them and see the world through their lens.

We would like to dedicate this issue in memory of a special mentor, teacher and writer, Barbara Abercrombie. Barbara was an enthusiastic and committed supporter of WriteGirl from our early days, back in 2002, when we were just starting to build this organization and community. Barbara opened her home and heart to WriteGirl for special retreats and events, often leading a creative writing activity for our group, with her glasses tipped on her nose, just so. Barbara’s joy, curiosity, empathy and boundless creativity is infused in the fabric of WriteGirl, and we will never forget the gift that she was throughout the years. We will keep kicking down the wall, Barbara, and helping young writers bravely explore themselves and their worlds, just like you did.

The voices in “Kaleidoscope” might shift how you see things, so get ready to take a spin and enjoy the view through their eyes.

– Keren Taylor, Executive Director, WriteGirl, and the editorial team of Lines & Breaks