THE REVIEW

WRITERS THREE

Jason and Kay joined me last night for a short Meeting. We were able to enjoy some longer discussions.

Jason confirmed that he did send off his submission to Donald Maass. We are keeping our fingers crossed for him. And Jason did say he’s hoping to finish the second book in his series this year. It is always good to have a definite goal.

Kay said she has decided to use all her own personal experiences as background fodder for a work of fiction instead of something non-fictional. She has outlined an amazing plot for a psychological thriller and we look forward to hearing how it progresses. Last night she did read a short story she did as an exercise to write more effectively. It’s written in first person, about a boyfriend calling to end their relationship but the message she hears is that she must kill him. That’s an interesting twist.

I read two stories last night. The first was “Heaven And Hell”, a ‘Honey’ story about when he was out of town and the air conditioner failed during very hot summer weather. The second story was “Sticky Note”, a short story I started writing down at the Lemon Bakery one Saturday when Luke and I were there. The story came from a writing prompt app on my cell phone, and the prompt was about finding a sticky note on my car. I had meant to write a little horror story, but it didn’t turn out that way as it now stands. However, if I continued with the story it could easily become something more sinister.

Jason questioned me again about why I haven’t continued writing “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”. He said if I want to make it a life story of the two main characters, that I should have the story start with them knowing each other as children and then have them re-connect as adults, as is done in “Forest Gump”. Something to think about. Unfortunately, I really like writing short stories because of the sense of accomplishment I get when I finish one. It just takes so long to write a novel to find the same satisfaction. It’s like waiting ten years to smell the rose you planted yesterday. And I’ve been successful with short stories. I don’t think I’ll ever be a great novel writer. But maybe I just need to be pushed. Keep at it, Jason!

The latest Polar Expression short story anthology entitled “Shoreline” contains stories by two Rams; one by me and one by Gemma Tamas. Mine was “The Unwritten Story” and Gemma’s was “On The Sky Train”.

In the December issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine is an article by Margaret Moffatt on the history of Haida Gwaii. I haven’t yet seen the January issue, so can’t report what article of hers is included there.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Have you set a writing goal for yourself in 2017? I think it’s important for us to do that instead of just hoping inspiration will strike at random, like winning the lottery. For myself, I need to spend time at the keyboard in order to accomplish any writing. Words and/or storyline do not flow for me unless I am actually putting them on the screen or on paper.

Maybe we can discuss the goals we’ve set at the next Meeting, Wednesday, January 18th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.

Lisa A. Hatton
Author