AUGUST 4th, 2021

Overcast, muggy, and wet. That’s the best way I can describe the weather at 5:00 PM in Nokomis this evening. Not really a good setting for an outdoor meeting. I was there and was joined by Peter Frickel and Dennis Cathcart. I took a few minutes of the misty air to drive us inside the firehouse. By 6:00 PM, we were joined by Ed Ellis and Don Westerfield. The inside venue was much more comfortable. By the time our regular meeting began at 6:30, eight members were in attendance, and two newcomers joined us. We welcome Richard and Cindy Cope to our group; I hope you enjoyed the meeting.

 After introductions and a brief summary of what’s happening in our writing, we began to read. As this was the first of our regular venue meetings, it was somewhat a recap of work in progress or catch-up on what we’ve missed.

Dennis Cathcart chose not to read tonight, he is deep into getting his memior ready for publication. Good Luck, my friend.

Peter Frickel lead off with four short works. His first was entitled What It’s Like To Not Write. As usual, his presentation was descriptive in his literary style and sonorous delivery. When describing the writing process as “hearing the drumbeat of words that come from within,” my heart quickened. Desire conjured pictures in the mind of dreams but offered the chance to trust in luck. A question posed in Riding the Clouds, when does the spirit leave earth? Age was the subject in Life Widdened. (yes, it’s the British spelling in this case.) Peter, your words are unique, but the order in which you place them is genius.

 Two poems and a request for help on an opening paragraph came from Ed Ellis. Ed gave us a copy of his opening paragraph and a list of yes or no questions. I hope the feedback he received is helpful. His two poems need little help as Guardians of the Sky poses a dilemma many face in today’s world. A search for God amongst the numerous deities offered by civilizations across the expanse of time. Ed’s love of music shines through as he reads The Blues Guitar. Good work, Ed.

 Short stories from Don Westerfield are always fun. This week’s offerings were no exception. Clap, Clap, Clap takes us to the Philippines, where Don is a guest of a family engaged in farming fish. His host takes him to a pond teeming with an abundance of food-fish. Clapping her hands three times, the fish boil to the surface. She slings handful after handful of food to the fish crowding the pond. They gobble it up in seconds. Witnessing the process, Don is impressed they’ve trained the fish to respond to the triple clap. Later in the day, he hears the triple clap and thinks, “it’s not feeding time; why would anyone fool the fish like that?”  The evening meal was a delicious banquet of fish and vegetables. CLAP, CLAP, CLAP. After traveling across the world, Don returns to his hometown. In Morning in Small Town America, he revisits a town frozen in time. The diner is the same even after multiple owners. The enjoyment of watching people begin their day as they have for over half a century brings joy to the reader and the writer of this story. Thanks, Don.

 Following the recap mode, Bruce Haedrich read from his latest work, Gaia. As the earth speaks to us, she explains the reasons for changes she must make to survive. Questions are raised, and a debate among people is sure to begin. But, this is an entertaining way to look at Science. Keep up the good work, Bruce.

Chris Henderson did not read, but she did ask for advice on building a book cover compatible with the requirements of Amazon and other publishing entities.

 Richard Cope joined us for the first time tonight and brought a couple of things to share. Richard was active in a group in Maryland for some years. He shared two short works with us. In Night in Segovia, Richard mourns the loss of a friend with a well-written metaphoric piece. As Segovia is in Spain, his use of a bull and matador facing the darkness of death conjures visions in the reader’s mind appropriate for the wake honoring his friend. A Tennessean by birth, Richard shared a more light-hearted story entitled Toby got Loose. A church revival meeting turns into a memorable event as a one-eyed hound dog spies a stray cat just as the soloist is about to give her rendition of An Old Rugged Cross. A fun read; we hope you choose to join us in the future, Richard.

 Bringing the meeting to a close, Rod Digruttolo read an excerpt from his book, Snakes, Spiders, and Palmetto Bugs. The Great Mouse Escapade tells the tale of three boys on a mission of revenge as they release twenty mice in the girl’s locker room on the morning of the big game.

Peter McNally chose not to read tonight. Welcome back Peter, we missed you.

 Well, that’s it for this meeting. We’ll be back at the firehouse on August 18^th, beginning at 6:30 PM. Until then, remember to KEEP ON WRITING!