SEEING RED
Wednesday’s Meeting was another great time, with Jim, Wendy, Leah, Annette, Jason, and Kristie joining me. And the red they were looking at was the new colour of my hair. I wasn’t used to it yet, but everyone said it looked great, even though Honey calls me “Glow In The Dark”.
I was able to tell Jason that Bryon had finished reading his book “Provoked” and quite enjoyed it. He’s now reading “The Orenda” by Joseph Boyden and says it’s full of violence and religion. He preferred Jason’s book, which he said was violence and sex. This from the engineer who never reads fiction? Don’t ever give him a Harlequin to read.
I read first, a short personal piece called “Eternal”. It was a tribute to a former lover whose love seemed to span more than one lifetime.
Jim had edited his Book II of “Coventry Ghosts” and shortened many chapters. He read us the next chapter after the one he read last week, but it is now Chapter 55. This shows Jason with his new collector for his computer, that now has more power to gather ghost essences and squeeze them into submission. He also has a shield that keeps him and his computer invisible to the ghost realm. He is starting to think he should capture Leanne of Coventry, so she can’t use her super powers to hurt him again. This is a great set-up for more evil doings.
Kristie read the next chapter in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. Jane has slept peacefully, after the day of bullying from the townies. Her schoolbooks have dried overnight, and she’s happy to greet her grandmother in the kitchen. She goes outside in the sunshine and is writing a poem when Davy shows up and startles her. She wants to ride on her swing, which is her escape. Davy offers to push her and he can see she’s ‘flying’, overlooking the valley below. This chapter is the calm before another storm.
Leah said she had three pieces of writing to read and gave us the chance to pick two. We asked for the two poems. The first was her reworking of “Winter In The Rainforest”, which will be a limited edition chapbook. The poem had been cut down into nine Haiku verses, accompanying seven photos. The second poem was “Making Love With Your Boots On” which tells of a dream of making love, and the lover ties her cement boots. This poem was done in two versions and Leah asked us to choose which one we preferred. She also asked for more critiquing of her poetry, but we all feel poetry is too subjective for us to be much help. And I don’t think any of us felt qualified to comment on Haiku, either. So if anyone out there would like to help Leah with this, please contact her and offer your help.
Annette read Chapter 6 of “A Taste Of Wormwood”. After sleeping peacefully, Alyssa spends the day watching Carrie work out with Marc and sees that Carrie is shy, but still wants Marc’s attention, and that Marc cares for Carrie, or he wouldn’t be spending his free time with her. He takes them shopping. While shopping, someone asks Carrie if Ali is short for Eliana. At the end of the chapter George West wants to learn more about Ali, and tells his underling to find Wormwood and kill him. The on-going danger is ever present.
Jason read another chapter from the second book in his “Roots Of Creation” series. Dave and his friends are still at the campsite, and are talking about things experienced at school. Dave’s girlfriend, Leah, gets annoyed at Kirk and Grace pawing each other sexually, and pulls away from Dave. She downs some vodka, and gets mad at Dave because nothing spooky is happening. Dave doesn’t understand and she goes on to say she needs him to grow up and accept who he really is and what his future is meant to be. Now we all want to know what Leah knows.
Wendy didn’t read as she is still overwhelmed with moving her mother and selling her home. However, she does offer some good feedback when the rest of us read, and that’s something we need in the group as well.
Marcela has been unable to attend due to her work schedule, but will come to a Meeting as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing her again.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then with your written treasures. In the meantime, Happy Easter to all!
LISA A. HATTON
Author
Published eBooks available at Kobo Books:
FIRE: http://kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739615
LOVE FOUND: http://kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739608
Friday, April 18, 2014
Sunday, April 6, 2014
THE REVIEW
REUNION OF THE RAMS
The Meeting Wednesday night was the long awaited reunion of The Rams after everyone waited patiently while I recovered from surgery. Seven others joined me Wednesday to usher in a new spring for our writing. Wendy and I didn’t read, but everyone else did.
I started by sharing some news. Bob Jacoby had dropped by one afternoon and gave me a stack of tear sheets of Susan Flanagan’s weekly column. Bob and Susan are both email members of the group. Bob lives in Langley, but no longer writes. And Susan moved back to St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her husband and family. Her column is called “The Kids Are Alright” and appears in The Telegram on the front page of the second section every Tuesday. She starts her columns with some personal comment, usually to do with family, and then moves on to offer a lot of information that is related to outdoor activities, geography, history, or community interests or concerns. I read and enjoyed most of the tear sheets and at the Meeting offered them to other members. They were all gone at the end of the Meeting.
With regard to Jason’s book, “Provoked”, I explained I had trouble reading fantasy but that since Honey had only ever read three books of fiction, one of them fantasy, I had given him Jason’s book to read. He was reading it almost non-stop and commented that he really liked the short chapters and he thought the characters were interesting and well-developed. But he did say he thought there was too much sex, probably so it would sell to more women than men. Just proves male engineers are sexist, or would that be non-sexist?
I also said I had bought the 19th edition of The Canadian Writers’ Market and was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few more Canadian literary agents listed. I pointed out to Jim there were a number of both agents and publishers looking for children’s and YA books, thinking of his “Coventry Ghosts” series.
Jim read first and gave us Chapter 42 of “Coventry Ghosts – Book II”. We see Joel going to a pharmacy to get antibiotics for Ji-Young, while Sara watches over both of them from the Aeris. At night, Sarah and Joel go to scout out an army base. Sara is learning to use more of her ghostly powers but wishes she and Joel could communicate with telepathy. This chapter further develops the mystery.
Jason read a chapter from his second book that shows David with his young friends just after graduation from high school. They are at an evening campfire close to the woods, and are flirting and teasing among themselves. Some are heterosexual and some are homosexual, so the teasing indicates they are all comfortable with each other’s sexual preferences. It was very well written to convey their youth and fascination with sex and also their open-mindedness.
Annette read her Chapter 5 of “A Taste Of Wormwood”. Alyssa explains to John what had happened to her, and that she had worked for a man with criminal connections who wanted more from her. She had refused and he then hired a hit man to kill her because she knew too much. The hit man wooed her and she fell in love with him. Luckily the feeling was mutual so he devised a plan to fake her death and she had been hiding ever since. John confides his parents are in Belize because his Mom is sick and can’t take care of Carrie. Meanwhile, George West is still looking for Alyssa and Wormwood. This chapter develops the plot and adds to the suspense.
Kristie wrote a short story called “Red Light Realization” which shows a male driver having a panic attack while stopped at a red light. The attack continues as the light turns green, other drivers honk and try to get him out of his car. He gets out and falls and hits his head and then wakes up back in this world, realizing he can’t go home yet since he told his wife he was working late. The story is written in a dark tone and we are always expecting some dire outcome. Kristie is very good at writing horror.
Ellie read her story “Beware” about driving her convertible one day and flirting with another driver who was younger and asks if she is a cougar. Shortly after that, she is walking her dog on a woodsy trail and they both encounter a cougar. Ellie keeps her bicycle between the cougar and her and her dog, and slowly manages to put the leash on her dog. Staying calm and talking softly to her dog, while the cat watches, the standoff finally ends when the cougar takes off through the woods. This was an interesting exploration of the meaning of “cougar”.
Leah showed us a previous chapbook she had published called “Shield Memories”. It included poetry and photos of the Algonquin Park, near where she had lived. Now she is putting together another chapbook called “Winter In The Rainforest” with a poem showing her move to the west coast, and which includes photos taken in Campbell Valley Park. The photos are beautiful in both chapbooks and the poetry rich in description of nature.
Next Meeting of The Ram’s Head Writers’ Group will be Wednesday, April 16th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope your garden of writing grows in the meantime and I look forward to seeing you on the 16th!
LISA A. HATTON
Author
Published eBooks available at Kobo Books:
FIRE: http://kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739615
LOVE FOUND: http://kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739608
The Meeting Wednesday night was the long awaited reunion of The Rams after everyone waited patiently while I recovered from surgery. Seven others joined me Wednesday to usher in a new spring for our writing. Wendy and I didn’t read, but everyone else did.
I started by sharing some news. Bob Jacoby had dropped by one afternoon and gave me a stack of tear sheets of Susan Flanagan’s weekly column. Bob and Susan are both email members of the group. Bob lives in Langley, but no longer writes. And Susan moved back to St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her husband and family. Her column is called “The Kids Are Alright” and appears in The Telegram on the front page of the second section every Tuesday. She starts her columns with some personal comment, usually to do with family, and then moves on to offer a lot of information that is related to outdoor activities, geography, history, or community interests or concerns. I read and enjoyed most of the tear sheets and at the Meeting offered them to other members. They were all gone at the end of the Meeting.
With regard to Jason’s book, “Provoked”, I explained I had trouble reading fantasy but that since Honey had only ever read three books of fiction, one of them fantasy, I had given him Jason’s book to read. He was reading it almost non-stop and commented that he really liked the short chapters and he thought the characters were interesting and well-developed. But he did say he thought there was too much sex, probably so it would sell to more women than men. Just proves male engineers are sexist, or would that be non-sexist?
I also said I had bought the 19th edition of The Canadian Writers’ Market and was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few more Canadian literary agents listed. I pointed out to Jim there were a number of both agents and publishers looking for children’s and YA books, thinking of his “Coventry Ghosts” series.
Jim read first and gave us Chapter 42 of “Coventry Ghosts – Book II”. We see Joel going to a pharmacy to get antibiotics for Ji-Young, while Sara watches over both of them from the Aeris. At night, Sarah and Joel go to scout out an army base. Sara is learning to use more of her ghostly powers but wishes she and Joel could communicate with telepathy. This chapter further develops the mystery.
Jason read a chapter from his second book that shows David with his young friends just after graduation from high school. They are at an evening campfire close to the woods, and are flirting and teasing among themselves. Some are heterosexual and some are homosexual, so the teasing indicates they are all comfortable with each other’s sexual preferences. It was very well written to convey their youth and fascination with sex and also their open-mindedness.
Annette read her Chapter 5 of “A Taste Of Wormwood”. Alyssa explains to John what had happened to her, and that she had worked for a man with criminal connections who wanted more from her. She had refused and he then hired a hit man to kill her because she knew too much. The hit man wooed her and she fell in love with him. Luckily the feeling was mutual so he devised a plan to fake her death and she had been hiding ever since. John confides his parents are in Belize because his Mom is sick and can’t take care of Carrie. Meanwhile, George West is still looking for Alyssa and Wormwood. This chapter develops the plot and adds to the suspense.
Kristie wrote a short story called “Red Light Realization” which shows a male driver having a panic attack while stopped at a red light. The attack continues as the light turns green, other drivers honk and try to get him out of his car. He gets out and falls and hits his head and then wakes up back in this world, realizing he can’t go home yet since he told his wife he was working late. The story is written in a dark tone and we are always expecting some dire outcome. Kristie is very good at writing horror.
Ellie read her story “Beware” about driving her convertible one day and flirting with another driver who was younger and asks if she is a cougar. Shortly after that, she is walking her dog on a woodsy trail and they both encounter a cougar. Ellie keeps her bicycle between the cougar and her and her dog, and slowly manages to put the leash on her dog. Staying calm and talking softly to her dog, while the cat watches, the standoff finally ends when the cougar takes off through the woods. This was an interesting exploration of the meaning of “cougar”.
Leah showed us a previous chapbook she had published called “Shield Memories”. It included poetry and photos of the Algonquin Park, near where she had lived. Now she is putting together another chapbook called “Winter In The Rainforest” with a poem showing her move to the west coast, and which includes photos taken in Campbell Valley Park. The photos are beautiful in both chapbooks and the poetry rich in description of nature.
Next Meeting of The Ram’s Head Writers’ Group will be Wednesday, April 16th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope your garden of writing grows in the meantime and I look forward to seeing you on the 16th!
LISA A. HATTON
Author
Published eBooks available at Kobo Books:
FIRE: http://kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739615
LOVE FOUND: http://kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9780991739608
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