September 17th, 2025

As autumn nears, we look forward to cooler weather. Cool weather in this area of Florida means evenings, well, actually nighttime lows, in the mid-seventies and daytime temps around 80° F to 85° F. But compared to temps feeling like 102° F and up, that’s cool. Oh, it was only 97° F today.

Wednesday evening, eleven of our irrepressible writers gathered to enjoy and share their work with each other. We began the evening with a discussion about how we handle criticism. Almost all of our writers agree, ‘accept the critique, and learn from it.’ Suppose a critique is given appropriately. In that case, its purpose is to help the author understand that not everyone will interpret the work as the writer intended. How do you handle criticism? Do you listen? Do you always agree with the critique? If not, do you listen anyway? Be honest with yourself: have you ever received a critique that didn’t contain a little truth?

 Listen and Learn is why we have these sessions.

 

First off tonight was Ernie Ovitz. With a working title like The Crucible, a reader might expect an intense story. Ernie doesn’t disappoint with this tale after reading the opening chapter. The group took the opportunity to express their ideas about the story. I’m sure Ernie appreciates their thoughts.

 

Have you, as a writer, ever wished they could simply go off into the solitude of a woodland retreat and write without interruption? Michael Schlesinger is penning a story just like that. It seems the protagonist in the story has been to the cabin in the woods before and befriended a local shopkeeper, Brad. Upon arrival at the little General Store, a man driving a large pickup truck is just leaving. “There’s nobody here,” the man says and drives away. But Mike has talked to his friend and knows better. Breaking into the store, he finds the shopkeeper badly beaten but still alive. Oh-ho! It reads like a true crime novel, or is it a memoir? Stay tuned, Compadre’s.

 

New to our group, Beth Socha, brought us a poem she’d written just last year (June 2024). The Last Blue Umbrella. Poets look at life through words written with a rhythm. Beth views a trip down the sands of a Gulf beach as many people view their lives. The sand of the beach buffs the callouses of her feet, much like our lives wear away the rough patches of living. A goal seems far away, but we strive to reach that last blue umbrella.

 

Another Poet, Scott Anderson, waltzes forth on his quest to compose Haiku. Tonight we hear five, each a riddle with an answer that lingers in the mind as a stark picture. Oh, how I enjoy the mysteries of writing.

 

Three poets in a row as Don Westerfield steps to the podium with a pair of rhymes. Shadows lurk in all of us. As we age, our failing eyes may not see them, but our heart does and tells us to pay attention. Set your shadows free, don’t wait too long.

Our world changes every day, and we accept most of these changes without argument. But Don sees Liars as what they are, sinners cheating themselves.

 

Who are the humanoids? Bruce Haedrich designed them in his latest story, Nadia, and they evolved, or should I say they were "evolutionized" into another species of human now called terrestrials. How does that work? Well, some say it’s G-R-E-A-T, but the people in charge aren’t too happy –and neither are the humanoids. As Bruce reads Chapters 28 and 29, we find Chris and Nadia in the Midwest facing a crisis. Chris has killed two Centurion humanoids. Well, can you kill a machine? Maybe he simply dismantled them using a weapon. Anyway, he and Nadia are in a safe place with people and terrestrials as their protectors. Is a war coming?

 

Ursula Wong is steadily building a sequel to her yet-to-be-published book, Strategic Deception. The name of her new book may be The Last Soviet. But the action and suspense continue with the same intensity as in SD. Has E-Parlay fallen into the wrong hands? Will it cause a worldwide crisis? Will the ‘Big Georgian’ have to avenge his only son? I suppose we will have to wait a little longer.

The Rink Romance is a poem chronicling the love story of a loving couple. The roller rink is more than a place to play. Here it becomes the life of a couple, till death do they part. Roberta Malaro tells the tale in six stanzas. And if you think of a Rest Home as a place old folks go to die, think again. A Rest Home Christmas shows us in verse how the old timers skate their way into a frolicking Christmas at The Skatery.

That about does it for this session. We hope everyone enjoyed the evening; I certainly did. Our next meeting is on October 1^st, here at the Nokomis Firehouse at 6:30 PM. But in the meantime, READ, Read, read some more, and then WRITE, Write, and KEEP ON WRITING

 

 

September 3rd, 2025

 

I’m back! I apologize for missing the last meeting in August. As many of you may know, I recently moved into a different home. What a frigging hassle! Well, anyway, I have a lot of little chores to do to make the new abode our home. I was engaged in a nasty little project on Wednesday past when something prompted me to           look at the clock. OOPS! The old analog clock had both hands pointed straight down at the six. The meeting was supposed to start, and here I was, drenched in sweat, dirty, and still at home, nearly thirty minutes away from the firehouse. Forgive me, please, but I said something like, “Gosh Darn it,” and I finished my project knowing it’s better to ask for forgiveness than show up in my condition.

You all survived without my presence; I’m sure some of you may have preferred it that way.

Due to my lack of preparedness, tonight’s agenda is set by our capable co-leader, Ernie Ovitz.

 

HOW TO USE AI EFFECTIVELY

The use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is becoming more common. Unfortunately, many users feel it is appropriate to let AI do the work of writing rather than use it to verify facts and root out falsehoods. A podcast featuring Bryan Reynolds interviewing Brian Govatos, a trainer/manager with Microsoft, offering valuable insights on leveraging AI in research and business.

 

1.      Please send Ernie an email if you wish to participate in a program sponsored by Sarasota County Libraries on November 1^st, 2025, at the downtown Selby Library. This is a book fair where you will have an opportunity to meet with readers, sell your books, and advertise your products.

2.      Send both Rod and Ernie suggested topics for discussion at future meetings. I suggest you send it to both of us, as sometimes emails get lost for many reasons, but in my case, it may possibly be a case of an old man screwing up. I’d like to blame it on my grand-kids, but that’s not always the case.

Our next meeting is September 17^th at the Nokomis Fire House, beginning at 6:30 PM and going through approximately 9:00 PM. We will be discussing the topic:

HOW DO YOU HANDLE CRITICISM?

Think about it – You’re a writer, you’ve written a story you hope to publish. It’s Wednesday evening, and you’re standing before a group of fellow writers. You’ve just finished reading the first three pages of Chapter One. You wait, Oh Lord, what if they think it stinks, you think. Then the first of the published writers speaks… WHAT DO I DO NOW?

 

Of the ten writers in attendance, nine of them had work to share with us.

Leading off our readers this evening was Dennis Cathcart. Impressed by fellow author Scott Anderson, Dennis took a stab at writing Haiku, the traditional form of Japanese poetry. (A haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry that consists of 17 syllables arranged in three lines with a structure of 5-7-5. Haiku often focus on themes related to nature and specific seasons, capturing a moment in time or an emotion. In English, haiku may appear in three lines, and they have been influenced by various poetic movements, particularly the Imagists in the early 20th century.) Dennis's seven verses were commendable, and he says he’ll try again with an effort to do a better job next time. I don’t have enough courage to make such a fine attempt the first time.

 

 

It was only apprapos that Scott Anderson follow Dennis to the podium. Scott, continuing in his quest to write 400 Haiku in a year, brought us nine more, along with a communication from an editor at a well-known Haiku publication. Scott writes in a traditional Japanese style of Haiku. It is becoming more in vogue to westernize the Haiku, falling away from its original form and design. Scott is delving into the Western style as he remains steadfast in his quest.

 

Early in the evening, while discussing the proper use of AI, an article in a newspaper pointed out the advancements made in producing humanoid robots. A picture of a young Asian woman who was purportedly a humanoid robot appeared; was she or wasn’t she? The Sci-fi story, Nadia, written by Bruce Haedrich, seems to be coming true. Tonight, Bruce read chapters 27 and 28 for us. Christopher and Nadia are traveling east from New Mexico. In a diner in Kansas or maybe Missouri, they are confronted by two ‘Centurions,’ (Humanoids used by the Federal Government to enforce laws). Chris destroyed both robots and, in doing so, became a fugitive. However, as they were in the heartland of the United States, the citizenry applauded the act instead of turning them in; they guided them to a safe haven. We look forward to each chapter as Bruce presents his story. What will happen next?

 

Reading for the first time, Michael Schlesinger shared the first chapter of a story yet to be named. After 32 years of marriage, the husband has chosen to take a leave of absence from his wife and home to hole up in a cabin in the Colorado mountains. It is his goal to write a novel, or at least a story. He has not been able to accomplish the task within the confines of his home and family. The first scenes are tense and believable as Michael reads. Several listeners came to similar conclusions and advised Michael to turn his first chapter into several chapters, positioning them later in the novel, maybe even using flashbacks to introduce the subject matter and help build tension. Michael’s prose and writing skills show an ability waiting to be unleashed. Keep on writing, Michael.

 

Roberta Molaro took center stage with “a little poetry.” The poem, designed to stimulate children, creates the image of a leaf swept along in a roadside current of rushing rainwater. One can only imagine being a child once again and dreaming of sailing the ocean on a green boat as we move toward great adventures.

 

We welcome poems from Don Westerfield. As each meeting ends and I start writing this blog, the pages of Don’s poems bring me great joy. Flight of Fancy fills me with a feeling of wonder. Don’s words convey the feeling of flight in the waning evening as stars begin to fill the night sky, and we return to the ground. As Sonnet to Youth filled the air, one could feel the disappointment of untapped opportunity and unrequited love.

 

James Kelly is working on another book in the saga of the MacKenzie family. In this book, Advance the Line, World War I looms on the horizon as the young MacKenzie boys attend Norwalk Military College. Jim is rewriting much of his first chapters to reflect the emotions of his characters. His action scenes are vivid and accurate, but he feels he needs to work on the emotional aspect of his characters.

 

Rod Digruttolo stepped up with a newly minted vignette about fishing in the waters around Sarasota, Florida. The piece was a rough draft that had been started years earlier and left unfinished. While reading it tonight, several glaring errors came to light. He’ll fix it and present it at the next meeting with corrections.

 

Well, that’s about all for tonight. As noted earlier, our next meeting is September 17^th at the Nokomis Fire House, beginning at 6:30 PM and going through approximately 9:00 PM. You are invited to visit us and see what we are all about. Until then, READ, Read, and read some more, then WRITE, Write, and write some more.