Welcome back to our blog. Tonight’s meeting drew 12 of our regulars. A couple were missing, and I heard rumors of a cruise. Which would you rather do? Choose one, or two, or three, or all. You are the only one who will know what you’ve chosen.
1. 1. Eat until you can barely walk?
2. 2. Watch shows presented with world-class direction?
3. 3. Be waited on in almost every venue?
4. 4. Sit for two and a half hours listening to a dozen people discuss their writing?
We had a discussion about what you can use in your writing without asking for permission. Can you use a song title? How about lyrics from a song? What about images? How about a phrase from another book? We are not attorneys and cannot provide an answer to these questions without assuming liability; therefore, we suggest you consult an expert.
Dennis Cathcart led off the reading portion of our meeting with an essay entitled Wasted on the Way. Does that sound familiar? It’s the title of a song by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. If this were published, would Dennis need written permission? He also incorporated a line from the lyrics into the essay. Would permission be required to do that? However, the essay examines ways we waste time in our everyday lives, such as worrying. Does worrying solve any issue? No, so use the time to find a solution rather than worry about it. Over-scheduling, the internet, and maybe even television can be time-wasters, but they can also be necessary for stability in our lives. Dennis poses the question, “Will people remember me for how well I spent my time, or how much time I wasted on the way?
Rewrites are an integral part of writing. Ernie Ovitz brought us an example tonight as he presented a redone chapter of his latest work, The Crucible. A significant change was the order of the chapters. Chapter One was moved to later in the story, and the opening chapter begins where the previous Chapter One left off. Why? The original order started with a setup using ‘back-story’ to explain the scene. Now, the subject of the story takes center stage with the death of a key character. We no longer wait for the hook until chapter two.
Scott Anderson stays with his project of writing Haiku. He is learning as he continues. Traditional Japanese poetry is still very much alive, but a Westernized version is dominating publications in Europe and the Americas. Scott has shifted his focus from the conventional to the Westernized version and now has over 300 haiku poems written. His mind conjures up new verses almost constantly. Tonight, he read seven more of his little gems.
Nadia is the title of Bruce Hadrich’s
latest work. The story explores the growing interest in robotics and what would
happen if humanoid machines were to take over the tasks of everyday living. What
are the repercussions economically and socially? What if it went further? What
if the humanoids evolved into a new species of human? Would the ‘Artificial
Humans’ take over the world? Bruce weaves a tale that includes suspense,
action, and explores the questions posed above. The protagonist shoots two humanoid
enforcers. Is it considered murder? After all, they are simply machines, or is
it the destruction of private, no! it’s
‘government,’ property?
James Kelly has an epic tale of the Mackenzie family in the works. His first four books, available on Amazon, include the stories of a family of soldiers from the hectic days of the U.S. Civil War, to the Indian wars on the Great Plains and Black Hills, and follow the career of an adopted son, a Lakota Indian, into the Spanish-American War with Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan Hill. Now, the latest story takes the family into the War to End All Wars in 1918, France. How do the young men handle their lives? How do they leave family and friends behind as they go off to war? How do they face the horrors of war?
Roberta Molaro (I apologize for the previous misspellings) is a poet with a great sense of humor and the insight to know when to use it. Her poem, The Spider & the Fly, showcases her prowess with humor as well as her ability to incorporate a twist at the end of a story. Good Show! Roberta. A second vignette, Not As Advertised, again allows us a glimpse into her humor. As she looks back on her life as a wife and mother, she reveals self-doubt as she takes responsibility for actions dreamed up by advertisements on television and the writers who pen the scripts for those perfect family shows that proliferated the airwaves of the 1950s.
Colorado, a cabin in the woods, loan sharks, and inclement weather all play a part in Mike Schlesinger’s story of a writer seeking the solitude to write a novel. Having found the local general storekeeper beaten with severe injury, Mike helps him and pays to have the video equipment in the store repaired or replaced as he fills his larder and equipment needs. Among the equipment is a rifle, a hunting knife, along with boots, a parka, and a water filter. Mike seems to be ready for anything in the coming days. BUT WHAT IS COMING?
Developing Characters is an essential part of writing a story. Ursula Wong does that very well. Her descriptions and nuances concerning the characters in her stories give us a clear picture of who and what they are. This evening’s reading from her newest story, “The Last Soviet,” is an example. ‘The Big Georgian’ not only describes the character, but it also gives us an idea of his importance in the story. Although we do know his given name, his nickname is more necessary than that. Another character, ‘Nandino,’ a single name not expanded upon throughout the story but Italian in its sound, leaves us with the impression that the character is dangerous, especially when we discover the character’s role in the story.
Danny Spurlock brought a short story entitled ‘Social Disease.’ What does that bring to mind? In this case, a character afflicted with an addiction to websites on the internet loses sight of what he is doing as he drives his car. It’s a rude awakening as he finds himself in the hospital facing his greatly disturbed spouse. Having been up all night on a Social Media site, he fell asleep and crashed. How close to reality is this story?
We ran out of time tonight, so Beth Socha will open next meeting’s reading session when we reconvene on October 15th. We look forward to a packed house and want to remind all of you to READ, Read, read, and keep on Writing!
