The Class of '85 hits the ground running

I am so thrilled with the author response to our idea for a reunion series, The Class of '85. It came about as the best things usually do, by accident. Back in February or March, during a regular staff meeting, the Last Rose of Summer editors came up the idea for a reunion, batting ideas around such as getting revenge on prom queens and the best looking guys, what ever happened to the one most likely to spend time in a maximum security cage. Mind you, this was just goofing around, we agreed to mull things over and come together again in one month's time.

Within days, Senior Editor Spencer Glenn [who directed traffic with the wildly successful Wayback Texas series] generously contributed an idea which helped gel the entire idea of a reunion series. Her thoughts were so clear and intriguing they could not be ignored. Voila! the Class of '85 came to life after a remarkably easy labor and delivery.

A call for submissions went out in late March and an author loop was created. At the same time, the location for the reunion [actual and figuratively] was created, then tweaked, complete with photographs. As questions came in to the loop, a spreadsheet, created by Historical Division Managing Editor Nicole D'Arienzo, was implemented.

As stories were submitted in April [and continue to come in] contracts were offered. Today, less than four months later, we are delighted to announce the first of the alums attending the reunion: Getting It Right, by Donna Bolk, came out 8/15/10; The Serious Moonlight, by Janet Halpin will make the scene on 8/18/10; and The Lonely Road to You, by Jannine Gallant will arrive on 8/25/10. Corvette Confessions by Stacy Dawn and Fairy Tales Do Come True by Silver James will follow in September.

More will follow throughout the fall; the possibilities for what is on the horizon for the end of the year and into 2011 are endless. On behalf of the Last Rose of Summer editors and Class of '85 authors, we hope you will enjoy returning to Summerville, NY on the shores of Lake Ontario, and see what happened to the prom queen, the best looking guy, and the one most likely to spend time in a maximum security cage.
Kathy Cottrell