THE REVIEW

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Wonderful Meeting of Rams here on Wednesday. Wendy, Ellie, Jim, Jason and Margaret Florczak all arrived with enthusiasm for the written word.

Ellie read first, her prose/poem story called “Sophie And The Raven”. Written for 8 to 12 year olds, it tells of how a young Sophie loves all the wildlife and nature outside her home and goes out to great her winged friends before breakfast. She meets with a Raven who talks to her and tells her she must get her family and friends to help save the planet from man’s destruction of it. The story is told in prose and verse, and captivates the reader.

Wendy said she was working on another writer’s romance novel, editing and advising, and therefore hasn’t had time for her own writing. She likes writing poetry, and finds the novel she started feels more like work. The rest of us nodded and told her it can feel like that, but still hope she is able to continue with it.

Jim said he had a recent request for 100 pages of the first book in the Coventry Ghosts series from another agent. Really hope something good happens. He read another chapter from the second book, and we hear a telepathic conversation between Leanne and Olivia, and are told how Olivia feels demoted again to the younger (and less important) sister in the family now that they can all communicate even though Leanne is a ghost. Leanne wants Olivia to help get their parents to invest in the coffee shop so Cherie doesn’t lose it. As Cherie draws up a business plan she insists that Leanne take safety seriously and realize she and the other ghosts will have to be responsible for things like breakage and damage when they start ghostly catering to parties.

Margaret F. brought a copy of her self-published memoir “Unforgiving” which is available in hardcopy from Amazon.com for $13.19. It will also be available as an ebook soon with Kindle for $5.99. It is written under her maiden name, and unfortunately, I didn’t jot that down. She read us Chapter 11, where she is an eleven year old accosted and French kissed in the hallway of her own home by a man who is both a tenant and friend of her parents. She tries to tell her Mom and her female piano teacher, but neither of them believe her and chastise her for making up stories. When Margaret is thirteen, she gladly becomes involved with a delinquent boy because he is the only one who does believe her about the abuse. The story is a very powerful look into the devastation of childhood sexual abuse. It’s very courageous of Margaret to be sharing this with the world.

Jason read to us Chapter 17, titled “Murder”. Damianos is on his way to search Jody’s home for the Book of the Nornir, but on the way takes a detour and murders and devours a female driver who picks him up as a hitchhiker. When he gets to Jody’s home, he seduces her adoptive mother who becomes sexually eager to participate. When she’s most vulnerable, he tortures her to find out where the Book is. But she doesn’t know and suggests he look for Jody’s Godmother, who is also Gregg’s great-grandmother. The plot thickens and adds to the suspense.

Margaret Moffatt has put aside her writing of “Coffin and Dye” for awhile as her son, Ralph, had asked her to illustrate cards he and his wife sell during the summer as examples of local artistic works.

I didn’t read anything, but did talk about my forthcoming surgery on May 28th. I will be out of the circle for awhile. Unfortunately, I don’t know for how long. As soon as I am able to host a Meeting again, I will definitely be emailing all Rams. In the meantime, enjoy the spring and maybe some of the summer, but don’t forget to write so I have lots to hear about when we get back together again. I thank everyone for their good wishes and kind thoughts. Until next time,

Lisa