August 18, 2021

 It was our second meeting back in the Firehouse; it’s great to be home. Eight veterans and a second-timer met tonight. We entertained seven readers and only ran seven minutes long. Not bad for a bunch of old friends.

We began with a discussion about writing tools. As in any endeavor, tools are helpful but not the defining factor in what you do. Would a carpenter allow a saw to make cuts without direction, or would a mechanic set his wrench to work on a vehicle as they take a coffee break? NO! Nor should a writer allow a software tool to change their writing style. Helpful is the keyword. Use every tool at your disposal to make sure you write well. But do not allow it to turn you into an automaton, a robot doing only what the machine directs. The old adage, Rules are Made to be Broken, may not be accurate in all cases, but sometimes it works, especially in writing.

I do break the rules (as evidenced by these posts.) Sometimes I look at my work and think, What idiot wrote this? I run it through an editing tool, whoops! I forgot two commas and a question mark; how’d I do that? Wait, there’s another issue, a semi-colon? Uses those things? What, again! No, I don’t want it to be a passive voice. But now I’m supposed to take out the comma I just put in. WHAT?

Okay, here’s what I want to do. The reader should pause after reading this, right?

You see what I mean. Computers and software get confused, just like the writer. But, when it directs you do something, you will read what you’ve written carefully and fix it. Right?

 

Moving on to the reading portion of the evening:

Seven of our writers had pieces to share with us. Because of the smaller group this evening, the time limit was expanded. Readers were given leeway to read extended excerpts of their work. 

Your host will remind you how much time we can allot to a single piece at the next session. If we have an extended discussion, five or six minutes of reading should be enough to allow for constructive critique from the group.    

Thank You.

 

Leading off our reading period, Peter Frickel introduced an interesting word. WABI SABI, I guess it’s technically two words but pronounced as a single expression. A worldview centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection is one definition. There are others, as there are in most translations of non-English words. WABI SABI is Japanese in origin, as well as I can determine. It is often described as things in nature that are imperfect, incomplete, or temporary. An Interesting Word. Peter read an excerpt from his Travels of Africa, where he begins his journey on a dusty road. He meets a Zulu man walking in the same direction. Fear, curiosity, respect, and kinship rise and decline in their time together. They leave each other’s company and continue their respective journeys. All is well.

 

A change in Tish McAuley’s employment has given her more time to write. She’s once again pounding the keys. Her piece last night took a lot of guts to share. Intuition is part of Tish’s makeup, it’s really more than that, but it’ll do for now. Knowing of an impending arrest, she warned her husband not to travel. As usual, he ignored her and traveled to Texas with their toddler daughter. Arrested in Texas, their daughter was put in the custody of the State. Tish had just a few hours to get her back before they took their little girl away. Such is the life of drug users. You go, girl!

 

By now, you’ve probably heard of GAIA. Bruce Haedrich introduced us some months ago. They have regular conversations, and Bruce shares them with us. This week they talked about the inhabitants living on GAIA. Oh, by the way, GAIA is our Mother Earth. She enjoys her inhabitants and talks lovingly about the Neanderthals and Denisovans people. They lived within their means used only what they needed to maintain Status Quo on the planet. But, she’s not real happy with the newcomers, the Homo Sapiens. They tend to think they’re more important than all the other inhabitants. They are jealous and vindictive. Responsible for the extinction of both Neanderthal and Denisovans races, they have killed off numerous other species. Raping GAIA, ripping the minerals from her core, they gut her. Poison spews from their machines to suffocate the plants and animals lucky enough to escape the weapons and tools of the Sapiens. What’s in our future, GAIA promises to tell us next time. Good work, Bruce.

 

Poetry is a writer making love with words. The subject can be anything, life, death, the wind, the sea, take your pick. Don Westerfield is a poet, among many other things. His words, even about his own mortality, carry the feeling of a person in love. My Time looks back at a life lived, enjoyed, realized, and sometimes even regretted. Twenty lines take us all through our lives. then will the trees sing written in lower case letters only is unique. It does not minimize the content but maximizes the fullness of life. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Don! Begin your tenth decade with a new poem.

 

Hailing from Baltimore, the city in which Edgar Allen Poe wrote many of his brilliant stories and poems, Richard Cope brought three poems to share with us this evening. He warned us, the subject matter might be macabre. Vagabond tells of an encounter with a Gypsy girl, tarot cards, and destiny. A chill rode my spine with its reading. Wheat and Chafe depicts the life of a woman enslaved by marriage to John Barleycorn. Her master must die in this haunting tale of hopelessness. A dark meeting with he who was really me is the dream produced by Absinthe. Dark, out of focus, a dream, true in substance haunts the mind. Images still float in my brain, Richard. Good Stuff!

 

Imagine losing your mind, your memory, your being, becoming an infant again. It can happen; just ask Peter McNally. Peter writes about suffering a stroke, two actually. His life is forever changed. He is no longer who he is; he’s back to square one. The remarkable story of a brain wiped clean; and the daunting task of recovery fills the pages of Peter’s story, Rewired. Most people would surrender, but not Peter. Today his is back! Welcome back; tell us how you did it.

 

Closing out the evening, Susan Haley read her poem, Resiliency. How does one face all the trials of today, tomorrow, and beyond? Susan knows. Life isn’t easy, but the resilient press on. A flood of emotion put into words fell upon my ears as Susan read. As always, Susu, keep on, keeping on.

 

The evening ended, as did the pouring rain outside. We ran a few minutes over; it saved us from a drenching as we raced to our vehicles. Our next meeting is on September 1, 6:30 PM, here at the Nokomis Firehouse. We hope you can join us, and until then, KEEP ON WRITING.

 

AUGUST 4th, 2021

Overcast, muggy, and wet. That’s the best way I can describe the weather at 5:00 PM in Nokomis this evening. Not really a good setting for an outdoor meeting. I was there and was joined by Peter Frickel and Dennis Cathcart. I took a few minutes of the misty air to drive us inside the firehouse. By 6:00 PM, we were joined by Ed Ellis and Don Westerfield. The inside venue was much more comfortable. By the time our regular meeting began at 6:30, eight members were in attendance, and two newcomers joined us. We welcome Richard and Cindy Cope to our group; I hope you enjoyed the meeting.

 After introductions and a brief summary of what’s happening in our writing, we began to read. As this was the first of our regular venue meetings, it was somewhat a recap of work in progress or catch-up on what we’ve missed.

Dennis Cathcart chose not to read tonight, he is deep into getting his memior ready for publication. Good Luck, my friend.

Peter Frickel lead off with four short works. His first was entitled What It’s Like To Not Write. As usual, his presentation was descriptive in his literary style and sonorous delivery. When describing the writing process as “hearing the drumbeat of words that come from within,” my heart quickened. Desire conjured pictures in the mind of dreams but offered the chance to trust in luck. A question posed in Riding the Clouds, when does the spirit leave earth? Age was the subject in Life Widdened. (yes, it’s the British spelling in this case.) Peter, your words are unique, but the order in which you place them is genius.

 Two poems and a request for help on an opening paragraph came from Ed Ellis. Ed gave us a copy of his opening paragraph and a list of yes or no questions. I hope the feedback he received is helpful. His two poems need little help as Guardians of the Sky poses a dilemma many face in today’s world. A search for God amongst the numerous deities offered by civilizations across the expanse of time. Ed’s love of music shines through as he reads The Blues Guitar. Good work, Ed.

 Short stories from Don Westerfield are always fun. This week’s offerings were no exception. Clap, Clap, Clap takes us to the Philippines, where Don is a guest of a family engaged in farming fish. His host takes him to a pond teeming with an abundance of food-fish. Clapping her hands three times, the fish boil to the surface. She slings handful after handful of food to the fish crowding the pond. They gobble it up in seconds. Witnessing the process, Don is impressed they’ve trained the fish to respond to the triple clap. Later in the day, he hears the triple clap and thinks, “it’s not feeding time; why would anyone fool the fish like that?”  The evening meal was a delicious banquet of fish and vegetables. CLAP, CLAP, CLAP. After traveling across the world, Don returns to his hometown. In Morning in Small Town America, he revisits a town frozen in time. The diner is the same even after multiple owners. The enjoyment of watching people begin their day as they have for over half a century brings joy to the reader and the writer of this story. Thanks, Don.

 Following the recap mode, Bruce Haedrich read from his latest work, Gaia. As the earth speaks to us, she explains the reasons for changes she must make to survive. Questions are raised, and a debate among people is sure to begin. But, this is an entertaining way to look at Science. Keep up the good work, Bruce.

Chris Henderson did not read, but she did ask for advice on building a book cover compatible with the requirements of Amazon and other publishing entities.

 Richard Cope joined us for the first time tonight and brought a couple of things to share. Richard was active in a group in Maryland for some years. He shared two short works with us. In Night in Segovia, Richard mourns the loss of a friend with a well-written metaphoric piece. As Segovia is in Spain, his use of a bull and matador facing the darkness of death conjures visions in the reader’s mind appropriate for the wake honoring his friend. A Tennessean by birth, Richard shared a more light-hearted story entitled Toby got Loose. A church revival meeting turns into a memorable event as a one-eyed hound dog spies a stray cat just as the soloist is about to give her rendition of An Old Rugged Cross. A fun read; we hope you choose to join us in the future, Richard.

 Bringing the meeting to a close, Rod Digruttolo read an excerpt from his book, Snakes, Spiders, and Palmetto Bugs. The Great Mouse Escapade tells the tale of three boys on a mission of revenge as they release twenty mice in the girl’s locker room on the morning of the big game.

Peter McNally chose not to read tonight. Welcome back Peter, we missed you.

 Well, that’s it for this meeting. We’ll be back at the firehouse on August 18^th, beginning at 6:30 PM. Until then, remember to KEEP ON WRITING!

How do you feel about it?

 It's come to my attention, several people question the return to indoor meetings.

I wish to keep our group functional and together. Here's what I propose:

I will arrive at the firehouse early, 5:00 PM. If you so choose you can come at that time and, weather permitting, we can hold an outdoor meeting under the trees behind the firehouse. Bring your lawn chairs because I'm not aware of seating availability. 

At 6:30 PM, those who wish can attend an indoor meeting in the firehouse proper with masks optional for vaccinated people. We would ask that those not yet vaccinated take the precaution of wearing a mask to protect the unmasked in the group.

Please, let me know what you think  by sending a reply to me at rodshs62@hotmail.com

 

Thanks,

Rod

July 21st, 2021

 

Patriot Park in Venice is lovely. The breeze across the lake, the sound of birds twittering in the trees, the distant murmur of traffic, a pavilion nearby in case of a stray rainstorm make the park an excellent place for our writer’s group to meet. However, the roar of heavy trucks, the warning beep of construction equipment, 90+ degree heat take their toll. So, beginning on the first Wednesday in August, August 4^th, we will return to our regular meeting schedule. On the First and Third Wednesday of the month, we will meet in the Training Room of the Nokomis Firehouse. I spoke with Chief Kona this afternoon and he is happy to have us back.

Corona 19 still rears its ugly head with the Delta variant. We will bring sanitizing spray and wipes to ensure the meeting room is clean both upon arrival and exit. We ask all attendees who have not been inoculated to wear suitable masks. Remember, a mask doesn’t protect the wearer as much as it prevents the wearer from spreading germs. We thank you for your cooperation.

This is an opportunity for us to show the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department how much we appreciate their hospitality. Twice a year, we ask for a donation, usually July 4^th and again on the December Holidays. The Department is Volunteer; there is not an abundance of money available, so anything helps. Our donation averages a couple of hundred dollars, ten to twenty dollars each.

I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at the meeting on the 4^th.

Eleven of us gathered at Patriot Park. We talked about what we’d done over the past year during the Covid break. Some of us were productive, while others struggled with the entire process, including writing. After hearing from each attendee, we moved on to our reading portion of the meeting.

The first to read was Bruce Haedrich. Having written a piece named Gaia, the Greek name for Earth. In this book, Gaia talks to the reader giving details of her formation and growth. She also tells us about other planets in the solar system and how they fared. Gaia tells of the populations of reptiles, mammals, sea life, and now humans that populate her surface and burrow into her core. This chapter gives us an insight into the Ice Ages Gaia has experienced and a forecast of more to come. We see the world in a new dimension. Great work Bruce, I’m looking forward to hearing the conclusion.

Working hard to give his latest in his series, I Am A Soldier Frist and Always, James Kelly read us the rewrite of his first chapter. A Calvery Captain and his young family arrive at his new posting in Fort Laramie, Wyoming. It takes some getting used to as they left their home in Boston to a primitive frontier. The story is rich in historical details; it’s obvious a lot of research has gone into making the scenes. Jim received a lot of feedback. I know he’ll take the critique to heart because the story is growing with each rewriting.

Two poems by Don Westerfield come as a breath of fresh air in the heat of the outdoors. I Would Dance The Skies shows us the dreams of a youngster realized in reaching into the skies. While the older version of the youngster now looks toward the end where it is possible to really dance the skies. Don is a beautiful writer of prose and poetry. His forte is poetry, and the second poem he read is not a measure of his skill in its content. He is self-effacing in the poem entitled Poetic Mediocrity. The thirteen-line ballad goes to the point of a poet’s frustration with finding words and feeling. Both his entries are top drawer.

Our friend Ed Ellis choose not to read today. We look forward to hearing from him in the future.

As always, Peter Frickel came with beautifully written vignettes. With words like pictures, he takes his readers on journeys experienced and dreamt. Can we see or feel a soul leave a body, as in Riding Clouds. Is the spirit, or the man, present in A Black Man on the African Plain. The juxtaposition of Stream and Pathway give us pause as we move through life side by side. In Paris, a different view, and what do the birds do too in I Saw Her, an observation in Peter’s backyard. Prose or Poetry, Peter makes the words sing.

A stirring poet and champion of the Earth, Susan Haley, was with us today but did not bring a piece to read. Our loss.

Barbara Frickel, whose words and descriptions of nature are always enjoyed, also deemed not to read. Maybe next time.

Co-Host of the group, Ernie Ovtiz, has a trilogy in progress following the life of Roman Emperor Constantine. The chapter from which he read concerns a man, severely challenged mentally but loyal to a fault. He expresses his concern over the Emperor choosing a person other than his master for a governmental position. Ernie has done extensive research on his characters. This writer believes he did a masterful job in capturing the essence of this character. Keep up the excellent work, Ernie.

The adventures of Dennis Cathcart are in the editing stage. Dennis chose to share a short piece he wrote in honor of his father. The article included a photo of Dennis as a lad with his father on a fishing expedition on Conch Key. The title is simply Father’s Day. Touching and well written. Thank you, Dennis.

A Cozy Mystery is the choice of Christine Henderson for her latest project. Bringing the opening chapter to us this week. Christine set up a scenario in a small Texas town that certainly has the possibility of boiling over. Could there be trouble afoot, as a Texas publication owner faces a surprise that an old boyfriend is back in town and the Grand Marshall of the Annual Parade. Now a movie star, the bridges he’s burnt may come back to haunt him.

Here We Go Again is the title of a short piece written by Rod DiGruttolo. Having retired and found himself a little bored, Rod turns to writing as his new job. In this piece, he extolls the feeling of finding the right words and combinations of words to craft a story others will want to enjoy. The reaction to the article was positive, with suggestions all seemingly helpful.

 

Well, remember we’re back at the Firehouse next meeting, 6:30 PM, August 4^th. We hope to see you there and KEEP ON WRITING.

TALES TO INSPIRE 2021

A MESSAGE FROM LOIS STERN:

 

Hear ye, Hear ye:

Our 2021 contest has
Officially begun.

Grab this Opportunity to be Published in the Next Tales2Inspire® Collection

THEME FOR 2021: TURNING THE PAGE

Be creative. Think in terms of Turning a corner, Saying goodbye (to a habitual path, a past life direction, a beloved person or animal, a failed relationship, a life trauma
 . . .) to start anew. 

FREE TO ENTER
This is an ‘Authors Helping Authors’ project.
See all details below.

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CONTEST GUIDELINES
Whether you are new to Tales2Inspire or have been with us before, a quick review of our Contest Guidelines will help you succeed.
 

* For guidelines on writing a winning story, CLICK HERE.

* To learn how to submit a story, CLICK HERE.

* To learn about winner rewards – What’s In it For You – CLICK HERE.

* To learn how stories are judged and how authors become part of that process, CLICK HERE.

* For post-judging editing support, CLICK HERE.

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