Here we are again, another meeting with the FWA writing group who meet at the Nokomis Fire Station. It’s a great group of people and writing is their passion.

We began the evening by bringing a writing contest to our member’s attention. 

The Tennessee Williams, TW/NOLF 2019-2020 Writing Contest is looking for entries. For further details contact the Contest Coordinator, Teresa Jacobson, and look for the website. Also, a second contest associated with the LGBTQ Literary Festival is looking for entries, look for Saints and Sinners 2019-2020 Fiction Contest in order to enter.

www.tennesseewilliams.net and www.sasfest.org are websites related to these contests.

 A discussion relating to the use of dialog ensued after Rod read an article from the FWA newsletter about using dialog. Stories are often in dire need of dialog to hold the reader’s interest. Well written dialog carries a story forward rapidly with fewer wasted words. Think about conversations you’ve had, listened to, or imagined. Most are rapid fire exchanges carrying humor, anger, and passion, emotions seldom explained but expressed simply by tone of voice and body language. A writer must convey emotion and meaning using appropriate words as well as description. With the proper set up, dialog will tell a story. Remember, a world without conversation is bland, colorless. Paint a picture with your words and bring it to life with dialog.

From here we moved on to the reading portion of the evening and Dennis Cathcart introduced us to Erich Sochurek, a reptile collector from Austria who came to visit. They had traded specimens over time and knew each other professionally though they had not met previously. Erich arrived carrying only a single bag, he’d planned to purchase all he needed locally so he didn’t have to pack or carry a lot of luggage. A trip to Kmart was interesting to say the least as Erich tried on trousers in the store aisle rather than retiring to a changing room. Europeans are less squeamish about that sort of thing. An unfazed sales lady helped him find the proper size and got them out of the store without security intervening. Erich said he really liked the United States and had fallen in love with some of the things he’d seen the last time he was here. Dennis said, “I thought this was your first visit.” Erich explained, "The last time was not a visit, I was brought here as a POW during WWII." An interesting way to be introduced to a society. Look for more stories when Dennis gets his book in print.

When Peter Frickel announced the title of his piece, What Do I Know, it promised some intrigue and mystery. On a train to Paris a man watches and remembers his youth and its lost pleasures, he is on his way to meet an old friend. The landscape and fellow passengers conjure up questions in his mind leading to his arrival in the city of light. Off the train, he merges with the crowd and soon meets his old friend. Will an old love be rekindled?

Ernie Ovitz’s second character in the dystopian story, The Rock, is Harry. Denied a pack of smokes by a store clerk whose announcement, “You have used up your quota for the month,” kindles in Harry a resentment against a government which meddles in our everyday lives against our will. Harry is a magician in Las Vegas and meets Michael, our protagonist, during the incident. Although their first meeting is testy it shows signs of developing. Stay tuned for more character driven adventure.

Jesse and Me by Bruce Haedrich is a captivating poem depicting the friendship of two children reared together during their formative years. As they explore their world, they become closer. Ants, Butterflies, Magic, and The Bogyman play parts in their maturation. Touching, poignant, and nostalgic, this piece brings forth past relationships in all who read it. When you get the chance, read Bruce’s work.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be, The Cop, working the midnight shift? Rod Digruttolo’s short story about an event on a dark rainy night brings it to the fore. With back up officers on the way, a young officer encounters a drug-crazed biker who’s murdered his young girlfriend in a dark lonely setting. It can only lead to a bad ending.

I’ve been making an error for months and Jeff Kutcher finally corrected me, I’ve be spelling the name of his character incorrectly all along, the correct name is, Amaury Torres. Thank you, Jeff. Amaury is such an interesting character, I feel badly about the error. In this week’s offering Amaury is introduced to Greco Roman Wrestling. His physical skills and determination take him all the way to the Pan American games before he’s eliminated by an experienced and skillful opponent. Look for Jeff’s story in the future, he’s in the editing stage.

Poet Scott Anderson brought three newly composed pieces this week, the first, Hurricane Dorian, displayed the anxiety and dread of the approaching storm as well as the relief of its eventful passing as a no-show in our area. The second piece, Wally the Alligator, in Memoriam, remembers the removal of a single alligator from the neighborhood pond, a single resident complained, and Wally met his fate. For every son who remembers his mother, Scott’s memorial to his mother, Dee and Her Sexy Saxy, deals with his remembrance of how she enjoyed music and playing her saxophone. Scott is a great poet and we wait for his offerings each meeting.

Don Westerfield always gives us a treat with his poetry. This week’s work was two-fold. In, To Give the Devil His Due, Don voices his reluctance to leave this life without the hope of entering Heaven’s gate. The second offering, The Wall, The Rain, and The Rabbit, depicts a visit to a pre-Columbus wall, being startled by a rabbit, and getting drenched by a fast-moving rainstorm. My heart beat faster and I was out of breath when the conclusion came upon us. I think I got wet although my clothing was still dry. Don is always descriptive in his work.

We’re out of time and look forward to the next meeting. Join us on September 18^th at the Nokomis Fire Station. In the meantime, KEEP ON WRITING.