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Life Writers Take 'Vegas Oath'

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By LAURA CONE The Sun

Published: February 18, 2009

Joan Shalleck of Kings Point, the leader of a Life Writing memoir class, said her students are required to sign what she calls her "Vegas Oath."

"Whatever is spoken in this room stays in this room," said Shalleck, who is starting a new beginner's memoir writing class Feb. 20 at the new Continuing Education Division of Hillsborough County Community College on Shell Point Road in Ruskin.

"I emphasize this is a safe place to be able to tell family stories or secrets. We are not writing for publication," Shalleck said.

Shalleck recently led an advanced Life Writing class at the SouthShore Regional Library in Ruskin.

Being in her class might remind some people of their high school days. She gives students an assignment every week. The papers need to be four pages and doubled spaced. Writers must stick to his/her assigned topic.

Harriett Ziegler of Sun City Center said she has liked some topics more than others. But Ziegler said everyone loves Shalleck.

"Joan is inspirational," Ziegler said. "At times I reject the topic. Then, all of a sudden, I sit down at the keyboard and it starts churning inside of me -- the memories, the material, the creativity. I could not get it out fast enough. You can't stop writing."
Ziegler said she shares some of her writing with a tough critic - her son - Jonathan Adler, 43, of Sarasota.

She bites her nails waiting for his reaction.

"He told me, mother you are a very gifted writer," Ziegler said.

MaryEllen LaLomia of Ruskin said Shalleck helped facilitate the bond between the writers in the class. They took the beginner's class together, followed by the Level II class.

"I think what inspired me most deeply was the bond that formed in our group that enabled us to share a little more than surface stuff," LaLomia said.

LaLomia said she struggled most with writing about her teenage years because she, in a nutshell, wished she knew then what she knows now.

"I came from a background of parochial schools where things were more structured," LaLomia said.

Originally from New York, Shalleck has been teaching the course for more than five years at various locations, including the University of Florida's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Tampa

The class will run for eight weeks starting Feb. 20, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The room is 222D at the Hillsborough County Community College in Ruskin. The college fee is $55, and the class size is limited. For more information, call (813) 259-6512 or (813) 259-6528 to register.shalleckj@aol.com

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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