December 15th, 2021

It's that time of year once again. Colored lights adorn houses, pine trees are affixed to the car roofs, little kids are drooling over the contents of toy departments. Our Jewish friends have completed the Hanukkah celebrations, while our Christian friends look forward to Christmas. The Holiday season is in full swing. Be Hanukkah, Christmas, Quanza, or any other holiday. We wish you the best.

Our little group met at the firehouse as usual for an annual holiday gathering. Goodies of all sorts arrived with the members. Cookies, Candy, Sweetbreads, and Casseroles filled the table. As per our usual Holiday Custom, we took up a collection for the Fire Department as they allow us to use the meeting room at no charge. This year we $255 and turned it over to the LT on duty. It will find its way to the Chief and Board.

Our little band of writers could not eat all the goodies. As usual, the remaining food was left for the firefighters to feast on for the rest of their shift. Thank You, Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department! 

Even with our mouths stuffed with delectables, we managed to work in some readings. Rod DiGruttolo started by reading a piece he'd received in an email. Entitled Christmas 1942, he felt it was appropriate for the occasion. A fifteen-year-old boy discovers the meaning of Christmas when his father takes him to help a neighboring widow with small children.

When Ernie Ovitz took the floor, he read a piece from his new collection recalling a Christmas Past upon which he and Linda found Bones Under the Tree. It seems a lovable canine was in the Christmas spirit as he deposited his most prized possessions under the tree time and time again.

Visiting the group for the first time this year, Ian Schagen brought one of his out-worldly stories to share. When the FSM (Flying Spaghetti Monster) called an emergency meeting in the Grand Hall, all the Super Heros and deities were shocked to hear how, within a few moments, they could all be deemed irrelevant. Upon hearing a report presented as a law-giving document by an earthly Cleric, despair and melancholy descended upon the group. The FSM ordered a word-by-word review of the paper. As the deadline for a decision approached, The least of the clan's heroes, The Tooth Fairy, found a flaw in the reasoning behind the Cleric's hypothesis. Valhalla was saved.

Undercover Angel is Tish Mcauley's working title for a fictionalized story based on her life as an Empath, recovering alcoholic, and drug addict. In this chapter, realization dawns on Angel as to what a gift she was born with. Is it a gift or a curse? Dealing with an abusive husband who turns their daughter against her, Angel finds herself living a life of pain and suffering, not her own. Even the anguish of insects intrudes on Angel's mind as she lives in a termite-infested house.

A piece of advice comes to us from Dennis Cathcart. Dennis enjoys delicacies as Tuna Heads, Roasted Parrot, and an exceptionally tasteful dish, eating with the local population in the Philippine Island Chain. Upon finishing the meal, Dennis inquires about the tasty course. When advised, the plate included Goat Lungs. He realized he'd violated his rule, "IF YOU LIKE IT, DON'T ASK WHAT'S IN IT."

Taken back in time to the late 1800s in Fort Laramie, Wyoming, James Kelly tells of a Calvery Officer preparing to go on patrol in the Indian Territory of Wyoming and the Dakota's. His son prepares to travel east for training and schooling at West Point. Young children and wives of the departing Calvery troop say their goodbyes with the unspoken fear of never seeing their loved ones again.

Have you ever heard of Bean County, Tennessee? Probably not; it's a fictional county from the mind of Richard Cope. A hound named Toby is the star of Toby and the Christmas Pagent from Richard this week. It seems the hound was not always welcomed at social gatherings in Bean County. But, due to the season, an attitude of forbearance was exercised. It was a fortuitous event that Santa arrived at the Baptist Church riding on the county's fire truck. It seems, being a rural community, Bean County used live animals in their Manger Scene awaiting the arrival of Baby Jesus. Well, lighted candles, a wailing siren, and a bolting hound dog led to a conflagration requiring the full use of the fire truck. In the end, Toby helped round up the livestock and watched over the Baby Jesus.

The Circus is Coming to Town is a product of Susan Haley's fervent mind. An avid environmentalist, Susan wrote about the encroachment of urbanization on the wildlife in a peaceful meadow. "Run, hide, find a new home," the animals cry as the rumble of machines and people come closer. Susan says, "this wrote itself." Words kept coming as she could see the world through the eyes of those unable to protect themselves from the encroaching thunder of so-called progress.

Closing the show this meeting was Peter Frickel. Africa is Peter's homeland. Its vastness and beauty guide Peter in much of his writing. The shadow of memory creates hunger. A writer must write just as they eat or drink to sate that hunger. They must taste the beauty and partake of the world's mysteries to create a story. 

From all of us in the group,

 HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON.

and 

No matter what else, please, KEEP ON WRITING.

December 1st, 2021

We began our meeting with a question, “What are you currently doing?” I asked each attendee. The attendance was small; it usually is in December. There were only nine of us there, but we had 100 percent participation. Dennis has completed a manuscript; it is in the hands of his editor being formatted for publication. Ed is nearing the completion of a nearly ten-year project which hasn’t deterred him from producing many fascinating works in the meantime. Anne’s project is underway, and she’s scheduling interviews to begin after January 1^st. Don says he hasn’t done too much lately. He and his lovely wife are departing on a cruise; he’ll get back to work when he returns. Richard turned over some of his stories to be read on a podcast. He’s received great feedback and a request for more. Tish is engaged in a mid-stream change; she is reworking the mode in which she writes her story. Ernie works daily on the daunting task of editing, rewriting, and preparing his historical novel. He has the herculean task of completing a trilogy about the life and times of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Bruce says he’s tackled the most challenging writing job of his career. He’s beginning to pen his memoir. Rod is engaged in searching for another beginning in the ever-growing list of future works on his computer.

 The discussion was enlightening, gearing us up for the reading session.

***

 

Leading off the reading was Ernie Ovitz. A speech, written for an occasion this time last year, was as relevant as when it was written. The state-of-readiness of our Military and Businesses to meet global challenges is not as capable as it should be. It is reminiscent of the capabilities experienced by our country on December 7^th, 1941. Are we ready to confront China? Who makes the largest percentage of the products used in this county? Is our economy stable? The answers may be a bit frightening.

 

Writing a memoir is tough, especially when the memories aren’t the best. Tish McAuley has been doing that for over a year now. She’s had to face some harsh truths. Her journey has been cathartic, but now she’s ready to face the past. She’s changing her story from a memoir to a novel. Based on her life and the trauma she’s faced in it, the story may help others face similar obstacles in theirs. Good work, Tish.

 

Bruce Haedrich offered us the opening passages of his memoir entitled Goodnight Searchlight. As a youngster of six, he could look out his bedroom window and see the beacon of a nearby airfield. His desire to become a pilot was fostered in that action. Now, nearly seventy years later, after a successful career as a military and airline pilot, he looks back and tells his story. Great beginning.

 

A chance meeting with a retired Major League pitcher battling issues with retiring.  No longer being in the spotlight of fame, he is depressed. His dilemma sparked Don Westerfield to take action. Now, Don writes his story The Day I Think I Made A Difference. A chance meeting at an airport proves pivotal for the retiree as Don remembers him and strikes up a conversation where he reinforces the man’s feeling of importance. He made a difference. Don, you make a difference in all your fellow writers’ lives.

 

Two poems by Richard Cope were both inspiring and heartfelt. With the reading of Scott County, I was choked with emotion as Richard tells of a Christmas funeral for a relative. With the final words, “as I laid my Bonny to rest,” we know the feeling of a loved one lost. In Recycled, a simple Raggedy Ann doll serves to remind us we don’t need technology to bring happiness to the world.

 

Rod DiGruttolo read Pappy and the Bandleader to close out the evening. The story tells of a young Rod, who meets his grandfather’s musical hero and sets up a meeting. The bandleader invited Pappy to join in a jam session alongside several other band members. Pappy’s memory lasted him for the rest of his life.

 

Well, it was the end of the night, a good meeting with lots of insight into what we are doing and some excellent readings.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON DECEMBER 15^TH, IT WILL BE OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS MEETING. BRING A GOODIE TO SHARE AND ENJOY. 

But most of all; KEEP ON WRITING!