Wednesday Meeting, May 20th 2015

The third Wednesday of May has come and gone. The Sarasota Writer’s Group met at the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department and sixteen people attended. Ten of the attendees read some of their work and it was exciting.

Rod, the chief cat-herder, pulled an old switch-a-roo; he turned the sign-in sheet upside down and instituted a bottom’s up reading order.

Last to sign in and first to read was Bruce Haedrich. Normally a writer of prose, and darn good at it, Bruce read a poem entitled Mary’s Big Imagination. It was a fun piece aimed at a youthful readership and the entire group agreed it would be a wonderful illustrated children’s book.

Chris Burton was back after a long absence. We are glad to have her back and in good health. She explained, while undergoing some unpleasantness, she had little time to write but when she did, it was limited and her mind was in a strange mode. She presented two poems, both were excellent and I may have made an error in the first title Hours are Flowing, but the second I confirmed is I Dream a Lime Sky.

When Joanne Dunlap takes the floor we never know what to expect and she did it again. Reading a poem that drew laughter from the group and a wince of pain from husband Joe, she was constantly surprised at “How much that man could eat.”

At her last meeting until next October, we’ll miss you, Kathleen Schwartz, author of Stay the Night, available on Amazon, read a touching remembrance of her Brother Jim his love of art and adventures in a world filled with temptation was a realistic and honest depiction of a fun-loving man who was loved by the author who wrote this mainly for her family and in tribute to her brother.

Wendy Dingwell read the opening of her third travel mystery. The action begins in the first sentence and promises to continue throughout. We’re looking forward to seeing Toxic Cruise soon.

Dusting off an older piece, George Collias shared his story, My Accent, Lost and Found. This launched the group into a half-hour discussion on writing with dialect and patois inserted. While most appreciated the realistic use of dialect, within limits, it was noted that its use is strictly up to the author. I have a feeling we’ll hear more on this subject as Rod challenged the group to write a few lines using dialect or accent for discussion at the next meeting. We’ll see!

Don Westerfield’s, The Demise of the Star Venture came with copies handed out and a critique requested. We hope the group responds as enthusiastically as usual. It was a fun piece.

In her usual thought provoking manner, Kerri Dieffenwerth presented a follow up to the memoir she’s been working on for four years, as she pointed out. She read some interesting definitions of things from her work, threads throughout the work the reader can follow. Her points brought some extended discussion and the group could see light bulbs coming on throughout the room.

Jim Kelly brought a Poem entitled The Big Apple to us. As usual it was full of imagery and entertained us thoroughly.

Peter Frickel closed the meeting with a group of vignettes, samples of his writing that come from extraneous thoughts jotted down while relaxing, having a glass of wine or just watching the world from his patio. As usual they were beautiful examples of literary art that are poetry in prose and with his reading prowess, a joy to hear.

Our next meeting is June 3^rd, here at the Nokomis Fire House. Looking forward to seeing all of you. 

 Rod 

January 29th, 2014

“It was a dark and stormy night....” Apologies to Edward Bulwer-Lytton, but for Florida, it was a cold and rainy, if not really stormy, night and I was surprised to see 17 names on the sign-in sheet. I expected the turnout to be quite a bit smaller. Die hard writers, this group.

We greeted new guests Mary and Jim Hanna from San Francisco, and Dennis Quinn, from Massachusetts via Alabama, who is also a seasonal resident, but hopefully, they will be full time members while they are here in our odd little corner of paradise.

First, my sincere apologies to everyone for unintentionally skewing our calendar, and our schedule, by slipping everything back in January due to the scheduled meeting that would have been held on the 1^st! I wouldn't have made it to any writers meeting on New Years Day, and I'm sure there wouldn't have been as much of a turnout on the unofficial National College football day as we had this last meeting. I scheduled a meeting on January 29^th to fill the gap and everything scheduled behind that went in the proverbial dumper. We resume our regular schedule on Wednesday, the 5^th, and will meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month as always.

Rod DiGruttolo handled the duties as MC and allowed me to make several announcements, including a reminder about the upcoming Dearborn Street Book festival in Englewood. While we are past he deadline for writing entries, table space may still be obtained at www.facebook.comDSBookFest.

Due to the short week turnaround, and my being out of town for three days, this blog will be uncharacteristically truncated. We opened with Bill Elam reading “The Physician”, Don Westerfield reading his “The Man Who Never Was – along with the poem “High Flight” – and George Collias, who has a screenplay in the oven, followed by the delightful Kathleen Schwartz and her bi-polar cat. 

Jim Kelly brought more than enough copies of his great poetry, and a story about the fifth graders he so diligently works with. “Lightning looks like a strip of death,” a marvelous comment from one of his young understudies, followed by Cathy Marine and her next chapter of her non-fiction “Wings in the Water.” Suzi Lynch read for only the second time, and once again enthralled the group. “Wonder what I would have thought of myself at that age?” and nuances – twenty-five at a time... Great stuff.

Jenny Oberg continued the reading with “Observations at a Red Light,” followed by George Mindling with an excerpt from a published Waterline article from years ago. We wrapped up the evening with the introduction to Rod DiGruttola's sinister character “Horace.” I have the advantage here of having read ahead, chapter 4 is a real change for Rod, and is outstanding stuff. I can't give anything away here, it'll come out at the next meeting, Wednesday, Feb 5^th.  If I left anything out, my apologies yet once again.

George

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

We had our first official meeting of the new year with many familiar faces returning to rejoin our group, and a few new faces as well! It was great to see so many folks in attendance.

George Mindling kicked off our meeting with the following announcements:

• We received our "Thank You" letter from the Nokomis fire department, along with an invitation to continue meeting there for as long as we'd like.
• George will have a table set up at the Dearborn Street Festival on February 15th in Englewood and is welcoming those who'd be interested to speak to him about joining him.
• Based on the fact that we bypassed our first meeting date of the year (January 1st) to watch football and spend time with our families, we'll be meeting again on January 29th.
• Elizabeth Sims was recently interviewed in Writers Digest where she was kind enough to mention our writers group. She has also agreed to come speak to our group on April 16th, so mark your calendars!

Rod DiGruttolo took over moderator duties as we headed into our first meeting by introducing several of our newer folk, people we hope to see again soon, and moved into our readings.

Laura Heath was our first reader of the evening with a meditation for the new year for writers she titled, "Getting Back to It." In her somewhat tongue-in-cheek piece she encouraged writers to clear their bad habits "unless saving them for lent." Easier said than done, right? Well, saving it for lent sounds like as good an excuse as any...

Next, Ed Ellis shared a piece he called, "Very Short, But True, Story." In his story the protagonist introduced us to life as a sole male in a female dominated household. With four daughters and a wife, the home was "a democracy." The primary catalyst for conflict appeared to be the toilet. After all the training to master the art of putting the lid down, he made the "mistake" of being overzealous in his learning and also lowered the cover. His wife found this out the hard way in the middle of the night in the dark. Though it didn't bode well for him, we found the story to be quite humorous. His defense was that he was trying to "protect" his family and their tooth brushes because he'd heard bacteria from flushing actually travels six feet! Yes, this little factoid was good to know. Toothbrush is now safely kept in the medicine chest.... Thanks, Ed!

 

Local author of Myahmuh: a Novel of Miami, Florida and Sandspurs: Limericks by a Native Floridian, George Collias, shared more from his book, Myahmuh. After learning that Charles, one of the main characters, lived with an alcoholic (an most likely abusive) father, we, along with the boys, the boys discovered, as they were about to leave for their camping trip, that there might be a multiple murderer on the loose. I don't know about you guys, but after all that, camping didn't exactly sound like the safest or smartest idea.

 

Jim Kelly, poet author of  the Place and From the Embers, shared two recent pieces called "Mourning Dove" and "Blue Notes." With his permission, I'll share one of them now. It's easy to see why his poetry is so beloved by the group.

Blue Notes
(written 12/19/13)

Blue notes frolic on the inside of the window,
hinting of soft and easy.

Some say it's a national treasure--
others...a place where heaven comes
to score its music.

In a dingy room, almost too small for itself,
fan blades chase each other
through a blue-gray haze clinging to the ceiling.

That horn...jumps right up front, demanding every ear--
polished notes tumbling from the flare,
rising, falling, melting away,
making room for others.

That mute...dodging in and out
of progressions,
wailing, weeping, coaxing emotions from shells.

That steel brush...prancing across the snare,
measuring its steps,
offering only what is needed.

That sax...with the smoker's voice
pretending to go unnoticed.
And that flute, that ebony flute laced in silver buttons,
stands up and flaunts its credits.

An old man sits at a table for two--half-full, half-empty.
Eyes closed, head cocked in silence,
his lips finger the sounds he knows by heart--
ones that take him where he yearns to be.

Bill Elam returned from the cold north to share more of his tale with us. In "The Gardener" we revisit the ripples that the old man's actions had at the end of his life. We learned that as the old man, knowing his time was nearly done, gave his earthly possessions away, he helped turn dreams into realities. The simple lawn mower he gave away helped to start a new life and career for a man who was floundering....how apropos that it was in landscaping. Those of us who've heard most of this tale truly appreciated the beauty in the circle he created.

Next, Kathleen Schwartz, also back from up north (and hopefully on a more permanent basis), had us rolling with laughter as she shared an excerpt from her current piece with a working title of "Jazzed On Life." In this chapter, the realities of aging, new relationships, and Viagra took a wrong, if not hilarious turn. What began as a serious discussion about the status of their relationship devolved into hysterical laughter as honest communication regarding sex and the pressure to perform were discussed. There was not a dry eye in the house as she read, but then, stomach muscles got a much needed work out, too as we cracked up along with the main characters.

Next, a prose piece called "Moments" was shared by Jenny Oberg. In this piece she discussed how simple moments can become snapshots of memories; the thoughts, the feelings, the love. It was beautiful in its simplicity.

JoAnn Phillips, author of Adventures of a Sea Hag, continued with her newest work in progress, "Matrix of Life." In this chapter, on her mother's birthday, we're introduced to a friend of her mother; a guy named Jerry. Although there was some humor in young Joanne's first attempt to make a birthday cake (she didn't know what shortening was, so she substituted corn starch figuring that something was better than nothing), it was also filled with a lot of scary moments for a child to go through. Finding out about Jerry through an innocent story told by Joann, her father accuses her mother of an affair, and causes a scene in front of Jerry's home and wife. Despite their denials, her father leaves them. Her mother punishes Joanne by destroying her horse collection. The entire scene was cringe-worthy. Joann continues to grow by leaps and bounds in her writing style.

As Kerri Dieffenwierth continues to tweak her memoirs, we get to be the fortunate listeners. This particular portion was called "Race Track." She is working at a stable, training horses. The particular one she was to work with that day was big and strong, but considered "El Caballo Defectiva" or a defective horse. The line that most spoke to me was, "Horses sense fear like solicitors sense you're home." As she works with the horse, he takes off, out of control. All her attempts to stop him were unsuccessful. She found herself thrown hard, hurt, and rushed to the ER. After numerous attempts to realign her collar bone properly to set, she'd had it and walked out. Oddly enough, the thing that came through was that through all the self doubt, the sense of unworthiness, the misery....it was then that she seemed to find her inner strength and her realization that she was better and stronger than she ever thought she was. She finally began to discover herself. It made me want to stand up and cheer.

Next, Ernie Ovitz, shared more from his work in progress, "The Seventh King." In this portion we travel back to 302AD and meet Princess Amatus, a maiden aunt...sister to the queen who'd passed away. Her 15 year old niece came to visit her, bored, and discussing how she wants to get married or to meet a "man." She warns her ward that not only is such talk unseemly, it would be best should her wishes not make their way to her father's ear.

Don Westerfield, another of our resident poets, shared some of his older works. One depicted his love of flying, described what it must feel like to be a pilot. The other was quite appropriate to today's world where we have all sorts of subtitutes from meats to sugar to so much more... That's the one I'll be sharing with you today.

 

IMITATIONS

 

I find it's a counterfeit world we live in,

nothing is what it appears to be.

Oh, it may look like the real thing,

but it's a false reality.

 

I first noticed it in the store one day,

(I hesitate these words to utter),

but they were selling imitation margarine

and I think it was mostly butter.

 

Yet the cheese was made from soybeans

and other labels made it clear,

the lemonade didn't come from lemons

and there was no alcohol in the beer.

 

The sweet stuff wasn't sugar

from what I could deduce,

it was all some chemical mixture,

like the orange juice - it contained no juice.

 

Even my shoes are no longer leather

and I find that quite pathetic.

It's all man-made materials, except the rubber heels

they're genuine...synthetic.

 

Why the wood in my house, I believe,

is nothing but pressed sawdust.

I'm beginning to wonder how long it'll stand;

what is there left to trust?

 

You see that proverbial last straw has hit me.

Right after our matrimonial whirl

my sweetie told me about her operation,

yep,...seems she's only an imitation girl.

 

 

Kitt Crescendo finally published her book, Three For All, over the holidays. She came with business cards and bookmarks to share with the group. We were thrilled for her and wish her much success. As a thank you for all of our support, she shared the excerpt that she'd posted on her blog to announce her new release and continued to read a bit more. If there were windows in our meeting room in that firehouse, the windows would have been fogged. If you missed her excerpt, click on her name. It leads back directly to her blog post announcement.

 

George Mindling shared two things. First was humorous reminders of common writing mistakes and how to avoid them. The second was a short piece he wrote called "Disappointment." In his story he shared how a memory, from a child's perspective, can be perceived so differently when shared with an adult audience. As a smile child he'd been enamored of penguins and had been disappointed to learn that they were small. Of course, sharing this memory to his adult daughter was met by her with laughter...probably mostly because it's hard for us as adults to imagine our parents as children, making childlike suppositions. Needless to say, penguins are now a part of family lore and a way to tease dad.

 

 

Lois Stern, originator of inspiring compilation book series, Tales To Inspire: Topaz & Emerald was back in town and shared her cautionary tale called "Hubris." In this piece, she shares, with self deprecating humor, about an email she'd received to be a guest speaker at a very reputable university in England. At first she came into the "opportunity" feeling as though she'd been patted on the back, but wondering "what's the catch?" As she did her due diligence she discovered that the person who reached out to her was on staff at the university, very easy to work with, quick to answer questions. She became more excited. Just when she thought it was safe to pack her bags, "the catch" presented itself. To expedite her "work permit" she'd need to mail them money to "grease the wheel" in a timely manner. Yep, it turned out to be a long, drawn out scam by some skilled con artists. Thankfully, she caught it before she'd actually "invested" anything of monetary value into this "opportunity." There's definitely a reason why the saying, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is" has lasted.

 

On that final note, our wonderful, eclectic group closed out the night. We look forward to seeing what the next meeting holds in store for us. 



Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Tables were laden with all sorts of goodies and treats... Cookies, cakes, pies, finger foods...even champagne and coffee!

Yep. You guessed it! This Wednesday was our Christmas Holiday Party!

 

This is a special day at Sarasota Writers.... We bring our loved ones and introduce them to the other folks who are helping us chase our dreams and pushing us to grow and be better in our writing.

 

The first part of our meeting was spent chatting, hugging, and sharing our best holiday wishes with one another....and then we got down to business.

 

Don Westerfield kicked us off with a Christmas poem he'd written that called to mind warmth, comfort and love.

 

Kitt Crescendo read a poem on behalf of George Collias, author of Myahmuh: a Novel of Miami, Florida and Sandspurs: Limericks by a Native Floridian. I'm posting it below for the enjoyment of those from the group who weren't able to be there to appreciate his playful wittiness.

 

The Night Before Christmas (with apologies to Clement Moore)

 

'Twas the night before Christmas and at the Nokomis F.D.
All the writers were stirring, except maybe me.

 

I had over-eggnogged it before the meeting,
And at the moment my head was taking a beating.

 

We had all ordered pizza as energy for the night,
And the growling of stomachs had grown to its height.

 

Kitt began speaking, I think about IMAX,

Or it could have been something that sounded like climax?

 

Peter had a new book and he gave a great talk,

I knew if I had to follow him I'd just have to walk.

 

JoAnne read some good stuff about sailing and boats,

I roused myself and began taking illegible notes.

 

When from the parking lot we heard a noise so shrill,

Had the pizza guy's car hit my Honda Fit's grill?

 

Then there crashed through the door a man who, for some reason,

Was dressed all in red - was Dominos observing the season?

 

Over his shoulder this bearded guy had a huge sack,

There was surely enough pizza there to feed our whole pack.

 

George shouted "Food!" and tackled the guy,

Rod ripped his bag open and yelled, "Where is the pie?"

 

We all crowded over him, looking for eats,

Any pizza would do whether vegetarian or meats.

 

We found dolls and trucks, zombies and plastic pheasants,

But there was no food inside, only lots of crummy presents.

 

Then the man in red bellowed, "I'm not the pizza guy with yummies!

Don't you know Santa Claus when you see him, you dummies?"

 

We were astonished and pleaded, "We're sorry!" and more,

But dragging his bag, he stormed through the door.

 

We saw him mount a sleigh and yell, "Go!" to his deer,

Then they all flew away - let me tell you, that was queer.

 

We were sure he'd be back with toy trains and fudge,

For Santa's not known for holding a grudge.

 

But we heard him exclaim as he clutched his torn cap,

"If you think I'll be back next year, you're all full of crap."

 

Megan Brown was back from college and read a peace she'd written for the holiday. Although it was untitled, it was definitely full of the Christmas spirit: Peace, the Christmas Tree and what it symbolizes, celebration, joy and gifts. It really was quite lovely.

 

Ernie Ovitz took us to his newest Work In Progress, a sequel to The Seventh King. In this piece we are introduced to Nicholas, Bishop of Myre. He's been teaching the young children of the Roman empire. He's looking on as they play, enjoying their innocence and joy...and very concerned about what lies ahead. Why was this appropriate for Christmas time? Because that Bishop later becomes Saint Nicholas.... We all thought it was a really cool historical tie to the night.

 

 

Jim Kelly, author of From The Ember and the Place shared some of the poetry from the 5th grade class at Englewood Elementary where he spends some time helping to draw out the out-of-the-box thinkers and poets in the fertile minds of the younger generation. Their work under his guiding hand is truly impressive.

 

 

Beth Rice, author of I'm Adopted, I'm Special and Animal Tales blog, made a triumphant return to our group after a several week hiatus. She announced that one of her pieces had been published in the Florida Writers Association's official publication, The Florida Writer! If you have a subscription, you'll find her poem (untitled) on page 33.

 

 

Author of Adventures of a Sea Hag, JoAnne Phillips, shared a poem she wrote entitled "My Perfect Man." This poem talked about the fact that the perfect man isn't always perfect in appearances, but in the way he treats her, the respect he shows her...and all the other intangibles that matter so much in a long termed relationship. It was quite romantic in the way that true unconditional love can be.

 

Kerri Dieffenwierth made the fantastic announcement that she'll be teaching at State College of Florida where she'll have the opportunity to create her own curriculum to inspire and teach in composition. We know she's going to be a rock star. (Some of us maybe even mentioned coming to sit in on her classes...)

After much discussion about our next meeting, we decided to forego our first meeting in January as everyone would rather be celebrating New Years Day watching football or enjoying family. We will reconvene on Wednesday, January 15, 2014.

 

Happy New Year, Everyone!



Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Our first meeting of December found us without JoAnne Phillips as she'd been in an accident earlier. Her feisty personality was missed. Thankfully, we've heard that she's okay and has been seen out and about enjoying the holiday festivities.

Rod DiGruttolo facilitated our meeting and did a great job, as usual.

Our first reader for the evening was Ed Ellis. He shared a piece for critique called "The Power of Abstraction." This piece is one written for his training manuals. In it he helps to define abstraction as it relates to perception and reality.

Next, Jenny Oberg read a piece she called "Letting Go" from her Big Book. In her piece she talks about how finding a way to let go of the past and other things that hold you down open you to freedom. It was beautifully written and spoke to the joys of a well lived life.

Ernie Ovitz decided to change things up a bit, and instead of sharing from his work-in-progress, he read something he'd created for work. In it, he writes a "buyer beware" type alert for flood insurance and the rate increases due to the ambiguity in the way the policies are written...and that a fast fix is unlikely.

Author of  Sandspurs: Limericks by a Native Floridian and Myahmuh: A novel of Miami, Florida, George Collias, shared an excerpt from the second book about the killer and his bouts with sore muscles and headaches due to the exertions his killings have been putting on his not-so-in-shape body. He followed it by sharing a piece called Misadventures of a Fly Fisherman written by Jack Hemingway, a personal friend and son of Ernest Hemingway. In the portion he shared, Jack finds a creative way to smuggle his fly fishing rod with him as he parachutes from a plane into German occupied territory during war time.

Next, one of our resident poets and author of The Place: a collection of poems, Jim Kelly, shared a couple of his newest writings. Below is one of the pieces he wrote on 11/5/13.

Ocean

Sunrise and sunset
pamper the sky
on the edge
where the sea meditates.

Waves tumble ashore:
searching for shadows
they can not own,

wrestling castles from moorings,
erasing memories
little feet scatter in the sand.

Tides rise and fall
through the stillness of night
sifting windows of broken shells.

Full of itself,
the moon reappears
to dance on a glass-like floor;

the ocean unravels in whispers,
like the hem
on a ballroom gown.

Jung Sok Yo asked Kitt Crescendo to read the next portion of his work-in-progress where Father Sebastian and Helga are reunited on her father's passing. This particular part uncovers illicit feelings between Helga and the priest as he tries to come to terms with his feelings and do the right thing based on his vows to the church. The writing has improved significantly since the beginning. The biggest suggestions given were about chapter length (too long right now) and overuse of certain words.

George Mindling, author of US Air Force Tactical Missiles, shared some interesting discoveries he'd made surrounding some of the strange idiosyncrasies regarding the English language in relation to BBC. He also shared with us a list of collective nouns he'd found in a recent post called Fun With Words: Collective Nouns. He also shared a site where you can find editors marks and what they mean.

Kitt Crescendo shared a poem she'd written called Redemption where she put a bit of a twist on the child's prayer "Now I lay me down to sleep". Overall it was well received, but she was asked to speak more slowly next time.

Finally, Rod DiGruttolo closed us out by sharing a portion of his manuscript called "Disciple of Darkness" in which the father of his protagonist is introduced. The man is definitely not a nice person and has ties to the criminal underworld. In this particular chapter, World War I was just beginning and Mr. Wilkes has drawn the attention of the local law. Although nothing is ever proven, it becomes obvious that no charges will ever be filed against Mr. Wilkes because every witness to his misdeeds has a strange way of turning up dead.

Overall, the meeting was enjoyable and there were new faces who joined our group. We look forward to our Christmas party tomorrow.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

I know I'm a bit behind on the blogs, but I will be catching up this week.

Please remember that our Christmas meeting is on December 18th. Please feel free to bring your families and some munchies. Any final donations for the use of the room can also be given to George to give to the firehouse.

Rod DiGruttolo and George Mindling shared facilitator duties for our last meeting in November.

Our first reader was Susan Davis. She's in the process of creating a workbook. She shared with us her prologue which dealt with Innovation & Collaboration and Beliefs v. Limits. This will be a Self Help workbook that combines goal attainment with philosophy. She needed some fresh eyes and insights into her work-in-progress and the gang was ready with some great ideas.

JoAnne Phillips, author of Adventures Of A Sea Hag, shared the next portion of her current project, Matrix of Life. This chapter, Jack, was about Legion the dog's competition...a hare named...(you guessed it)...Jack. He gave a new name to "mating like rabbits" and he was indiscriminate about his choices of partners. He'd had affairs with anything that moved, leaving young JoAnne to wonder if the eggs the hens laid would be bunny-free. Grandpa made excuses for the lothario, stating, "That's his job, and he loves his work." Unfortunately, Jack made the mistake of trying to plant his seeds in their goat, Billy...who kicked Jack into the afterlife. JoAnne also shared with us a poem called "Out There" that left us to think.... We are not alone.

Don Westerfield followed with a story written about the first Monoplane and how a man named Lou came to build it. It was an interesting tale of how the building of this particular plane was inspired to be built and that it was only due to the fact that he was the lightest of the group that Lou's friend, Bill, found himself in the cockpit.

Next, Ed Ellis shared a short story he'd created called "A Glowing Green Thumb." This particular story was set in the year 2035 where everyone lived in pods and all communication came through something called "The Pep." The communiques were called PIPs and utilized both shorthand and a limit of 140 characters per message. Think Twitter. The end game to this particular tale? They were invaded by dandelions.

Author of Sandspurs: Limericks By a Native Floridian and Myahmuh: A Novel of Miami, Florida, George Collias, shared Chapter 5 from the latter book with us. In this portion we got to watch the other kids from the perspective of their friend killed in a hit & run accident. Basically, this chapter walks us through a morning with Ray as he gets up to start his morning paper route with his dog, Mo, in tow. George also treated us to one of his little shorts...memories of joining the Marines and Boot Camp. There he learned new insults and how to do push ups with an 80 lb pack on his back.

Kerri Dieffenwierth returned to us to share a moving piece she wrote called "Flesh Undone." Thei piece was so powerful, it brought tears to many eyes that night. In this story she drew us in with the eyes of a young mother, terrified and angry as her child was born both ill and too early. She shared with us the fear and rage and the sense that the world is spinning out of control as she waited by her son's side in a Neonatal ICU, willing fight and life into the son she wasn't sure would make it. Against all odds, he survived. Now he has the ability to infuriate and frustrate just as any child can.

Bart Stamper also came back and shared a piece called "Insertion." In this particular story he was assigned to a special killer team mission to find POWs. There was a thick fog over the mountains as they flew. Although the fog hid them from sight, it also hid the mountains from them, making the flight to the drop zone almost as dangerous as the mission. I strongly recommend you click the link on Bart's name to visit his blog and his incredible stories of his time in Vietnam. Also on his site is a Memorial. If you visit there, you'll be introduced to those who didn't make it.

Andrew Parker shared Chapter 4 from his newest work, "Playing Chess at 91." In this particular chapter we learn that the protagonist is not a fan of the physical therapist assigned to work with him. Unfortunately he's injured and has no choice but to accept her care. Unfortunately she falls asleep on him naked, and no one will take him seriously when he asks to be rescued from beneath her prone form. They keep insisting that she knows what he's doing. Of course, what else can one expect in a boardinghouse run by pharmacists drugging the food. Did I mention the pharmacy plans on bringing more monkeys? Andrew always leaves us guessing...even as we're laughing.

Gene Brown got the courage to stand up and read a Prelude to his current project, a historical piece surrounding the Incans and how they made their gold and silver disappear before the "bearded warriors on horses" could come in with their greed and steal it. The protagonist in this story is a young warrior who is to be entrusted to hide the precious metals from the greedy folks who are willing to hold hostages and kill to get their hands on wealth. It's a good start and a very interesting concept. We're looking forward to seeing the direction he takes with his story.

Ernie Ovitz took the feedback we'd given him and re-read the chapter he'd done on the chase with Red Beard and the Romans when they kidnapped the ambassador's wife. The storyline ran much more smoothly as he adjusted some of his description and the way he laid out the dialogue. Well done!

Jung Sok Yo asked Kerri to read the next portion of his manuscript. The scene was well written as a party at the Waldorf-Astoria to honor Sam, one of New York's elite. Unfortunately, the three women in his life are all there and appear to be drawing invisible lines in the sand for a big, non-verbal cat fight. The female claws and the nuances that happen among jealous women was definitely caught in this scene.

Robbin Thorpe was our final reader of the evening with a piece entitiled "Retired." In this story are bickering spouses on a trip in colder weather who can't seem to agree on much of anything....and with whom technology is beginning to pass by. My favorite line was "The computer is in the clouds." It was clear that the protagonist had no understanding of cloud technology. Definitely a playful way to end the night.

Wednesday November 6, 2013 Meeting

Last week many of us hoped to see Kerri Dieffenwierth so that we'd have an opportunity to congratulate her on her most recent accomplishments. Kerri recently won the 2013 Creative Nonfiction Contests Judge's Selection in Still - the journal for her piece called A New Bitterroot. She was also a finalist for the 2013 VanderMey non-fiction prize in Ruminate Magazine for her submission, Swamp Angel Stomp. Unfortunately, she was unable to be there, but we still cheered her in spirit.

Also, a friendly reminder.... our annual Christmas Party is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18th. Families are welcome. Everyone is encouraged to bring some festive food to share with the group. Any leftovers will be given to our gracious hosts, the Nokomis Fire Department. Also, if you haven't contributed to the room fund, please feel free to hand your donation to George as we'll be presenting it to the fire department on the day of the party.

George Mindling, author of U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, was our first reader. He shared with us an old treasure he found while going through some of his old projects and found a piece about a conversation with Shirley MacLaine. In his story he documents a call in to a local radio show where Shirley was the guest. As the call came from his home (and his daughter), he was prompted to record it for posterity purposes. The subject brought up by his daughter on the call was the metaphysical and pets. I don't think it surprised anyone to hear that the subject matter was too complex for a mere call in to the radio show. The cheekily dry humor at a celebrity giving spiritual advice was fabulously spot on.

Next, Kitt Crescendo shared her poem, Brave, about personal strength, compelled by the bullying situation that hit the headlines based on the situation in the Miami Dolphins locker room. The topic sparked a lively discussion surrounding what peoples' perceptions of bullying are as well as how to respond to bullying (and our personal responsibility to be stand up for ourselves).

Pat Patterson followed with a big thank you to the folks who gave him critique on his manuscript. Included on his list were Ernie, Ed, Don, JoAnne, Jack and Peter. He also shared his discovery of a software program called Clear Edits that assisted him with both line and content edits for his WIP. The cost is $80 and comes with email support. Instead of sharing from his manuscript, Pat has boldly branched out with his writing into the world of poetry. He wrote a lovely piece called "To My Grandson" where he answers the boy's question about where the wind comes from. His second poem was simply called "Dan", a loving tribute to the brother he lost and the son he gained who honors his name.

 

Our next reader, George Collias, author of Sandspurs: Limericks by a Native Floridian and Myahmuh: A Novel of Miami, Florida read an excerpt from the latter book. In this part we are introduced to a murderer through the eyes of a dead boy's ghost as he performs his rituals of putting cigarette burns on the body of his victim post mortem. The tone is definitely eerie and leaves us wondering how this horrible criminal will be caught.

Ernie Ovitz follows with some information surrounding how he researched his book and characters. He explained that his best sources of information were on descriptions he found of Armenia and the great persecution in 301 AD that were outside the traditional text books/history books/encyclopedias. He then continued on to Chapter 5 of his WIP in which the ambassador finds out that his wife has been kidnapped and makes plans to give chase to get her back.

Our in house comedian, Ed Ellis, read a short story he wrote entitled "My Feathered Friend." In the story he talks about the ice shanty he and the other half of his "honey do" twins build together. Their whole goal in building this fancy shanty was to drink Wild Turkey and escape their wives and the "honey do" lists that went with them. Once it was complete, their days were filled with the three "F"s. Fishing, Football and Feathers...until the blizzard that came that winter. The cold combined with the turkey caused them to hallucinate bikini clad co-eds out on the ice. As is always the case with an Ed Ellis story, the ending wasn't that simple...or that boring. The punchline came when the "honey do" twins discovered their missed opportunity. They found out that the co-eds weren't hallucinations at all, but participants in a contest held by the local radio station.

The sweetly soft spoken Barbara Frickel took a turn at sharing next. Het two pieces were inspired by her meditations (along with her mother's birthday) and magic pencils (her magical version of colored pencils). Her first piece was a dedication to her mom called "The Color of Comfort". For Barbara, the color umber reminds her of softness and warmth...and her mother. The second was called "My Tree" and was written while at Myakka Lake looking at her tree and meditating. To her, that tree spoke of strength, friendship and a promise of good times. Between the art work and photo and Barbara's sweet words, she warmed our hearts and left us smiling.

Don Westerfield wrote a couple of poems to honor those like him who served our country well as we headed towards the Veterans Day holiday. The two poems were entitled "The American Fighting Man" and "Fields of Stone." Both of his poems were powerful pieces for different reasons, so I selected one to share on the blog.

Fields of Stone



 

Taps ever echo o'er this hallowed place.

Flags adorn where fallen heroes lie in grace.

Here, each dawn reveals an alabaster glow

of white stones in perfect patterns, set

Row on row.

 

They honor those who served this country well,

reminding us why; why each hero fell.

On each stone a name, for Ages to cite;

memories etched in glory on a field of

White on white

 

Letters spell only of who the grave;

Even requiems can't acknowledge all they gave.

Our tears yet flow like the blood most shed

upon foreign shores where they

Bled and bled.

 

Not for self, did they fight and die,

but for country and all; now in peace they lie.

They paid freedom's toll and so here they bide

under silent white sentinels, resting

Side by side.

 

Followed by Don's patriotic and heartfelt words was JoAnne Phillips, author of Adventures of a Sea Hag.

She read from her current work in progress, "Matrix of Life". The chapter she shared with us was called "Legion" and surrounded a special gift that the local chapter of the American Legion and their gift to her grandfather. In honor of all his years of dedication the guys gave him a hunting dog (a beagle) named Legion. As often happens in these more humorous moments in her book, humor and chaos ensued as the "hunting" dog became spoiled and babied under her grandfather's "watchful" eye. Laughter filled our meeting as JoAnne described the day that Legion stole the "turkey-duck-chicken" (the turducken moniker came much later with John Madden and the turkey bowls) her grandmother had prepared for Thanksgiving dinner, managing to eat a large portion before it could be saved.

Suzi Lynch, one of our newer members, decided to be bold and share a trilogy of poems she'd written a few years back for us. "Why I Don't Write or This Will Be On Your Permanent Record" was a powerful piece where she explored her fears of being published and how, in her mind at that moment in time, being unpublished also felt like being protected...from critics, reviewers and from the world at large. Her follow up, "No Love Lost" explored how when dreams come true (in this case, her classroom curriculum), it could be taken and changed and turned into anything...possibly even something completely different from what she'd intended. In her final piece, "A Happy Pregnancy", she discussed the hope, potential and something greater than herself growing within her writing...and that as long as she chose to hold it within and "not deliver" it, her thoughts, her writing was safe. Her three poems were powerful pieces to which every writer, artist or creator can relate. The strength of her voice was beautiful even as it probed insecurities and fears.

Andrew Parker introduced us to his newest WIP, a piece called "Playing Chess at 91." The first character we meet is the protagonist, Simon Shuster. He lives in a rent controlled boardinghouse filled with other senior citizens who do a lot of drugs (which he doesn't partake in) and "brownies" (which he does). They spend the larger part of their days playing chess while under the influence. Their handyman is over 100 and on crack. There are only 2 younger people who live in this house with them. One is in charge of their "nutrition" and the other "therapy." We're still unsure where Andrew's piece is going to take us, but one thing is guaranteed. Laughter and the outrageous will follow. It's one of the joys of hearing Andrew's work.

Our final reader for the night was Jung Suk Yo, back from his recent hiatus from our group. He shared a chapter from his current WIP called "In the Boat" where he described a frightening scene where his protagonist, Bach (a lawyer) is kidnapped by two masked men from his home in Florida where he'd been hiding and brought out to a ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Bound and gagged, he's uncertain if they came for him because the billionaire whose wife he'd been sleeping with found out about their nefarious plan to kill him with an insulin overdose or if it was something else entirely. It definitely left us a bit chilled and nervous about walking out into the dark Florida night to go home.



Wednesday October 2, 2013 Meeting

Our usual facilitator, Rod DiGruttolo was feeling under the weather, so he was unable to attend the meeting.

Fortunately, George Mindling, author of US Air Force Tactical Missiles and blog Sleeps Two, as well as our fearless leader was back from vacation and able to step into Rod's shoes for the evening.

It seemed to be the week for returns as our other George, George Collias, author of Myahmuh: A Novel Of Miami Florida and Sandspurs Limericks By a Native Floridian had also returned from his time away. It was good to have them both back.

Don Westerfield kicked off our readings for the evening with an erotic and wildly imaginative tale of aliens walking on the wild side in a jungle called The Alien. In it, Don gave a wink and a nod in our own Ed Ellis' direction as the NASA explorer who was "rescued" and "resuscitated" by the native women.

Our next reader was Jenny Oberg. She bravely shared a piece she'd written in honor of her mother. In it she explored her feelings of loss and the fear of forgetting. Her words were moving and heart felt.

JoAnne Phillips, author of Adventures Of A Sea Hag, shared a piece she'd written called "Potato Chips Are Not Sand Dollars." As she promised not to point fingers at the "not so innocent" party who inspired this piece, she simply described him as 6'4" in height. In the piece she described the language barrier that happens when talking to the scientist/male type as their logic and the average human's seem to be on completely different wave lengths.

It didn't take us much time to figure out who she was writing about because Ed Ellis read next. His piece? "Ruffles & Response." It became clear that at least the first part of the meeting was inspired by this wacky writer. Ed's rebuttal short to Jo Anne's boiled down to this..."Never leave your wife and your girl friend in the same car smoking the same joints." Personally, I still think it's a case of Mars versus Venus.

Susan Davis wrote a piece called "September Ends" inspired by her visit to Boston. She called to mind the beauty of falling leaves and their changing colors. She also read a piece by Pablo Neruda called "Keeping Quiet".

Ernie Ovitz continued with his work in progress called The Seventh King. He read Chapter 5 where he introduced us to the governor's wife, Julia. She was not the traditional "upper class-woman" as she enjoyed doing "menial" tasks usually left to servants...including gardening. In this portion we discover that she appears to have ties to the Christian preacher thrown in prison. We also get more hints about Red Beard, whose son has also been imprisoned.

Kitt Crescendo shared a couple of poems. "Unforgotten" was a piece she'd written in honor of her brother who passed away 30 years ago, but whose birthday is on September 11. The second piece she wrote was in honor of Halloween, a piece called "My Dark Prince".

Ron Babcock, after sharing a cute anecdote about time with his grandchildren, shared a piece called "Me & My Woody." After proclaiming his love for his woody, he began with a piece of very good advice to himself. "Don't share my Woody with more than one lady at a time." In the end, it turned out that he was actually speaking about the antique car, not the piece tucked into his trousers as his piece initially implied.

George Mindling decided to share a poem by Robert W. Service called "The Cremation Of Sam McGee." Turned out he wasn't the only guy in the room with a love for Robert W. Service's work.

Barry Mick continued with his work in progress, Dragonfly. This time we found the protagonist contemplating the wounded dragonfly and its subsequent death. He strongly felt that the dragonfly was a sign, but he wasn't sure what it was trying to tell him.

Cathy Marine, author of No Dead Fish For Ginger, was back with more on her book on the various Rays found in the gulf. Her piece left everyone with questions about the interesting sea animals. Her new book is going to be a wonderful and educational learning tool for today's youth.

Finally, Andrew Parker shared another portion from his newest creation, I'm Drunk and I'm Calling From a Payphone In London. In this particular chapter, our drunken protagonist, George Lissman, meets his new lady love's parents. To say that the story is entertaining and unique is a mild understatement. The whole room rocked with laughter....

The night was a definite success and the readings eclectic. We look forward to our next meeting and to hear from some of our newer members.

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

Another good turnout with 22 in attendance, 3 of whom are FWA members. We had three new guests as Jack Wetherson, Ron Babcock, and David Lackey joined us for the first time. George Mindling opened the meeting with several FWA announcements and comments, and since no speakers were scheduled, we began with our first reader, Rod DiGruttolo. Rod doubled as first reader as well as being the Master of Ceremonies of the meeting.

Rod opened by reading an excerpt from “The Red Stain,” a novel in progress by new member Jung Sok Yo. A good discussion followed with positive feedback for Jung's writing. Next was Ed Ellis's story “Digital Technology,” about digital technology used as a diagnostic device for a prostate exam. Well written, it caught the audience off guard as intended. Be glad he didn't ask the proctologist for a second opinion.

We heard more adventures of Gracie, the dwarf kangaroo from the 36^th dimension as Linda Shell read yet another chapter of her YA adventure, followed by Nancy O'Grady's Portrait of a Friend, renamed to Portrait of an Acquaintance, and after hearing the story, we know why. Don Westerfield read Matilda, a short story about a ruthless, young female corporate ladder-climber, and waited until the last sentence to set the hook.

George Collias brought his wry humor to the forefront with a “letter” written to the Czech Minister of Tourism regarding his recent trip to the Czech Republic. Of course, he also read the “rebuttal” letter as well, once again showing George's ability to make the audience laugh. Last night was a tough crowd, but he pulled it off, anyway. Great writing.

New-comer David lackey read two pieces, the first was a one page dialog, taken from “Facebook,” followed by a well received short piece called the The Drawing Session, again based on art. Tasteful nudity always catches our ears. Returning guest, and we hope new member, Ernie Ovitz read from his up coming historical novel, The Seventh King. Opening in the year 302 in the Roman frontier with Germania, the work is well written and well researched with a nice mix of narrative and dialog. We look forward to more of Ernie's writing.

We took a ten minute break and resumed with Ron Babcock's first reading, “A Letter to George Washington.” With his background in audio books, we now have two “FM” voices as Susan Davis now has a male counterpart to smooth, effective reading. Jim Kelly once again enthralled the group with his award winning poetry. (He took second place in the recent Poetry Ensemble of Orlando contest with his poem, Smoke and Ashes) and read his latest poem, “Space,” printed at the end of this blog. Congratulations to Jim on the award.

Andrew Parker read his piece, The Ugly Girl, and once again kept the group's rapt attention with his politically incorrect style that never fails to entertain and engage. Andrew will have his material e-published by Pankhearst, an independent writers collective. Good work, and great writing.

Newcomer Beth Rice read from her novel-in-progress, “Paw Prints Are Forever,” beginning with the introduction and first chapter. Good writing, and during the feed back, brought up a question about use of trademark names in a novel. The answer is generally, “no problem,” when writing fiction, but when in doubt, ask your editor. There are several references, such as

http://www.rightsofwriters.com/2010/12/can-i-mention-brand-name-products-in-my.html 

 and

 http://writingonthewallblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/using-trademarks-in-fiction.html.

Non fiction work will probably require the trademark symbol, but generally not fiction. Again, when in doubt, ask your editor.

Kit Crescendo brought us up to speed with her latest chapter of Three For All, -after a quick poem about self-discovery- and reminded us all about having a favorite subject celebration month. You know, like National Ice Cream Month, or something along those lines. This month is apparently in full swing.

Patricia La Barbera will teach another class at Selby Library on May 18 from 2 pm to 4 pm. She's written an amusing short story that highlights what to avoid in genre writing and includes new information. She'll cover the alternatives so authors can get past a publisher's gatekeeper. Patricia encourages discussions and questions. Show up to laugh and learn.

Space

A sign on the lawn

reads "Space for Sale."

It does not say to whom it belongs.

I cannot touch it, push it aside, or tie it to a tree.

I do not know if I am stepping on it, wading through it,

leaning against it or altering its intentions.

Does it contain sharp corners to snag one's coat

or black holes that swallow errant footsteps?

Are there lines or walls that separate intrusions?

Can I take it and return the unused portion?

Is it "one size fits all"?

Will it leak through a tear in my pocket?

Space for sale.

I wonder if it's mine.

James O. Kelly

Englewood, FL

See everyone June 5 ^th ,

George

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

We add yet another member of our Sarasota Writers Group to our list of award-winning poets. Congratulations to Kerri Dieffenwierth who won third place for "Angels in My Swamp," her entry in the inaugural Big Cypress National Preserve poetry contest. Kerri's poem may be found on:

http://www.nps.gov/bicy/parknews/2013-poetry-contest-winners-announced.htm.

Congratulations Kerri! The contest is run by the National Park Service and will be an annual event.

We welcomed new Florida Writers Association member Ann Lieberman and guests Beth Rice and Ernie and Linda Ovitz, to our first meeting in May. We also welcomed Anita Westerfield, Don's wife, for her first visit to our meeting. She said she is not a writer but a great listener! Every writer needs a great listener!  We had twenty attendees, four of whom are FWA members.

It was a soggy night, but everyone's spirits were in high-gear none-the-less. We started as usual with our meet-and-greet at 6:00pm, and kicked off the regular meeting at 6:30pm with crowd control specialist Rod DiGruttolo graciously handling the duties as chief cat-herder. George Mindling, FWA Sarasota Writers Group leader opened with comments about FWA benefits for editing services, general meeting comments, and then did an hour presentation on self-publishing and Print on Demand. The entire presentation text may be found on our critique page at:

http://critandcom.blogspot.com/2013/04/publishing-your-book-with-lulu.html. A question and answer session followed.  The .doc file used to make the PDF file for the book is available for download from George, only for members of the writers group. 

 [Members: Please contact George for the file which you may alter and rename for your use as a template for any 6x9 book.  The contents of the file, as is, are copy-written.]

We then had a special treat, something new for our group; an audio book presentation! Peter Frickel's great “Road” was presented using a MAC and Bose speakers, highlighting what a great job can be done with audio books! Peter's professional quality recording highlighted the already great material and we want more. He teased the early audience with a recording from Ernest Hemingway which we have asked him to repeat in a future meeting.

That took us to our 8:00pm break, and after ten minutes or so, we resumed with Don Westerfield reading, and showing photos as well, of his piece named “The Witch Doctor.” It's amazing what can be done with a little salt and coconut oil. Don's story telling had everyone wondering what was going to happen with the butcher knife. No, it was just an indicator, not an operating tool! Great writing and fun to listen to.

We continued with further adventures of Gracie, the dwarf kangaroo from the 36^th universe who missed her landing spot of St. Petersburg, Russia, and ended up with us in Sarasota as we listened to Linda Schell present the next portion of her young adult/fantasy adventure. It was well received as Linda kept the reading teasingly short and drew really nice reviews. Ben Daughtrey rejoined the group with his revised Chapter 26 of his science fiction epic, no longer named “Newearth.” It will be re-named shortly. The version for critique can be found on our critique page at http://critandcom.blogspot.com/2013/04/chapter-26.html. Please remember all entries on the critique page are the property of the respective submitter and may not be used without permission.

Kerri Dieffenwierth read what may well be the introduction to her work “Home Made Rodeos” named “Brownies,” another great transition piece from one of our regular members. “Less dysfunctional now that we're faded,” as a description of old photos had everyone nodding in agreement. More great writing from Kerri who will be forced to read her award winning poem at the next meeting or we won't let her back in.

George Collias followed with a chapter from his published work, “Myahmuh,” a murder mystery set in old Miami, as seen through the eyes of a fourteen year old. George then turned the meeting upside down with a limerick from another great published work, “Sandspurs,” this one about skunk-apes or other strange Florida creatures, maybe even a Chupacabra:

A Floridian with a lupine-like scowl,

Was hairy and smelled very foul.

He wasn't a werewolf,

Not even a near-wolf,

But at full moons had a strong urge to howl.

(Used with permission)

The meeting continued with a somber, reflective poem by Ed Ellis, dedicated to a dear friend lost to cancer. The poem, “Wild Honey,” is printed in its entirety at the end of this posting. Thank you Ed, great writing.

Kitt Crescendo, aka, Kat Levato, showed her newly approved cover for her upcoming erotic novel “Three For All,” and drew critical, in-depth review of the art work. It passed unanimously. Her book will be split into two novels at the request of her editor, more info when we get it. Great writing, no comments on the comments!

We wrapped up the evening with the final chapter of “Adventures of a Sea Hag,” Joanne Phillip's cathartic tale of sailing and eternal love found therein. Joanne's book is in its second printing. I'm sure she'll have new material in time for our next meeting!

We wrapped up a little after 9:00pm, and thanks to the volunteers from the Nokomis Fire Department who graciously and unselfishly extricated one of our member's car from a newly discovered, deep hole in our parking lot, we said goodbye until May 15^th. We will have a regular meeting as no speakers are scheduled.

George

Wild Honey

by Ed Ellis

Dedicated to my friend, of many decades, Mr. Craig Chidester

When significance arrives

At our doorstep

Love is expressed

By all to all

Every comrade whom we know

Takes a piece

Leaves a mark

The sweetness of memories

The body alters and fails

Memories do not

A hole is opened

To space and time

Death, the dark shadow

Hangs on a hook

Over the left shoulder

Of everyone, all the time

Feelings are mixed

The reality is present

When we are born

We are destined to die

So what happens

In the gap of time?

Decades come, decades go

The world continues spinning

Life is as sweet

As, wild honey

But not as sweet

As lasting friendship

(Printed with Permission)