JUNE BLOSSOMS
Four of us gathered Thursday to honour The Muse. Gemma was finally able to join us again, and it was so wonderful to see her.
Bob had a wedding picture of his son Rob who tied the knot in Paris. The picture was included with a wedding invitation for their second wedding here at home. Interesting. Would that be called double jeopardy?
Bob said he also sent a long piece of snail mail to Sonny. If anyone else wants to send an ordinary piece of mail to Sonny while he’s in Afghanistan, let me know and I will give you the mailing address. Letters can go postage free, but postage on parcels has to be paid as far as Belleville, Ontario, from where the military picks up mail and forwards it.
Gemma brought me a gift of a salt crystal candle. She said it’s supposed to aid concentration and to use it by my computer when I’m writing. Will give it a try.
Gemma read first, a short story about her younger sister, Zsuzsa. As a youngster in post-war Hungary, she was caught charging candy to her mother’s grocery account at the store. As a young woman, she married a Frenchman. Faced with an empty nest years later, she applied to go to a nursing school when her older husband was retiring. When asked why she wanted to go into nursing, she said it was to save her marriage. Gemma plans to send this piece to Seniors Newsmagazine, so if anyone sees it, be sure to tell me.
Margaret read of Peabody getting a phone call from Marigold, who was so upset he was going to marry Marie. With both women wanting him, he was having nightmares and headaches. He gave the solitaire ring back to the innkeeper, who had entrusted Peabody with its safekeeping for him. The innkeeper told Peabody not to bother telling either Marigold or Marie about his intentions. But then Peabody started to think that maybe he should take a wife after all.
First I read the winner of the writing prompt in Writers’ Digest, a short story called “All Star Dinner”. It was a sad commentary on a mother’s grief after the loss of her son. Then I read chapters 6 and 7 from my novel. Margaret said she finds it interesting and she always wants to know what’s going to happen next. And Bob said it reads much better now than the first time around.
Next meeting will be here at my place on Thursday, July 3rd at 7:00 p.m. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
THE RAM'S HEAD REVIEW
SOGGY JUNE
The cold and wet weather notwithstanding, Bob and Margaret joined me Thursday night for a meeting. Bob brought a book for Gemma, “Lonesome”, which is a first person dog story set in B.C. But Gemma has to come to a meeting to get it. I’ll have to write a story about blackmail sometime.
Bob brought along his story “Going Downtown”, which he had asked Susan to critique. She had made some changes, maybe not understanding he had written this piece first person from his experience as a five year old. We suggested Bob do some re-writing and clarify for the reader right at the beginning that the narrator is a five year old male child, so that following observations make sense to the reader.
Margaret had another Peabody story, “Mr. Lamb’s Still”, and she had drawings of a still to show us. As she read, we heard of Peasly, Peacock and Mr. Lamb planning a party to celebrate Peabody’s engagement to Marie, but without actually mentioning the engagement. The party took place at Mr. Lamb’s home, with the overproof spirits from his still as the main refreshment. Peabody enjoyed the party and all the congratulations, even when he won a dart game, but still didn’t know everybody thought he was going to marry Marie.
I read chapters 3 – 5 in my novel, mostly dealing with the scene of the second fire in the strata complex that Fiona manages, and giving background information. Bob said it reads much better than he had remembered it and Margaret did feel the suspense as I was reading. So there you go, it probably works better as a whole story than just single chapter selections. Continuity may be important in reading a novel.
I sent an update on The Ram’s Head listing to Lois Peterson. LPWordsolutions gives a listing of writing groups in the Lower Mainland, as does the website for The Federation of B.C. Writers, the latter updated by Sylvia Taylor. Lois and Sylvia are both creative writing teachers based in Surrey.
Next meeting here at my place Thursday, June 19th at 7:00 p.m. Please join us as we would love to see you.
Lisa
The cold and wet weather notwithstanding, Bob and Margaret joined me Thursday night for a meeting. Bob brought a book for Gemma, “Lonesome”, which is a first person dog story set in B.C. But Gemma has to come to a meeting to get it. I’ll have to write a story about blackmail sometime.
Bob brought along his story “Going Downtown”, which he had asked Susan to critique. She had made some changes, maybe not understanding he had written this piece first person from his experience as a five year old. We suggested Bob do some re-writing and clarify for the reader right at the beginning that the narrator is a five year old male child, so that following observations make sense to the reader.
Margaret had another Peabody story, “Mr. Lamb’s Still”, and she had drawings of a still to show us. As she read, we heard of Peasly, Peacock and Mr. Lamb planning a party to celebrate Peabody’s engagement to Marie, but without actually mentioning the engagement. The party took place at Mr. Lamb’s home, with the overproof spirits from his still as the main refreshment. Peabody enjoyed the party and all the congratulations, even when he won a dart game, but still didn’t know everybody thought he was going to marry Marie.
I read chapters 3 – 5 in my novel, mostly dealing with the scene of the second fire in the strata complex that Fiona manages, and giving background information. Bob said it reads much better than he had remembered it and Margaret did feel the suspense as I was reading. So there you go, it probably works better as a whole story than just single chapter selections. Continuity may be important in reading a novel.
I sent an update on The Ram’s Head listing to Lois Peterson. LPWordsolutions gives a listing of writing groups in the Lower Mainland, as does the website for The Federation of B.C. Writers, the latter updated by Sylvia Taylor. Lois and Sylvia are both creative writing teachers based in Surrey.
Next meeting here at my place Thursday, June 19th at 7:00 p.m. Please join us as we would love to see you.
Lisa
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