January 20th, 2021

Wednesday Afternoon January 20th, 2021

The group gathered again at Bay Heights Park in Englewood for our second outdoor meeting. Returning were Dennis Cathcart, Peter Frickel, Ann Moore, Scott Anderson, Jim Kelly (of Venice,) and Ernie Ovitz. Sue Haley and Bruce Haedrich joined us this time and brought our number up to eight. Rod DiGruttolo sent his regrets due to a schedule conflict.

It was a sunny day. Even at seventy degrees, the breeze off the water felt chilly, so we decided to set our chairs up under a big shade tree around a picnic table.  Getting down to a round-table discussion on our writing projects, a lot of useful information was shared. We all agree; there is no substitute for the inspiration we get from an in-person get-together.

All present agreed until COVID19 is behind us and we can, hopefully, gather again at the fire station the group will hold the first meeting of the month, the first Wednesday of the month at the usual time, on Zoom, and the second meeting, the third Wednesday of the month at 1:30 pm, at the park in Englewood.

We went into overtime as our discussion carried us to 3:00 pm, and we all agreed to stay on for the readings. After a break, we continued and wrapped it up at 4:00 pm.

Dennis Cathcart led off our discussion by sharing that he is now working on a second project writing about his adventures in Peru. He has placed his first manuscript with a professional editor and reported that he is well pleased with the progress. Dennis read from his manuscript about his experience in 1971 on the Bahamian island of Inagua. Manny, an old hermit, didn’t talk much and had little in the way of possessions, but he was one of the happiest and most at-peace men he ever met. Dennis said that he has found that COVID has given him the time and freedom to pursue his work without distraction.

Peter Frickel seconded the sentiment. COVID has created a very productive time for him. He talked about taking his yellow pad, sitting down, and thinking deeply about his work and projects. Peter is currently working on a book of poetry, a collection of short stories, and a compilation of letters. For his reading, Peter read several short pieces. His first began: “Tomorrow I will travel to Paris by train.” In Paris, he was joined by a companion of the fairer sex. We could expect no less from Peter. A lively discussion followed. As always, thank you, Peter, for setting a high standard for the group.

Bruce Haedrich has four projects going, including a book of illustrated children’s poems in conjunction with his daughter.  She is a professional illustrator. He shared two poems featuring his characters Jessie and Chris: Ants and Butterflies. Bruce is also working on his Dan Marin detective series, minus his main character Dan Marin. Marin has left the scene and sold his boat to his partner (girlfriend) Marlene, who will continue the detective adventure. Bruce writes in the first person. So he says it will be a challenge to write from her point-of-view. 

Sue Haley, our group’s founder, has had a challenging year health-wise and was glad to be with us. We were delighted she could be too. One of the events that captured her attention this past year was the western wildfires. She shared a poem written to offer appreciation to our firefighters. Her work brought to mind the Nokomis firefighters, who have our continuing gratitude. Even though we can’t meet in their training room at this time, we hope we can return when this pandemic eases. Thank you, Susan.

 Ernie Ovitz continues his work on his historical novel series on the Roman Emperor Constantine’s life. He is in the editing and rewriting stage, drafts two, three, and etc. Over the project’s life, research has brought new insights and appreciation for the period. He shared some details concerning the logistics and manpower requirements for the Roman Army. At the Battle of Hadrianoplein 324, A.D., almost three-hundred thousand men met in battle. The conditions for feeding and supply those men were staggering. Herein added challenges for the writer to portray the event’s scope while keeping the story exciting and action moving came to the fore.

 Bruce Haedrich spoke up and seconded the importance of logistics in military campaigns from his experience serving in the Air Force’s quartermaster corps.

 Ann Moore shared the news for those that were not at the last meeting of her new project, one that has been her dream for many years. Her goal: to write about the lives of seventy women from around the world in their seventieth year. She has plans to travel and hopes to meet, share, and look for those universal things they have in common. She has the support of a group that has encouraged her to proceed and promised help with the project. She has continued to gain support and encouragement for her effort.

 Scott Anderson shared more news of the pending publication of his butterfly research in Sarasota County. The leading professional journal has agreed to publish his work as an 85-page book distributed to all its subscribers. He said the editing process is rigorous, and he has been asked to provide a cover photo. He showed the group the one he selected, a pair of White Peacock butterflies, mating. The back-lighting created a fantastic image, almost like a stain-glass window. Scott read his photo blurb, which was near poetic. Something we expected from our poet, Scott. He also shares that he has been asked to provide cover photos for two other publications. Well done.

 Jim Kelly shared that he plans to continue his civil war/western expansion saga that began with his historical novel on General Hancock’s life. He traveled west over the summer and visited the sites where his current work is set. Jim read a scene from his present writings. Shadow Hawk and Lone Elk, two Sioux warriors, discuss the onward expansion of white men into native lands. We discussed the challenge of right-sizing a novel after finding that he needed to break his story of General Hancock’s life into two books. He is shooting for a book in the 80,000-word range.

 It was a most enjoyable and fulfilling experience to meet with the group again. We will search for an open-air spot closer to the firehouse for a future meeting as well. Take care to stay healthy, and we hope you can join us for the Zoom meeting on February 3^rd.

New Year Wishes

This year has been trying, to say the least. I'm sure most of us look forward to the new year, 2021, with high hopes of better times. There were a few good things that came from all the ills of 2020. These can be counted by the individual. Some of us suffered from illness, stress, and frustration with issues beyond our control. Others stayed status quo, observers intent on seeing what came to pass. Some used the time to be more productive while in quarantine or isolation they set forth on a quest to produce something of value and interest to themselves and others. 

 What you did in 2020 is your business. What was right for one is not always right for all. We are engaged in a political firestorm, no matter which side you choose, some will disagree and some will agree, there's even some who's apathy toward the occurrences in the world will cause other concern. 

I do not judge. I do not force my beliefs or opinions on others. On occasion, I may express my views, but do not expect others to see the world the same way I do. For whatever you may think, I'm glad we live in a society that allows us to have the freedom to do all that we do.

As writers we can express ourselves in many forms. I choose to use the printed word, or electronic print media, to express myself. I do it through fiction. But, it is not fictional as I wish all of you, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

I'm attaching an email, some of you may have received from Bruce Haedrich. I hope you enjoy.

 

Happy New Year everyone!

As the year closes I'd like to thank you all for the messages, notes, articles, musings, and thoughts you sent my way in 2020. All of it lightened up my email box and I learned a lot. This is such a wonderful way to stay in touch despite being physically separated.

Although we've been through quite a bit this year, from a historical perspective, it is not nearly as grave as many of us have lived through already. Think of the destruction wrought by two World Wars separated by a cataclysmic drought and world Depression. I'm reading the book, Republic of Wrath, by James Morone which tells the often violent history of the U.S. from Washington to Trump. Our politics has always been rough and today's divides are nothing new. We've had politicized Supreme Courts, murdered politicians, graft, ballot stuffing, and race-based anarchy from before the Civil War.

Unfortunately, much of what is going on was predicted in my novel The Fifth Generation War. I am working on the third book of the trilogy. Since my characters are in control of events I'm wondering how it all turns out myself.

In 1859, one year before America's Civil War began, Charles Dickens published A Tale of Two Cities. In it is one of the most famous opening lines in literature, it goes:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Despite our caustic politics, COVID pandemic, the virtual world of lies and deceit, and the difficulty of separating fact from fiction, in many ways we are also living in the best of times. For my second book of essays, flash fiction, and short stories I wrote the following poem. It captures my thoughts about everyday life.

In the meantime, Happy New Year to you all! See you next year! Bruce

            Wondering

 

         Bruce Haedrich

 

Every morning when I awake

I’m hit out of the blue,

With lucky stars all around me

In every shade and hue

 

For instance the first thing I do

Is take a little pill

It keeps leukemia at bay

Now those cells cannot kill

 

Fifteen short years ago people

Did not have that option

But now a small pill can save lives

And I’m a lucky one

 

I have breakfast of toast and eggs

Or sometimes cheese and fruit

My choices are unlimited

This you cannot refute

 

It is because supermarkets

Would make King Midas blush

A cornucopia of goods

Each day is there for us

 

Next I am off to pickleball

A fast-paced racket sport

I’m thankful I can play a game

And run around a court

 

During my shower I wonder

If people ever think

Where does this clear water come from?

It’s good enough to drink.

 

The truth is two billion people

Have no running water

So I don’t take it for granted

I’m thankful, as it were.

 

Then I sit at my desk to write

Stories of saints and crooks

I love it here among my friends

Who roam around these books

 

My wife wants to go out to eat

And so I go with her

We end up at Captain Eddie’s

Where I order flounder

 

And as we wait I wonder how

This fish has come to me

Is there an unending supply,

Of flounder in the sea?

 

After our lunch then we go to 

One of those big box stores

Again I’m flabbergasted by

The goods within those doors

 

Now most of it is Chinese made

And bought with a credit

If we’re not paid to make this stuff

How can we afford it?

 

But one thing’s so vast that I can’t

Comprehend it at all

Is our place in the universe,

And that the earth’s so small

 

Our sun and our fellow planets

Are hurdling through space

And yet they all, plus all those moons

Stay in their proper place

 

Without this fine arrangement we

Would not be here at all

We would not have the warming sun

Or life-giving rainfall

 

We’d not have any complex cells

Which all living things must

Have in abundance or we would

Never been more than dust

 

This all comes to us by design

From when all-time began

So yes, there is a deity

Who has a master plan.

November 18, 2020; Wednesday afternoon,

Lemon Bay sparkles with the sun’s reflections. There was a breeze, and six writers sat under the pavilion along the shore. For the six able to attend, it was great to see each other again after a long year.

 

We almost didn’t connect, as the park is large enough and we missed each other at first. Linda Ovitz saved the day when she spied Peter Frickel and Dennis Cathcart. She told them Jim Kelly (of Venice) and Ernie Ovitz had claimed a table under a waterfront pavilion. Scott Anderson and Ann Moore soon joined us. Our group’s meeting leader, Rod DiGruttolo, couldn’t be here as he’s under the weather with a cold. We all hope he’s feeling better soon. We enjoyed an informal chat before getting down to our readings and discussion.

 

Jim Kelly arrived first and had the honors to read first. Jim began the saga with a historical novel based on the life of the Civil War Union General Winfield Scott Hancock. It continues following one of Hancock’s officers and his son. Their experiences during America’s westward expansion deals with the clash between white settlers and the native people. It’s a work-in-progress, and he is seeking to portray both points of view. From the native perspective, the land was and is sacred. For the whites, it was something to be seized, possessed, and exploited. To better frame his story, he revised his working title, calling it “The Sacred Land.” Today, he read his book’s introduction to the group. In the lively discussion which followed, Jim was challenged with how we faithfully portray a point-of-view from the culture and people, not our own. There was no clear answer, other than the old stand-by: research, empathy, imagination, and seeking the advice, if possible, from someone in those other shoes, or moccasins in this case.

 

Peter Frickel shared his observations on the simple act of entering a door. He noted the multitude of random thoughts and observations which might come to mind as we approach and enter a place: the people we see, the impressions and memories they trigger, prejudices, passion, and dismissals. What of things that happened long ago, or something immediate that catches the eye; things that fill the senses. He challenges us to fill our page. Peter read two pieces: The first, he titled, A Monk in Greece. It began, “He could never have imagined her ...” She was a mermaid. His companions found him on the rocks by the sea and deemed him a sainted man. Next came the Vixen Pub, a lost letter found, and remembered horrors of the Great War. Peter has so many beautiful stories; we look forward to hearing more.

 

Scott Anderson shared the news of the pending publication of his butterfly research in Sarasota County. The leading professional journal has agreed to publish his work as an 85-page book distributed to all its subscribers. Scott remarked on the fantastic access he has gained to professors world-wide due to his research and how he’s had the opportunity through Zoom to connect with them. Scott read the introduction to his book. Therein lie memories of childhood summers, boyhood games, and chasing butterflies. Well done, Scott.

 

Scott also shared a tip for those of us contemplating using maps in our work, recommending My Maps by Google. He encourages those interested to check out the free-use provisions of the service. It allows for free use in publications provided the proper attributions are made (be sure and verify for yourself–read their rules!) Congratulations, Scott.

 

Ann Moore shared the news of her new project. It is ambitious and has been her dream for many years. Her goal: Write about the lives of seventy women around the world in their seventieth year. She plans to travel and hopes to meet, share, and look for those universal things they have in common. She gained the support of a group that encourages her to proceed and offers her help with the project.

 

Dennis Cathcart’s memoir is with an editor, but he continues to research, reflect, and test his memory. In doing so, he has found changes he plans to make. He shared his recollections and his follow-up concerning a friend and colorful companion in his past adventures. Dennis relates exciting stories of his experiences in building a business of locating, harvesting, and selling exotic animals, reptiles, and plants. His adventures include being stranded on a desert island. Today he shared his desire to check and verify, if possible, his recollections of a deceased military friend. He finally found a lead, who connected him to the man’s son. His persistence, and a little luck, resulted in new information about his friend requiring a revision of the sequence of events they experienced together.

 

As a wrap-up, Ernie Ovitz read a re-write to a scene in a four-year-old novel manuscript. His first in a novel trilogy on the life of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great. He read an excerpt from the scene as written four years ago, and the re-write now. He received some kind comments from his fellow group members.

 

The vote was unanimous; let’s do this again, same time, same place, third Wednesday of January 2021, (the 20^th,).  The group will continue with a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, December 2^nd at 6:30 PM. Due to the Christmas holiday, there will be only one meeting in December.

 

January 6^th,  will be our first Wednesday evening Zoom meeting of 2021. We will meet on the afternoon of the 20^th, in the park on Lemon Bay. Have a great and safe holiday season, and keep on writing.

 

For the group, Ernie Ovitz

 

ZOOM Meeting

 Okay, we're going to give this another go.

I've rescheduled another meeting on Zoom for tomorrow evening, 6:30 PM. 

If you haven't gotten an invitation, send an email to rodshs62@hotmail.com and I'll add you to the list and send an invite your way.

Thanks, and Keep On Writing.

INTERNET FAILURE

 Computers: aren’t they wonderful?

As a writer, I rely on my computer daily. Word processing is a significant part of my life. I tap away on the keyboard for hours almost every day. I’ve installed programs that allow me access to worlds I’ve not been privileged to see. I’ve been at the signing of the Magna Carta, the Constitution of the United States, and witnessed the destruction of historical empires on the screen sitting at my desk. Many virtual scenes in history are not available in picture form, only in words penned by authors. 

While all translations of the authors’ works are less than 100% accurate, an astute reader can check out more than one account and make decisions independently.

With all that greatness, these machines can be a pain in the a… I mean, like the other night, when I was scheduled to host a ZOOM meeting. Five minutes before going live, my internet failed. I don’t know what happened; some of it may have been human error. BUT; I couldn’t make that machine work. I begged, pleaded, pushed buttons, smacked it up alongside its power switch, and resorted to prayer at least twice. None of that worked. A message on the screen kept on telling me, “YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.” No kidding. 

I’m sorry. Three hours later, the darn thing went “BING,” and the internet worked just fine. My JUNK MAIL folder was full. Oh well, the best-laid plans…

I’m looking at my schedule; I see the third Wednesday of this month, October 21st, is available. I will reschedule our meeting for then. Here’s hoping the electronic elves are working that night at my house. Oh, by the way. I live in a community where there’s only one option for internet providers unless I contract something special. I can’t afford that, so I guess I’m stuck. See you on the 21st.

Until then, KEEP ON WRITING.