SEVEN SCRIBES
Jason, Annette, Leah, Kristi, Wendy and Jim all joined me Wednesday for an inspiring meeting dedicated to the written word.
Jason read first, another chapter in his second book in his series. Gregg is at home in the morning, getting ready to help Jody celebrate her 17th birthday. His stepfather, Patrick, knowingly provides him with a bottle of wine but says not to tell anyone. And his mother, Laura, corners him with questions about what is going on. She won’t let him get away. Gregg doesn’t know what to say about knowing he is only part human. He asks her if she believes in the afterlife. She tells him that’s only for the very young or the very old to believe, as those in between are too busy living. A very meaningful conversation.
Annette read Chapter 20 from “A Touch Of Wormwood”. Still at the hideaway cabin, Mike wants Alyssa for himself, but sees how close she has come to his brother, John. And he sees John move to stand between him and Alyssa. Outside and alone with each other, John accuses Mike of having sent Alyssa into a life of hiding, a life also filled with danger and terror. Will wanting the same woman tear two brothers apart?
Leah read two short pieces that came from writing prompts. “One Wooden Whistle” was about an old man’s effects contained in a box. One of the items was a wooden whistle he had used to call doves to him to act as his messenger pigeons. “Snow Job” was about one woman’s very tall ‘little brother’ trying to convince her to lend him her much cherished rebuilt car she called ‘Gypsy’. Though short, both pieces revealed snapshots from life that clearly displayed precise moments of meaning.
Kristi read the next chapter in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. We see Jane heading home after delivering the baby, trying to navigate a muddy alley. She feels like people are watching her from behind dark windows as she passes by. Close to a busier roadway, a young boy steals her bag and she chases after him. She falls and knocks a man’s basket to the ground. After rising and returning the basket to him, he calls her a bitch and then leaves humming a lullaby. A very strange dichotomy of behavior.
Wendy read the first piece of writing she has done in a very long time, inspired by what she is going through caring for her 95 year old mother. She titled the piece “The Dilemma Of Old Age”. Wendy details the trials and tribulations of her mother’s personality traits, which often mirror a child’s, and cause distress to both Wendy and her sister. And she reminds us how difficult it is to maintain our equilibrium in the face of such cantankerous eruptions. But because of love, she still wishes the very best for this woman she has known all her life. This was a heartfelt piece of writing that touched us all, and we hope will be shared with a bigger audience.
Jim read Ch. 71 and 72 of “Coventry Ghosts – Book II”. Unable to revive Sara in the dark reaches of Drakko after her essence was shattered by containing the bomb, Shei, Moog and Grek call on Leanne from Coventry to help save Sara. Leanne gathers Piovra to her and pulls energy from the Aeris as well as energy from the other ghosts, and proceeds to put together all the pieces of Sara’s essence. Miraculously, Sara is revived. Wisely, she decides to forego her search for revenge and returns to the coffee shop. The last chapter in the book sees Sara and her friend Karly planning a trip to Eqypt instead. They agree to meet at The Great Sphinx at one nanosecond after midnight, Eqypt time.
Jim was saying his hired editor has been missing in action since before Christmas. We hope he can make contact with her and at least get his money’s worth from the project. However, this is also a reminder that it might be wise to have a written contract when hiring this service.
I am scheduled for my last surgery on March 3rd, and am thinking I will need 4 to 6 weeks of recovery time before I’m ready to host another meeting afterward. I will definitely contact everyone to let you know how I’m progressing.
In the meantime, I wish everyone continued inspiration from The Muse, and also a happy Spring Break, and a Happy Easter, as well. Write On!
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, February 20, 2015
Saturday, February 7, 2015
THE REVIEW
FEBRUARY FIVE
There were five of us here Wednesday night in spite of the rains. Jim, Jason, Annette, and Kristi all came to join me and we read some of our scribblings.
I read first although I probably shouldn’t have read at all. With both my recent surgery and the prospect of the next one looming, my mind has not been on the written word. However, I did write and then read about what expectations I have of my upcoming pre-admission visit at the hospital. After five surgeries, it is all very routine to me, and probably read that way as well. If the writer is bored, then so, too, will be the reader.
Annette read a short personal introspection called “The Winter Nest”. She describes daily walks to the end of the driveway and not knowing which way to go, much like the geese she watches who seem unable to leave and fly south for the winter. She thinks they laugh at her when she decides not to leave home, either. Very poignant.
Jason read the next chapter in his novel. Gregg is at home drained and exhausted from his healing of Jaina. Jody is with him. His parents are also there, trying to find out what the two teenagers had been up to. The parents think the kids had been having sex. Gregg and Jody don’t enlighten them, but Gregg does then become sexually excited and Jody notices. This scene ramps up the sexual tension between the two of them and we see a softer, more human side of Jody.
Kristi read her most recent re-write of chapter 1 in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. This shows a more mature version of Jane acting as a midwife in the very poor section of town close to the docks. She is very concerned that the mother seems to not want her newborn but finally convinces her to nurse the baby. This is setting up the explanation of where the food supply for the daisies will come from in later chapters. Oh, what horror!
Jim read Chapter 69 and 70 in “Coventry Ghosts – Book II”. As the submarine is leaving, Sara the kitten says good-bye to Mei-Xiu, and invites her to come visit them at Coventry. The sub is heading toward the aircraft carrier which has a physician who can treat the lieutenant. Two platoons of marines later parachute into Honywuan to destroy Jason’s new computer. Sara also goes but is terrified for them when she discerns the lone computer in the lab is a bomb. She wraps herself around it to contain the blast, but is herself blown into the depths of Drakko. She’s got herself into another fix, as only a kitten can do.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Fort Langley in the February issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
Lorelie is still dealing with health issues and we wish her well. Leah is super busy with her business endeavors these days. And we haven’t heard from anyone else.
I am definitely scheduled for my last surgery on March 3rd, after which I will require about 4 to 6 weeks for recovery before I can again host Meetings. Therefore, the next Meeting will be Wednesday, February 18th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place, and will be the last until sometime in April probably. So mark your calendar and we hope to see you February 18th.
PS: Did you know that February 14th is both Valentine’s Day and International Condom Day? Now why is that?
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
There were five of us here Wednesday night in spite of the rains. Jim, Jason, Annette, and Kristi all came to join me and we read some of our scribblings.
I read first although I probably shouldn’t have read at all. With both my recent surgery and the prospect of the next one looming, my mind has not been on the written word. However, I did write and then read about what expectations I have of my upcoming pre-admission visit at the hospital. After five surgeries, it is all very routine to me, and probably read that way as well. If the writer is bored, then so, too, will be the reader.
Annette read a short personal introspection called “The Winter Nest”. She describes daily walks to the end of the driveway and not knowing which way to go, much like the geese she watches who seem unable to leave and fly south for the winter. She thinks they laugh at her when she decides not to leave home, either. Very poignant.
Jason read the next chapter in his novel. Gregg is at home drained and exhausted from his healing of Jaina. Jody is with him. His parents are also there, trying to find out what the two teenagers had been up to. The parents think the kids had been having sex. Gregg and Jody don’t enlighten them, but Gregg does then become sexually excited and Jody notices. This scene ramps up the sexual tension between the two of them and we see a softer, more human side of Jody.
Kristi read her most recent re-write of chapter 1 in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. This shows a more mature version of Jane acting as a midwife in the very poor section of town close to the docks. She is very concerned that the mother seems to not want her newborn but finally convinces her to nurse the baby. This is setting up the explanation of where the food supply for the daisies will come from in later chapters. Oh, what horror!
Jim read Chapter 69 and 70 in “Coventry Ghosts – Book II”. As the submarine is leaving, Sara the kitten says good-bye to Mei-Xiu, and invites her to come visit them at Coventry. The sub is heading toward the aircraft carrier which has a physician who can treat the lieutenant. Two platoons of marines later parachute into Honywuan to destroy Jason’s new computer. Sara also goes but is terrified for them when she discerns the lone computer in the lab is a bomb. She wraps herself around it to contain the blast, but is herself blown into the depths of Drakko. She’s got herself into another fix, as only a kitten can do.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Fort Langley in the February issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
Lorelie is still dealing with health issues and we wish her well. Leah is super busy with her business endeavors these days. And we haven’t heard from anyone else.
I am definitely scheduled for my last surgery on March 3rd, after which I will require about 4 to 6 weeks for recovery before I can again host Meetings. Therefore, the next Meeting will be Wednesday, February 18th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place, and will be the last until sometime in April probably. So mark your calendar and we hope to see you February 18th.
PS: Did you know that February 14th is both Valentine’s Day and International Condom Day? Now why is that?
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)