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(On the anniversary of Erma Bombeck's death, Sharon Short writes about the humorist's enduring appeal in her new column, "Literary Life," in the Dayton Daily News. Here's an excerpt from Sharon's April 22 debut column.)

I am delighted and honored to launch a new column today - Literary Life.

I will share the stories of book clubs, writing groups, writing workshops and published writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and plays in the greater Dayton area.

I've shared news of this column with friends and literary cohorts from Dayton to New York and beyond, and universally I've received two reactions: (1) That's so exciting! and (2) Wait, is there that much going on, literary life-wise, in Dayton, Ohio?

My responses: (1) Yes, it is exciting, because the arts are lively and growing in Dayton, including the literary arts and (2) Yes. The challenge isn't going to be finding material to cover, but how to choose among all the creative, cool, literary people, places and events each week.

Today marks the 16th anniversary of the passing of nationally beloved humor columnist and best-selling author Erma Bombeck, a household name for her witty and poignant insights into American family life during the 1960s-1980s. Yesterday wrapped up the biannual writers' workshop held in her name.

"Erma wrote about real life, the kind of life most of us live every day, not the cartoons and fantasies that populate so much of our entertainment media," says Matthew Dewald, workshop director.

The University of Dayton's National Alumni Association sponsors the biannual Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, the only one in the United States devoted to human interest and humor writing. Registration for the workshop, which attracts hundreds of aspiring and professional writers from around the United States and Canada, sold out the first week it was open. So, writers interested in 2014 are advised to visit humorwriters.org.

Bombeck was born in Bellbrook in 1927 and grew up in a working-class family in Dayton. She attended University of Dayton and began writing for the Kettering-Oakwood Times in 1964 and the Dayton Journal Herald in 1965. After just three weeks at the Dayton newspaper, Bombeck's column, At Wit's End, was picked up for syndication.

In many ways, Bombeck's and (Manning) Marable's literary and personal lives couldn't have been more different. Yet, both grew up in and were, in part, shaped by their experiences in Dayton.

- Sharon Short

Sharon Short is the author of the novel "My One Square Inch of Alaska," to be published by Penguin Plume in February 2013, and the director of the Antioch Writers' Workshop. Click here for the complete version of this Literary Life column.