Feb 21st, 2024

Welcome back. The last few meetings have explored some of the opportunities AI (Artificial Intelligence) may offer. Are they all good? Are they all bad? No! to both questions. Some AI options are good, and some are bad, like anything new. Sometimes, we look at technology negatively, seeing only the bad. Humans are often selfish, looking at changes and evaluating their effect on us or how they will affect our lives professionally. Changes in this world are inevitable. Whether we look at the changes as advancements or regressions, our first instinct is to think about what the change will do to our personal lives. How many writers in our past envisioned the computer as a detriment? Today, how many of us view word processors or computers as threatening to our profession? Do we have issues with Spell-Check? Sure, sometimes ‘hear’ is changed to ‘here’ when we don’t want it to, and often ‘they’re’ is changed to ‘there’ so the proofreader has not been eliminated by technology as we once feared. Maybe the same will occur with AI. It is a tool, like a pencil, pen, word processor, or computer. We will learn, adapt, and make it better. I hope.

 

We bid a temporary farewell to Ursula and Steven Wong. They are going north for a while to take care of business. We’ll miss you. 

 

We welcome back Scott Anderson after a hiatus from the past few meetings. He was working on his Butterfly Project. It will appear in the Spring Edition of Butterfly Gardener. Not only is Scott a great writer, but he is also a fantastic photographer. At least 12 of his 58 photographs will be used in the article. Congratulations!

 

Dennis Cathcart read a letter he received from a reader of his books, Koule’v, books one and two. Hearing from a reader is always encouraging, and praise is uplifting for our muse. Good job, Dennis.

 

As we moved on to the reading portion of the meeting, we called upon Bruce Haedrich. Bruce dabbles in many genres. Tonight, he brought us two examples of ‘flash fiction.’ In Nancy, we see a side of life that is all too common. Nancy is involved in an auto accident. She and her child are uninjured. Nancy praised the Lord in that they were not hurt, but her brother relates the negative side of the incident. His second offering, A Cup of Coffee, received quite a few comments and suggestions from the group. A waitress, possibly middle-aged, waits on an elderly man almost daily in the diner. He always orders a cup of coffee but can’t always pay for it. She often pays for it herself. The man rarely shows sign of recognition but always returns to the exact seat each day. Bruce addresses a powerful issue in this piece as he shows us a man and woman dealing with the effects of PTSD in at least one of their lives. Working within the confines of flash fiction is challenging. Bruce has done a magnificent job with the one thousand words allowed.

 

With a trilogy completed in draft form, Ernie Ovitz is tackling the editing and rewriting of the three books he’s worked on for several years. It’s a massive job, as is the project itself. A historical novel encapsulating the life and times of the Roman Emperor Constantine covers a tumultuous period of history filled with wars, intrigue, massive changes in the social structure of the Empire, and the acceptance of the Christian religion into a pagan society. Being historically correct while maintaining the novel genre, especially with including prominent citizens of Rome and the world, often with names difficult to pronounce in the English language, brings a set of challenges few could master. Ernie is doing a remarkable job, as his story is a history lesson and a readable story.

 

James Harold Kelly has published his newest work on Amazon. Tremain is the story of a Lakota warrior raised by a U.S. Calvary officer and his family. As told in the previous book, These Sacred Lands, Lieutenant Joshua Tremain Mackenzie grows up in a frontier fort, he befriends a Lakota Warrior, Shadow Hawk. They are friends but live in different cultures. As the white man encroaches on the territories promised to the Native Americans, war breaks out. Mackenzie and Shadow Hawk are on different sides but remain respectful of each other. When Shadow Hawk is killed, his wishes are that Mackenzie raise his only son, whose mother died in childbirth. Given the name Tremaine “Running Deer,” the two-year-old boy comes to live with the Mackenzie family. Raised on military posts, he came to embrace the military life. As an adult, he volunteers for The Rough Riders as they embark on a campaign in Cuba. The book follows his journey from childhood to soldier, encompassing the effects of military life on the families of these brave soldiers.

 

It’s been an enlightening meeting, hearing the opinions of writers, not only as writers but as readers and everyday people. The discussions on AI will continue, and excellent writing samples will still come to us from the outstanding minds of our members and guests. If you can, join us at the firehouse on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Our next meeting is March 6, beginning at 6:30 PM. In the meantime, KEEP ON WRITING!

February 7th, 2024

 

Sorry, I’m a few days late in posting, actually a week late. No excuse, just busy. It was good to see Linda Bond again; it’s too bad she has to return to the cooler climates of Canada this week. Keep on writing, Linda, and be sure to stay in touch. Ursula Wong returned for the second meeting; we’re glad she had something to share this time. She’s a superior writer. JoAnn McGrath was here again, and Bill Elam as well. It’s nice to hear from our Sun Seeker writers this time of year. You are always welcome. Joining us for the first time was Arvind Rajan. We hope you continue to grace us with your presence.

 We opened with a brief discussion period as we recapped some of the material from our last meeting. A few members reported trying some discussed methods of fleshing out our characters. As writers, we are never too old or too experienced to learn. With eight attendees with writing to share, we moved on to the reading portion of the meeting.

 

Opening the evening’s reading was our newest attendee, Arvind Rajan. Bringing us a unique piece entitled My Lost Sister ­– a generation eulogy. While contemplating a nearly used-up soap bar in the shower, Rajan was inspired to write this piece. A memory of his favorite old person, his grandmother, who was called ‘Aunt’ in his native tongue. A kind and caring person, she shared much of her wisdom with the author. His memories of her still guide him in life. The analogy of the soap and the story it brought about shows us how the simplest things can inspire a writer.

 

Bruce Haedrich is not predictable. We are never sure what he will bring us; he didn’t fail us this time. The Hook is a piece of opening lines to stories and books that grab readers’ attention. This gives us thirty-five examples of openings, ranging from books as popular as The Bible to lines from writings from this very group. Those openings grab your attention and make us want to read more. Pay close attention to the opening words of your writing. It may be the reason a reader will buy your work.

 

Linda Bond brought us a concept she participated in during the past year. A team of six women writers embarked on a journey when they began to write six non-fiction short stories about themselves. It was an in-house operation as they met monthly in different locations to read, edit, and improve their stories. Calling themselves ‘The Circle of Six,’ they hammered out the thirty-six stories over a year, polished them to a final sheen, and published them as a book. Linda read the preface to the stories. It promises to be an interesting read.

 

What happens in Russia after Putin dies? Ursula Wong brings us a novel that might be an insight into what will take place in the future. Packed with action, Ursula read the first chapter, and we were left hanging as to what will happen. Ursula’s Amber War Series is a historical action-adventure series of stories after WWII in Slavic states, especially Lithuania. Take a look at her work. You may become a fan.

 

In the vein of Andy Rooney, a renowned curmudgeon, Richard Cope read his Pantheon of Great Inventions. Aside from the obvious contenders, such as Fire, Wheel, and Clothing, Richard champions his nominee, Mayonaise. Well, at least he’s made a choice. I stood on the sidelines and didn’t campaign for a single nominee. Bravo Richard.

 

Two poems by Don Westerfield bring us to introspection. Whispers tell us of those silent voices we so often ignore yet ponder their meanings. The whispers are more robust as we grow older, even as we ignore them more. Are you The Dreamer? Don is, and he tells us so in this poem. Do the dreams you dream often come true?

 

When a teenager, did you long to see and hear things your elders forbade? Don’t worry, I won’t tell, nor will Ernie Ovitz, as he writes of Contantine’s son, Crispus, and a young woman of the court even in the years 309-310 AD. The pair sneak out of the palace and attend a performance of a bawdy show during a feast held on May 1^st. Although thoroughly shocked, they return to the palace through a hidden gate only to be met by Constantine’s close friend and trusted General, who may or may not tell on the mischievous pair.

 

So enchanted by his reading, I forgot to take notes as Bill Elam read a piece he’d written in college some years ago. It was not a required essay or used to enhance his grade. It was a pondering by the author as to what will become of him, his life, and those around him. Was it a premonition? Was it a dream? It is a great piece of writing.

 

Well, I’ve run out of thoughts for the moment. Not really, but I don’t think you want to hear any more of my musings as they don’t make sense, even to me. So, Read, read, and read some more, then write and keep on writing.