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 

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

We were fortunate to have a special guest presenter, Jayne Ann McLachlan, an award winning published author specializing in short stories who was visiting from Canada. She took us through a workshop to help us connect with our characters in our works in progress, understanding their motivations and who they are, and why that's even more important in a short story. She also went over other details like the end goal and how to plot out your steps to get there.

If you visit her website, which I've linked in through her name, you'll have an opportunity to see more about the things she's done and connect to her blog. Thank you for sharing with us.

After Jayne Ann's very interactive workshop, Peter Frickel, author of My Frog Sings and Lotha and the Three Crosses shared from his current work in progress, "Lillies of the Vlei" a chapter he called "Soul of Africa." This particular chapter found him walking the length and breadth of Africa in search of his "soul." At the beginning of his journey he tracked landmarks, marked time. After a while he became one with the land, the need to mark passage forgotten. He wondered if he was safe. After all, he was travelling the wilds of Africa by foot. One day he crossed paths with a stranger, and shared the road. Through this journey he discovered the ability to appreciate aloneness, but also felt he'd discovered his connection with God. The group really enjoyed hearing about his voyage through the author's voice.

Educator/writer, Suzi Lynch, shared with us a piece she called "Invite Into the Mind of a Teacher." In this piece she states very clearly that she does not have 'data', more passionate moments that occur in teaching. In her piece she describes an interaction with a student who isn't "model" by grades. It becomes very obvious based on the dialogue that this particular 3rd grader is basically raising his younger siblings and left to his own devices. Although he struggles with ADD, he's not getting his medication regularly. He's already, within the last year, been bounced from house to house, relative to relative. Being an educator in the public school system and the way that they're expected to be so concerned with test scores could lose an opportunity to really help a child like this, and it tears at teachers. The heart and frustration...the power of her words, had everyone in the room empathizing with the teacher and wishing for a way to help save this child.

Jeff Cochran revisited his time travel work in progress. This scene brings us to Rebecca, who was 19 when she'd originally travelled back in time, watching her 5 year old son, Horace. She is now a mother of two children since she and Asa were transported back to 1900. She is holding her baby, Mary, and wondering a bit about how differently her life turned out as she watches Horace splash and play in the water. After a time she gathers the children and heads home to start supper. Jeff has a way of infusing reality of the past and blending it with the more modern thought process of his characters.

Bill Elam followed, revisiting his current work in progress with a chapter called "The Pastor." In this chapter, a public school that had deteriorated had been converted into a church called "The Mission." Although this was built to help those who were truly in need, the sad truth is, that even a ministry is considered "a business" and needs money to run. The pastor was not a 'businessman,' but rather a shepherd of people, so it appeared that despite the great need in this area, the church would be shut down due to inability to pay. That Sunday, preaching a sermon of hope, the pastor's heart was heavy at the thought that this might be the last sermon he'd be able to share. However, in the offering plate, was an envelope from an anonymous donor with a cashiers check that would allow him to pay off in full, the debt for the church, and still have money left over to minister to those in need. Turns out, this was the same place where 'The Old Man' saw that mural discussed earlier in the chapter called "The Artist." Those of us who've been with Bill on this ride were moved.

Sara Lee, a fellow writer from our FWA chapter on the other coast, came by to visit and shared a part of her work in progress, "Boomer Love." She kicked it off with the quote, "An orgasm a day keeps the doctor away." That's all it took to sell us as she shared her chapter which found her protagonist having phone sex with her boyfriend after coitus interruptus happened, thanks to her son. This was her first foray into this area, but with the guidance of her boyfriend, she donned a black lace nighty and went to get "Junior," their nickname for her vibrator. Marty, her boyfriend, of course, carried "Senior" with him in his pants. Yup! The room loved it and laughed at all the right moments. We hope she comes back to share more.

Our final reader of the night was Maris Soule, author of more than 25 books through various presses, was kind enough to share with us an excerpt from her book, The Crows. This mystery had us glued to our seats from the beginning as it kicked off with the protagonist hearing 3 shots, crows cawing a warning...and it wasn't deer hunting season. Furthermore, her dog had not been with her when the shots fired. As she heard noise in the brush, she hid, unsure of the danger. We were all thrilled to know her dog was not injured when he came out of the tall grass towards her. Of course, we went straight back into concern when she finally headed home only to see a trail of blood leading into her house as she raced home to call the police. Yup! Wounded man, laying on the floor, no idea if he's friend or foe. We were definitely hooked! Maris was also kind enough to write about our group in her blog. You can read about that here!

Wednesday October 16, 2013 Meeting

We had a special guest speaker for our group at our last meeting. Jack Harney, author of The Millstone Prophecy came to share his writing experiences with our group.

Inspired by a documentary called Deliver Us From Evil, Jack felt compelled to draw attention to the very controversial subject of pedophilia in the Catholic church and the steps taken to hide and cover up these crimes against children. Initially intending this to be a non-fiction tale, he began to research the different categories in the non-fiction universe and found that it's very much a niche market. He wanted the message brought to light on a larger scale, and found himself writing his very first suspense fiction novel.

His intent was to follow the traditional route. Get an agent, then pursue traditional publishing. So, he attended writers conferences while he worked on his project and had the opportunity to pitch agents. He quickly found that most were put off by the subject matter. The same was true for publishers (and it took anywhere from 9-12 months to get it to print through this venue). As he continued his pursuit of making this manuscript a reality, he came to the conclusion that he needed to self publish this piece and a great cover.

What he did find was a writing partner. This was the person to run ideas by, read drafts, ask if certain scenarios worked. He also found a few beta readers. With their feedback and his edits and hard work, the book came to fruition. Despite having a printed copy available, he quickly found that 99% of his sales came through Amazon in "digital sales" or ebook format. Since Kindle has created Kindle Direct Publishing, he's seen an upswing in his sales and has officially sold over 31,000 copies of his novel worldwide. Kindle Direct gives you 5 days in a 90 day period to make the book free. He chose to utilize these days for big "reading" days...like holidays, Mothers Day (hey, reality is there are more women readers than men), and Sundays.

After Jack's interesting presentation, we met our newcomers and Rod DiGruttolo facilitated our readings.

Peter Frickel, author of My Frog Sings, Lotha and the Three Crosses and his new blog, ThinkFree, was our first victim reader. He read an article he'd found about Literary v. Pop fiction and studies on the human brain. Apparently, despite the love for Pop fiction, those who "pushed" themselves with Literary works were more likely to score higher on exams, etc, regardless of how much reading the Pop fiction fan might do. It was something to think about. Personally, I still appreciate the escapism that Pop fiction gives me. Next he shared a piece from his current Work In Progress, "Lillies Of the Vlai." In it, he described riding a "ski" in the water that sounded much like a stand up paddle board. In his story, he was able to be at one with nature...and risk a bit of life and limb. It sounded like quite an adventure.

Ernie Ovitz read next, bringing us back to his manuscript, "The Seventh King." In this part we realize that there is a spy in the governor's house, a servant named Cena. As Red Beard plans to steal the governor's wife, he plans to use her to get close. Fortuitous circumstances for him prevent that from happening when he and his band of outlaws run into a small group of riders. Julia, the governor's wife, had been inside the carriage, heading to town to discuss the arrest of the Christian gets kidnapped. Lots of great descriptions were used to draw us into the era. With some minute adjustments on the dialogue, the book will be ready.

Next came the ever entertaining Ed Ellis. This time he chose to share a poem called "The Beacon Of Reality." He called us to use inspiration, to give universal acceptance and encourage broadening of the mind....and back into nature. Turns out, the guy who "wasn't a poet" is finding his poet's soul, after all.

Author of Adventures of a Sea Hag, JoAnne Phillips, participated in the dialogue challenge Rod DiGruttolo rolled out during the beginning of the summer. The piece, "Car Conversation", was a discussion between a mechanic and the "easy mark" he thought he'd scam...until she showed him she knew a thing or two about how the legal system works and what happens to businesses who make a practice of cheating clients. The back pedaling was hilarious. Next, she continued with her current manuscript, "Matrix Of Life." This chapter finds them at the Christmas holiday with both parents unemployed. In an attempt to infuse holiday cheer into their small home, her dad cut a tree from the forest and they decorated it in tin cans and a tree topper her mother made. They also informed her that Santa wouldn't be coming this year because she was more grown up now. She informed them that she felt he'd been a bit premature in making that call. The humor in the face of hardships has been a charming addition to JoAnne's newest work.

Andrew Parker continued with his manuscript, "Drunk and Calling From a Pub In London." He starts the tale off with Jacqueline Aurora's parents handing him a hand gun and encouraging him to "end it" so that all his suffering will be done. Unsure of whether this is the right decision he looks toward his new girlfriend, Jacqueline. She reassures him that this is what he needs. When he pulls the trigger, instead of a bullet, gas is released. He wakes to a monkey with a crush on him and a butler who may not only be a butler. The whole thing was, quite literally, insanely hilarious.

Laura Harrison shared two 20 year old books written by James A. Michener about the art of writing. One is James A. Michener's Writers Handbook and the other, My Lost Mexico. In them he discussed his thoughts on growth, editing, making books, how he organizes his thoughts and how he decides on the order of chapters. It was fascinating to see things from his point of view and view samples of his work while he was creating. What a find that discovery was for Laura!

Wendy Brooks, one of our newer members and an illustrator of children's stories, took her first try at sharing a piece of her writing. She'd been inspired by a story she'd seen on the news of a woman who pushed her brand new husband over a cliff to his death. They'd only known each other for 5 days before marrying. In her piece entitled "There Are No Heroes" she speculates as to what could have driven a young, 22 year old bride to murder her new husband. It was compelling to try to understand and relate to someone so obviously not likeable. The work has potential to be the beginning of a very intriguing story.

Susan Davis shared a short piece by Alice Munro in honor of her Nobel Prize in literature. In her honor, and to introduce her work to those who were not familiar, she shared a part of her short story Gravel, published in the New Yorker. Feel free to click the link and read the rest for yourself. Susan also took on the dialogue challenge and entitled her piece "Cat & Mouse." In her dialogue one person is inviting another to go to a jazz club to enjoy great music. The other person questions if this will be okay with the other party's "other half" and is told yes. She accepts and states that her significant other will be joining them. The first party is taken by surprise..."I never realized you were an 'us'!" Ah, the cheater, trapped. Loved the creativity.

Kitt Crescendo shared an article she wrote for Bring Back Desire called Pleasure Partnerships and Helping Hands...officially introducing us to the racier side of her writing. Although it was non-fiction, it definitely opened some eyes and dropped a few jaws. It's not like she hadn't warned us that her writing delves pretty strongly into the erotic, though.

George Mindling, author of U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, ended our evening with a short fiction piece he'd written called "Aufwiedersehen, Kaiserslautern!" In the story we're introduced to a young, drunken military GI stationed in Germany. He's at the bar drinking beers and heads upstairs with one of the local prostitutes after receiving his reenlistment bonus. It was definitely a hilariously salty tale of why it's so important not to get drunk with strangers unless you want to be robbed blind.

Our evening came to a close with a reminder that the next Writers Group Meeting is 11/6/13.

Wednesday September 4, 2013 Meeting

Our meeting commenced promptly at 6:30. Rod DiGruttolo, our moderator for the evening, introduced Peter Frickel to the group, though he needed no introduction with us.

Author of Lotha and the Three Crosses and My Frog Sings along with his blog, iThink, his pieces are looked forward to for their imagery (never mind his gorgeous South African lilt).

As per last meeting's announcements, Peter kicked off our discussion regarding sentence, paragraph and page construction. He kicked it off by letting us imagine Pooh and Peter in conversation where Pooh says, "Tell me where the sentence lives.."

And then he laid out his challenge.
"What makes a sentence? Do you know the different kinds of sentences?"

As he spent the evening breaking down the various forms of sentences and their purposes...and how the right combination can create magic on a page, he pointed out a simple yet valuable fact.

"We talk too much, listen too little."

He encouraged us to find ways to inspire the senses. Music to inspire, Books of colors, images...senses.

We all came away enjoying the different outlooks and points of view that Peter offered into the way we hone our craft to constantly, consistently improve.

Our readings were kicked off by Susan Davis whose travelling gypsy spirit guided her to read from 100 Love Sonnets by Pablo Neruda. She chose to read #6. The pure beauty and passion made it easy to understand why she was inspired to share. Even more interesting was her story to go along with the poetry...when she told us of her tour of Neruda's home and the amazing view from his bedroom. The breathless natural beauty from his window combined with being in the great writer's home left her in awe.

Next, Ed Ellis read his very entertaining piece entitled "Awkward Encounter". It was a story of life after high school which included hanging out with Steve, his sidekick, cruising for chicks at "Bob's Big Boy" and some Mary Jane. Let's just say that after a bit of partying, one of the characters was uncertain if his trip to Disneyland was a dream or an actual occurrence. Yes, this piece had the whole group rolling with laughter at the characters' antics, the anticipation and the punch line.

Pat Patterson took on Rod's dialogue challenge. He called his piece "Two Old 1963 High School Class Buddies On The Telephone". In his piece we got the opportunity to hear two old friends wax nostalgic on the past and play catch up on life in general...and how their views of events had changed through the years.

Jeff Cochran read two pieces. The first was his dialogue challenge from Rod. He attributed his inspiration to Kitt's dialogue challenge from the prior meeting...and it didn't take any time at all to figure out why. With sentences like "Just slide it in" "Move it around a bit" and "I don't think that's going to fit", it was obvious that the dialogue included a lot of fun, tongue-in-cheek innuendo. What was it really about? A shoe sale, of course! His next piece was a poem he entitled "Seasons" that he'd written to celebrate an artist friend, Holly Lovely. His verses painted picturesque scenes and enabled the listener to feel each season...and appreciate how much he treasured his friend.

Our newcomer, Barry Mick, shared his piece called "Dragonfly". Although there was a literal dragonfly in his story, it became evident quickly that there was deep symbolism in that dragonfly. This is just the beginning of what we sense will be a very powerful story of love, loss and family. We can't wait to see where Barry takes his story.

Don Westerfield shared a short story he called "My Family Tree". He was researching a tale about his family tree and the family scandal that caused his grandpa to leave Kentucky and move to Indiana. To learn more about the roots of the tree in Kentucky, he headed back to where it all began and found his only remaining relative in town was the drunk guy he met on the corner. As he asked some former neighbors about what happened to his family, he was told..."Son, when you go digging for your roots, all you usually end up with is a can of worms." Yes, there was much laughter and applause that followed this entertaining short piece.

Ernie Ovitz continued with Chapter 2 if his WIP, "The Seventh King". In this part we're beginning to get a feel for the political savvy of Constantine, the Tribune, as he deals with General Decimus and his interview, hoping to learn more about the Emperor. In this part we also begin to get a better feel for Red Beard and why he's targeting them.

JoAnne Phillips, author of Adventures Of A Sea Hag continued with her current WIP, "The Matrix Of Life" with her next chapter entitled "Goodbye Mushy". In this chapter she talked about she and her mother living with her grandma who suffered from bipolar disorder, though it wasn't yet a diagnosis. There wasn't a dry eye in the house as she bravely shared the story about the puppy, Mushy, her mother's ex-boyfriend gave her and how she held it in her arms as she watched it die a horrible death at her grandmother's hand. The lethargy and inability to communicate and respond broke our hearts for her...and we were so relieved when she was placed back into the care of her grandparents on her father's side as she began her slow battle back toward healing. JoAnne's story has it's ups and downs, but the one constant is this... We're cheering for her!

Linda Shell was back with her YA Adventure about Gracie the dwarf kangaroo in "Come Along With Me". She had the group snorting with laughter at her clever turn of phrase, "Buster's last stand" as she told about the chicken who ran around with it's head cut off...spraying grandma's white, newly washed sheets that were hanging on the line with his blood. Guess that's what she gets for deciding to make him dinner. We're definitely looking forward to seeing where Gracie's adventure leads next.

Next came another excerpt from author of I'm Adopted, I'm Special and The Animal Tales blog, Beth Rice's newest WIP "Pawprints Are Forever". The next installment was called "Dr Anthony Vinelli". He wasn't the suave, handsome doc, but rather the smart, capable doc with the fabulous petside manner...who the techs didn't like much, but then...he made them work. He was also an avian specialist which meant he got to handle then snakes and their temperamental owners. He was also the resident "Friends" trivia guru and the favorite doctor for the protagonist. At this point, he was just introduced into the story along with a couple of patients who he's helped along the way, but we all sense that there's much more to their story and are looking forward to hearing it told.

As we closed out the night, we circled back to Peter. He shared with us a piece he'd written about a river called "There Runs A River". Although it was ultimately about the river, it was about so much more. It was symbolic of time and how, like a river, they both change everything as they move. He also shared some of his own poetry. With his permission, here's his piece.

The Pathway

The single line pathway
Moved humans
Carrying empty pails of sorrowed hunger
And despair they should never have owned.

Some brought extended bellies
Swollen lips and cleaved tongues,
Others empty eyes,
Faces cracked
Scabbed skin
Where tears had dried.

And the dogs
That came on burnt paws,
Pulled tails across stones,
Whimpered for those they left to die.

We walked
Slowly
Into miles,
To the horizon,
To a town.

Some groaned
Stopped and dropped
With voices that gurgled
Between cracked lips
Before they died.

For each that crumpled
I bent down
Besides
With a prayer.
Pressed eye lids
Closed
With whites covered
Each rested
In their own dark
Our misery unwanted.

By the edge of the town
With thinned ranks
We stood still,
To feel the pain
To let it run away.
To remember friends and family
Who like fallen sign posts
Now mark our way.

Lying lost upon acarpous soil
They tell others
Who seek shelter,
"It doesn't hurt anymore."

As always, Sarasota Writers Group had a great night of eclectic reading and look forward to our next meeting on 9/18/2013.



Wednesday August 21, 2013 Meeting

Our meeting started at approximately 6:30 with 20 attendees and 12 readers. Rod DiGruttolo moderated the meeting and kicked things off.

First announcement is that Peter Frickel will be teaching a course in sentence, paragraph and page construction at our next meeting on September 4th.

Kitt Crescendo had recently returned from the convention Authors After Dark. She brought back some swag to give to the group and shared her thoughts on the event. She found the event to be very interesting and the authors in the various forums she attended to be personable, open and willing to talk about anything. As time allows, she'll be adding more about the authors and events to her blog.

Jack Wetherson kicked off our readings with a football story based inside a correctional facility he humorously referred to as "a gated facility". Although there was initially some confusion as to whether the game was being played by inmates a la The Longest Yard, we found this not to be the case. In the end, this was a tongue in cheek story about bad calls and "paying your dues".

Barbara Frickel, usually leaving the reading to Peter, surprised the group by stepping front and center. She'd taken Rod up on his dialogue challenge several weeks ago and wrote a piece about a lost wallet. Her dialogue was as sweet as she was, showing that people still do the right thing. The finder contacted the owner of the wallet and returned it.

Ed Ellis also took on the dialogue challenge. It was a married couple on a trip to the driver's cousin's house. As almost always with Ed's work, there was a punchline...in this case, it was all about "back seat driving". He also shared a piece he'd written called "Honeymoon Surprise" that dealt with "mixed matches". You know, big guy, tiny girl. The punch line this time left everyone laughing as the question of "who wears the pants" was answered definitively.

Jeff Cochran read another excerpt from his time travel manuscript. This chapter was titled "On The Road In Pennsylvania". In this portion the protagonist has been having a recurrent nightmare about being chased. He misses his life and the future he left behind. As he reflects on the might have beens, however, he realizes that if he hadn't gone back into the past, he might not have his love, Rebecca. Yes, the ladies in the group sighed over the romantic notion, especially from the male perspective.

Don Westerfield, never one to leave us bored, decided to change things up on us. It had been a while since he's shared poetry, so he went back to it, sharing two poems, "Spinster Mary" about a lady, a World War II bride to be that never was and "The Egotistical Poet". With his permission, here's one of his poems:

Spinster Mary

There; down a crooked road,

across a bridge; her house.

Brick, mortar and hopes

built upon un-kept promises.

 

Within dwelt great beauty;

not of youth, but of years.

It radiated outward; encompassing

all who entered without pity.

 

She moved kindly about;

sadness hidden only from a few.

Abiding alone in remembrance of

a shadow love; now gone.

 

In vain she waited for happiness

to unlock the portals of her desire;

leaving only kisses of memory

to treasure until end of days.

 

With comforting faith did she linger,

until her Sun had set. There, down

a crooked road, across a bridge;

her house, unlit and forgotten.

 

 

Asha Anderson, another of our lovely poet wordsmiths shared several poems that left everyone impressed with not only her reading style, but content. With her permission, I'll share one of her readings called "Los Viajeros". This is a poem she wrote to aid her as she was learning the Spanish language.

 

Los Viajeros

 

La ruta es larga.

El dia es corto.

La noche es

ruidosa y calor.

Estoy afuera

con la luna.

La ruta es angosta.

El cielo es ancho.

 

Translation:

 

The Travelers

 

The road is long.

The day is short.

The night is

noisy and hot.

I am outside

with the moon.

The road is narrow.

The sky is wide.

 

(Guatemala, 2007)

 

Jenny Oberg decided to take on Rod's narration challenge. In this, two people are discussing imagination and the mind being free. The conversation starter asks the question "If you could go anywhere, where would you go?" She's speaking of fantasy but unfortunately the other party is not such a daydreamer and is tied to the "here and now", which drives the conversation into an entertaining circle....as is often the case for those of us who are dreamers when we encounter the practical people. Every person in the room was nodding as writers tend to live in that "other" world.

 

Kitt Crescendo also decided to go with Rod's challenge. Her dialogue was between a female employee at a cell phone store and a customer with a water damaged phone. With little bits of innuendo flying when the phone wouldn't stop vibrating and the smart alleck back and forth between the two characters, the group was entertained. She also shared her poem called "Mystique". When she was finished reading, the ladies in the room had two words for her. "Thank You." She has it on her blog if you click her name, but decided to share it here, as well.

 

Mystique

 

“The Weaker Sex”
is what we’re called.
Generations
of velvet encased
iron core,
who have held
and nurtured
in body and heart-
souls,
Sons who become
fathers,
daughters to
mothers.
We’ve stood firm,
guardians of the castle
charged with
sacred duty
to mold, guide and nurture,
teach and love.
Dry tears,
kiss away wounds
spiritual and physical.
Healing powers-
steeped in
understanding,
forgiveness and patience.
We hold on if we can,
let go when we must.
kindness, empathy
and knowledge.
Strength is required
to be
“The softer side.”

 

Susan Davis read an excerpt from a compilation book of women's writings written by Lucy Jane Bledsoe called "Two In The Wild". It encapsulated a woman's escape by bicycle across the Mohave desert when a mother and daughter headed out on a trip of their own encountered her. They discovered that the woman was, in fact, escaping an abusive situation...yet the protagonist to the story spoke of envy because this woman had the guts to get on her bike and blindly change her circumstances. She was ill prepared for the trip, but she had determination and a sense of purpose.

 

Peter Frickel, author of My Frog Sings and Lotha and the Three Crosses along with his blog "iThink" shared an article clipping from the Sarasota Herald Tribune called "Advice For A Writer In Sarasota". Besides discussing the importance of predators v. editors, it touted the importance of researching writers groups before joining and touted the importance of a facilitator with "credentials who is knowledgeable and supportive". Rod was very tongue in cheek when he "apologized". Everyone else laughed. He then read a portion of a Hemmingway book with a quote about writing and encouraged us to join him in his journey to improved writing next week.

 

 

Beth Rice, author of I'm Adopted, I'm Special and The Animal Tales blog continued reading from her manuscript called "Pawprints Are Forever" with a chapter called "Oh, Beans!" In this story, at the end of the day, a customer brings his dog, Beans in for laxatives claiming that he suffers from constipation. The owner is insistent that all Beans needs are laxatives and requires no tests as they would be costly and he's sure of the diagnosis. The protagonist approaches the doctor who is not thrilled to have this last minute walk-in. As he's ranting, he uses the term "for shits and grins" a phrase the protagonist had never heard before. As she's sidetracked with her internal dialogue surrounding the phrase, she misses the vet's order. Not only is Beth's reading coming along, but her knack for humor and the absurd are shining through.

 

 

Last, but certainly not least, was author JoAnne Phillips, author of Adventures of a Sea Hag. Continuing from her current manuscript, "Matrix Of Life", she read a chapter called "Getting Even". In this portion, the 5 year old protagonist has developed a fondness for the bats that would soar out of the loft in the evening. Determined to catch one, she asks her grandfather for advice....which included a hat and bacon. After several days of not catching the bats she discovers, thanks to an exasperated Grams that Gramps has been having fun at her expense. Determined to get even she waits till they're at a store and claims he's a stranger...which nearly causes him to be arrested for kidnapping. As fun and witty as JoAnne's excerpt was, everyone felt the need to tell her how much she's improved in her writing which made her day.

 

Our next meeting will be held on September 4th and begins promptly at 6:30.

 



 

 



Wednesday 7/17/2013

We kicked off our Wednesday meeting with 18 attendees and 13 readers. With George Mindling on vacation, the role of scribe was handed off to me, Kat Levato. Rod DiGruttolo, our fantastic facilitator, did a great job of keeping us moving and on point. He also laid out a challenge/project for the group. Write out a meaningful dialogue only story of 250 words or more! Folks are welcome to read them as they tackle this challenge.

Kitt Crescendo kicked off the evening with a new poem entitled "Passion's Flame" which spurned on a discussion revolving around love and passion and what inspires her.

Next, Peter Frickel read a chapter called "Big Fish" from his newest work project, a series about his travels of the breadth and width of Africa. In this piece he brought to light the battle between man and nature...more specifically, himself and a very large fish. As always, his words painted images in our minds. He drew us in, causing us to wonder about this battle from the fish's point of view. Was the fish seeking freedom or escape?

Jeff Cochran shared two pieces. The first was based on a writing project to evoke strong emotions called "Special Time". The surprise twist at the end definitely left people spooked and gasping in shock. His second reading was a continuation from his work in progress. The chapter called "Courtship" brought us back in time to when arranged marriages were the norm and young ladies were left to worry about the man their father would choose for them.

Ernie Ovitz continued with another excerpt from his manuscript, Seventh King. His research and flair for description had folks feeling hungry and wishing for a bit of venison and fresh bread!

Robert Taylor came back up from the Punta Gorda writers group and shared with us that his memoir, Hardship Post has been published! Congratulations to him! As he shared with us the first chapter, it was clear why he'd won the 2012 Royal Palm Literary award for unpublished memoir.

Pat Patterson read his epilogue. He's looking for critiques as he feels it's missing a little bit of oomph.

Don Westerfield read his most recent short story entitled "Conversation With Charlie". As is always the case with Don's work, it was heartfelt and had a few folks in the room grabbing for tissues as he shared a conversation between a man at the end of his life, talking to his best friend and his wife, both who have already gone.

Ed Ellis has been working on a non-fiction piece for a workshop entitled "The Seven Principles Of Practice". His piece had comments flowing about his knack for "intelligent" humor and discussing whether he should open with a quote on practice or stick to his own words. He, too, is looking for critique.

JoAnn Phillips shared two pieces. The first was a poem called "Faberge Egg". This poem was a bit of a shift from her normally humorous work as it focused on children and how devastating it is when they're only seen as a "thing" rather than the gifts to the world that they truly are. The next piece was a chapter from her book "Matrix of Life". This portion was mostly regarding her grandfather and how he related to the tragedy of Hiroshima....from the perspective of her 5 year old eyes. It was both painful and moving.

Susan Davis has made her triumphant return from her bike trip from Maine to Nova Scotia! We got to welcome her back and hear a bit about her travel adventure. The piece she shared with us was entitled "So Many Men, So Little Time". Sounds like a racy romance, doesn't it? Not only did she have us feeling muscle aches and pains from the steep hills she biked, she made us feel the rain pelting on her face and her meeting with the owner of a restaurant/hotel and the titillation of the potential love story between their waitress and the owner left untold as they headed back out for the open road.

Asha Anderson shared a booklet she made for the group containing several of her wonderfully descriptive poems. They left the group feeling uplifted and inspired.

Taking us back in time with her, Jenny Oberg shared with us how our senses can draw forth memories. On her way home from the last writers group she smelled the distinct odor of the Brazilian peppertree...and how it led her back to her childhood visits to Florida from Chicago. It definitely had a sweet, nostalgic vibe of youth.

Finishing off the night was Ron Badcock and a piece called "Yankee Station" set in Vietnam. Told as if by autobiography, he shared why volunteering once for a mission is plenty when you're at war.

We wrapped up on time and will reconvene on August 7th! Thanks again to those who participated.

Wednesday, June 19th, 2013

We are officially out of chairs! We had 27 attendees, two of whom were member's spouses, including my wife, Ilse, and one first time guest, Asha Anderson. Eight attendees were members of the Florida Writers Association. Surprise guest Bill Elam joined us just for the evening before heading back north once again. Bob Taylor and Pat Patterson from Punta Gorda joined us as well. With 21 people signing up to read, it would be a full night.

Rod DiGruttolo was taking care of family business, and I had an unscheduled meeting pop up that created a problem of opening the room in time for the meeting. My heartfelt thanks to Peter Frickel and Ed Ellis who both showed up early to set up the room.

After our 6:00 o'clock meet and greet, we kicked off on schedule, and after passing out my extra copies of the Florida Writer, I introduced the new guests. Joanne Phillips masterminded a plot to celebrate Ed Ellis's birthday, which explained the birthday cake, the cookies and the drinks some people – those who were in on the secret – brought to the meeting.

I introduced Kat Levato, who did a great presentation on blogging. This was a follow-up to her first presentation an basic blogging several months ago. With hand-outs for everyone, and her great question and answer session, we expect to see member's blogs popping up like flowers.

After Kat's presentation, we took an early break and devoured Ed's cake and cookies in a social gathering that got extended somewhat beyond our normal time, then kicked off the first of the readings. Reading is done in the order of the sign-in, but with 21 readers in queue, and only an hour and a half left, I juggled the schedule a little and some readers graciously decided to wait until the next meeting. Anyone who didn't get to read will be at the top of the list for the next meeting. We ask that readings be held to 5 minutes, preferably not more than 3 pages of double space writing, but even with this requirement, I wouldn't get everyone in.

We did get to hear eleven readers, beginning with Peter Frickel's great writing, Lilies of the Vlei. Having Peter read first is a humbling experience for those that follow, so any ego issues are immediately put to bed. Great writing and great reading. Peter also had copies of his audio book in CD format available, really professionally done.

We followed with another chapter of Gracie, the time traveling dwarf kangaroo from the 36^th dimension as Linda Shell read yet another chapter of her YA adventure. Bruce, the headless chicken got everyone's stunned attention, but the discussions afterward were good.

Joanne Phillips entertained the group as in times of olde with her great wit and humor with “Technique,” “Scratch,” and “Dead Muse.” Joanne never fails to enthrall our normally hardened group and drew applause with her light hearted poetry.

Kerri Dieffenwierth read a reworked piece from her unnamed upcoming anthology. The feedback to Kerri's great writing showed the diversity in interpretation by different readers. Kerri encouraged everyone with her experiences in submitting writing to publishers, and handled questions from those who haven't yet stretched their wings, so to speak. Thank you, Kerri!

Newcomer Jenny Oberg read another sensitive piece that pulled everyone in. Jenny is a welcome addition to the group, and we have a feeling we've only scratched the surface of Jenny's talents. Dean Telfer, also a newcomer, read next, and once everyone got over the spell cast by his British accent, actually listened to his unique writing in “The Case of the Nibbled Thigh.” Joanne sat up immediately when she heard the title.

Jim Kelly was up next with two more poems, Cobweb, and A Curtain in the Window, both engrossing, thought provoking poems that showcase his unique command of economy of words. Jim's poetry is always a mainstay of our readings. Jack Wetherson read for the first time with an essay on self-publishing. Everyone envisioned a work of their own when he mentioned a writing “bleeding from every page from the red ink.”

Cathy Marine returned with “Looking for Rays,” the opening chapter of her upcoming book about Spotted Eagle Rays. Nice interweaving of dialog and description. Cathy's first book, No Dead Fish for Ginger! is available at eifrigpublishing.com as well as the bookstore at Mote Marine.

Bill Elam, who unexpectedly stopped by, read a touching story of facing your twilight years with grace and poise. Birthday-boy Ed Ellis closed out the readings with a Damon Runyonesque tale of amateurs trying to buy marijuana for the first time. Funny stuff, Ed, and we won't ask how you did the research.

We will start the next meeting on July 3^rd with readings by Beth, Asha, Jung, Don, Ernie, Kat, and George. See everyone then.

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)

“It was a cold and dreary day...”

No, it wasn't, but it was quite a bit colder than normal as we kicked off the Sarasota Writers Group meeting on Wednesday, March 6th. Inside the meeting room was nice and comfortable as always. We had a good turnout and a really great meeting. We were pleased to have Julie Ann Howell, President and Publisher of Peppertree Press and Peppertree Magazine, as our guest speaker.

Julie Ann's presentation on Peppertree Press and the evolving world of publishing was enthusiastically received. The comments and questions that followed added to her in-depth explanation of what new writers can expect, and should look for, when searching for a publisher. Peppertree Press's support of the Florida Writers Association (Peppertree Press is a Platinum Sponsor of the FWA Writers Conference) is greatly appreciated, and we certainly appreciate Julie Ann's great presentation. Julie Ann also awarded a beautiful coffee table photo book about Sarasota to Kat Levato for having the right ticket stub, and a coffee mug to first time guest Larry Burnett, who uniquely drew his own number. Amid the cries of “foul” and “fixed” (Do you really believe everything I write?”) Don Westerfield drew the last prize of the evening, a signed, hardback copy of Julie's book "Haunted Echoes." The Peppertree was the first to publish Don's poems in 2009 and gave him the confidence to go on writing. We are so glad he did.

New writer Rachel Fritsch returned, and we greeted first time guest, and coffee mug winner, Larry Barnett. A brief discussion about the new Critique and Comment blog (http://critandcom.blogspot.com/) where members can post writing they want critiqued, anonymously if they so choose, shows the idea has merit, but needs to be simplified. So, the procedure for posting on the “critandcom” page has been revised. Simply e-mail your writing to George Mindling at the special e-mail address on the blog page, and it will be posted exactly as it is received. Critiques can be posted as comment at the bottom of each blog. The restriction on keying in “special” codes has been removed, but that also means spam may appear on the page. Please let me know if anything out of order pops up in the comments section that needs to be removed.

After general comments about upcoming writing contests mentioned in earlier blogs, the meeting was turned over to Julie Ann.

Following Julie Ann's presentation, we took a ten minute break, then gavel-master Rod DiGruttolo resumed our regular meeting with a reading from Laura Heath. Laura's transition from a non-fiction writer to narrative non-fiction story telling is underway with a marvelous first attempt called The Bus, set in the jungles of Guatemala. Written as a short story, her first reading drew both applause and comments. We will hear more from Laura in the future.

George Mindling followed with two whimsical poems, not his specialty, but apparently the humor was well received as there was no booing. Peter Frickel then read his delightful “Country Cottage,” from his “Shoebox Anthology,” as always, his reading embellishing his already great writing.

Don Westerfield read two of his wonderful poems, “When a House, a Home,” and “The Human Race,” and Mary Byrnes followed with the second part of her non-fiction fiction called “Embellishments, Section II.” Mary's writing again held everyone's attention to the “embellished, true tale,” enhanced by showing photos of her beautiful mother in comparison to another beauty of her time, Amelia Earhart. Kat Levato read her short Love at Sunrise, followed by Joanne Phillips who read “Computer Conversations,” which told explicitly why she loves talking computers, as we wrapped up another great meeting. 

Patricia LaBarbera announced her two of her books will be available for free Kindle downloading this weekend from Amazon.  The Celtic Crow Murders, a cozy mystery will be available for free download from Amazon March 8 through March 10. World Castle Publishing will be releasing The Wolf's Daughter, her paranormal romance, on March 15. She plans to have the book available for free Amazon download on that day. See both book trailers at www.patricialabarbera.com. Patricia is also asking if anyone has a booth at the Venice Book Fair and is looking for someone to share space. Contact e-mail is editor@patricialabarbera.com. You don't want to miss the opportunity to read any of Patricia's work.

 We said goodbye to Lois Stern who is returning to New York for the summer, and eventually turned off the lights.

We'll see everyone on March 20^th, spring should be here by then.

George Mindling

Wednesday, Jan 16th, 2013

Of all the readings I've listened to at our writer's group meetings, none were as entertaining and engrossing as Susan Davis and Christine Burton's co-reading of T.S. Elliot's poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," followed by Andrew Parker reading his tale of Reality Gone Wrong. The two back-to-back readings covered the spectrum of material normally heard by the writer's group, from classic established, recognized poetry, to an outstanding, self written politically incorrect piece developed against original rejection and dismissal. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Absolutely great stuff!

Our meeting kicked off at 6:30pm with three new first-time guests, including FWA member Pat Patterson who made the trip from Punta Gorda, and Ed and Mary Rynes. Ed's work of translating a World War I manuscript written in Czech was met with awe and admiration. We also welcomed back regulars Rod DiGruttolo, Bill Elam, Patricia LaBarbera, Andrew Parker, and Kathleen Schwartz. Richard Zimmerman of Watkinsville, Georgia, once again dropped in as a guest of George Mindling.

Announcements about upcoming events, all previously listed in the blog, and general discussions were followed by readings from members. Patricia LaBarbera made announcement about upcoming editing and publishing series in the main Sarasota Library. I'll post the details as soon as I have them.  

We will kick off next meeting, February 6^th, with Florida Writers Association Regional Director for Central Florida, A.J. Robinson, speaking on the New Publishing World. Mark the first meeting in February on your calendar. 

Rod DiGruttolo kicked off the reading part of the meeting with the Peppertree Literary Magazine's last article by our late Ed Lyman about removing black spots from bananas. The article included his award winning recipe for Peanut Butter Sandwiches, sans garnish. Joanne Phillips was up next with chapter 31 of her “Adventures of a Sea Hag,” followed by Bill Elam who read one of his pieces that again had everyone's rapt attention. His reading and delivery doesn't hurt either. Ben Daughtry then read excerpts from chapter 27 of his science fiction saga Newearth. Both Joanne and Ben are really advancing nicely with their works and their progress is really great to listen to. Ben's ability to describe with minimum use of adjectives or adverbs is really developing well.  Everyone is cutting out the excessive “ly” words, and the writing is better for it.

Our unsung hero and unofficial poet-laureate, Jim Kelly was up next, first with the three winners from a fifth grade poetry contest. Jim is active in many youth-related programs and is invaluable in helping them expand their appreciation of not just writing, but of themselves as well. The winner's poems had everyone spellbound in amazement, and showed that well-written poetry has a range and diversity that once discovered, is entertaining even when written by nine and ten year old students. Jim then followed with two of his own poems and once again drew a round of applause.

Peter Frickel followed with a piece from his River work, and this time he followed Jim, so turn about is fair play. Kathleen Schwartz rounded out the first half with a well-written story about a Jewish wedding party along with Kerri Dieffenwirth's short comments about her recent class in cold, northern Maine. Kerri also mentioned the Heritage series which I'll post at the end of this blog.

After a short break, we resumed with Christine Burton, who is developing a really great reading presence, and two of her great works, one about a five year old girl who gets everything to fit in her head. Even her Mom. Of course the highlight of the evening was Christine co-reading the T.S. Elliot poem with Susan Davis, followed by the unexpected “Reality Gone Wrong” from Andrew Parker.

We reminded everyone about the next meeting February 6^th, wrapped up and turned out the lights.

See everyone in three weeks, it should be a great meeting.

George 

BTW: George Collias's web page has been added to the links section 

From Kerri

Hermitage Artist Events (Events are free unless otherwise noted)

To keep informed of all our events and any changes or additions to our calendar, visit our website www.hermitageartistretreat.org. AND to receive the most current program information, sign up for our email notifications and like our Facebook page.

January

Tuesday, Jan. 8 Friends of the Hermitage Meeting

10 a.m. Hermitage House

Tuesday, Jan. 8 Jacquelyn Reingold

5:30 – 7:30 Conversation/mixer – hors d’eovres/cash bar

$10 reserved/$12 at door Selby Auditorium at USF

www.filmsarasota.com 1840 N. Tamiami Trail

309-1200

Thursday, January 10 Huang Ruo, Composer and Conductor

7 p.m. Historic Asolo Theater at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

$5 Museum Fee 540 Bayshore Road, Sarasota

Free for members and students Call 941-360-7399

Friday, January 25 Beach Reading with Ginna Hoben, Actor/Playwright and Ain Gordon, Director/Writer:

4:30 p.m Tours of the Hermitage from 4:30 to 5:30; Program at 5:30. Bring your own beach chairs and Free Refreshments. Weather permitting.

Thursday, January 31 Nathan Currier, Composer and Musician

7 p.m. Historic Asolo Theater at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

$5 Museum Fee 540 Bayshore Road, Sarasota

Free for members and students Call 941-360-7399

February

Thursday, February 14 Ginna Hoben, Actor and Playwright

7 p.m. Historic Asolo Theater at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

$5 Museum Fee 540 Bayshore Road, Sarasota

Free for members and students Call 941-360-7399

Saturday, February 16 Arthur Kopit, Playwright, Talk and Q&A

4 p.m. Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave, Venice.

Free 941-488-1115

March

Thursday, March14 Laurie Olinder and Bill Morrisson

7 p.m. Historic Asolo Theater at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

$5 Museum Fee 540 Bayshore Road, Sarasota

Free for members and students Call 941-360-7399

Wednesday, March 20 Docent Training with Peg Koetsch

2 p.m.

Hermitage

Friday, March 22 Beach Reading: Open studio?

4:30 p.m Tours of the Hermitage from 4:30 to 5:30; Program at 5:30. Bring your own beach chairs and Free Refreshments. Weather permitting.