Shaw & Williamson

Bookmark, Charlottetown’s independent bookstore, is launching Darcy Shaw and Penny Williamson’s new book Writing Together: a Year of Meaning Making and Friendship on October 7 at 7 pm in the Faculty Lounge, Main Building, UPEI. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

 What happens when two unlikely friends separated by age, gender, profession, and geography commit to writing together for a year? They surprise themselves with what author Parker J. Palmer calls “a unique dual-memoir that guides readers to pen their own creative journeys.” 

 Darcy Shaw, a veterinary professor, and Penny Williamson, a facilitator and leadership coach, discovered something remarkable. Writing together could be a way to reflect on your life, deepen friendship, and create a powerful antidote to loneliness in a time when people are so disconnected. Using poetry as a catalyst for carefully crafted prompts, they created a process for writing in a trustworthy space that anyone could use.

 Drawing from their backgrounds in facilitation and leadership development, Williamson and Shaw have created more than just a writing guide—they’ve crafted a lifeline for anyone feeling stuck, seeking renewal, or longing to understand their life’s journey. Writing Together is an exploration of connection, vulnerability, and the transformative power of shared storytelling.

 Shaw is an award-winning veterinarian and Professor Emeritus of Small Animal Internal Medicine at UPEI. His work spans clinical medicine, communication skills, and leadership development. He sees animals as guides to integrity and wholeness.

 Williamson is an internationally-recognized facilitator, educator, and coach for leaders in health care and other serving professions. A retired Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University and a founding facilitator with the Center for Courage & Renewal, her work focuses on living and working with authenticity, courage, and heart.