Scarsdale residents who miss the feel of pen on paper can learn the craft from a neighbor who built a novel around it.
Barbara Josselsohn, an author of nine novels who lives in Scarsdale, will lead a hands-on letter-writing workshop on Friday, Sept. 25, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at JCC Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot Road. The session draws on her forthcoming book The Paper House, which follows protagonist Kayla as she reopens a magical stationery shop where people once wrote letters to those they had lost, missed or needed to forgive.
The novel grew from a real place. In a Jan. 25 blog post, Josselsohn described the inspiration: "It's a tiny paper shop, and it's stocked with the most charming assortment of stationery, notepads." The shop sits on the North Fork of Long Island, where her family spends summers.
During the 90-minute workshop, participants will work through guided prompts and creative exercises. They might draft a note of gratitude, a message to a loved one or a reflection for their future self, according to the JCC event listing. Tea, coffee and light snacks will be served.
Each attendee leaves with three things: the letter they wrote, a copy of The Paper House and a packet of stationery to keep writing at home.
Josselsohn teaches writing workshops at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, the Westport Writers Workshop and the Scarsdale Library. Her previous novel, The Secret Orphanage, told a multigenerational story about an American schoolteacher embroiled in the French Resistance and a present-day librarian uncovering her grandfather's wartime secrets.
The Paper House is scheduled for release Sept. 2 through publisher Bookouture, three weeks before the workshop.
Registration is available at jccmw.org/event/letter-writing.
Upcoming community events:
- Sept. 2 — The Paper House by Barbara Josselsohn published by Bookouture
- Sept. 25, 1–2:30 p.m. — Letter-writing workshop, JCC Mid-Westchester, 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale
