New FWA Sarasota Writers Group Leader

I'm pleased to announce Ernie Ovitz as the Florida Writers Association Group Leader for the Sarasota Writers Group.  Ernie has been a regular member of our group for several years, and recently published his first book, "The Seventh King." 

Ernie studied architecture, with a degree from Georgia Tech, and served as a Naval Officer deployed to the Mediterranean. His career has been in business and real estate. He is a published author and a member of FWA since 2013. He has had a lifelong passion for history.

I have had the pleasure of working with this great group, and with Rod DiGruttolo, co-leader and chief cat-herder, for the last several years. I will still be attending the meetings. but as a regular member. 

Welcome Ernie! You will be a great leader for our diverse, eclectic - and talented - group.

George

On Our Bookshelves

All writers need readers. Real readers, people who actually read your efforts without the pressures of family or friendship. People who actually might even someday pay to read the ideas and thoughts you, a writer, puts into print. And not just those who condescendingly pat you on the back and say “That is really good stuff, you should send it in someplace.” I've found the best readers are those who actually write themselves and understand both the joy and the pathos of putting their souls out in the world for everyone to see. 

Seriously, without readers, why write? Other than the safely tucked away confessional letters that will never be sent and a few other soul-cleansing, cathartic, autobiographical pieces meant to clean out cobwebs and barriers from the writer's own carefully tucked away abyss of dark memories, most writing is done for pure joy and entertainment. But am I doing it right? How do I write so no one laughs or even worse, ignores my writing? How do the experts do it? 

Personally, I have no clue. I simply know what I like to read. I hate tedious, pompous writing that insults my intelligence, how meager it may be. I have read so many guide books on writing that I have simply become an expert on the guide books themselves. Unfortunately, many of them aren't worth the time to read. Especially the free e-books; as a rule they are badly written nonsense. I've deleted some I didn't bother to finish. I was deep into one book when I came across a misspelled word that should have been caught by any word processor, much less an editor. The word? Grammar. 

What better place to compile a list of good references than a group of people who love to write? The members of the Sarasota Writers Group sent in their respective recommendations of books and guidelines for writers so I could compile a list of material. The list will be presented on Wednesday, April 16th. See if your favorite made the cut. 

George

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 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 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 August 7, 2013 Meeting

As always, Rod DiGruttolo kicked off our meeting with a warm welcome and opened the room for announcements.

Ed Ellis announced that the Englewood Authors and Venice Writers group will be blending together. Meetings will be held every second Wednesday of the month at Jacaranda Trace. Details can be found HERE. Their next meeting will include a class on memoir writing.

Kerri Dieffenwierth also encouraged our group to check out The Hermitage Artist Retreat where she volunteers. They recently had a beach reading on Manasota Key, and will have a pioneer days open house on September 1st. For details, click the link above.

Rod also kicked off the readings for the evening by reading a short story written by Kitt Crescendo called A Final Goodbye. It had been written on Memorial Day to honor our fallen soldiers and their families. It touched JoAnne Phillips' big heart.

Next, Rod gave us a special treat and read chapter 7 from his manuscript "Disciple Of Darkness". It was a twist from Rod's usual playful work. This delved into the darkness of the racial issues in the south. The focus was on a young boy witnessing the torture and death of two black household servants at the hands of his father and the KKK. The reading was riveting and harrowing at the same time. We look forward to hearing more of this dark tale.

Rod followed it up with a more lighthearted read from his 250 word "all dialogue" challenge. His was entitled "Lost". There was a lot of laughter as the characters argued over directions and street names...probably because we've all been there.

Ernie Ovitz took a departure from "Seventh King" to share his 250 word challenge with us. His dialogue brought onto a Naval carrier ship and an accident with a plane. It left us breathless with excitement. He followed it up with a playful poem with a simple message..."stupid is as stupid does".

Laura Harrison also shared her 250 word challenge called "Overheard From The Laundry Room". In her dialogue we were given a taste of why it's so important to treat others the way you'd want to be treated as well as why a person might put a ceiling fan in the laundry room. It also called to light how certain words, over time, have changed meanings.

Newcomer Joseph Pappy introduced himself and his book "The Decline And Fall Of The US Empire". As English is his third language, he's looking for an editing partner to assist with his most recent manuscript regarding womens issues and the negative impact caused by religious beliefs in various countries. If you are interested, please contact him directly.

Jenny Oberg wrote a piece on ghosts inspired by George and Ilsa Mindling's visit to St Augustine. Basically she spoke to the feeling that "we are not alone" and the impression that loved ones have a way of coming to us to give us comfort and touch us when we need it.

Ed Ellis wrote a non-fiction piece called "No Boundaries" where he discussed the mind, time and consciousness as it pertains to thermodynamics. His inner scientist definitely showed through on this particular piece.

Jeff Cochran shared a chapter from his manuscript called "Entering The Tavern" which found his protagonist time travelling through a portal from the 70's into the 18th century. He managed to catch the uneasy feeling and fear of changing the past in this chapter as his character searched for a young lady we simply know as "Rebecca".

JoAnne Phillips, author of "Adventures of a Sea Hag" continued reading from her manuscript called "Matrix Of Life". In this piece, the grandparents have moved away from Pennsylvania to a "haunted house" in New Jersey. That summer, during her first visit to her grandparents' new home, she had her first encounter with ghosts. This was definitely a bittersweet point in the protagonist's life as her grandparents were the constant in her very volatile life. When her reading was finished we had only one question... Does she really see dead people?

Don Westerfield showed of his cheeky humor as he read a short piece called "Humanities 101" about his first college course after leaving the military. The humanities professor was sexy, but definitely with a liberal bend. She invited an "up and coming" young poet to share his work with the class. The piece was called "Looking At The World Through A Glass Asshole". The piece was unique and full of cursing leaving half the class shocked while the other half cheered. As he read the story to our group we roared with laughter all silently thanking our lucky stars that this "poet" didn't put Don off writing poetry forever.

Beth Rice, author of "I'm Adopted, I'm Special" and blogger of Animal Tales Blog continued with a chapter from her manuscript "Pawprints Are Forever" called "Mean Girl". Here she introduces us to one of the most rude, obnoxious bullies...who also happened to be a co-worker. At the end of her reading, many of us felt someone should have reported this woman to HR or something. The woman's hatefulness came through, and we all hoped she would get her comeuppance...and soon!

Ron Babcock wrote a piece called "Sunflower Escape" where he took us through how truly long a couple of hundred feet can seem when you're at war. The protagonist was trying to get across a field of sunflowers with enemy closing in behind him and a sprained right leg. He ended it with a play on how the "chicken crossed the road" and sending a light chuckle through the crowd.

Kerri Deiffenwierth rounded out the night by reminding us of the importance of reading as writers. She also talked about writing what you love and how much more powerful your words can be when you love what you're writing. She concluded by reading an excerpt from "The Heart Of The Monster" by David James Duncan and Rick Bass and how their love for the Pacific Northwest shines through in their descriptions.

Surprisingly, Peter Frickel, author of My Frog Sings and Lotha and the Three Crosses along with the blog "I Think" chose to be a listener and conversation moderator this evening. We look forward to hearing more about his current work in progress about travelling the breadth and width of Africa.

Somehow, even without George, it felt like he had an impact on our meeting. There was an awful lot of ghost type stories that night...as if, somehow, his St Augustine visit (a ghostie town, to be sure) somehow found it's way into our readings. ;-)

Our next meeting is tonight, August 21st. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Congratulations Peter Frickel

Sarasota Writers Group member Peter Frickel's long awaited books are now available as eBooks on Amazon! “My Frog Sings,” may be found at http://amzn.to/NqqMgb and “Lotha and the Three Crosses” at http://amzn.to/Kt0CFk.

A synopsis of each work can be found on each Amazon page, as well as ordering information.

Our Congratulations to Peter!

My Frog Sings: Synopsis

“When change comes it brings an end. The past is replaced.
A new beginning rises: for some there is sunshine, for many the shadow of hopelessness, feelings of being unwanted and unloved.

For me only a buried past could open my gate; that is when I started to gather a garden piece by piece. There, I found a world that shared the weight of memories, spoke of a cure for each ill, showed the difference between imagination and reality. My emotions were comforted, my hurts accommodated.

I learned the demands of each season: they gave, they nurtured and taught me a new way. I became a provider, found new horizons, learned to stand alone on the platform of a new begining. Strengthened, I readied my new start–remembered salty tears that dried in the sunshine of time–discovered desires come before dreams and that intuition is the real guide.

Most of all I found I was something of value; that I could love again, deeply. Let me share this with you.”

Lotha and the Three Crosses” synopsis

“Do you know that Lotha is one of the most honored of men by God the Father for building the tomb for His son Jesus and given by Joseph of Aramathea.

When Lotha offered to carry Jesus’ cross what did Jesus do for him?
What did he tell Lotha to do? I learnt that answer from monks and priests who live in the mountains of Abyssinia.

You ask, what happened to the three wooden Crosses after the crucifixion.
I know.

Then the great mystery of the stone that sealed the tomb of Jesus. What happened to it?It just did not disappear. Do you know how the Romans unknowingly participated? I tell the true story of how today that stone still cures thousands of believers and pilgrims.

Do you know, in Europe wherever the Virgin Mary has appeared, parts of the great stone are buried exactly on the spot of her apparition?
It is because of the presence of that piece of stone believers and pilgrims who visit are cured of their ills and torments.
Many are converted. Many experience miracles.

After centuries there is one place remaining, still undiscovered, where the last of the stone is buried. It is where the Virgin Mary is still to visit. What a wondrous thought.

It’s area is known to me. I plan to to go there soon, in and about the Pyrenees.
Explore in the same manner, walk, walk as I walked the length and breadth of Africa, the Middle East and Europe for two years.
How long? I do not know. Yes, I will write for you and you can read of my great feelings and discoveries and the places I search.

Experience speaks of a lonely journey.”

Johazel Publishing Company will open its first writing contest June 1, 2012.

Chris Coad Taylor, a member of the FWA group in Tampa, has announced the Johazel Publishing Company will open its first writing contest June 1, 2012.

"The contest is open to any author in the country.  We will be selecting several authors for inclusion in the publication of a collection of true stories about ordinary women who have shown courage and strength while dealing with tragedy, loss of loved ones, or just the heavy burdens of everyday life.

The collection reveals the stories of the unsung heroines who walk through life without the acknowledgment they so deserve. The working title of the collections is:

Extraordinary Woman Next Door

 The Extraordinary Woman

 For more information go to www.johazelpublishing.com, click on the contest tab, and scroll down to the link, Extraordinary Women Next Door, and click.

A window will open up with information on what the contest is about, details of submissions, and an application form. Four (4) pages total.

The three key things to remember for the submissions are:

1. Entry stories have to be true and about a living woman. 
2. You must have her permission (signed wavier to publish her story) 
3. A picture (jpeg of the woman of your story) must be available for publishing. 

I am excited about the publication because my vision is not just to publish a collection of beautiful stories of extraordinary woman, but for the book to be aesthetically beautiful as well. Printed with the stories will be original artwork of flowers sprinkled between the pages. Flowers will represent the emotions and qualities of the women. For example, the Gladiolus represents strength of character and the Jasmine presents grace and elegance.

Extraordinary Woman Next Door will mix the literary and art world in one publication. I hope your members will be as excited about this inspiring project as I am and will submit their writing entry for consideration. If you can announce this contest at your next meeting, newsletters, and later on add a few reminder announcements it will be greatly appreciated.

The contest is open from June 1 through September 30, 2012. Estimated publish date: Spring 2013. Word count maximum: 3500.

Details may be found on my web site: www.johazelpublishing.com
For questions, entrants should check the website contest pages or use our contest email address cctaylorcreations@hotmail.com."

Chris Coad Taylor