Welcome Back! Ten die-hard writers showed up this week to discuss their issues and share new and old work with us, including a first-time attendee, Lilly Martin. We hope she enjoyed her evening and will join us for more meetings in the future. We spent a few minutes before the meeting discussing minor issues and called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
Ernie introduced and passed out a list of vocabulary words with a phrase or two from the British Spy Novel Slow Horses by Mick Herron, which he found interesting. Often, using a lexicon of the physical area in which your story takes place makes it more attractive to the reader.
Half the attendees had work they wished to share. Ernie Ovtiz started off the reading session. Having received proof copies of all three of his books of the IMPERIUM trilogy, he shared the cover art and layout with us. He also shared his updated back cover blurb for each of the books. Good work, Ernie. He will also create three brief ads, one for each book.
Don Westerfield shared two poems with us. A Gathering Storm allowed us to see into a mind during the anticipation of a coming crisis. From the opening line until the closing phrase, swirling clouds, flashing lightning, and crashing thunder create the confusion we’ve all experienced. The assault dwindles and finally subsides with the final words, “And so I shall go… dancing in the rain.” In the verse In These Woods, Don tells the tale of life we can see as we look back over times long past. Knowing we cannot change what has been, we look forward to recalling what once was and imagining what could have been. But teaches us a lesson, “waste no time wandering woods of youth.”
Delving deep into the societal history of the world, Bruce Haedrich seeks to discover if the collapse of a society, nation, or empire can be predicted. Events and movements from the past are oft repeated. Are the events of the past now evident in our present world? Are actions of past failures coming to the fore in the present? If so, does it foretell the fall of today’s nations?
What happens during the ‘Graveyard Shift’ of an employee working at a busy Blood Bank in Miami? Danny Spurlock might be able to tell you in his new story. Danny read the first chapter for us tonight, and it is good. He heard a few minor suggestions, and we look forward to the next chapter.
James Kelly brought us another chapter in his latest tale in the saga of the Mackenzie family. The US has just declared war on Germany after attacks on US ships bearing supplies to the allied forces fighting in France. Now WWI has another participant, and the MacKenzie family has another young man ready to fight for his country.
We adjourned a few minutes early after a lively discussion with questions and suggestions for our readers. We look forward to our next meeting on Nov 20th at the Nokomis Fire Station. In the meantime, READ, Read, read, and KEEP ON WRITING!
