I’m back after a hiatus brought on by an illness I didn’t want to share with my fellow writers. I missed the group and the atmosphere of being in the same room with talented writers. After a short period of hearing our writers bring us up to speed as to what they were working on, we began the reading portion of the meeting. We took up a collection of cash for a donation to the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department for allowing us to use the meeting room twice a month. We also signed a Holiday Card to be presented along with the cash.
Our co-host Ernie Ovitz started the reading. He read two poems, departing from his usual historical fiction genre. The first, The 7th Day, paid homage to those who paid the ultimate price at Pearl Harbor in an attack on our nation on December 7th, 1941. The somber tone of his words reached into our hearts and brought forth a collective sigh. On a lighter note, the second poem, Confessions, gave us an insight into the workings of our minds as we could apply the unexpressed thoughts of a thoroughly married person.
When John Hearon took the floor with another chapter of his current work, I Wasn’t Always A Hero. His story follows the exploits and activities of a small-time mobster and loan shark, Mick. Mick is of Irish lineage and lives in South Boston. In this chapter, Mick is in the hospital. Confronted by a man he’s only met once and who admits he’s hired thugs to kill Mick, what does he do? We look forward to the book being completed and available for all to read.
As Gaia continues to have conversations with Bruce Haedrich, he shares the information with us. In this offering, Gaia tells us she does not always agree with the scientific community today. She points to historical events upheld by geological data she claims to be misinterpreted by modern scientists. A crisis looms upon us as the very existence of humans is in itself the beginning of another mass extinction. We will cause our elimination by not reproducing in sufficient numbers to support our species and by continuing our reckless use of elements and resources. But that is of little consequence to Gaia; she will continue without humans as she has without dinosaurs and other mammals.
We welcome Jeffrey Kucher, the author of Ninety Miles to Freedom, back after a short absence as he published the book. He is embarking on a new project. In a prequel to Ninety Miles, he tells us about the life of an NYSE trader and sales executive. His description of the pressures and demands of clients and superiors depicts the harried world of American finance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ninety Miles.
Poets see the world in a different light than the rest of us. Amplified by the poet’s heart, feeling of love, hate, remorse, and all other stimulus, their words often touch nerves in all of us and let us see a glimpse of their world. Richard Cope brought us two poems tonight. Without Redemption tells us of the pain and remorse felt when compelled to have a faithful friend and companion put down. Watching our dog suffer from an illness is terrible, but having it euthanized rips our hearts. We play a part. We do our best to justify the act, but ultimately, we realize we are the villain. In Poppies, the beauty of the flower draws us to the field, but when all is said and done, the Cowardly Lion is right.
Scott Anderson shared a dream with us as he wrote a poem in his sleep entitled A Field of Snow, but when he awoke, he found only a blank sheet of white paper. In his work, The Little Black Dress, he pays homage to the Westminster Dog Show. A dog handler wears a stylish little black dress as she puts the dog through its paces. Maybe the animal didn’t win, but the handler was “Best in Show.”
Reading a pair of poems in relationship to each other, Don Westerfield gives us a glimpse into what we see almost every day. In Delusions, we peer into our mirror, and our visage doesn’t seem to change. Day after day, we see but do not admit that time is taking a toll until the end is near. In answer to Delusions, From the Looking Glass answers our questions, and the last stanza brings the truth home to our hearts. Look for Don’s work in one of his beautiful poetry collections on Amazon.
Traveling the world in search of exotic snakes and reptiles, Dennis Cathcart enjoyed many adventures you can also enjoy in his book Koule’v. The description of a rail trip from a Costa Rican mountain village to the Caribbean coast evokes a desire to see such primitive scenery as the Tropical Jungles, and rugged mountains from a narrow gauge railway built many years ago.
From his summer in Great Britain, Ian Schagen brings us the latest in his Science Fiction Series, Armontiriath. In this issue, the Emperor leaves Earth and travels to Mars, a short hop in the age of hyper-travel. His meeting with a brilliant battle strategist is key to giving the Empire the advantage in its intergalactic war. Look for Ian’s work to enjoy the entire series.
In a continuing saga of the Mackenzie family’s military service, Tremain arrives in Cuba as a member of the Rough Riders. The strange country has many dangers, and the troops face them quickly as sniper attacks as the unit travel along a narrow path in the jungle. The troops return fire. Dispatched, the sniper brings about the true realization of the danger of this mission.
A wise woman does not keep her wisdom to herself; Anne Moore’s project of interviewing seventy women who are seventy years old hopes to share the knowledge stored in the minds of mature women from around the world with all of us. Already receiving responses, Anne is looking for more seventy-year-old women to interview. If you are a woman, seventy years old, and willing to be interviewed, contact Anne at Hello70at70@gmail.com.
It was a productive evening as each of our readers received suggestions and answered questions about their writing. Our goal is to help other writers as we receive help ourselves. If you are interested in joining the Florida Writers Association (FWA) go to https://www.floridawriters.org. for more information. In the meantime, join us on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the Nokomis Firehouse. Until then – KEEP ON WRITING.
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