It’s a new year! 2024 is upon us, so let’s make the most of it. I want to start out the year with congratulations to Gary Conkol. Gary’s book, Benevolence, The Way Ahead in a World of Fear, Hate, and Divison, has been selected as the Book of the Month by the Florida Writers Association (FWA). Gary is an accomplished non-fiction and technical writer, but this is his first foray into fiction writing. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read this little gem, I suggest you get a copy and enjoy Gary’s wit and wisdom.
The holiday season is often stressful. I find relaxation in our meetings as I spend time with friends and fellow writers. Our discussions vary in each session. In the half-hour or so during the pre-meeting, when attendees trickle in, some talk has little to do with writing in content but makes for exciting listening. Incidents from our past lives, happenings in our daily routines, and tidbits involving family and neighbors provide a little respite from the holiday anxiety. Writers often find excitement in the most mundane situations, and it’s contagious. Join us at our next meeting on January 17th. You might learn something new.
Our main goal is to help each other with issues encountered in our writing process. The first portion of our meeting addresses simple matters most of us experience. As we discuss the diverse methods of handling the problem, even the most practiced of us learn from the others as we listen to solutions and varied approaches used to improve the process, or at least make it more definable in our minds. On the 17th, we will begin the discussion with how we define our characters within the confines of the story. What are some of the tricks, ways, and methods we use, have seen used, or plan to use in our future works. It would be helpful if, during the reading portion of the meeting, our readers read examples of the discussion subject.
Okay! We move on to the reading portion of this meeting with Don Westerfied’s reading a pair of his poems. Don explained how he constructs his poetry. A phrase or stanza comes to mind, and he writes it down. Over the following days, months, or even years, he might recall that snippet and add to it or sometimes inspire an entirely new poem. Tonight’s offerings included Insomnia. As daily concerns, memories of days gone by, or sounds in the night delay sleep, distant thunder and rain falling upon the rooftop wash away the encumbrances and bring solace and rest. – Similarly, Reminiscing begins with the phrase, “Wandering old paths at twilight’s ease, I listen to shadows of my years.” As an elder statesman of our group, we all learn from his wisdom and skill. Look for his writings on Amazon.
When Bruce Haedrich takes the floor, we wonder, “What will we hear tonight?” This week it was the final chapters of his latest work, The Janus Moon. It’s been 2000 years since the space travelers landed on the planet now known as Aquatania. Archeologists have uncovered the remains of an early city named Agropia on the coast of what is now known as Italy. As the technology of Aquatania is approximately the same as Earth experienced during the 1920s, the machines and products uncovered are vastly advanced and made of materials unfamiliar to the current residents. What have they discovered? Look for Bruce’s book on Amazon soon.
Two poems by Richard Cope tell different stories but are similar in context. Rising Water Pilgrim tells of water washing over once dry land as it washes away the debris and dirt of time’s accumulation. Does life renew itself with new experiences? If you’ve ever paddled upriver in a canoe, you can relate to a fantasy trip in My Old Canoe. Reliving memories of dark water, darker woods, and mystery abound in a well-written poem revealing the writer’s accumulated memories. Great job, Richard!
Military life is often full of surprises, and James Kelly is qualified to write about such things. In his latest book, Tremain, the young soldier has joined the Rough Riders as they prepare to embark from Tampa en route to Cuba. There, amidst the hustle and confusion of an army preparing for war, Tremain encounters his younger brother, Connor. A surprise, as Tremain didn’t know Connor had enlisted. He thought the boy was in college. As they stroll across the parade grounds, catching up with current circumstances, Colonel Teddy Roosevelt sees them recognizing Tremain, who introduces his brother to the future President. What lies in the future of these men as they depart for an encounter with the Spanish Army in Cuba.
Our “Book of the Month” author, Gary Conkol, read a letter he wrote a few days before Christmas. Entitled A Letter to Tragedy, he addresses the different methods of dealing with those awful times in our lives when we are forced to deal with tragic happenings. Looking at the issue from a writer’s POV, Gary asks, “Do we inspire, sympathize, soothe, provoke, sadden, rebuke, or invoke any number of alternate responses?” Do you? Can you say you’ve helped even one person through a personal tragedy?
As we had a little extra time near the climax of the meeting, we turned our attention to a subject broached by Anne Moore. Anne is interviewing women who have reached the age of seventy and wish to share their experiences and wisdom with younger women. Many of these women say they did not have a mentor in their younger years. A discussion sprung forth about “What is a mentor?” Is it possible some did have a mentor but didn’t recognize it? What do you think?
Well, that’s about all I have to say for this session. I hope to see you at the next meeting on January 17th. Until then, I encourage you to read, read, and read some more. Then, KEEP ON WRITING!
