Shatiera Porte’e and Edward John Dixon, two writers in the 2025 Memoir Incubator, recently met for lunch. We caught up with them afterward to ask them about their Writer’s Date.
WHEN: 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 8, 2025
WHERE: Iron Whale, Asbury Park, NJ
WHY: Celebrating both Edward’s & Shatiera’s Birthdays
book inc: What made you two decide to meet for lunch outside of your regular Incubator meetings?
Shatiera: Since the program began in January, our Incubator group has developed close connections and formed a family-oriented writing space. I’ve declared myself the cheerleader of the group, and every class, I cheer all of us on. I have especially noticed over the past few months that I tend to cheer on Edward when he may be feeling stuck, or when he is celebrating a win that particular week.
Edward shared that he was an hour door-to-door from his house to Asbury Park, and he would love to go to lunch one day. He joked that he thought I might be busy for my birthday, but he thought he would “throw his hat in the ring, plus I’d get to meet Rayne too.” His dog. We ended up agreeing to schedule a meetup somewhere in the middle of his birthday and my birthday, and decided July would be best.
We went back and forth with a place, Edward checking with a friend to get suggestions, and ended up going with Iron Whale, which is my favorite place to get a salad anytime of the year. I remember asking Edward, “What made you want to meet with me?” He shared that he had always felt a twin flame energy between us from the start, and I agreed that we had both connected from an early point.
Edward: Honestly, I was a bit anxious. Even though I had suggested the meet-up, now that I was here, it felt a bit like a first date. I would never admit to having changed my shirt twice, wanting to appear cool and casual. I didn’t want it to feel like an interview. What would we talk about? We had originally agreed that this was to be purely social, to get to know each other on a more personal level. But Shatiera has this way of immediately making you feel at home, and once hugs were exchanged, and we settled in, the conversation was off and running.
book inc: What did you talk about during your lunch?
Edward: I realize now that I may have initially come off as a bit blunt. Recently retired and having spent a lifetime pleasing people, I am now at a point in my life where I am trying to practice integrity and authenticity. So, I told Shatiera that no topic was off-limits and that we both had the right to say, “I’m not comfortable talking about that …” I think that created a safe space and a healthy start. The conversation flowed about everything and anything. She has a magical skill in making you feel really heard and holds space for you. With that in mind, I almost immediately broke my own rule and asked her if she would like to read a potential chapter, as I valued her insight. We discussed being novice writers and the challenges that presented, and admitted that there were times when both of us felt insecure in our abilities. That was comforting to me.
Shatiera: OMG, what DIDN’T we talk about? We talked about everything. Unscripted, unfiltered, and unforgettable is what happened. Honest. I wish I could remember every single word. I remember hugging Edward when he came in and seeing him walk Rayne in. I was excited. He is taller than I thought. He talked about Rayney’s shoes, and that I looked even prettier in person than in my pictures, which gave him cool points.
The moment we sat down, Edward made it clear that if he was going to spend time connecting with someone, it had to be meaningful. “No bullshit, no wasting time. I don’t have time to waste.” That immediately got my attention. I didn’t know where this conversation was going. It definitely was not surface level. My eyebrows almost touched, and my smile disappeared, and I might even have sat up straight to make sure I was present in this conversation.
Then, he gave me the best birthday gift. My mouth dropped. This was his first time meeting me, and he brought a gift? Accompanied by a beautiful card, he gave me a journal with the word “footprints” on the cover. I felt bad coming empty-handed, even though my bubbly personality can be packaged up and gifted by itself, I felt like I owed him. Driving an hour, and with a gift, what can I give him? The question still resurfaces every few days. Stumped.
We explored the rollercoaster reality of writing: the doubt, word counts, meeting deadlines, how far we both have come, while also admitting there were times we both wanted to quit the Incubator because of our own insecurities. We also discussed his desire to be published and his passion for performing on stage. We even joked about us doing a podcast one day, and asked who would play me in a movie. I laughed because I had no idea. He knew right away George Clooney would play him.
Edward, throughout the conversations, nicknamed me “bossy” and would slightly look down while or after saying it. We even got into deeper conversations, sharing his past. He opened up about ending a friendship that lasted over 30 years. I didn’t share it at the moment, but I knew exactly how that felt. I walked away from a 19-year friendship myself. He asked me about being a mom, expressing compassion about how it must be to juggle work and my business. I shared financial struggles, selling my car, losing my medical insurance, trying to figure things out.
As our conversation ended on our ride to drop me off, I thanked him for the date. He paused, turned, and grinned, “Oh, this was a date?” We laughed again. But it was a date. Now learning a writer’s date. I’m not sure if these are typical first-date topics, but I felt comfortable and safe. I was hoping Edward was too. He is a pistol.
book inc: Did you share any writing with each other?
Shatiera: I didn’t share my writing, but Edward did, within minutes of him sitting down. The funny thing is: that’s not why we set up our writer’s date. We met to connect and chat. So I didn’t have a chapter to present. Later, I felt embarrassed that I hadn’t shared, but I was also glad because my manuscript is a mess anyway.
After we ordered, Edward shared his writing with me. I read and laughed, and was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would come next after each line. I glanced up once and saw Edward’s hand on his chin, looking away in deep thought, serious, quietly waiting for me to finish. The food came, and I was still reading. Edward asked politely if he could begin eating, and, of course, I said yes. At one point, I thought I must be reading really slowly after the waitress came back to fill our glasses and check to see if we needed anything, and I was still reading. It was that good!
Throughout the conversation, I may have shared my writing experience in pieces, but I hadn’t discussed my memoir in detail until Edward offered to take me home. Our conversations jumped every five seconds from one thought to the next. I did mention at one point in the conversation that this day of us meeting one another should be included in either my memoir or his. On the drive to my house, I connected our conversation about a piece I have in my draft that I’m not sure if I should keep. I started sharing the story with Edward. His mouth opened, jaw dropped as he kept his eye on the road, watching the GPS and listening to me insert my own directions as we were still chatting nonstop. The one thing Edward did say to me is, “Shatiera, what if there are other people that may be experiencing this, and this part of your story could help someone else?” I said, “Yes, you are right,” as I looked out the window, and still said to myself, “We will see.” I’m still thinking I might take it out.
Edward: Yes, I shared my work and asked Shatiera to give me some feedback. I was struggling that particular week and in serious need of a confidence boost. I nervously picked at my food and sipped my drink as she began to read. The waitress approached, startling us both as we were so fervently engrossed in our reading. It seemed like she was reading for an eternity. I thought to myself Hurry up, please, as the suspense was killing me. Then the first laugh out loud came, and I sighed a deep sigh of relief. It was going to be ok. She was complimentary and made two significant points: that I painted a vivid picture of the story in words and that she could almost hear the dialogue. YES. Mission achieved. Relief ensued, and the conversation turned to other topics.
book inc: How was this different from your regular Incubator group meetings?
Edward: Our lunch meeting was great for practicing vulnerability. Nothing like putting your very personal story on display. Maybe it’s different for fiction writers, but I felt that once we had established a safe space, I would receive some honest feedback while sharing the non-writer side of me that makes me who I am today. Shatiera makes that easy to do. Funny, compassionate, sometimes deep, she embodies all the qualities one would look for in a cherished friend. Uber-organized, she makes me want to be better at this whole thing we call “the writing process.” Meeting another writer in person allows you to watch body language, facial expression, and hear both the seriousness and laughter in a way that doesn’t necessarily translate over Zoom.
Shatiera: I would say that Edward and I are pretty vocal and open when it comes to sharing in our Incubator class. However, we are also sharing the space with guest speakers, our co-pals, and other writers, and everyone is sharing and expressing their writing experiences during our time. This was different from our regular group meetings because it was just the two of us. We both had to come up for air because we were just chatting the entire time. It would be hard to believe that this was our first time meeting, but at the same time, we were sharing as much as we could. It was an open, loving, and funny dialogue. I knew the man who stared across from me was the same man I got to see on the computer screen every two weeks. Intrigued, was I? Many times in the conversation, I felt like I was talking with one of my friends. Even a bestie. Yes. A conversation that kept me on my toes, and I will never forget.
book inc: Would you recommend other writers go on “dates?”
Shatiera: When I first asked myself this question, I said yes, but then I hesitated. I think that writer dates should definitely be scheduled with someone you have a connection with, someone you have known for a bit, and both of whom have an interest in meeting, especially in person. During our meeting, there was no dead silence between us, and the conversation was full. This was our first meetup since we entered the Incubator on January 23, 2025. So, yes, I think you should, but don’t force it!
Edward: My original thought, because of my own positive experience, would be yes. However, this process may not be for everyone. We went into this open and willing to be genuine, so that helped, and the fact that we established some ground rules early on about vulnerability and sharing made for a great date. I don’t know that two introverts or writers at different places in their journey would have the same experience. However, if you are open to it, I think it enhances the overall experience and would recommend it. If you are unsure, consider starting with a Zoom meeting or a coffee meet-up with a defined timeframe. We simply ran out of time, and I sincerely look forward to our next visit. Having someone outside your personal circle who truly gets what you are going through during this process gives you a certain peace and serenity that I didn’t realize that I needed.
book inc: Are you planning to meet again?
Shatiera: When we left one another that day, we didn’t schedule or talk much about it. Recently, we both agreed to meet again. At lunch, I remember possibly telling Edward he was stuck with me, especially until our books came out. I think I might have made him nervous. He didn’t answer back LOL, but he is a great pal and I think you will hear about Edward and me meeting again, even if it is on Zoom.
Edward: She’s lying. (Laughing Out Loud) I was very clear that I wanted to re-engage, and although we are only an hour away by car, I wished we were closer so we could bounce things off each other in person. Thankfully, through the ready availability of technology, we can support each other’s writing UNTIL we meet in person again. On the surface, it might appear to an outsider that we are very different people, and in many ways we are. But the combined love of reading and writing brought us together. I genuinely look forward to seeing where this journey takes us.
About the Writers
Shatiera is writing a memoir about her journey of healing hurt, owning her truth, and stepping into who she was always meant to be. Edward is crafting a memoir about coming out in the throes of the AIDS epidemic in New York City. Both are part of book inc’s 2025 Memoir Incubator cohort.
Interested in joining our January 2026 Memoir or Novel Incubator? Applications open August 1, 2025. Email us at bookinc@projectwritenow.org to learn more about our year-long journey from story idea to completed manuscript.