Schedule and Location

Our group meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the Nokomis Fire Station. From Sarasota or North, proceed a few blocks south of Albee Road on US 41 (past Matthews-Currie Ford) to Pavonia Road. Turn right (West, toward the bay) at the Fire Station's flashing yellow caution traffic light. From the south on US 41, we are two blocks north of Dona Bay. Turn left onto Pavonia Road at the flashing yellow caution light. At the Fire Station, drive to the fire hall's far end or west side; PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOORS! We gather in the training room at the far end of the complex for a meet and greet at 6:00 pm but call the Meeting to order at 6:30 pm and take a Ten-minute break at around 7:50 pm. Meeting Adjourns: 9:00 pm

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Jeff Parker reading

Sunday November 18, 2012 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EST 


Join Jeff at Bookstore 1, 1359 Main St., Sarasota, FL 34236, this Sunday, November 18, to hear Hermitage writer Jeff Parker read from his work.  Jeff's work is hip and contemporary.  His novel Ovenman was published in 2007 by the book division of the literary journal Tin House. Parker received praise from within the literary community for his hypertext story A Long Wild Smile which has appeared in numerous online journals.

Parker grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and received a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Florida. He attended the prestigious creative writing program at Syracuse University where he studied with such writers as George Saunders and Arthur Flowers. He graduated with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 1999. He currently serves as a faculty member at the University of Toronto.  Parker also runs the Low Res Writing Program at the University of Tampa.
Click on the link below to let us know you're coming.
Register Now!
Where:
Bookstore 1 - Sarasota
1359 Main St.
Sarasota, FL 34236

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Thanks, Kerri 

Monday, November 12, 2012

Reading: One Right Thing

I am giving a reading from my new book, One Right Thing, this Saturday, November 17th, at WineStyles, 8225 Nature’s Way, 34202, in Lakewood Ranch (just East of University Parkway at I-75), from 3 til 5 pm. There will be wine and hors d’oeurves as well. A nice wine shop too! I’ll not start reading before 3:20 for sure. Come early if SITTING is important as I’m excited to say, I think there may be quite a crowd. Well, maybe 30 people! THAT is a crowd to any unknown writer/reader.

I’d appreciate your support and maybe, if you see or speak with others in the group, invite them. I did not have emails or I would have invited them. 
 
Chalise Bourque

Celebration of Authors and Readers

Doug Houck, Peace River FWA Writing Group Leader, announced an Author’s Market: Celebration of Authors and Readers at Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda on Sunday, November 25th, 2012

Author’s Market: Celebration of Authors and Readers
A Festival of Lights Event at Fisherman’s Village
1200 West Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, Florida
Sponsored by Fisherman’s Village and Peace River Writing Center at Edison State College
Sunday November 25, 2012
Prices: Members of PRCW, Gulf Coast Writers, Pine Island Writers, and Florida Writer’s Association
Members with their own tables: $10.00
Members needing tables: $25.00
Non-members of any writing group (with table and chair): $25.00
Non-members needing table: $45.00
Time of Event: 12:00 noon until 6:00 p.m.
Event set-up time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Contact PRCW by Email at: prcw@edison.edu
Or by telephone at: 941-637-3514




November Meeting


Our first meeting in November had fewer people than previous sessions, the lower turnout attributed to the late night most of us spent glued to the television sets watching election returns the night before. Still, we had eleven guests and a very good evening of reading and discussions. We welcomed back another regular attendee, sun-bird Kathleen Schwartz.

George Mindling started the evening with a wrap-up of the recent FWA conference in Orlando, and encouraged everyone to consider attending the conference in 2013. We discussed the upcoming Holiday get-together and will decide at our next meeting, November 21 (The day before Thanksgiving) whether the Christmas get-together will be on December 5th, or on December 19th.

George read a short piece from the Pepper Tree by our centenarian and faithful contributor, Ed Lyman, entitled “Looking Forward.” Ed rarely misses a meeting, so George read the piece as a part of our regular Ed Lyman readings.

We sadly learned the following day that Ed passed away in his sleep on the 6th, the details of his service, and the piece read at the meeting, have been posted on the blog under “Our Loss.”

Peter Frickel took over as moderator and chief cat-herder for the evening, and did an admirable job! He started by introducing Joanne Phillips who continued her saga Memoirs of a Sea Hag. Joanne has taken us through the Caribbean on a sailing adventure that never fails to engage the audience with her “Kinetic, not dry,” storyline.

Kathleen marked her return with a short, creative non-fiction piece, and Jim Kelly read Irv Newman's engaging story of coaxing a hospice nurse to write her memoirs. Jim then read two of his marvelous poems, one of which he has graciously allowed us to present here. The work, Like Him, is copyrighted by Jim Kelly, 2012, who retains all rights to the work. It may not be copied or distributed without his permission.



Like Him

"Take these, she says,
Dad doesn't need 'em anymore."
Hands him a pair of shoesnot new, but shiny,
as if they expect to go somewhere.
A couple trips in the rain will change all that.

Feels uneasy at first,
glances over his shoulder,
makin' sure he's draggin'
only one shadow.

Dust runs its fingers
through his furrowed brow,
reminding him of things that were . . .
the last one yet to come.

Like ties beneath his feet,
weathered and whiskered,
he wanders off, spending space
between near and far
unencumbered by directions.

Yesterday walks barefoot
through the softest grass,
down the briared paths
they often shared.

James O. Kelly
Englewood, FL
10/27/12


The meeting continued with Cecile Bell reading a reflective, “Milk Room” piece she wrote while waiting for the meeting to start! Cecile's mother, Paula, was a guest for the evening and got to read, rather hear, some really great writing.

Don Westerfield, who had poems also published in the recent “Pepper Tree,” read “The Runner,” and perhaps summed up why we write best of all; “I started writing one thing, and was amazed at what came out...” What came out was great writing about the service and sacrifice of American military men and women. Perfectly written for Memorial Day reminding us “that free is never free.”

Kit Crescendo read Mirror, an ingenious piece with a swirl, and then a touching account based on a personal experience that had everyone in absolute silence. Writing about personal tragedy is hard enough, but to make it a spell binding narrative is a craft.

Peter Frickel finished the evening's readings with a piece from the Herald Tribune about forty words, and then another selection from his upcoming eighteen part work named “Lilies of the Vlei.” Peter also has the talent to engage the listener with his prose and ability to describe natural beauty with the raw dangers of his South African homeland.

We wrapped up the evening with an open floor discussion about writing in general. Several suggestions were to do more presentations about the craft of writing in future meetings, and we will do just exactly that. The readings are extremely popular, but we can balance reading with presentations that everyone will enjoy.

With that, we wrapped up our meeting and said our goodbyes until our next meeting, Wednesday, November 21st.

George

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Don Bruns Kickoff - Hot Stuff


If you know anyone in the Sarasota area, I’m launching HOT STUFF this Friday at 595 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key.  Lots of great food, New Zealand wine from my publishers vineyards and some great people.  Let them know!  Thanks.
Don


Thursday, November 08, 2012

Our Loss

On Wednesday, November 7th, 2012, at our first meeting of November, our centenarian and prolific contributor, Mr. Ed Lyman, was absent.  Ed rarely misses a meeting, so we read one of his two articles posted in the current Pepper Tree Literary Magazine for him.  We present it here with permission from Julie Ann Howell, Publisher of Pepper Tree Magazine.

Looking Forward

by:  Ed Lyman

Many people, well actually a few, have asked me what my goals are as a young writer.  When I ask myself the same question, the answer is clear and in sharp focus.  Simply stated, I look forward to that day when:

My stories will be found in the lunch boxes of every worker in America.

Likewise, they will be in the lunch boxes of every child still in school, next to their peanut butter sandwiches, with duplicate copies in their backpacks.

My stories will be in the duffel bags of every person in the Armed Forces, here and abroad, alongside their other "duffel"

And finally, I foresee major hotel chains, throughout our country, putting copies of my work in every night table for bedtime reading.

While my goals are being reached, I am more than pleased to appear in the Pepper Tree

*******************************************************************************************************
 
Our friend, centenarian, and prolific contributor, Mr. Ed Lyman, passed away in his sleep November 6th, 2012.  

The service is Thursday, November 15th at 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Jacaranda Trace, 3600 William Penn Way, Venice, FL.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to one of the following organizations:

1.     All Faiths Food Bank
8171 Blaikie Court
Sarasota, FL 34240

2.     St. Francis Animal Rescue of Venice
1925 South Tamiami Trail
      Sarasota, FL 34293

3.     Hospital Volunteers of Venice
540 The Rialto
            Venice, FL 34285




George

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

From Susan Haley

From Susan Haley:
 
Dr. Pirnot is a member of FWA and a most inspiring author. I was fortunate enough to edit the book she co-authored with Garrett Frey, a paraplegic who spends his life on a ventilator since age three. She is a child psychologist and does wonderful work with kids.    
I'll head toward Florida after Thanksgiving. My cousins wanted me to spend the holiday here since I've just arrived back in Georgia from Harrisburg last week.
I hear the meetings are going great and I'll be glad to see everyone.
Best,
Susan
__________________________________________________________________________
Hi Susan,
Don't know if you are back here yet but if so, let's do a lunch soon.
Just a heads up that maybe you can get out to the FWA:  I just downloaded 11 of my books onto the Kindle Lending Library.  People who own or have access to a Kindle can go to the library and then, under Search, type in Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot and all the books will come up.  I'd like to have people download ALL of the books as it gives us greater exposure.  The books in the lending library are FREE to all and it would really stimulate interest in the books to have an early lending history.
Hope you are well, my friend.    
Hugs, Karen
Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot