LAUGHING ALL THE WAY
Margaret was still laughing at Thursday’s meeting about her exploits trying to vote in the civic elections on the 15th of this month. She wrote and sent a letter to the editor at both The Langley Times and The Langley Advance, which I spied in both papers. The mavens in charge of voter registration were making her jump through hoops they couldn’t see to prove who she was and where she lived, just to cast a ballot in voting booths where the pens didn’t work. And her son, with the same last name and the same address, had just voted. Only a writer would laugh at and write about the ambiguity of bureaucracy. Thank God for free speech (press).
Margaret also had a bad bruise on her right arm. There was a paper jam in her photo copier, so she pushed her hand in to pull the paper out, but got stuck. Not able to reach the phone or carry the copier over to it, she resorted to giving her hand a mighty pull and injured herself. Who says writers don’t need WCB coverage? This is dangerous work!
Bob read first, a letter he received in response to his letter he sent to “any Canadian soldier”. The reply that he received was from Lt. Col. Mark John Gendron. He is a legal advisor to the Regional Command in Afghanistan. This is his 3rd deployment overseas, and he has been there this time for almost a year. He is married and lives near Kingston, Ontario. Fascinating.
Bob also read a short piece he had written that day, called “Retirement”. It was an introspective piece musing about how his life had always been too busy to just sit and enjoy watching nature, as he had done for an hour on Thursday. It’s an excellent piece of writing and we encourage him to send it to Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. We could tell Bob put his heart into writing this piece and think he should do more of that.
Margaret re-wrote her chapter “Ghosts”, deleting some names and changing others. She read the second draft for us and we all agreed it reads much better.
I read Chapter 15 from my novel, which has Fiona and Tanner doing dinner at a local restaurant after he gets his car from the impound lot. He is grilling her about the complex she manages, trying to find somewhere to look for the arsonist, some motive for the crime. She takes a call at the end of their dinner, thinking it’s her son asking when she’s coming home. But he’s calling to tell her there’s another fire and #337. Tanner starts to ask her what’s happening, when his own phone rings and he’s told the same thing by the police department.
A couple of years ago, I wrote a short piece called “Nostalgia”, about a New Year’s Eve that Bryon and I listened to old records. Last week I submitted it to Today’s Senior Newsmagazine and hope they will use it for their January issue.
Next meeting here at my place Thursday, December 4th at 7:00 p.m. Really hope to see you then.
Lisa
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
THE RAM'S HEAD REVIEW
NOVEMBER RAIN
In spite of the heavy rain, Bob and Margaret joined me for a meeting of three on Thursday.
Bob read first, listing three different jewellery manufacturers. They were Birkett & Cobold, Dave Manson, and H.J. Anstie. Bob is finding it hard slogging collecting information for his informal history. It’s hard to get motivated to search the archives for the data he thinks he needs. He finds that endeavor very dry and boring. Hmmm. Maybe the project needs a rethink.
Margaret read another chapter from her Peabody collection, entitled “Ghosts”. The collapse of the mine under the cemetery disturbed a bunch of ghosts, which started haunting the residents of Wickerton. Residents were all relating tales of being haunted by spirits in their own homes. Sir Charles Coffin, Baronet of London, was called in to help with the situation. There were quite a few characters in this chapter, all with names starting with the letter “C”. As a listener, it was difficult to keep straight who was who. It might be easier to do so when reading the actual words on the page. We suggested Margaret change a few names. She said she would do that and then we can compare the two versions to see which reads best.
I read chapter 14 from my novel, “Fire”. Cam arrives home just after 10:00 p.m. after he gets off work at the bowling alley, and finds his Mom isn’t there. The answering machine has a nasty message threatening his Mom, and he starts to panic, wondering where she is. Lucy, his girlfriend arrives, and tries to calm him down. He eventually phones the Detective to ask if he knows where his Mom might have gone. The Detective says he’ll have her call him. When she calls right away, he clues in to the fact his Mom is with the Detective, having dinner. He’s not impressed, but no longer afraid for her safety. He turns his attention to Lucy and takes her jacket. A lighter falls out of her pocket, but she doesn’t smoke. He wonders what else he doesn’t know about her, and wonders if she has anything to do with the fires.
On Friday, I picked up the November issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine at the IHOP restaurant in Langley, and was pleased to see Gemma’s story “How My Sister Saved Her Marriage?” was in it on Page 6. Congratulations Gemma!
I had a request from a writing website called Writing Raw to exchange links. Unfortunately, since Sonny, our administrator, is still in Afghanistan I have no way of updating our website until he returns next spring, except for using this blog. He can’t do it from over there, and I’m not technically savvy enough to do it myself. This particular website is for writers who want to “meet” online and submit pieces and critique for others as well. I will forward the link to you in a separate email in case anyone is interested.
Next meeting will be Thursday, November 20th, here at my place at 7:00 p.m. May you all be motivated to write in the meantime. Love to see you on the 20th.
Lisa
In spite of the heavy rain, Bob and Margaret joined me for a meeting of three on Thursday.
Bob read first, listing three different jewellery manufacturers. They were Birkett & Cobold, Dave Manson, and H.J. Anstie. Bob is finding it hard slogging collecting information for his informal history. It’s hard to get motivated to search the archives for the data he thinks he needs. He finds that endeavor very dry and boring. Hmmm. Maybe the project needs a rethink.
Margaret read another chapter from her Peabody collection, entitled “Ghosts”. The collapse of the mine under the cemetery disturbed a bunch of ghosts, which started haunting the residents of Wickerton. Residents were all relating tales of being haunted by spirits in their own homes. Sir Charles Coffin, Baronet of London, was called in to help with the situation. There were quite a few characters in this chapter, all with names starting with the letter “C”. As a listener, it was difficult to keep straight who was who. It might be easier to do so when reading the actual words on the page. We suggested Margaret change a few names. She said she would do that and then we can compare the two versions to see which reads best.
I read chapter 14 from my novel, “Fire”. Cam arrives home just after 10:00 p.m. after he gets off work at the bowling alley, and finds his Mom isn’t there. The answering machine has a nasty message threatening his Mom, and he starts to panic, wondering where she is. Lucy, his girlfriend arrives, and tries to calm him down. He eventually phones the Detective to ask if he knows where his Mom might have gone. The Detective says he’ll have her call him. When she calls right away, he clues in to the fact his Mom is with the Detective, having dinner. He’s not impressed, but no longer afraid for her safety. He turns his attention to Lucy and takes her jacket. A lighter falls out of her pocket, but she doesn’t smoke. He wonders what else he doesn’t know about her, and wonders if she has anything to do with the fires.
On Friday, I picked up the November issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine at the IHOP restaurant in Langley, and was pleased to see Gemma’s story “How My Sister Saved Her Marriage?” was in it on Page 6. Congratulations Gemma!
I had a request from a writing website called Writing Raw to exchange links. Unfortunately, since Sonny, our administrator, is still in Afghanistan I have no way of updating our website until he returns next spring, except for using this blog. He can’t do it from over there, and I’m not technically savvy enough to do it myself. This particular website is for writers who want to “meet” online and submit pieces and critique for others as well. I will forward the link to you in a separate email in case anyone is interested.
Next meeting will be Thursday, November 20th, here at my place at 7:00 p.m. May you all be motivated to write in the meantime. Love to see you on the 20th.
Lisa
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