THE GREEN TEAM
The meeting on the 17th saw six of us sporting some green and spinning yarns. Unfortunately, Bob wasn’t present that night. Said he didn’t have any green clothes to wear, only a green emerald.
Margaret read first, as usual. Dye and Coffin were lamenting their loss of Lord Mossity’s business of eradicating ghosts at Mossity Manor. However, the Rolls had been repaired and was ready to be picked up. Dye then informed Coffin their next job would be to expunge the four spirits haunting the back of the Rolls, whom he thought were expired Highland soldiers from the Battle of Culloden. But Coffin had only invented them to explain why the Rolls had been damaged.
I read my short story “Fine Print” which will be published in the April issue (also the final issue) of Eclectica Magazine. This story was my response to “The Stepford Wives” and has a modern woman seeking a refund on the malfunctioning male homemaking machine she had bought for her home. Strange, but the story always has a more favourable reaction from a female audience. Now why is that? Recently, I was asked for a bio/blurb to go with this story, so it’s a good idea to have something ready in case you are asked for one. This is the 4th or 5th time I have had one requested.
Danny read from his autobiography, recounting the 30 day assessment he endured in a psychiatric hospital. He learned that a severe manic episode at 40 is not unusual. Staying in the Forensic Assessment Unit was a big step up from the jail he had been in. He spent a lot of time doing tests, true or false, and then more detailed ones. He was finally diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. Danny listed all the nuanced references to his condition, but I didn’t record them. After that Unit, one could progress to the Forensic Treatment Unit, and then to the Forensic Rehabilitation Unit, each on a lower floor, closer to the exit. Danny felt he was housed with a bunch of ‘mixed nuts’ and thought the nursing staff were the only ones he could communicate with.
Jason read Ch. 7 of his novel. Greg is still at school, watching Jodie, and sensing the power she has over their classmates, especially all the boys who turn to watch her. He recalls how she suffered without her parents, and he’s afraid she will turn to Sean for comfort instead of to him. Unable to stay in the cafeteria with Jodie ignoring him, he goes outside in the rain. His brother, Dave, joins him, all gaga over a girl he has met. The two of them hear screams coming from the nearby forest.
Gemma reads further from a story of hers where the gigolo, Bob, arises in the morning and goes to the deli to bring back breakfast for Barbara. She wants him to move in with her, but he only wants her money. He kisses her and makes an excuse, then leaves for the day.
Congo, a dog belonging to Gemma’s friend Ariane, died recently and Gemma had written two letters on the topic. One was from the deceased Congo to Ariane, and the other was from Gemma to Congo. Both expressed the love and devotion between animal and human.
Jim read Ch. 3 of “Coventry Ghost”. Olivia asks of Tammy what she knows about the ghost and feels that Tammy might have been the ‘pretty girl’ who tried to help her sister. Meanwhile, Patty decides her husband needs to learn that his daughter’s ghost haunts the coffee shop and conspires with Olivia to have him come down there one night while they are cleaning. He arrives, and is greeted by his dead daughter’s specter. He faints, twice.
Marilyn has a short piece published online at Writing Raw. It is “ForePlay” by Mike Malone, her pseudonym.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, April 7th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then, and Happy Easter in the meantime.
Lisa
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
THE REVIEW
WINNERS ALL!
At the end of the Olympics, we all feel like winners. Seven writing athletes attended the meet here on Wednesday with everyone competing in friendly fashion.
Bob read first, an update on his electronic woes. All systems failed, but rescue by a neighbour restored television viewing at least. Full restoration is waiting for greater “Visions”.
Margaret read her next chapter in “Coffin & Dye”. Dye is explaining to Lord Mossity about the plague in 1664 when many people died, and he thinks the ten ghosts seen in the Manor were plague victims buried in a mass grave on the property. He tells Lord Mossity the grave should be dug up but the Lord is extremely reticent to have that done. Dye then goes on to explain about the great London fire that destroyed parts of the city but eventually ended the plague. Unfortunately for Dye, Mossity decides he and his wife will move to France and the Manor will become a museum, ghosts included, no eradication necessary.
Jason read us Chapter 6. Greg is at school avoiding a bully, waiting for Jodie to come to her locker. Classes start, but Jodie is late and he is still waiting. He is agonizing about wanting to tell her how much she means to him, how to tell her, how to give her the necklace. Jodie finally arrives, with Sean, who than kisses her goodbye and pushes Greg into his locker as he passes him. Jodie is upset that Sean didn’t stick up for himself and tells him he is too immature, and then walks away. Greg hears his grandmother’s voice telling him to give her the necklace and he calls Jodie, but is unable to say anything more. She pauses, but then keeps on walking away. There is a lot of teen angst in this chapter, which most thought added to the tension.
Danny read from his autobiography. The first short chapter he read was “The Rudest Awakening”, describing the jolt of reality in having his mug shot taken and finding himself in cuffs. The next chapter was “Fifty-One Up” about his stay in jail before being transferred to a psychiatric unit. He described the fights with other inmates, the shackles and cuffs, the bad food, the Sally Ann band at Christmas, and his desire for redemption. He told how the only thing that kept him going was the attention from family and friends who came to visit. On Jan. 10th, he was finally transferred to the psychiatric unit, in shackles and cuffs and wearing an orange jump suit, driven by two officers. On the 401, they started speeding, hiding the speed behind a piece of paper on the dash. But because Danny knew about racing, he could tell when the speed increased and he estimated they were doing 140 MPH. in their Chevy Caprice. Scary stuff, but some really great detail here.
Jim read Chapter 2 of his ghost story. The young Olivia wants to help her sister thank the people who had tried to save her, but doesn’t know who they were and couldn’t get the information from her sister’s ghost. She decides to investigate herself, and starts doing volunteer work at the coffee shop anytime she goes there, to get an ‘in’ with everyone. She has a chat with a girl named “Tammy”, who works there and is the only one who admits the place is haunted.
I read a short story about the new coffee table project I initiated with Honey for the beginning price of ten dollars, and which eventually cost us several hundred. Everybody laughed and I keep telling honey the table was “Only Ten Dollars”.
Gemma didn’t read, but did give me the latest issue of Writers’ Digest. My subscription had expired, and lucky Gemma received two copies of the same issue. Also, I hear rumours of some children’s stories Gemma has that Margaret suggests she bring to read.
Margaret brought us several copies of the March issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine and I see that Marilyn has an article in there, “The Last Tsar”. Congratulations!
The next meeting will be Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. That is St. Patrick’s Day, green attire suggested (a welcome switch from red). I’ll see if I can remember to colour the water and the ice cubes. See you on the 17th.
Lisa
At the end of the Olympics, we all feel like winners. Seven writing athletes attended the meet here on Wednesday with everyone competing in friendly fashion.
Bob read first, an update on his electronic woes. All systems failed, but rescue by a neighbour restored television viewing at least. Full restoration is waiting for greater “Visions”.
Margaret read her next chapter in “Coffin & Dye”. Dye is explaining to Lord Mossity about the plague in 1664 when many people died, and he thinks the ten ghosts seen in the Manor were plague victims buried in a mass grave on the property. He tells Lord Mossity the grave should be dug up but the Lord is extremely reticent to have that done. Dye then goes on to explain about the great London fire that destroyed parts of the city but eventually ended the plague. Unfortunately for Dye, Mossity decides he and his wife will move to France and the Manor will become a museum, ghosts included, no eradication necessary.
Jason read us Chapter 6. Greg is at school avoiding a bully, waiting for Jodie to come to her locker. Classes start, but Jodie is late and he is still waiting. He is agonizing about wanting to tell her how much she means to him, how to tell her, how to give her the necklace. Jodie finally arrives, with Sean, who than kisses her goodbye and pushes Greg into his locker as he passes him. Jodie is upset that Sean didn’t stick up for himself and tells him he is too immature, and then walks away. Greg hears his grandmother’s voice telling him to give her the necklace and he calls Jodie, but is unable to say anything more. She pauses, but then keeps on walking away. There is a lot of teen angst in this chapter, which most thought added to the tension.
Danny read from his autobiography. The first short chapter he read was “The Rudest Awakening”, describing the jolt of reality in having his mug shot taken and finding himself in cuffs. The next chapter was “Fifty-One Up” about his stay in jail before being transferred to a psychiatric unit. He described the fights with other inmates, the shackles and cuffs, the bad food, the Sally Ann band at Christmas, and his desire for redemption. He told how the only thing that kept him going was the attention from family and friends who came to visit. On Jan. 10th, he was finally transferred to the psychiatric unit, in shackles and cuffs and wearing an orange jump suit, driven by two officers. On the 401, they started speeding, hiding the speed behind a piece of paper on the dash. But because Danny knew about racing, he could tell when the speed increased and he estimated they were doing 140 MPH. in their Chevy Caprice. Scary stuff, but some really great detail here.
Jim read Chapter 2 of his ghost story. The young Olivia wants to help her sister thank the people who had tried to save her, but doesn’t know who they were and couldn’t get the information from her sister’s ghost. She decides to investigate herself, and starts doing volunteer work at the coffee shop anytime she goes there, to get an ‘in’ with everyone. She has a chat with a girl named “Tammy”, who works there and is the only one who admits the place is haunted.
I read a short story about the new coffee table project I initiated with Honey for the beginning price of ten dollars, and which eventually cost us several hundred. Everybody laughed and I keep telling honey the table was “Only Ten Dollars”.
Gemma didn’t read, but did give me the latest issue of Writers’ Digest. My subscription had expired, and lucky Gemma received two copies of the same issue. Also, I hear rumours of some children’s stories Gemma has that Margaret suggests she bring to read.
Margaret brought us several copies of the March issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine and I see that Marilyn has an article in there, “The Last Tsar”. Congratulations!
The next meeting will be Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. That is St. Patrick’s Day, green attire suggested (a welcome switch from red). I’ll see if I can remember to colour the water and the ice cubes. See you on the 17th.
Lisa
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