THE REVIEW

SUNNY OUTLOOK

Our Meeting Wednesday night saw the rainclouds clear away for the first time in many days. Was that portentous for our writing? Jim, Wendy, Ellie and Jason all joined me and our readings and discussions went on till about 9:30. We had a great time!

Jim read first, his Chapter 21 in the second book of Coventry Ghosts. He thought it too long and wanted to cut it into at least two chapters, perhaps three. This chapter has Leanne, Sara, Robin and Laurie ‘popping’ into Drakko, the ‘penal/retirement colony’, to bring Susan back to ghostdom after her sentence from the Judge of the Ghastly Court has been served. In Drakko, everything moves much slower and ghosts are drained of their energy. While there, the group meets Moog and Shei, ghosts from entities of the pre-human form on earth, who have been in Drakko forever. Once back in ghostdom, Sara takes Susan to meet her friend Karly at the library.

Ellie has started a new novel based on the theme of a short story she had earlier read to us. It’s about two young female teachers just starting their first teaching jobs and deciding to rent a house together. The female narrating the story has a horse and rashly commits them to renting property in the country with a first class barn and a dirty, dingy house. And we already see the menace projected toward her by the landlord. This could be a real thriller.

Jason read his Chapter 25, “Alals”, where Ligeia reads about the history of her ancestors and she learns of the spells she could cast on Gregg, the jivita. One could make him vulnerable and one could make him her lover forever. And, of course, we are left wondering which she will choose?

I read a thousand word personal account “A Change of Perspective”, telling of an episode where my first husband intervened to stop an episode of domestic violence next door. Upon his return to our home, I learned the perpetrator had been the wife. The husband left in the ambulance while she was taken away in the cop car.

Margaret Moffatt has three articles in the November issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. One is on the history of travel trunks, one on the history of Prince George, and the third is on the history of Lytton.

My eBook, “Love Found” is now for sale at http://Kobobooks.com/search/search/html?q=9780991739608

Two copies have sold (best seller?) and I was able to find out who purchased them. Jason admitted to being one of the buyers, which he purchased with his Apple apparatus. He said it was cumbersome to open and read with Apple, which doesn’t like to co-operate with anything un-Apple. The other buyer was my Aunt/Godmother, Ellis Friesen, who is probably into her tenth decade in this realm and actually has an eReader and knows how to download digital books! She emailed me to say she had read it three times and just loved it and was bragging about me to all her friends! Wow! Now I’m bragging about her!

I also brought up the fact that Douglas & McIntyre Publishing Group, which includes Greystone Books, had filed for bankruptcy protection. They are one of Canada’s largest independent book publishers with offices here and in Toronto. What is so scary about this is that all the authors having contracts with them are now left in limbo. They are not employees and have no further rights than other unsecured creditors. And regaining their copyrights might be a difficult challenge for them as well. Something to think about. Perhaps it would be prudent of authors about to sign contracts with publishers to do a credit check before signing?

While downloading books from the library one day I came across a mystery by Ruth Rendell entitled “Babes In The Wood”, which is the working title Margaret F. has been using for her book in progress. Even though the two books are far apart in content, the fact the titles would be the same could be confusing to readers. I did mention this to Margaret. I think I will want to do a title search for anything I am about to publish before I lock in the title chosen.

Julie was unable to attend due to another commitment. Lorelie had to go to Kentucky to care for her ailing mother. Margaret F. was packing and leaving for a trip to California. Marilyn Sergi had wanted to attend after many years of absence, but didn’t make it as something else intruded on her plans.

The next Meeting will be Wednesday, November 21st at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then. And in the meantime, be sure to buy a poppy to remember our fallen and to honour our Veterans!

Lisa Hatton