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IntroductionOffshoots VI is a celebration of the rich diversity of human experience. The 37 writers from 16 countries who are represented in these pages live in a French-speaking city, write in English, and often speak other languages. They range in age from their late twenties to early eighties; all draw on experiences lived in places near and far. Their writing presents a vibrant example of how language can enhance understanding and build bridges between people, places, and memories. … Offshoots has always drawn strength from the unique vision of each contributor, affording a passing glimpse into the wonder of the human condition. This time around, the Editorial Committee has moved to include new perspectives behind the scenes as well. Guided by Susan Tiberghien, whose vision and dedication have cultivated the successes of the Geneva Writers' Group and its individual members for close to a decade, this current volume is the fruit of a collective effort to introduce change. One break with tradition led to new cover art. Another occurred when the Committee decided not to declare a specific theme for Offshoots VI. Our goal, we decided, was simply to choose writing that represented the Geneva Writers' Group at its best in 2001. We expected many of the pieces we received, as a result, to center on Geneva - this is, after all, where we live and write. We found, to our surprise and, frequently, delight, that the collective focus of our nomadic group is outward. These writers use the tranquillity, beauty, and prosperity that Geneva offers to explore other times, places, and realities (lived or imagined) that were, perhaps, not so serene. A breathtaking view from the Jura Mountains can therefore lead to reflection that goes beyond our carefully positioned Swiss city with its snow-capped peaks and majestic lake. The need to set down roots in Switzerland becomes part of a continuum of growing up in Vietnam, Manila, Tel Aviv, New Zealand, Argentina or bombed-out England during World War II. A yearning for loved ones, immortal only in memory, is illuminated by flashes of insight acquired in Quiberon or Paris, at Rachel's tomb, by the Dead Sea. Adventure leads to self-discovery as trains puff their way on never-ending tracks across the American South, through the Swiss interior, or along the dusty, spicy plains of India. By some mysterious law of human nature, we must explore the present by reviving the past. The travails of displacement, the movement from childhood to adolescence, the awareness of mortality, the fingering of the contours of sanity, conformity, and solitude find expression in urgent, unexpected ways. Words sung in a foreign language, bird-watching, the contemplation of a bed of crocus, holding a dead sparrow in the palm of one's hand, even the simple act of sitting still have lead to insight distilled and communicated as a gift. Love can be found in the taste of red jujubes and the sweet rhythm of a Ghazal during the monsoon, re-discovered with the swish of electronic doors, foreshadowed by the mechanical stomping of 1950's dinosaurs across a television screen. The possibility of seduction dangles over a revolving tray. Writers write in solitude. We string together moments that mean more than the individual words used to describe them, and the moments we choose to share speak volumes about who we are. In its capacity as a collection of writing generated and published by the Geneva Writers' Group, Offshoots VI reflects the energy and excitement of new shoots bursting forth to create buds of awareness for tomorrow. The Editorial Committee
"A splendid showcase for writing from the international community in Geneva." "In a world where too many good things disappear, the writing [presented in Offshoots VI] shines brighter than ever."
Offshoots may be purchased at :
Contact: info@GenevaWritersGroup.org
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