The cover blurb tells us it’s “a delightful collection of poems, tales and art to while away an afternoon.” Nice.

That’s USA Today best-selling author Lee Murray’s promotional pitch for ‘Beyond Coffee and Scones’ – a second anthology by the Oropi Writing Group of Marian Penman, Annie Rae Te Ake Ake, the late Gay Prasad, Moana Bianchin, Carol Garden and Lila Parry.

‘Beyond Coffee and Scones’ has been launched this weekend at Books A Plenty in Grey St, Tauranga City.

“Blending memoir and make-believe,” says Lee.

“Perfect for readers who enjoy their coffee with a slice of life.”

Anthology II is an assortment of fresh writing challenges for the Oropi group. There’s a medley of memoirs – like Lila Parry’s ‘Jessie’s Stand’.

“There was even talk of a mythical pig nicknamed ‘Beezlebub’. This caught Jessie’s vivid imagination. She begged her parents for so long and with such earnest intensity, that they eventually agreed to let her join the hunt.”

Just a taste of a neighbourhood tale from deep in Oropi itself.

The late Gay Prasad. Photo: supplied.

There’s also “a splash of poetry” – a sombre splash like this excerpt from the late Gay Prasad’s ‘Darkness’.

“Allow the darkest secrets, the hidden shame and deepest regrets,

Let them rise up in their full splendour,

Look them in the eye,

Let them speak their foul words of condemnation,

Hear them and be not afraid.”

All from six lovers of story-telling, the rhythm of words and, by their own admission, a good morning tea.

As they say, art stimulates writing and writing stimulates art.

And it was Gay’s ‘Darkness’ that inspired Moana to create a series of paintings for the book, including the mildly provocative cover image called ‘Gluttony’ – a caricaturised, fuller-figured, all red nude eating grapes.

The cover of ‘Beyond Coffee and Scones’.

The Oropi Writing Group began in 2016 when sisters Annie and Gay responded to a newspaper advert placed by Marian looking to connect with other writers.

The three women had all been teachers and shared a love of words. They published their first anthology ‘Over Coffee and Scones’ three years later.

Moana, who, as a child, knew Annie and Gay, bought and loved the book and was invited to join. She was followed by two more school teachers Carol and Lila. All are accomplished writers and published authors.

The group meet regularly and write memoirs, fiction and poetry. Sometimes they are inspired by a line in another person’s story. Other times they are inspired by an artwork or an artwork is inspired by a poem.

Each writer begins their collection with a poem in response to the image of a clay sculpture of a woman, made by Anneil, a cousin of Gay, Annie and Lila’s. The process came full circle when one of the writers was inspired to paint a series of canvases in response to another writer’s poem.

What began as writing with coffee and scones evolved into a smorgasbord of creativity and snacks and the occasional wine.

Although the same prompt was often used by each writer, what emerged were five pieces of writing as diverse as the authors themselves.

Sadly, the Oropi Writers Group became five last year with the passing of Gay Prassad. She will be memorialised in the pages of ‘Beyond Coffee and Scones’ available at Books A Plenty.