Dear Writers,

Despite my best efforts to stay afloat at the end of the school year, a tidal wave of concerts, ceremonies and soccer games always seems to sweep me away.

As Jenna Bush Hager said about “Maycember” on TODAY with Jenna & Friends, “In December, we’re like, ‘Oh yeah, you know, Christmas and such,’ which reminds us that it’s going to be a busy time — I always forget that May is busy. We forget and it sneaks up on us.”

Erma would have appreciated modern parenting writers’ “Maycember” moniker for the end-of-year rush. She also would have welcomed the slower pace of June, even while knowing that summer brings its own flavor of chaos—from vacation schedules to the inevitable mid-summer chorus of “I'm bored.”


Still, somewhere between the swimsuits, popsicles and the scorching hot days, I'm excited for the opportunities to create the kind of summer memories that last long after the season ends.

The Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop has long been known for its supportive, welcoming spirit. 

That spirit inspired Mary Warwick, a stand-up comic from the Pittsburgh area, to make a generous $5,000 gift to support emerging writers. Warwick said she received an inheritance from her father and wanted to donate to a nonprofit close to her heart.

“My dad was a cowboy with a quick wit, so the Erma Workshop felt like a perfect fit,” Warwick said. “The workshop has had a profoundly positive impact on my life, and I hope it will do the same for others.”



Warwick’s contribution will support the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers’ Award Endowment Fund, which provides need-based financial assistance for emerging writers to attend.

Oprah Daily named John Searles’ upcoming novel, Single Girls (Mariner Books), one of its “24 Best Books of Summer.”

Searles’ keynote at the 2026 Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop gave us a sneak peek into the book, described as “an infectious and utterly charming fictionalization of the iconic Helen Gurley Brown’s early years at the helm of Cosmopolitan and the intrepid group of women she took under her wing to create one of the most talked about magazines of all time.”

Eva Lesko Natiello’s new book, The Dog Sitter (Fine Line Publishing), is a wry, feel-good romp about a woman whose life has gone sideways, forcing her to take a 30-day dog sitting job in New York City despite not being a dog person (or a people person, frankly). It’s an irreverent and insightful story about starting over. Natiello, who assists authors with publishing and marketing their books, got rave reviews for her self-publishing masterclass at the 2026 workshop.

Sixteen workshop attendees showed off their stand-up comedy chops, some for the first time in front of a live audience, during Stand Up Comedy Night at the 2026 workshop. 

Carole Montgomery, who created and stars in three Showtime specials for Women of a Certain Age, nurtured and encouraged the slate of stand-up comics, prompting one audience member to comment, “Every performer brought their best game, and the atmosphere in the ballroom was so supportive and fun.”

Editor and longtime workshop supporter Tiffany Yates Martin also referenced the show in her blog, while offering words of wisdom for writers. “On the plane on the way home I realized that all the things that made the show work so well — and the Erma workshop so special — also apply to authors who want to forge successful careers,” she said.

If the lazy days of summer find you looking for a pick me up, these 16 stand up comedy routines will certainly brighten your day.

Keep writing!

Shannon Shelton Miller

Co-director, Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

300 College Park

Dayton, Ohio 45469-1520

go.udayton.edu/erma