After missing a meeting with the flu, Rod was back and, although a bit hoarse, he was again the mouthpiece of our group.
Ian and Sandie Schagen will be hosting a presentation at the Selby Library Friday, April 6th, 2018 at 10:30 A.M. He is introducing their new book A Wartime Journey Revisited. If you have time, I'm sure you will find it interesting and stimulating.
The group discussion was a continuation of last meeting's. Ideas flowed and suggestions abounded concerning the critique standards for our group. As always, all comments must be constructive, after all, our goal is to help writers, not discourage them. Honest critique is always helpful and our goal is to help writers with clarity, a semblance of grammatical adherence, and the mechanics of writing including tips and tricks learned over time.
After the discussion, we turned to the reading and critique portion of the meeting. First up was Ernie, the continuing saga of Roman Emperor Constantine now includes a spy named Strategus. Caught between a group of rioters and a cohort of Roman soldiers, Strategus takes refuge in a shallow doorway. Knowing he is about to be overwhelmed, a hand drags him into the building and the door slams shut; he's safe. An old woman confronts him and the plot thickens.
Peter brought a series of vignettes he writes when the thought strikes him. Many of them are about his home in Africa and the people he's met in his travels there. Thoughts about observing others too define one's self, visions of humanity in life or death, facing starvation as a child of the bush, life's pathway is not easy, and how communication with strangers brings insight as to Why I Write.
Bill is getting ready to head back to his Kentucky home but, before he leaves, he discusses the progress on the Orca's Leg and returned to his story of an old man with a piece he hasn't found a place for as yet, but he will before next fall. He also shared a poem from his days as a public speaker entitled The Speaker's Prayer.
Rolling out a new piece he calls Justice Served. From across the wide boulevard, an assassin waits to draw a bead on a mobster and his attorney who beat the system and found a way to go free after being responsible for taking the life of the assassin's daughter. Snipers, cops, and exploding vehicles provide tension and excitement throughout.
A true experience takes up back in time when Don relates his time at the ballpark watching his team struggle. The only saving grace was when a great ballplayer from the past speaks to the crowd at the seventh inning stretch. Now old and sick, the ballplayer speaks and in walking out of the park, passes directly in front of Don. As Don reaches out, Babe Ruth shakes his hand and speaks directly to him. A reply is hard as Don struggles to find his voice and answer The Great One.
Ed related a tale from the viewpoint of an object rather than a human. Entitled, The Best of Roddenberry, he tells how the mysterious object used by Doctor McCoy of Star Trek as he healed all types of injury and calamity, came into being.
A few meeting ago, Darienne ran a story by us about a young boy named Pleasant, also the name of her work. After making changes she brought it back for us. In the days of slavery in America, many heartbreaking things happened. Families ripped apart as members were sold off, suffered the grief of losing parents and children. Pleasant was one of those. A master died and his holdings were sold, including the humans held in slavery. Forced to march 100 miles to the port, the former houseboy was herded into a slave pen to endure the unpleasantness of living like an animal.
Each reader received feedback and honest critique. We hope to hear some of these stories, as we did from Darienne, again with changes which make it better.
We ran out of time before Ian could read this week but he will be at the head of the list next meeting, April 18th, same time same place.
Until next time,
Keep On Writing.
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