I love living in Florida. This afternoon was another special reminder of just how unique our home is. We met outdoors in Patriot Park in Venice at 1:30. The temperature was listed at 91 degrees Fahrenheit. I don’t know what the feels-like temperature was officially, but I can tell you, a breeze swirled across the pond cooling the nine of us in attendance keeping us quite comfortable.
This was Barbara Frickel’s first attendance since the beginning of the pandemic. Also in attendance for the first time since the start of the pandemic was Tish Mcauley. Welcome back!
Peter and Barbara Frickel, Ed Ellis, Dennis Cathcart, James Kelly, Bruce Haedrich, Tish Mcaulley, and Ann Moore joined their host, Rod DiGruttolo, at this meeting.
We started the meeting with a discussion about the addition of an epilogue to a novel. Three of the four writers who write fiction primarily agreed, in some cases, an epilogue helps bring a conclusion to a story. Another theory offered was leaving a story end at its natural point of decision allows the writer to follow up with additional stories. This is one of those discussions which do not come to an end; it simply continues from this meeting to another meeting. Bringing the discussion to a close, we moved on to the reading portion of our gathering.
Our first reader was Dennis Cathcart. Usually, Dennis reads from his book chronicling his adventures experienced as he traveled the world accumulating plant and reptile specimens for his and collections of others. However, today he ventured into fiction writing, albeit the story based on a real-life incident. Written in the first person, this is a tale of young men in a rural setting who’ve built a beach buggy and are test driving it through the fields around their home entitled 1963. After a brief interaction with a friend on a Saturday afternoon, two brothers head for home across the overgrown pasture. The following day a report circulates as the community gathers at church; the brothers were severely injured as they wrecked the beach buggy in the field on their way home. Confirmed by adults, one of the boys was reported to be near death, gravely injured. The other, severely injured but not in imminent danger of expiring, was expected to recover. Rumors and conjuncture ran rampant until the following morning. It was a school day; the morning crowd gathered on the basketball court outside the gym when the boy’s father drove up to the school.
Well, we’re going to have to wait until Dennis publishes this tome to find out what happened. We look forward to reading the finished story.
What is Writing? A question asked by Peter Frickel as he begins his reading. It is a struggle, a lonely courtship, the devouring of endless feelings, among many other things. But, of all writing, Peter has a particular affinity for writing letters. He recalls those loving and informative missives from his mother as he attended school far away from his family and home. The letter informs, comforts, and even aggravates within a collection of written lines. The words can carry hope or even lies. Included in the envelope can be other items, perhaps a check (cheque in Peter’s case), a coupon, or even a News Clipping. Words of Love, declarations of hate, and hints of mistrust cannot be changed once the letter is taken by the postman.
In talking to strangers, Peter believes one can recognize attributes in one’s self. If fault and foibles are identified in a stranger, should we find them in ourselves?
Peter also read three beautiful poems. Mother Earth is a flowing, lyrical collection of words that instills warmth in one’s heart in hearing them. (Of Africa) Come my Love conveys the deep feeling of affection Peter has for his homeland. Truth is a poem that for which we all search but seldom admit we’ve found.
Give Ed Ellis a pen and time with which he is not called upon to perform a task, and you may well get a poem like his Park Bench. The wish of an observer too often “held hostage by my stubbornness” is acknowledged by a simple greeting that brings peace to a troubled soul.
In a continuation of his reading from the previous meeting, Bruce Haedrich brought us the conclusion of his story of Gaia. Gaia is the Greek name for Earth. In this story, Gaia talks to mankind. She tells us how she was born, grew, and suffered the loss of siblings such as Mars and Pluto. The expose of the beautiful Venus is shocking. Yes, Venus is hot, but maybe not in a way you might attribute to a love goddess. Gaia is available on Amazon. Pick up a copy and enjoy the read.
Tish Mcauley has enthralled us previously with the revelation of her past. Having suffered in an abusive family environment, dysfunctional relationships with siblings, and lived with addictions, almost ending her life on more than one occasion. Living with the curse/gift of being born an empath added to the confusion in her life. Now, more than sixty years of suffering have begun to heal with the writing of her memoir. Today the gripping story of having taken an opportunity presented in a time of great stress, Tish wrote of quitting a job she hated but was too fragile to leave before this. She’s looking forward to the new job, which she accepted with only a single day of looking for work. Good for you, Tish. Good luck and God’s speed.
The final reading today came to us from James Kelly. Jim’s historical fiction about the era of the westward expansion of the United States in the years following the civil war is entertaining and informative. The story follows the ideas and methods employed by white settlers in moving west. But, it also addresses the fears and feelings experienced by the native population as their traditional homeland was taken from them. Jim uses a young white boy, the son of a soldier, and a young Indian boy, a warrior in his tribe, to tell the tale. Their internal conflicts and developing ideology comes to light in thought and action as the pair grow up in the environment of alternating peace and conflict.
We’re looking forward to the publication date.
The time has come for me to turn off the computer and get some rest. So join us again in June for another meeting. We’re looking for you if you love to write. Keep an eye on the blog for time and place, and until then; KEEP ON WRITING!
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