BACK ON SCHEDULE
Wednesday was the third Wednesday of the month, so our Meeting here was back on track. Kay, Annette and Guy joined me in tune with the calendar!
I told the group I needed help deciding which story to read at the Lit Café I’ll be participating in on October 2nd. I am supposed to fill a ten minute time slot with my reading, but only have one ‘Honey’ story that is that exact length. The others are shorter, and I don’t have any two or three that could add to that amount of time together. Besides, I don’t really want to read more than one story. So I read to the group my story “Mechanically Challenged”, about the serpentine belt on a van breaking when we were on our way to Green Lake. It was ten minutes. Later on I read “Don’t Rock The Boat”, about a barbecue catching fire on a houseboat near Kelowna. It was eight minutes long. The group thought it best to read the second story as it had more drama to it and just adding a few words here and there could make it a little longer. So my decision is made and I thank those present for helping me with this. By the way, I used the stopwatch on my cell phone to time my reading all my stories out loud. Honey wanted to know who I was talking to.
Kay is currently writing her spec script and explained to us how the storyline structure is strictly timed for screen presentation. It comes in three acts, and they encompass seven different points of progression. Act 1 starts with the set-up of the main character’s world, and then moves to the inciting incident (conflict). Act 2 brings out a new direction for the character, which leads to a point of no return, and then moves into a reversal of the character’s circumstances. Act 3 proceeds to the climax and then the resolution/denouement. I will never watch a movie or T.V. drama the same way again.
At last week’s Meeting of just Annette and me, we discussed that maybe her novel’s plot would benefit if she wrote a prologue to it in the boyfriend’s point of view. So Annette did that, and it immediately gave way more depth and intrigue to the storyline. Jarod is upset about his relationship with Maxine and works out his anger at the gym, going over everything that bothers him, before leaving on a two week holiday. Now the reader will be left wondering what happened to him, and if the relationship with Maxine is salvageable.
Guy read a short story, “December 16th” that is a rewrite of one he had first let me read before he started coming to our Meetings. In the new version, we see his character George at a pub, looking forward to seeing the waitress Ursula. But she avoids him and he is instead served by an unlikable waitress from the bar. This scene leaves the reader wondering what he has done to deserve such treatment. Guy said he made the change based on some writing tips I had forwarded to everyone. Good to know they are helpful!
Charity’s calendar wasn’t working the same as ours, so she had other commitments Wednesday. And we hope to see Crystal and Luke again soon. And I’ll bet Margaret F. is still on the Island. I heard from her several weeks back, and she is still writing and misses us, as we do her.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, October 4th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then. Write on!
Lisa A. Hatton
Author
Friday, September 22, 2017
Thursday, September 14, 2017
THE REVIEW
TEA FOR TWO
Annette and I were the only Rams in attendance last night so we held our Meeting in the kitchen over a pot of tea and a serving or two of irrelevant conversation and maybe a tidbit of gossip.
To keep us on the writing topic, Annette read from her story about Maxine and Jarod. Max returns to Jarod’s hospital room and finds he’s had a setback and is being rushed to surgery. She faints and spends some time in the ER, and then when she recovers, wanders the halls till she finds a chapel, where Claire is already seated. Claire tells her to come and meet her husband, who is dying. Max realizes that even though she wants her freedom from her relationship to Jarod, she doesn’t want him to die for her to achieve that. This chapter had me wanting to know why, exactly, Max feels her relationship with Jarod is so unbearable.
I read a 150 word author’s bio I was required to submit, along with my picture, to the Lit Café where I have been invited to read. Out of thirteen who applied, I was one of the five chosen to participate. The event takes place October 2nd, at Alexandria House in Crescent Beach, at 7:00 p.m. The theme is Love/Romance/Relationships, so I will be reading one or more of my stories from “Honey Signed The Waiver”. Each author is asked to read for 10 minutes. Then there will be a panel discussion with participation from the floor. Lastly, there will be an open mic for other authors who would like to read. You are all invited to attend. I have been assured there is ample parking there both on site and on the street. When I told Honey he had to drive me, he asked if I’m buying him supper like he does for me when I go to his open mic or Karaoke nights.
Other good news I had was that my story, “Parade of Sorrow”, will be published in the anthology “The Stand” by Polar Expressions. I had a very good week.
Just so I could feel more professional, I went and ordered some new business cards for myself as an author/writer with lots of information on them about contacting me, about the Rams, about my books at Kobo, the blog for The Review. I will start promoting myself with glossy business cards! Ha! Ha!
Yesterday was Charity’s anniversary, so she was busy. Kay started a new job. And Crystal was working last night.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, September 20th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. We will be back on schedule with our Meetings the first and third Wednesdays of the month. I look forward to seeing you next week.
Lisa A. Hatton
Author
Annette and I were the only Rams in attendance last night so we held our Meeting in the kitchen over a pot of tea and a serving or two of irrelevant conversation and maybe a tidbit of gossip.
To keep us on the writing topic, Annette read from her story about Maxine and Jarod. Max returns to Jarod’s hospital room and finds he’s had a setback and is being rushed to surgery. She faints and spends some time in the ER, and then when she recovers, wanders the halls till she finds a chapel, where Claire is already seated. Claire tells her to come and meet her husband, who is dying. Max realizes that even though she wants her freedom from her relationship to Jarod, she doesn’t want him to die for her to achieve that. This chapter had me wanting to know why, exactly, Max feels her relationship with Jarod is so unbearable.
I read a 150 word author’s bio I was required to submit, along with my picture, to the Lit Café where I have been invited to read. Out of thirteen who applied, I was one of the five chosen to participate. The event takes place October 2nd, at Alexandria House in Crescent Beach, at 7:00 p.m. The theme is Love/Romance/Relationships, so I will be reading one or more of my stories from “Honey Signed The Waiver”. Each author is asked to read for 10 minutes. Then there will be a panel discussion with participation from the floor. Lastly, there will be an open mic for other authors who would like to read. You are all invited to attend. I have been assured there is ample parking there both on site and on the street. When I told Honey he had to drive me, he asked if I’m buying him supper like he does for me when I go to his open mic or Karaoke nights.
Other good news I had was that my story, “Parade of Sorrow”, will be published in the anthology “The Stand” by Polar Expressions. I had a very good week.
Just so I could feel more professional, I went and ordered some new business cards for myself as an author/writer with lots of information on them about contacting me, about the Rams, about my books at Kobo, the blog for The Review. I will start promoting myself with glossy business cards! Ha! Ha!
Yesterday was Charity’s anniversary, so she was busy. Kay started a new job. And Crystal was working last night.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, September 20th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. We will be back on schedule with our Meetings the first and third Wednesdays of the month. I look forward to seeing you next week.
Lisa A. Hatton
Author
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