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In Memoriam − Sarah Wernick
Sarah Wernick, an early NWU member (since 1986) and one of the
most successful writers in the Union, died November 6th from cancer.
Collaborating with top experts, she wrote a series of bestsellers about
women and health, including “Strong Women Stay Young” (1997) and
“Strong Women, Strong Bones” (2000). Inside the NWU and the several
other writers’ organizations to which she was committed, she served as a
mentor who was enormously generous with her information, contacts
and networks.
For many years she hosted a mailing party for the then-hard-copy Rough
Draft chapter newsletter. There activists cemented their focus on writers’
rights under Sarah’s informed and witty hospitality. She began organized
standing-room-only workshops on writing book proposals and on working
with agents. As a conference speaker, she was in great demand.
Shirley Moskow, of today’s Steering Committee, remembers, “I was
among the writers who collated Rough Draft at her home and remember
her fondly for her generosity and smarts as well as her dedication to
helping writers at all levels. She was truly extraordinary.” Barbara Mende,
our webmaster, SC member and national officer, recalls that Sarah “was
one of the most brilliant and most giving people I knew.”
Sarah managed the magic of combining utter professionalism with
astounding good will. Former co-chair Leslie Brunetta worked with Sarah
on putting together fund-raising workshops for the Union. “I think she
found us hopelessly disorganized and sometimes maybe even incompetent.
But she really knew what she was doing and how to do it. It's not that
often that you come across someone that substantive, focused, and
organized. And, I think, in many ways, original.”
Sue Katz, eNews editor and close friend of Sarah, experienced her
generosity first-hand. “I’m writing a book about the involvement of
people over 50 in alternative sexualities. Even though this was not exactly
Sarah’s area of expertise, she got her head into it all with the greatest
humor as we worked on my proposal. During her various treatments since
her cancer diagnosis in 2005, she found all sorts of ways to spin her medical
procedures into images of kinky restraint and erotic pain for my entertainment.” See Sue's tribute to Sarah on her blog.
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