AND THE PRIZE GOES TO?
Leah, Kristi, Jim and Margaret F. all joined me on Wednesday for another inspiring Meeting of the Rams. Jason was busy elsewhere. Lorelei was having a bad day. And Annette was attending someone’s birthday party.
Leah gave us a printout of “10 Ways to Promote Your Self-Published Book”. It covers all the basics to self-promote.
Margaret read first, two posts from her blog on caregiving. The first was “Caregiver’s New Year” where she tells us that watching another’s journey in dying is really a privilege and not something to evoke sympathy. The second post was “The Diagnosis” which tells of the shock for both the patient and the caregiver when the diagnosis is terminal, that nothing can be done. Both pieces tell of courage and heartbreak with end of life issues. You can find Margaret’s blog at www.caregiverme.com
Kristi read next, a short story called “TLC”. It is first person and tells of her going to work upset, and all the things going wrong, and then seeing that her first dental patient would be someone she detests. But when both are faced with each other’s tears, they learn they each lost a beloved dog the night before and end up uniting in their grief and consoling each other. And Kristi herself was in tears remembering the death of her dog. It’s remarkable how the printed word can elicit raw emotions from the writer, the reader, the listener. Powerfully written, for sure.
Jim read Ch. 5 of “Coventry Ghosts – Book I”. In this chapter, Leanne appears for the first time after midnight to both her mother, Patty, and her sister, Olivia. Patty faints. We teased Jim because he had her body ‘prostate’ instead of ‘prostrate’. This was a really fun chapter and should thrill young readers.
I read again from “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”; the prologue, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. This explains the death of the child, that DeeDee drowned her, that she wants Nigel to understand, and that her mother is burdened by the event and is worried about what friends from church will think. I haven’t written more yet, but am editing what I have so far, trying to get back into the flow of the story.
In a conversation with Gemma, I did learn she is now involved with a writing group in Victoria and participated in a local event and sat a table where the writers were selling their own work. She said she was able to sell another copy of her book about her dog, Heidi. Good for Gemma!
At the end of the Meeting, we decided that Kristi deserved an award from our prize box for the story that was the best tear-jerker. She chose a small journal.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, July 8th at 7:00 p.m., here at my place. Hope to see you then, and that fathers have a wonderful Fathers’ Day, and that everyone enjoys Canada Day! Write on, Rams!!!
Lisa A. Hatton
Author
Friday, June 19, 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015
THE REVIEW
PAPER CLIP BONANZA
Jason, Leah, Annette and Jim joined me last night for the latest meeting of the Rams. And I am now one box of jumbo paper clips richer. Jim said he can only buy his favourite jumbo clips by the case and he ended up with a thirty year supply. It was his birthday, and he said since he probably wouldn’t outlive his supply of paper clips, he was spreading them around. Something every writer needs, right?
Jason read what might become Chapter 16 of his novel. This chapter was from the point of view of Damianos and shows him starving in an alternate reality/world where he views a beautiful amazon woman at least three feet taller than he is. He saves her from the arrow of a killer and she softens towards him. But he still views her as dinner. We all loved this chapter because Damianos is such a vivid, colourful character, capable of both good and evil at the same time.
Annette read Chapter 25 in “A Touch Of Wormwood”. We see George West moaning on the floor after Alyssa’s father shot him with a stun gun. Mike shows up at the door, badly beaten, but having subdued one of West’s men on the porch, and beat another two of them besides. Alyssa can’t decide whether to wait at the cabin for John, or leave in the ambulance with Mike. Her father tells her to go with Mike. We are still waiting for Alyssa to make up her own mind about who she wants.
Jim read us Ch. 3a, 3b, 3c and revised 3, from “Coventry Ghosts – Book I”. Judge Jeffreys visits the ghost of Jane Seymour and asks her to befriend Leanne of Coventry and try to keep an eye on her to avert trouble, as the young girl exudes more power than she knows how to control. Meanwhile, Leanne uses her powers of telepathy with her sister, Olivia, to have her come to the coffee shop with their mother, Patty, who now cleans the shop three nights a week. Patty tries to remain ‘rational’ but can’t explain all the weird things that happen at the coffee shop. Olivia knows the telepathic link with her sister remains, and she still misses her terribly. We urged Jim to supply some reason why Patty was willing to work at the coffee shop located right where Leanne died outside. Even rational mothers need some good reason to work where they are reminded of a child’s death.
Jason, Jim and I all admitted we hadn’t written anything new to read but had been working at editing previous drafts of work we’ve done.
However, Jim did write an article about prologues, that is in the newsletter at Linkedin. He included my prologue to “Nigel Wingate Is Dead” as an example of a very short prologue, 89 words. Shorter is better he says.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Vancouver’s North Shore in the June Issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
Marilyne Sergi has an article about Canada’s Pier 21 in Halifax in the Abbotsford Genealogical Society Newsletter, June 2015 issue. Also in that issue is her “A Narrative Poem” relating to the history of Edmonton.
Kristi was unable to join us last night as she had no one to look after her children for her. And Lorelie was not feeling well after babysitting a sick grandchild earlier in the week. Hope to see them both next time.
When Jim handed out the paper clips last night, I suggested we start a box of donated writing gifts that we can use as prizes. Further discussion led us to decide we should all contribute something a writer could use, maximum cost of any item under $5.00, and then once a month award a prize for something like the best piece of dialogue, the best action scene, the best character description, the best sex scene (Jason’s suggestion), etc. Prizes we donate to the box could be a box of paper clips, pens, scratch pad, ream of paper, ruler, dictionary, thesaurus, book on writing, USB memory stick, etc. And the winner each month can draw whatever he or she would prefer. Each month we will all submit on a piece of paper our choice of which piece of writing meant the most to us and why, and then we will have someone draw from the collection to determine the winner. Maybe we will go alphabetically to determine the sequence of who draws the winning entry. Okay, Game On! Now you have to write your best!
Leah tells me the Langley Arts Council is meeting next Tuesday, June 9th at 7:00 p.m. at the Langley Community Music School, 4899 – 207th St., near the Al Anderson Pool. She said they are looking to connect with any Langley writing groups and have more literary artists showcased in the community. I think I will go with Leah and represent the Rams. Watch out, there could be public readings coming soon to your future profiles as writers!
Next Meeting of The Rams will be Wednesday, June 17th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Keep writing. Don’t get frazzled by the warm sunshine. And bring your donations to the prize box. See you on the 17th.
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
Jason, Leah, Annette and Jim joined me last night for the latest meeting of the Rams. And I am now one box of jumbo paper clips richer. Jim said he can only buy his favourite jumbo clips by the case and he ended up with a thirty year supply. It was his birthday, and he said since he probably wouldn’t outlive his supply of paper clips, he was spreading them around. Something every writer needs, right?
Jason read what might become Chapter 16 of his novel. This chapter was from the point of view of Damianos and shows him starving in an alternate reality/world where he views a beautiful amazon woman at least three feet taller than he is. He saves her from the arrow of a killer and she softens towards him. But he still views her as dinner. We all loved this chapter because Damianos is such a vivid, colourful character, capable of both good and evil at the same time.
Annette read Chapter 25 in “A Touch Of Wormwood”. We see George West moaning on the floor after Alyssa’s father shot him with a stun gun. Mike shows up at the door, badly beaten, but having subdued one of West’s men on the porch, and beat another two of them besides. Alyssa can’t decide whether to wait at the cabin for John, or leave in the ambulance with Mike. Her father tells her to go with Mike. We are still waiting for Alyssa to make up her own mind about who she wants.
Jim read us Ch. 3a, 3b, 3c and revised 3, from “Coventry Ghosts – Book I”. Judge Jeffreys visits the ghost of Jane Seymour and asks her to befriend Leanne of Coventry and try to keep an eye on her to avert trouble, as the young girl exudes more power than she knows how to control. Meanwhile, Leanne uses her powers of telepathy with her sister, Olivia, to have her come to the coffee shop with their mother, Patty, who now cleans the shop three nights a week. Patty tries to remain ‘rational’ but can’t explain all the weird things that happen at the coffee shop. Olivia knows the telepathic link with her sister remains, and she still misses her terribly. We urged Jim to supply some reason why Patty was willing to work at the coffee shop located right where Leanne died outside. Even rational mothers need some good reason to work where they are reminded of a child’s death.
Jason, Jim and I all admitted we hadn’t written anything new to read but had been working at editing previous drafts of work we’ve done.
However, Jim did write an article about prologues, that is in the newsletter at Linkedin. He included my prologue to “Nigel Wingate Is Dead” as an example of a very short prologue, 89 words. Shorter is better he says.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Vancouver’s North Shore in the June Issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
Marilyne Sergi has an article about Canada’s Pier 21 in Halifax in the Abbotsford Genealogical Society Newsletter, June 2015 issue. Also in that issue is her “A Narrative Poem” relating to the history of Edmonton.
Kristi was unable to join us last night as she had no one to look after her children for her. And Lorelie was not feeling well after babysitting a sick grandchild earlier in the week. Hope to see them both next time.
When Jim handed out the paper clips last night, I suggested we start a box of donated writing gifts that we can use as prizes. Further discussion led us to decide we should all contribute something a writer could use, maximum cost of any item under $5.00, and then once a month award a prize for something like the best piece of dialogue, the best action scene, the best character description, the best sex scene (Jason’s suggestion), etc. Prizes we donate to the box could be a box of paper clips, pens, scratch pad, ream of paper, ruler, dictionary, thesaurus, book on writing, USB memory stick, etc. And the winner each month can draw whatever he or she would prefer. Each month we will all submit on a piece of paper our choice of which piece of writing meant the most to us and why, and then we will have someone draw from the collection to determine the winner. Maybe we will go alphabetically to determine the sequence of who draws the winning entry. Okay, Game On! Now you have to write your best!
Leah tells me the Langley Arts Council is meeting next Tuesday, June 9th at 7:00 p.m. at the Langley Community Music School, 4899 – 207th St., near the Al Anderson Pool. She said they are looking to connect with any Langley writing groups and have more literary artists showcased in the community. I think I will go with Leah and represent the Rams. Watch out, there could be public readings coming soon to your future profiles as writers!
Next Meeting of The Rams will be Wednesday, June 17th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Keep writing. Don’t get frazzled by the warm sunshine. And bring your donations to the prize box. See you on the 17th.
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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