April 21st, 2021 is another beautiful day in Paradise–well, Venice, Florida, close enough. Our little group continues to grow; eleven of us met at Patriot’s Park.
Joining us again after a Covid hiatus, Kathleen Schwartz said she’s become a “lazy writer” and wants to break that mold. It’s good to see you again. Also joining us for the first time, Christine Henderson, a refugee from the frozen tundra.
(By the way, anything north of Ruskin is considered Canada by this writer. Anything south of Port Charlotte is South America, by the same reasoning. All between those massive metropolitan areas make up Paradise.)
A brief discussion period preceded readings from six of our attendees.
A note to Peter Frickel, I apologize for the misspelling of your name in the last blog and probably others in previous posts. I promise to do better in the future
The Earth as we know it is presented as a living being in a piece written by Bruce Haedrich. In chapter one, how this planet Earth, known by the ancient Greeks as Gaia in their mythology, speaks to us in this beautiful and informative letter to mankind. Once Earth was no more than minuscule specks of matter and antimatter floating in a vast universe. Surreal forces spin the indiscriminate molecules and combine atoms as they morph into Gaia, our mother. And so it begins. For those who contemplate our beginnings, the letter makes a case for the correctness of the ancient beliefs. Bruce’s other works in this vein show us the life of a hurricane from birth to death, and he explores the life of the great inland sea which once covered the center of North America.
Military historian and fiction writer James Kelly gave us an insight into the opening chapter of his newest book with a chapter entitled, Happenstance. A white teen explores the land around an Army Fort in Dakota Territory. There, he meets an Indian teen. The chance meeting is fraught with tension as the two boys are both fearful and curious. Little do they know, this meeting is only the first in a lifetime of conflict, friendship, and leadership. Look for Jim’s work on Amazon and anticipate the completion of this tome.
Letters are becoming a lost form of communication in our world of instant digital interaction. Peter Frickel enjoys letters and puts a group of missives together in a Book of Letters. Today, he read a letter written to a friend from a visitor to the Congo in a time of massive conflict. Here he describes the horror felt by a young mother searching through the dead bodies of boy soldiers, children often not yet teenage, for her son. Peter’s words and voice carry the woman’s grief as she finds her son and sends him back to the missionary school for burial. Descriptive without being profane is the only way I can describe the letter. Upon hearing the words, a dart of compassion pierced my heart.
Our newest attendee, Christine Henderson, brought an exciting challenge to the group. She is involved in a contest to write a twenty-five-word pitch that will entice an agent or publisher to read your work. Christine has written a piece about a harried young woman with an overwhelming amount of items on her “to-do” list. A bell-ringing Santa poses a question, “What is your Christmas wish?” When Santa hands her a coin, she’s transported back in time. How will she get home? Write a blurb in twenty-five words or less that will sell this story. Christine gave us seven options. Great work Christine, I personally like #1.
Frank Shima (see, I remembered this month) read part two of his humorous story about a country boy cruising the strip in the small town where he goes to high school. Frank’s descriptive powers bring the story to life. Aromas in a car straight off the farm, expressions on the faces of those he meets, and his treatment by an arrogant ‘town boy’ all blend into a laughable and realistic story of rural American life.
We’re looking forward to seeing your play at the Bonita Springs Center for Performing Arts on July 9th.
Susan Haley writes poetry; excellent poetry. She brought us a poem carrying the title Resiliency. As she reads, the listener feels more than hears her words. Lost Lives, Chaos, and dysfunctional despair fill the air. Behind the smiles and laughter of everyday living, what goes on in people’s hearts? Susan brings these feelings to life with words placed properly in free-verse that yanks at your heartstrings. Bravo!
Well, that wraps it up for this time. Thank you for coming, Jim, Ernie, Sue, Bruce, Peter, Dennis, Kathleen, Rod, Ann, and Frank; without you, there would be no Writer’s Group. Continue with you helping each other and remember, KEEP ON WRITING. See you next time.
