Former Council for Wisconsin Writers board member Jennifer Morales sends much good news in her busy writing life. Here are highlights:
Her story, “Cousins,” will be included in the forthcoming Milwaukee installment of Akashic Books’ acclaimed “city noir” series. Set in Milwaukee’s near-South Side neighborhood of Silver City, part of which she represented for eight years on the school board, “Cousins” features a gay woman and her trans cousin. Boswell Books in Milwaukee will host a book launch on May 7.
At the invitation of novelist and short story writer Joyce Carol Oates, Jennifer’s “The Boy Without a Bike” will be among stories in another Akashic collection, Cutting Edge: Female Noir contributed by such notable authors as Aimee Bender, Margaret Atwood, Edwidge Danticat and Valerie Martin. Anticipated publication date is November of this year.
Jennifer’s collection of linked stories, Meet Me Halfway, about life in hyper-segregated Milwaukee, is a semifinalist 
— one of 125 selected from more than 1,200 entries — in the ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition. Winner to be announced later.
In addition to writing, Jennifer shares her talent by conducting workshops and teaching at conferences. Details on her website.