“Lights, Camera, Action!”: Lake Erie Ink Celebrates 10th Anthology of the Teen Book Project

A library is typically characterized by its silence, with librarians shushing guests and conversation discouraged. In mid-May, Cleveland Public Library MLK Branch saw the opposite. Excitement and chatter buzzed through the lobby as upbeat pop music blared through industrial-sized speakers. Parents and teachers eagerly lined up at a folding table to purchase their copies of a newly released book by their favorite authors: their kids. 

Lake Erie Ink is a nonprofit organization that cultivates an environment in which teens in the Greater Cleveland area can have their voices heard. With the vision of a community allowing young people to explore their creative side through the written word, Lake Erie Ink created the Teen Book Project. Gathering submissions from writers all over Cleveland, the Teen Book Project delivers its 10th Teen Anthology this May. 

This year’s anthology includes more than 70 writers from grades 6-12, with representation of a variety of genres: fiction, poetry, comics, visual art and photography. From beginning to end, writing to editing to compilation, the anthology was created solely by the teens. The team of eight teen producers sent out prompts for submissions and worked on design ideas at their weekly meetings over the course of the school year. The theme they decided on, and the title of their anthology: “Lights, Camera, Action!” 

“It’s about the lights in their lives, stepping in front of or behind the camera and taking action in life,” says Amy Rosenbluth, executive director at Lake Erie Ink.

The launch party highlighted the teens and their hard work, with readings by the writers showcasing themes of mental health, self-image, internal and external struggle, as well as some personal experiences and creative pieces.

“There’s nothing else where kids can be creative humans without expectation. There are no grades, no competition,” Rosenbluth says. “There are very few things offered to them like that, so if we can be one of those things, that’s critical.”

In a preface to the readings, educator and mentor Amy Hughes, who oversees the operations of the teen editorial team, took the stage to celebrate the teen editors’ and writers’ successes. She ended her speech with a powerful message that echoed through the room.

“If you’re feeling hopeless about the world, spend more time around teenagers. They have hope,” she says.

“Lights, Camera, Action!” launched May 19 and became available in local bookstores May 20. You can grab a copy at Mac’s Backs Books, Visible Voice Books and Loganberry Books. Visit www.lakeerieink.org to learn more about their organization, and follow along with their mission by checking out @LakeErieInk and @theteenbookproject on Instagram.  

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