Photo By James Czar

Dave Eggers is supporting local writers in Cincinnati.

When Dave Eggers announced in Cincinnati on May 22 his plan to fund a published collection of writings by local InkTank participants, most in the sweltering Memorial Hall auditorium were surprised. As for Kathy Holwadel, not so much.

Not that she's not grateful. But the InkTank founder and woman behind Writers' Day "had a sneaking suspicion something good would happen if we put all of these amazing talents in one spot." (See Write On!, issue of May 19-25.)

The nationally famed author/publisher/artist/literary philanthropist's presentation came after readings from InkTank volunteers and participants in the programs at the Drop Inn Center and Arts Consortium. In addition to reading some of his own work, Eggers talked about 826 Valencia, the children's literacy center he founded in San Francisco's Mission District, and shared one of the participant's stories published in Waiting to be Heard. Waiting was an effort, in the aftermath of riots, to collect high school students' stories and essays about peace.

After reading the moving account of one teen's family battle with domestic violence, Eggers announced the news about an InkTank book. Holwadel, who did say she was "absolutely thrilled," was immediately thinking business.

"It's the same as when he was here last August (at a book signing, when Eggers suggested he'd help with funding for an organization such as InkTank)," she says. "The only thing that goes through my head is 'All right, he will do this for us.' "

As far as plans for putting together a book, Holwadel says InkTank's next steps are finding a topic, a sponsoring local celebrity author who'll write the introduction -- the most important aspect -- and working with schools to get voices collected.

She has a few ideas on the author. By now she's probably got it all figured out. ©