My longtime dear friend and writing mentor, Penny Porter, passed away last week, and I decided to share a past column in remembering her.
When I met Penny in the late 1990s, she was president of Tucson’s Society of Southwestern Authors (SSA), author of several books, and reportedly the most-published-ever Reader’s Digest contributor back when that was a big deal.
Six feet tall with “big,” fiery red hair, Penny was a consummate writer who somehow balanced between professional woman and delightful giggling 12-year-old.
Penny introduced me to famous writers of the day like Ray Bradbury and Tony Hillerman—she induced me to fly Clive Cussler to Tucson one year for the annual SSA Writers Conference—and lovingly shared writing wisdom and humor that helped shape my own work and inspires me to this day.
Most of all, she was an artist to the core who imbued even the briefest informal message with literary richness.
Penny, I’m gonna miss you big-time!
Greg
**Read about Penny in Greg’s column, “CONVERGENCE“**
Photo: “Penny Porter with Chris Sis and Greg at Jimmy’s Diner in Tucson, Arizona, 2000.”
(This column first appeared in AOPA Flight Training magazine. Read an expanded version in Greg’s book, Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane.)
Greg
©2019 Gregory N. Brown
If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love Greg’s book, Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane. Autographed copies available!