Once upon a time, two friends went to writing school together. They loved reading and writing and words and books, and they also loved drinking good drinks and eating good food, and celebrating the camaraderie of fellow writers and other artists. Some of the other students at their school started a reading at the local bar every so often, and when they did, they called it “Word.”

But this was all long ago and it didn’t happen in Portland, Maine. After some time spent on different parts of the globe, those two friends (let’s call them Miss Danielle Leblanc and Miss Emily Jane Young) reunited in Portland, and they wanted all those words and drinks and friendships again. So they made it happen, and they called it Word Portland, with much love to the original Bushmills Writing Group.

While filming Erin Enberg's "The Poet."

Then, after many years, Miss Danielle and Miss Emily decided it was time to pass their love child onto another pair of literary-minded bibliophiles. After much searching, they found two unwitting but enthusiastic recruits: Emily Southard & Bailey O'Brien. 

Emily Young, Emily Southard, Bailey O'Brien, and Danielle LeBlanc during the transition of power.

Emily Southard is an arts enthusiast and amateur writer, artist, baker, and mountain climber. She has a BA in Political Science (don't hold it against her) with a minor in Visual Arts from Boston University and currently works for two local arts nonprofits: Creative Portland and the Portland Bach Experience.

Bailey O'Brien is enraptured by the art of the story. She has a BA in English from the University of Maine and a certificate in audio storytelling from the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. She is a freelance copy editor, writer, and regular contributor to Maine Women Magazine. 

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Join us at Word Portland – first Monday of the month, every month, at 9PM at LFK. Check the events page for details!

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