THE REVIEW

FALLEN LEAVES



Jim, Jason and Bob joined me on Wednesday for our Meeting. Anne was busy helping her sister. Ellie had hurt her shoulder and was advised to rest and relax. And Gemma was unable to attend as well.

Jason read first from his novel “Provoked”. He had a short chapter called “Examining” which saw Gregg staying up through the night to keep watch for the two weirdos he had seen earlier. His brother, Dave, woke up and wanted to know what Gregg was doing and then threatened to level Gregg if he didn’t go to bed. The dialogue between the brothers was realistic and portrayed the sibling dynamics that are fairly universal.

I read “Deposition For Separate Bedrooms”, a short piece that I had rewritten to make it fit my “Honey” collection of humorous stories. In it I recount all the annoyances of listening to Honey from when he rises very early until he leaves for work, a noisy production he uses to protest my still being in bed.

Margaret had sent her next chapter of “The Village Of Salsbury Mourns Again”. Reverend Solace was awakened at 4:00 in the morning by Mrs. Willows. When he opened the door he saw a crowd around the drain Coffin had “fallen” in. Wondering if Coffin had turned into a ghost, he asked Mrs. Willows what happened. She told him Mr. Turnkey was found face down on the ground, staring into the drain. When the Reverend asked about Mr. Turnkey’s welfare, Mrs. Willows informs him Mr. Turnkey was no longer alive.

Jim read Chapter 9, and we learn that Cheri is facing bankruptcy due to her husband’s gambling debts and repairing the damage to the coffee shop that had been caused by the ghosts. She informs Leanne and ghostly company that she will have to sell the coffee shop. They are alarmed and start making plans for fundraising. They invite Cheri into ghostdom to hear their suggestions and we learn they want to throw parties where only ghosts do the serving. Cheri says she doesn’t have the money to start another business and.Leanne thinks maybe her Mom and Dad could invest and become partners with Cheri.

Bob read from his personal history and we heard about major changes in his life in 1947. His father was not well, and his parents were moving. They decided to send Bob to live with his stepsister, Edna, and her husband, Jim, in Amherstburg, Ontario. He traveled alone by bus to Seattle, then east to Chicago and Detroit, and then back into Canada to Windsor and his final destination. He was given chores to do on the farm, tending the chickens and the roosters. But Jim was no farmer and kept the chickens and roosters separate, so there were never any eggs. Bob was roped into helping construct the new house and found the hard physical labour very taxing. He was lonely and never made any friends there, but he did acquire a new red bike.

Today the rain is pouring, the leaves are falling, and I’ve spotted giant mushrooms growing in our lawn. Fall is flourishing. Perfect excuse to stay indoors and write.

The next Meeting will be Wednesday, November 2nd at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.

Lisa

THE REVIEW

SHORT AND SWEET


Jim and Jason were the only ones joining me on Wednesday for our Meeting.

I read Chapters 4 and 5 of “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”. Jason said even though there was hardly any dialogue in these chapters, he wasn’t bored by the details I wrote.

Next I read two of Margaret’s chapters from “Coffin And Dye”. Dye and Lizzie leave on vacation, but stop first so Dye can tell Coffin about his next assignment. Recognizing Lizzie as the housekeeper he had slept with, Coffin then says he’s engaged to Trish to confuse Lizzie, who then says she and Dye will be happy to attend his wedding. In the next chapter, Coffin is supposed to enter a drain hole to exterminate ghosts of former coal miners. Instead of going into the drain, he allows himself to be picked up by Polly Parks who teaches a class in knitting Argyle socks.

Jim read Chapter 8 of the second book in “Coventry Ghosts” and we see Solak arriving in Mexico to break Jason out of prison so his ability to extract souls via his computer can be put to more nefarious use elsewhere. Solak terrifies two teenaged hoodlums into helping him for money. Jacobo, one of the teens, realizes Solak would kill them if they don’t help.

Next Meeting will be Wednesday, October 19th at 7:00 p.m. at my place. Hope to see you then. Happy Thanksgiving in the meantime!

Lisa