This collection brings together a series of stories that illuminate the lives, struggles, and humanity of residents from a part of Chicago often left unchronicled in fiction.
Through vivid storytelling, each piece offers a deeper look into everyday lives, capturing moments of resilience, hardship, and connection across a community rich in experience and voice.
A powerful collection of ten stories that reveal the shared humanity of residents from a part of Chicago often left untold in fiction. Each story brings depth, emotion, and perspective to voices rarely represented.
Wise Wendell tells the story of a seven-year-old boy who insists he is old enough to take care of himself—until he discovers a single white hair on his head. Startled and confused, he turns to his parents and teacher for answers, but none can explain it.
It is only through the wisdom of his grandparents, shared during the evening of his birthday celebration, that he finally finds understanding.
On his seventh birthday, a young boy insists he’s ready to take care of himself, until he discovers a single white hair. Searching for answers from parents and teachers who can’t explain it, he finally finds wisdom through his grandparents during a special birthday celebration.
This anthology brings together a diverse collection of stories and writings that explore the lives, struggles, and resilience of residents from Chicago’s West Side, an often overlooked and underrepresented community.
Through raw, honest, and vivid storytelling, each piece captures moments of adversity, identity, and human connection. From personal reflections to fictional narratives inspired by real-life experiences, the collection gives voice to perspectives rarely seen in mainstream literature, revealing strength and creativity born from challenging environments.
A compelling anthology of short stories, poetry, and excerpts created by members of the West Side Writers’ Guild, a Chicago-based collective founded to support emerging writers. The collection showcases authentic voices and lived experiences from one of the city’s most historically underserved areas.
Published in 1996 and edited by Mark Allen Boone, this work highlights themes of culture, struggle, resilience, and community. With strong editorial quality and emotionally engaging pieces, it stands as a meaningful contribution to grassroots urban literature and a testament to the power of storytelling from within the community.
Explore a growing collection of works that reflect depth, culture, and storytelling shaped by decades of experience.
Mark’s journey as a writer began early, shaped by personal experiences and a deep connection to storytelling.
I’ve been a writer since the age of six, when I wrote a letter to my grandmother telling her how much I missed her while she was away. She treasured that letter, written in pencil on notebook paper, and it resurfaced decades later among my mother’s keepsakes.
As a child, I found joy in reading, especially in stories like Grimm’s Fairy Tales. That early passion grew into writing poems, stories, and eventually novels. Over time, it became a lifelong career, one that allowed me not only to tell my own stories, but to help others share theirs through the process of self-publication.
“Mark now lives in an Atlanta suburb with his wife Cynthia, a retired reading specialist. Together, they are parents of two and grandparents of four, continuing a life grounded in family, storytelling, and shared experiences.”
Author, Editor & Publishing Consultant
