How PPW Made a Difference

Published July 15, 2025

Collected by Deborah Brewer

If one takes part in any organization, it’s reasonable to consider whether your involvement will make a difference. At the recent PPW Summer Book Bash event, I asked writers to share how Pikes Peak Writers has made a difference for them. I hope you find the experiences shared in the following responses familiar. Whether you are a PPW member, a volunteer, a Writing from the Peak reader, a conference or non-conference attendee, a sponsor, or any combination of the above, please know, that you are appreciated.

J. Claire

As a recent member of PPW, I have been given the opportunity to not only connect with and learn from local authors but also participate in several events PPW hosts each month. I am new to Colorado, and this organization has provided exposure for my writing and celebrated the success of my debut poetry book. PPW has also welcomed me into the community by offering several ways to connect in the vibrant, creative community. These opportunities range from publishing success stories and sharing resources to volunteering to lead and support monthly events and conferences. I am so grateful I found this organization so quickly and was able to dive into the diverse roster of amazing writers in the state.

J. Claire “Poet of the Wild” is an award-winning poet and author of Revelry. Her work blends traditional lyricism and visual poetry with a contemporary edge, resonating with readers seeking connection through language and vulnerability. J. Claire resides in Colorado. Visit her website: https://jclairepoetry.com

Tena Stetler

A little history:

I’ve written since I could hold a pencil. On special occasions, as a child, I’d write fun little stories for family and friends. I continued writing through my teens and into adulthood. Never thought I was good enough to be published, though that was my dream.

In 2010, I was considering polishing a manuscript I had written after taking a few online creative writing classes. I attended a couple of Write Brain classes, then my first PPW Conference. I learned a lot about the craft, but even more important was the confidence PPW instilled in my abilities. The PPW members were so friendly, welcoming, and encouraging. The workshops were geared towards the beginning author, and I thrived. Finally, in 2014, I became brave enough to submit one of my manuscripts, A Demon’s Witch, to a couple of publishers. Within weeks, The Wild Rose Press offered me a contract and published the book in Sept of 2015. The rest is history. I’ve been with them for twelve years and have published 19 books.

Due to time constraints and deadlines, I don’t attend as many events with the PPW as I did, but when I do, the faces and names may change, but it still feels like home.

Tena Stetler is a best-selling Colorado author of award-winning paranormal mystery and romance tales, all with HEA endings. To learn more, she can be reached at her website www.TenaStetler.com

Andrew Appelhans

PPW is the home of the like-minded. Members are joined in a single craft, a shared passion to which we dedicate a portion of our lives in the pursuit of meaning and connection. Writing is often a very solitary venture. Long hours sat in front of a notebook or keyboard with only thoughts for company. But silence gains weight with time, even to the least social of social animals. Spending too long within the confines between one’s ears echoes the same thoughts over and over, fading into automatic acceptance or complete unfamiliarity. It is only through the eyes and opinions of others that our imaginings are given context, that our thoughts have impact, that our echo chambers are opened to new sound. The process of writing may be solitary, but inspiration is not. Nothing can come from nothing. Inspiration arises from interaction with the world, with others. 

That is the value of a space for peers. Stories, those written as well as those lived, are swapped, sharing their thought, emotion, and connection. We find joy in the successes of others and consolation in disappointments. The best times are all the better, and the worst times are not that bad, when surrounded by those who can understand. We find consultation, lessons from the experienced and experiences from the initiates, a symbiotic dance where everyone is leader and follower. Networks web out in an impossible tangle, understood by intuition and implicit relation, offering new opportunities we didn’t even know existed. Friendships and fellowships are formed, seeing the success of one as the success of all.

This is the difference it has made for me, as one all-too-easily mired in my own mind. It takes some courage (liquid or otherwise), but good things always do. I have a net ready to catch me should I fall from the wire.

Andrew Appelhans is a sci-fi novelist, short story writer, and poet. Colorado native.

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