May 18th, 2022

 

Welcome back to Scott Anderson. Scott has been very busy traveling and having published a book on Butterflies of Sarasota County; his photographs of local butterflies have graced the cover of a national publication, Butterfly Gardener. While visiting Rome, Scott took the time to email pictures of Constantine’s Arch in Rome to our friend and cohost, Ernie Ovitz.

It must be time to travel for our group as Dennis Cathcart traveled to Cuba to catalog flora in the mountains of western Cuba. While there, he took time to visit Hemmingway’s Cuban home.

We are happy to welcome Cynthia Williamson. Cynthia is visiting with the group for the first time. She is an accomplished writer in the genre of Children’s Educational Material but is venturing into fiction writing. We hope she enjoys our group and comes back often.

Sue Haley gave a glowing recommendation of a book by a Native American author, Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Pressed for time at the last meeting, two of our members did not get time to read their work. They have the first two slots for this meeting.

A short story by Richard Cope entitled The Scheffield Report takes us into the wilds of Canada on a fishing trip. Two brothers set out on an adventure as a bush pilot drops them off at a remote lake, vowing to return to pick them up in a week. The fishing is excellent until a bear attacks brother Phil. Badly mauled with severe internal injuries, Phil fights for his life but succumbs to his wounds. At the appointed time, the plane does return but crashes as the pilot attempts to land on the lake. As brother Reed watches, the plane bursts into flames and sinks into the deepest reaches of the lake. How does Reed survive? Maybe at his next reading, we’ll learn more.

An epitaph, an ode to the after-life, came to us by Susan Haley as she read Soaring to Other Worlds. Above this mortal plain, soar free souls no longer bound to earth, taking on many forms.

As Don Westerfield made his way to the podium, he passed out copies of the two poems he was about to read. In his Fields of Stone, Don uses words to conjure images in the reader’s mind of a Veteran’s Cemetary resplendent with flags and simple white stones marking the final resting place of heroes. As I heard Don read Old Chum, I took a deep breath as it seemed my heart felt as if it wanted to swell. A lifelong friend lays in eternal sleep beneath a stone marker now dampened by the poet’s tears.

A murder in a parking lot leads Tish McAuley’s Angel down yet another path leading to confrontations with the police. Angel lives in a shadowy world of drugs, alcohol, and lies, using fake names to procure powerful pain medications. The cops wanted to know, “Where was Stan on the night of the murder?” Angle lies, “he was with me.” Do the cops believe her?

Do you know what a “CRYPTID” is? Cynthia Williamson does, and she explains. “A cryptid is an unexplained, unproven event or being, usually associated with a local area. Cynthia read her rendition of a sighting of White Thang, an eight-foot-tall ape-like creature from rural Alabama, as related by a local woman who shot from her bedroom window at the screaming creature. She must have missed it because only the carcass of her neighbor’s livestock remained in her yard.

At our last meeting, the group discussed pausing as we write so as not to keep too much tension on our readers. Bruce Haedrich took the discussion to heart and penned a short story entitled Too Many Lemmings. Giving personality to the lemming colonies, Bruce shows the parody of today’s overpopulation issue by humans on earth with the lemming method of thinning the population. Having used all available lands for colony expansion, the leaders of the worldwide lemming colonies ordered all older lemmings to trek southward to almost inevitable demise. The Supreme Leader received a standing ovation from the world leaders in the Great Hall as they were all older than the advanced age but exempt from the new orders.

People find out Rick Bailey is a writer and ask, “Who do you write like?” The answer. “I write like me. I am in control as I write.” Then, Rick asked the group, “How do you describe the number 14?” Think about that for a while.

Scott Anderson hadn’t prepared anything to read, but upon hearing me comment about butterflies by saying, “I read a description of a butterfly as a worm with wings.” Scott wrote a Haiku (a Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world) refuting the statement. A Butterfly is NOT a worm with wings. I stand educated.

To close the readings, Ernie Ovitz read a piece paraphrasing Mark Twain, saying, “There are LIES, DAMN LIES, and STATISTICS. Be careful when citing statistics; maybe they fall into one of the former categories.

 

Well, that about does it for this week. Sorry to be so late in publishing this installment. I was actually writing. Until next time, KEEP ON WRITING!

May 4th, 2022

We, a compact group of twelve, gathered at the firehouse. All appeared in good spirits and seemed ready to discuss writing. Ernie Ovitz started us off on a discussion as he handed out an article he’d printed. How important is it to take a break from intense study? Educators have determined that regular intervals are essential to learning for students, especially younger ones. Admittedly, most of our group are not youngsters, but we are students. We research to make our stories, poems, essays, and such accurate, believable, and enjoyable. Also, the act of writing can be exhausting, even stressful. Learn to take a break before you start making silly mistakes. Lord knows I make enough errors without adding stress or exhaustion.

We should look at our stories as well. Do we drone on and on about a subject; how about long, action-packed scenes with little rest between conflicts. Have you ever read a story that made you tired of trying to follow the action? Stories, as well as writers, have to take a break sometimes. Don’t exhaust your reader; they might decide to take a break and not return.

Our discussion on this subject was fascinating. I think everyone present voiced an opinion or suggestion.

A few weeks back, I received an email from a journalist in Australia. He wanted to know if I knew a writer named Bruce Haedrich and if I would share Bruce’s contact information. Well­–we all know Bruce and respect his skills. But, I do not share contact information unless approved by the writer. I contacted Bruce, and he said, “Sure, why not.”

An essay Bruce shared with us has touched off an international discussion about environmental concerns. A Senator in Australia quoted some parts of Bruce’s story in a public forum. Bruce entitled his story, The Shocking Naked Truth. Look it up on the internet. Reaction to the piece elicited comments from many parts of the world. Good going, Bruce. I’m not sure if you’re famous or notorious, what do you think?

We did move on from there to the reading portion of the meeting and heard six remarkable pieces.

 

John Hearon started the evening with the first half of an essay as Why I Became A Teacher. He had me with the opening statement, “Teaching is like fishing; you have to use the right bait.” A former plumber, John’s encounter with two teachers from New Jersey made an impression on him. I can hardly wait for the second installment to learn more about our John.

Do you know an Empath? We do. Our own Tish McAuley writes about the ups and downs of being an Empath. Is it a gift or a curse? Working in a store, meeting, and interacting with hundreds of people each day was almost too much for Tish. Her solution was to seek employment with less interaction. We wish you the best in your new endeavor, Tish. Here is my impression of what she must face. Imagine standing in the middle of the NYSE trading floor at the peak of trading and trying to hold a calm conversation with a soft-spoken person. How could any sane person block out all that noise, shouting voices, and blurred activity? Now, imagine having the thoughts of everyone around you creeping into your mind. Nuff Said!

 

Hello Joe, by Don Westerfield brought a lump to my throat as a foxhole on Normandy’s Omaha Beach is the setting for an unearthly meeting between a doughboy and a GI during the Second World War. Some gave all!

 

Are you old enough to remember the golden days of radio? Bruce Haedrich is, and he’s written a story about an old radio. Entitled Atwater Kent, Bruce read us the first half of his story set in the backwaters of a summer retreat in Maine. An old-timer who runs an electronics repair shop in the village dusts off the old vacuum tube tester and checks out the old radio. He hands out some wisdom, along with his expertise, “That old radio may just change your life.” I can’t wait to hear the conclusion of this story.

 

True Crime is a problematic genre with which to work. Jim Aube brings us an untitled piece looking into corruption in a small police force in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick. A local sex worker is murdered in a seedy neighborhood on a frigid night. Nobody but the killer knows it yet. A bartender at the local watering hole closes up for the night and takes a shortcut through an alley on her way home. The nearly nude body lies in the snow next to a dumpster. Responding officers rush through the investigation because it’s cold. Did they discount the importance of the dead girl due to her employment and lifestyle?

 

Life in the west was hard in the late eighteen-hundreds. Hard for the settlers, hard for the soldiers, hard for the natives. As more people move in, the Native Americans are forced off their lands and out of their hunting grounds. James Kelly brought us a chapter from his newest work, These Sacred Lands. Mahan Bend station is a trading post and way station for wagon trains bound to new territories. Men, women, and children of all nationalities stop to resupply or rest for a few days. The sutler recognizes unusual movement from a marauding band of Sioux or maybe Pawnee. He warns the small band of settlers resting at the post. The women hide a group of children in a ravine about a mile from the outpost. Three days later, an Army patrol comes across the children wandering in the wasteland. Why are they there?

 

All too quickly, the evening came to an end. Our next meeting is on May 18^th, and we will be looking for you there. We ran a little short of time with the readings and discussion. Richard Cope and Susan Haley will get the early opportunities to read and share their work with us at the upcoming meeting.

Until then – KEEP ON WRITING!

 

April 20, 2022

Sarasota Writers Group Meeting

April 20, 2022

The group was pleased to receive three new members at this meeting bring our attendance up to fourteen. Diana Crowell, Leslie Capozzi, and Joseph Rodriguez joined us for the first time.

After introductions a discussion period followed. Ernie Ovitz filled in for Rod DiGruttolo leading the group, and kicked off the discussion by reading from a list of suggestions for story openers. John Hearon responded by saying it all depends … and the discussion took off from there. The topic strayed, but it was a productive exchange and one seemingly enjoyed by all.

Jim Kelly led off the reading portion of the meeting with a chapter from his western period novel of life on the plains during the Great Sioux War.

Dennis Cathcart took the opportunity to share a comparison of publishing costs for his amazing memoire, Koulev, the first volume recollections of his life as a naturalist and adventurer collecting snakes and reptiles from around the world. Dennis went all in with color printing and the example books he brought were outstanding. He gave us a rundown comparing KDP Vs. IngramSpark with author’s cost, the printers minimum prices, and author’s return (or cost) if the printer were to sell the book at their minimum price. Yes, with IngramSpark it works out that if the price is set too low, the author can be billed for the deficit. KDP (Amazon) determines a minimum price below which they will not sell it. However, the author’s return might only be a few pennies. Thanks for sharing Dennis!

Bruce Haedrich continued with his short story of love lost and found between Stephanie and Michael written in the film noir style.

Peter Frickel read two short pieces “Grab Me and Birth.” Peter had fun sharing that one offered a secret thought and the other was an experience we all share.

John Hearon read a chapter from his novel “I Wasn’t Always a Hero.” The protagonist is being followed, and an old sea shanty buzzes in his head.

Richard Cope’s fine tuned sense of humor had the group chuckling and laughing with his tale of the Dandelion Affair. A baseball trading card promotion goes awry, peaceful relations between nations fall apart, and the U.S. and Canada are on the brink of war.

Diana Crowell read her poem “Beach Reverie.” Well done, and we look forward to hearing more.

Rick Bailey shared two pieces; the first titled “Me” was an exercise in the second person with each thought beginning with “You ….” He followed with “Nothing Like This Ever Happened,” an encounter on a commuter train.

As time allowed, Ernie Ovitz finished out the evening with a reading from his third book in his series on the life and times of the Roman Emperor Constantine. At the council of Nicaea, a dramatic moment arrives when Bishop Nicolas of Myra steps forward to address the council rebuking the heretic Arius.

Next meeting Wednesday, May 4th, same time, same place. We hope to see you there.

 

April 6, 2022

Here we are again in April already. A few of our writers have already departed for colder climes. Ian Schagen announced this would be his last meeting until November. We hope you enjoy your summer, Ian.

After an extended absence, you know Covid and a little thing called work, we were happy to see Jeff Kutcher again. He brought some copies of his newly published book 90 Miles to Freedom. In it, Jeff chronicles the escapades of his friend who lived under the rule of Fidel Castro in Cuba. He tells of his life in Cuba, culminating with his escape to the U.S.

Additionally, we have three newbies this week. I hope they enjoyed their first visit and will return. We welcome Charen DeKoven, who authors stories about the undead, specifically vampires.

Mary Hutchenson brings a different genre into play as she chronicles her adventures on a bicycle trip across the U.S. from St. Augustine, Florida, to San Diego, California. We look forward to hearing and reading about her journey.

Jim Aube (sorry if I misspelled your name, I’ll fix it next time) has been following us for a while on this blog and joining us in person tonight. Jim writes about True Crime. His current work follows a brutal murder in Canada. We look forward to helping him through a challenging task.

Bruce Haedrich asked an interesting question to begin the meeting.

How should this be written? It is dialog, there are three people in the room, and the speaker is interrupting a private conversation. Only one of the conversants is aware of the speaker’s presence as she sees him approach from behind her companion. The intruder (an antagonist in the story) speaks, “Trading secrets, are we?” he asks.

Is the attribution, “he asks,” needed, or does the question stand alone with just a question mark. Does there have to be more to the question? What would be an appropriate reaction to the question by the protagonist? How would you handle this? I’ve asked the group to consider it and bring some suggestions to the table next meeting. It should be a fun discussion.

 

Peter Frickel started our reading portion. As usual, Peter’s presentation was informative and instructive. Incorporating audible, kinetic action, even simulating music into prose or verse, brings words and a story to life. Giving life to inanimate objects with thought and feelings provides depth and lets the reader bond with the subject. Peter depicts sitting on a log with pen and paper in hand. He is not alone; his characters speak to him. Do yours? While walking on sand, the footprints will soon fade away, but the memories will stay. A breeze; is it silent, can it be felt, do the leaves whisper to the winds? An escapade with a girl in a lush vineyard, the grass has straightened, the earth has cooled, but the memories are fresh in our minds. Thank you, Peter.

The Bay of Naples in Italy, especially in the time of the Roman Empire, was a place of relaxation and retreat for the elite. Ernie Ovitz brought us a revised Chapter 5 of his ongoing story of the life and times of Emperor Constantine. Sedition is afoot. Two Senators meet in private to speculate on how and whom they should back in the power struggle for leadership of the Empire. Ernie’s rendition puts us in the room with treason and betrayal. I can’t wait for the published work.

Have you ever been to South Boston? John Hearon must have been; his descriptions and feel for the atmosphere put you there in his latest work, I Wasn’t Always A Hero. This chapter, entitled, What if I Die in My Dreams, makes you break a cold sweat as you follow the dream of a “not so worthy” citizen of Boston. John, the shorter chapters are fantastic.

It’s a true story by Bruce Haedrich. Skin Deep follows a young man’s attraction for a girl with all the attributes of great beauty except for her face. She and the young man are fast friends. One day, she and her family move away, leaving no trace of their whereabouts. Devastated, he mourns her leaving but moves on with his life. Until… what happens next? Great story, Bruce.

Ian Schagen’s Science Fiction offering tells us of The United Planets group. They feel Earth is too violent and corrupt to be allowed into the group without first being conquered. Their creed respects all life. Understanding that beings must be under a firm rule without cruelty, they come to Earth with a constitution for all. Attacked by a band of dissenters, the leader, Andromeda, must exert her power as a lesson. Where will this go? Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until November or when the story is published to find out.

Don Westerfield usually gives a poem to ponder, but today he gave us a short story entitled John Doe, at least that was the name on the toe tag. War, heroism, and sacrifice play a part. Whiskey was the only way he could ease his pain. Who was he? How many like him are out there? Do we want to know his name?

When Charen Dekoven took the floor to read from a story entitled, The Cafeteria, the Land of Oz, we wondered what was coming. Oz is used to having things his way, no exceptions! On this day, things may not meet his expectations. Charen’s work is unique and exciting. She leads us into a dark story with excitement and mystery. Where will it go from here?

Bucketlist Biking is Mary Hutchenson’s account of her joining the .001% of the people who act on items included in their Bucketlist. In the Introduction, Mary tells of three people expressing a desire to ride cross-country by bicycle, the second bottle of wine resulting in plans developed and arrangements for a “STAGWAGON” to be piloted by a fourth. It looked like the trip was becoming a reality. From Atlantic to Pacific, they committed to the ride.

When Jim Aube read his Untitled story of a murder in Nova Scotia where, hardened by inclement weather and harsh living conditions, people develop rigid attitudes concerning each other. The young crack addict/sex worker dies after being beaten, stabbed, and left to die in the cold shadow of a two-story apartment building. Do the police care, or is this just another nameless person lost in the bureaucracy of today’s world? What happens next? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Well, that’s about all for this time. Think about the problem posed in this blog’s opening paragraphs and bring your ideas to the next meeting. Until then, remember…KEEP ON WRITING.