Terry Redman Remembered
Richard Meeks, Writers of Kern
I first met Terry Redman when I attended a Writers of Kern meeting in July, 2001. I had just retired from teaching, and was at last fulfilling a long-held desire to write fiction. At that time, WOK monthly meetings were held in a back room at a coffee shop across the street from Buck Owens Crystal Palace.
Filled with trepidation, I was unsure whether I would be accepted into this inner circle of special people who knew how to create whole universes by putting words on paper.
When I entered the room, Terry jumped up from his chair and came over to me. Grinning broadly, he held out his hand and said, “If you’re looking for a bunch of crazy people who write, welcome to The Asylum.”
Terry was a fellow teacher who shared some of the same interests I did. He made me feel welcome and introduced me to many of the WOK members, who convinced me that I could do “this writing thing,” and that I was among friends. In those days, critique groups were a rarity and hard to get into. Terry knew that I wanted feedback, and he suggested I tag along to his group’s biweekly meeting. That group, called “The Classiques,” invited me in, and over the next decade provided critical support, and wonderful comradeship.
Terry was a true inspiration, and when he passed away on January 11, 2019, from complications of open heart surgery, he left a legacy of friendship and inspiration to everyone who knew him.
This tribute appeared in the Writers of Kern February 2019 newsletter.
In it, the editor adds that, “Terry received the Jack London Award
for service to Writers of Kern, edited The Write Way newsletter twice,
and led our Critique Groups for several years.