The Telling Room

08/24/2026

Mark your calendars and set your alarms! ⏰⁠
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It's back to school season here at The Telling Room. 🍎✏️ Fall registration opens at 9AM on September 1st, with our lottery-based program drawing (Word Play, Story Sleuths, and Works In Progress) taking place on September 14th!⁠
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Check out https://www.tellingroom.org/programs for more details on our specific programs so you can see which might be the best fit for your writing needs. We're excited to welcome in a new season of students and to empower more youth through writing. ✍️⁠
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We hope to see you in our afterschool programs, whether you've never joined us before or you're a seasoned Telling Room student. Our classroom welcomes you the same. 🫂⁠
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And remember, Fall programs this season will be conducted in our new space over at 55 Washington Avenue! More details on directions and parking to come—stay tuned for more updates on our move. 🚚⁠
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08/22/2026

⛱️ 📖 We are closed for a much needed week-long break for our team, following a busy season of summer camps and as we prepare for our big move in September! Our team will be out of the office August 22nd - August 30th, returning on August 31st, 2026. Stay tuned for more details as we plan to open our doors at 55 Washington Avenue in time for fall afterschool programs in late September, and please note: you may see our staff out in wild—especially coastal areas or inland bodies of water—in the week ahead. Telling Room staff are often spotted with a large, overly ambitious stack of books beside them. As best you can, let them read in their natural habitat, undisturbed. 😎 📚️

See you soon, and all of us at The Telling Room wish you a wonderful end of summer!

08/10/2026

Mark your calendars and join us on August 17th at SPACE to celebrate the launch of all our 2026 Young Emerging Author’s poetry collections 👏⁠
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This year’s authors—Len Sienko Harrison, E.C. Jay, Lily Jessen, and Anna Grey Bergstrom—have been hard at work for 15 months to complete their collections of poetry, and they’re finally here. Listen to our authors read from their latest collections at SPACE on August 17, at 5PM (doors open at 4:30PM). This event is free and open to the public, with copies of the collections available for purchase.⁠
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We hope to see you there to celebrate these amazing authors and their recent publications!
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08/06/2026

The Junior Journalist program, in collaboration with Portland Hearts of Pine is back by popular demand for year two! Building off last year's success, we have an upcoming game available for starters on August 16th ❤️ ⚽️🌲⁠
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With support from The Telling Room and Hearts of Pine staff, Junior Journalists cover the game from the press box and conduct on-field interviews with players and coaches post-game.
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Right now we only have TWO slots available, and the winners will be drawn randomly. If you're interested, please fill out the form: https://ow.ly/hbTW50ZwPhR
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As well as advancing their sportswriting skills, Junior Journalists have the chance to:⁠
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⚽️ Attend a Hearts of Pine game on August 16th ⁠
⚽️ Attend the post-game press conference and interview head coach, Bobby Murphy, as well as select players⁠
⚽️ Ask questions during the post-game press conference⁠
⚽️ Get sportswriting support from staff at The Telling Room and the Hearts of Pine⁠
⚽️ Publication with The Telling Room and other potential media outlets⁠
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This opportunity is open to youth in grades 4-12. Lottery registration for the August 16th game will close on Tuesday, August 11th. Families will be notified if they are chosen (or not) on Wednesday, August 12th.⁠
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If you miss out on this game, don't worry! There will be another opportunity to showcase your sportswriting on September 13th. Registration for the September 13th game will close on Sunday, September 6th. Families will be notified if they are chosen (or not) on Monday, September 7th.⁠

Good luck, sportswriting lovers! 👍
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08/06/2026

Shoutout to our friends at The Briar Patch for being featured as one of the many fun locations to visit in Bangor, Maine! Check them out on your next trip through central Maine, or if you’re in need of a new favorite bookstore. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and are always happy to assist in adding a new title to your reading bookshelf!

Read the full article at:

Dan Cashman, longtime host of 'The Nite Show' on Maine TV stations, shares some favorite spots in his hometown.

07/31/2026

Among the many connections we make, we are always excited to join a new bookstore friend's shelves in the area! Today, we want to highlight Letterpress Books and their considerate display of works from The Telling Room authors.
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Last week, Rylan Hynes, author and TTR Communications Director, held a reading at Letterpress Books for their debut novel (GRAFTING) and was delighted to see a whole array of Telling Room books to choose from. The pieces selected included last year's Young Emerging Author books, as well as our Maine Literary Award (held by Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance) winning anthology, IT RAINS DIAMONDS ON NEPTUNE.
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Thank you Letterpress Books for showcasing work from our students and empowering young readers in Portland (and beyond)! We look forward to stocking your shelves with more writing from our talented network of authors.
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07/29/2026

We want to share our immense gratitude for our 2026 Summer Interns and all the work they've done in empowering our students! All five of our interns are enrolled at universities in Maine and have been such a joy to have at this year’s summer camp programs.
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Hannah Herbst (she/her) is a student at Bates College where she studies English with a concentration in creative writing. She is excited to read and write more stories at The Telling Room this summer. ⁠
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Linda Palmer (she/her) is a rising sophomore at Bowdoin College where she is studying English, Math, and Education. Linda is so excited to meet The Telling Room community and encourage a love of storytelling.⁠
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Zoë Pringle (she/her) is a rising junior at Bowdoin College studying sociology and cinema studies. She plans to specialize in social work and education with a concentration on youth, and enjoys dabbling in theater, reading memoirs and comics, and making collages on her phone. ⁠
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Steph Rogers (she/they) is a graduate student at the University of Southern Maine Muskie School of Public Service, where she is studying Public Policy, Planning, and Management. She is thrilled to be supporting students at The Telling Room in developing and proliferating their voices and stories. ⁠

Julietta (Jules) Vázquez is a proud Taíno descendant, dancer, and community advocate from South Portland, Maine. She’s in her second year at the University of Southern Maine, studying Political Science and Law. Jules first got involved with The Telling Room in fourth grade through a residency program and later became the winner of the 2023 Statewide Writing Contest. ⁠
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Thank you to all of our interns for their hard work this summer as they assist with camps and inspire our students to write more, share their work, and empower others through storytelling. To learn more about our summer interns or how to become an intern, visit: https://www.tellingroom.org/internships.
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07/27/2026

We are thrilled to share that this year's four Young Emerging Authors books are now available for preorder on our online bookstore: https://www.tellingroom.org/store.
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Authors E.C. Jay, Len Harrison, Lily Jessen, and Anna Grey Bergstrom took part in the 15-month Young Emerging Authors fellowship to write, revise, and publish these beautiful collections of poetry. We will be celebrating their book launch on Monday, August 17th at SPACE from 5:00pm (doors open at 4:30pm), and it's free and open to the public, with books available for purchase.⁠
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These forthcoming books include raw recounts of confinement from a student's time in the youth incarceration system (LET ME CORRECT MYSELF), poetry exploring introspection from the mountains of Vermont at The Mountain School of Milton Academy (UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE), a novel in verse on womanhood through the eyes of Shakespeare's famous female characters (THE PLAY'S THE THING), and experiences with chronic illness from a writer's childhood into her young adult life (SOFT BIRD THAT I AM). Each one is moving, earnest, and authentic to the confidence these writers have built over the span of 15 months. We're sending a warm congratulations to E.C., Len, Lily, and Anna for this major literary accomplishment.
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Preorder today to have them shipped to you, or pick them up at the book launch on Monday, August 17th at SPACE—you don't want to miss the experiences our authors have had and to house their works on your bookshelf!
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07/24/2026

With the exciting changes The Telling Room is embarking on this summer, we are welcoming a few new members to our staff! Say hello to some of the newest Telling Room members and see what has them excited to join us in our mission.
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Swathi Sivasubramanian (she/her) is our new Lead Teacher for our Young Writers & Leaders Program (YWL)! She comes to The Telling Room from a decade of experience working with young people, first as a middle school educator and then as a facilitator and program manager for youth-led advocacy initiatives across Maine. Through her teaching and advocacy roles, Swathi has experienced the transformative power of storytelling and grown a deep love for creating spaces with young people where stories can be seeds for connection and change. ⁠
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Andy Cole (he/him) is a writer, educator, and multidisciplinary artist whose love of teaching grew out of summers working at sleep-away camp where he led a range of activities, including leather-working, music, drama, and D&D. Andy studied studio art & economics as an undergrad and holds an MFA in writing from Pacific University. His novel SUPER PUFF is on sub with Rosecliff Literary. Continually humbled by the creative process, he is inspired by the imagination and zeal students bring to their work. Andy is eager to employ a love of songwriting, visual art, film, comics, and games in his work with The Telling Room.⁠
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Grace Willcox (she/her) is originally from Washington State, but moved to Portland a little over six years ago, and has fallen in love with the thriving grassroots writing and artist communities the city has to offer. During her time here, she has become the Communications Manager for The Telling Room after volunteering for a semester as a Publications Workshop mentor. Her favorite moments were spent assisting our authors in bringing their storytelling to life through the full creative writing process. When she is not working on submitting her work for publication, you can almost always find her at Smalls, reading manuscripts (her favorite side gig) and sipping on an iced latte. ⁠
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We can't wait to face these transitions with a passionate and dedicated team. We're sure to feel the positive impact they'll bring to our students, in a whole new space! Learn more about our staff members at: https://www.tellingroom.org/staff, as well as our move coming up towards the end of summer: https://www.tellingroom.org/news/were-moving!

07/15/2026

We at The Telling Room are still processing Monday’s events in Biddeford and experiencing the reverberations of the violence, both as individuals and as a community. A wide spectrum of emotions are present as we navigate our days, taking care of ourselves and one another.

The youth we serve—those who have been through our doors in the past or who are currently here for summer camp—are processing these events and emotions in different ways. We know from the many difficult moments in these turbulent times that routine is beneficial to youth, that the opportunities to play and write are a way to both process what’s happening in this world and also a welcome invitation to step into another through their imaginations.

Just as ICE’s presence in Maine did not end after the surge in activity earlier this year, neither has our dedication to doing this work. What happened to the families, neighbors, and friends in Biddeford and beyond will not resolve neatly, but has created a deep wound.

Yet we are reminded of the power of youth voices and stories, and what is possible when communities are united together, listening to and uplifting each other.

Our team is dedicated to continuing to provide this space for youth, and we also want to share some community resources on our website that may be helpful to you and yours in the days and weeks ahead: https://www.tellingroom.org/news/mondays-events-in-maine

If you have questions or would like to share with us how best to offer support to the youth in your life, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Yours In Solidarity,
The Telling Room
[email protected]
(207) 774-6064