FEARLESS FOURSOME
Kristi, Annette and Jason joined me for a Meeting of the Rams last night. Leah was going to another meeting elsewhere. Wendy is caring for her ailing mother. And still no word from Jim.
Margaret Moffatt has another article, this one about White Rock, in Today’s Senior Newsmagazine, August issue.
Kristi read a hot and heavy sex scene from “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. It shows the Captain on board his ship, feeling ill. To help fall asleep, he remembers and dreams about having made love with Ursula. But the dream turns nightmarish as he sees her falling into the water and drowning. Kristi said she researched how to write the scene, and also researched swear words and their usage for that time period. She wanted to verify that the Captain could have used the “F” word.
Annette said she hasn’t been writing lately as she recovers her health, and also because she is so busy with family. But she said she changed the last chapter she read to us and made John seem more aggressive in his proposal to Alysa. She then read to us the chapter where Alysa is at the house alone while John and Carrie are in Belize with their parents for Christmas. Alysa doesn’t think she feels any spark with John, but will probably marry him anyhow. Feeling lonely, she re-visits a shelter where she spent the previous Christmas. There she has an encounter with a young woman who is very judgemental of homeless people and the girl’s father tries coming onto Alysa. Disgusted with both of them, she finishes her volunteer stint at food preparation and then leaves.
Jason read to us a chapter from his Book II, that shows Gregg taking Jody on a picnic. He wants to take care of her and heal her, but she reacts negatively to everything he does. We discussed this chapter and Jason now thinks he will re-write it and put more conflict into the scene.
I read my first person story called “The Memory Of White Wine”, which was my submission to the Polar Expressions writing contest. It’s about a woman getting drunk on white wine as she tells her husband she wants a divorce.
Kristie said she also entered the contest and submitted her short story of the girl walking barefoot in the dust, trying to run away from abuse.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, August 20th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
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
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Saturday, July 19, 2014
THE REVIEW
STILL LEARNING
Leah, Annette and Jason joined me on Wednesday for our Meeting of The Rams. Kristie was unable to get a babysitter so she could attend. We were very happy to see Annette recovering from her recent heart attack. There’s been no word from Jim, and we are also wondering how he’s doing. And we do know Wendy is busy with family this month.
Annette read first, Chapter 11 in “A Touch Of Wormwood”. Ally is trying to avoid John, afraid that he’s becoming too fond of her and not wanting that kind of involvement. She is tempted to search his room, but he catches her there and puts his arms around her and then proposes marriage. We did suggest that John, as a police officer, needed to be made a more aggressive character and Annette said she would think on it, but that the proposal would stay as it’s part of the ongoing plot.
Jason read his next chapter that shows Leah and David entering the barn where he has hidden the sword she wants to see. There is an instant where he sees Leah’s face older and wrinkled in the glow of candlelight. As they are about to ascend the ladder to the hay loft, there is a noise and suddenly Granny appears and scares them. We anticipate a showdown between Leah and Granny at some point.
Jason was asking me for a book review on his first novel, but I have never written a book review and told him I didn’t think my opinion mattered that much as I wasn’t a journalist who did book reviews, and I wasn’t a well-known editor or publisher, either. He assured me book reviews these days have devolved to the masses, such as at Amazon or Goodreads. I’ll keep that in mind.
Our Leah shared a summary of a business plan she hopes to submit to the Small Business Development Bank hoping for support to start a consulting company. I said I found the first page too full of generalities, but Leah assured me that’s how a business plan summary is done. Personally, I thought it would be more effective with some concrete examples thrown in to better describe the type of business envisioned. But that is obviously the writer and journalist in me. However, I was very impressed with the questionnaire that accompanied it to ascertain the type of service that prospective clients would need. Writing abilities have numerous applications, with business endeavors also included among them.
I didn’t read anything, but did pass around a book I purchased recently, “The Canadian Writers’ Guide”. It was published in 2003, but still has a great deal of relevant information, from how to find writing topics or inspiration, to self-publishing ebooks, to manuscript formatting, to Canadian Literary Agents, to Canadian writing contests, to how much to charge for magazine articles. And there were several chapters by Lois Peterson, a local writing teacher I respect greatly for her practical suggestions on many writing topics.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, August 6th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then, and please stay healthy in the meantime!
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
Leah, Annette and Jason joined me on Wednesday for our Meeting of The Rams. Kristie was unable to get a babysitter so she could attend. We were very happy to see Annette recovering from her recent heart attack. There’s been no word from Jim, and we are also wondering how he’s doing. And we do know Wendy is busy with family this month.
Annette read first, Chapter 11 in “A Touch Of Wormwood”. Ally is trying to avoid John, afraid that he’s becoming too fond of her and not wanting that kind of involvement. She is tempted to search his room, but he catches her there and puts his arms around her and then proposes marriage. We did suggest that John, as a police officer, needed to be made a more aggressive character and Annette said she would think on it, but that the proposal would stay as it’s part of the ongoing plot.
Jason read his next chapter that shows Leah and David entering the barn where he has hidden the sword she wants to see. There is an instant where he sees Leah’s face older and wrinkled in the glow of candlelight. As they are about to ascend the ladder to the hay loft, there is a noise and suddenly Granny appears and scares them. We anticipate a showdown between Leah and Granny at some point.
Jason was asking me for a book review on his first novel, but I have never written a book review and told him I didn’t think my opinion mattered that much as I wasn’t a journalist who did book reviews, and I wasn’t a well-known editor or publisher, either. He assured me book reviews these days have devolved to the masses, such as at Amazon or Goodreads. I’ll keep that in mind.
Our Leah shared a summary of a business plan she hopes to submit to the Small Business Development Bank hoping for support to start a consulting company. I said I found the first page too full of generalities, but Leah assured me that’s how a business plan summary is done. Personally, I thought it would be more effective with some concrete examples thrown in to better describe the type of business envisioned. But that is obviously the writer and journalist in me. However, I was very impressed with the questionnaire that accompanied it to ascertain the type of service that prospective clients would need. Writing abilities have numerous applications, with business endeavors also included among them.
I didn’t read anything, but did pass around a book I purchased recently, “The Canadian Writers’ Guide”. It was published in 2003, but still has a great deal of relevant information, from how to find writing topics or inspiration, to self-publishing ebooks, to manuscript formatting, to Canadian Literary Agents, to Canadian writing contests, to how much to charge for magazine articles. And there were several chapters by Lois Peterson, a local writing teacher I respect greatly for her practical suggestions on many writing topics.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, August 6th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then, and please stay healthy in the meantime!
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, July 4, 2014
THE REVIEW
A CROWD OF THREE
Jason and Kristi joined me Wednesday for a meeting of three. There was lots of time to discuss writing and talk about our goals.
Kristie regaled us with tales of an author who cyber bullies participants in a twitter writing forum, and who was bullying her. Very bizarre. Then she tells us her computer crashed, and we wonder if the two are connected? She needs to write a horror tale about this.
I read first, another ‘Honey’ story called “Face To Face”, about my recent acquisition of a new cell phone so I could take pictures with it, and how I’m too busy playing with my new toy to actually communicate face to face with anyone, namely Honey. I don’t even answer when he calls me on it.
I now have 30,000 words in ‘Honey’ stories and feel that’s a good basis for a small book of humour. I’m still working on putting them all together in one manuscript and editing them so there isn’t a lot of repetition. I don’t yet know if I want to self-publish them as an ebook, or if I want to seek a book publisher.
Kristi read the next chapter in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. Jane reaches home just before dawn after her terrifying encounter with the daisies. She desperately wants to sleep, but is disturbed by the hateful cat in her room. She tries to oust the cat, which evades her, and then it suddenly turns mellow and loving before finally leaving the room.
Kristie says she has reworked the story and has made Jane a schoolteacher in her twenties instead of a teenaged school girl. She thinks this will give her more options in plot development. And she finds the more she writes, the more she wants to re-write to make her story better.
Jason read the next Chapter in his second book. Dave and Leah have left the campfire and she is enticing him with sexual advances, but then stops Dave from going any further. She tells him she wants to see the sword he has hidden and, from his sexual frustration, Dave finally agrees. A lot of sexual tension in this Chapter.
Jason was saying he doesn’t know if he wants to continue writing one book with two plot-lines or if he should split it into two books, each with its own plot. He’s worried about what the reader wants. We discussed this and spoke of other books that have more than one plot and also many different character viewpoints. Whichever way he chooses is acceptable.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Penticton in the July issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
We are all hoping Annette is home again and safely recovering from her stay in hospital. Wendy is out of the loop for the month of July, busy with family engagements. Ellie is on the last stages of packing and moving and we wish her well in her new home on the Island. Leah should be at the next Meeting. And we haven’t heard anything from Jim.
I had suggested maybe cancelling Meetings for some or all of the summer, but Jason and Kristi were against this. They said as parents of young children, this is their only chance to get out and congregate with other writers without interruption. With that endorsement in mind, the next Meeting will be Wednesday, July 16th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
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 and Kristi joined me Wednesday for a meeting of three. There was lots of time to discuss writing and talk about our goals.
Kristie regaled us with tales of an author who cyber bullies participants in a twitter writing forum, and who was bullying her. Very bizarre. Then she tells us her computer crashed, and we wonder if the two are connected? She needs to write a horror tale about this.
I read first, another ‘Honey’ story called “Face To Face”, about my recent acquisition of a new cell phone so I could take pictures with it, and how I’m too busy playing with my new toy to actually communicate face to face with anyone, namely Honey. I don’t even answer when he calls me on it.
I now have 30,000 words in ‘Honey’ stories and feel that’s a good basis for a small book of humour. I’m still working on putting them all together in one manuscript and editing them so there isn’t a lot of repetition. I don’t yet know if I want to self-publish them as an ebook, or if I want to seek a book publisher.
Kristi read the next chapter in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. Jane reaches home just before dawn after her terrifying encounter with the daisies. She desperately wants to sleep, but is disturbed by the hateful cat in her room. She tries to oust the cat, which evades her, and then it suddenly turns mellow and loving before finally leaving the room.
Kristie says she has reworked the story and has made Jane a schoolteacher in her twenties instead of a teenaged school girl. She thinks this will give her more options in plot development. And she finds the more she writes, the more she wants to re-write to make her story better.
Jason read the next Chapter in his second book. Dave and Leah have left the campfire and she is enticing him with sexual advances, but then stops Dave from going any further. She tells him she wants to see the sword he has hidden and, from his sexual frustration, Dave finally agrees. A lot of sexual tension in this Chapter.
Jason was saying he doesn’t know if he wants to continue writing one book with two plot-lines or if he should split it into two books, each with its own plot. He’s worried about what the reader wants. We discussed this and spoke of other books that have more than one plot and also many different character viewpoints. Whichever way he chooses is acceptable.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Penticton in the July issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
We are all hoping Annette is home again and safely recovering from her stay in hospital. Wendy is out of the loop for the month of July, busy with family engagements. Ellie is on the last stages of packing and moving and we wish her well in her new home on the Island. Leah should be at the next Meeting. And we haven’t heard anything from Jim.
I had suggested maybe cancelling Meetings for some or all of the summer, but Jason and Kristi were against this. They said as parents of young children, this is their only chance to get out and congregate with other writers without interruption. With that endorsement in mind, the next Meeting will be Wednesday, July 16th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
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
Sunday, June 22, 2014
THE REVIEW
JUNE SCRIBES
Six of us Rams met on Wednesday to share our written musings, although Wendy and I didn’t have any writing of our own to read.
Kristi read to us the latest in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. Jane awakes on the hill with the daisies, near dawn. To escape them, she has agreed to bring them humans to devour, but hopes to renege once she gets away. They tell her though, that they can control her in her mind and torment her with nightmares, but they will give her some time before she has to comply as they are not yet hungry. Scary damned flowers!
Kristi also read a short piece from a writing promtp that was “Dust And Dead Ends”. It’s about a girl walking on the road barefoot, trying to escape an abusive man she lives with, but he stops beside her in his pick-up truck, and she obediently gets in. This could be the beginning of a longer story.
Jason was just back from Germany on Tuesday and hadn’t done any writing, still suffering from jet lag. He read to us about Leigia in love, from his blog. It is a sensual bit of character development that was not included in the novel. Jason thought it too racy for young adults.
Leah’s art project is progressing, and there will be consecutive showing probably till this time next summer. And she also has volunteers to do voiceover on the video. Way to go, Leah!
She also read to us her first chapter from “Bonguetopia”. It introduces Tally and his grandfather who are reading some very dull history book about the Bard. We also found the history book a little too much, and asked to hear more about Tally, and why he’s desperate to know more about the Bard. Since this is only Leah’s first draft, we know there can be many changes yet to come.
Annette read the next chapter in “A Taste Of Wormwood”. Inside the secret room, Alyssa turns on all the monitors that show different parts of the house, and listens in on the exchange between John and the two policemen. John doesn’t let on she is in the house. After the cops leave Alyssa questions John about his brother Mike, and learns both he and John are police officers, that Mike was undercover with West’s crime organization but was compromised and is now hiding. He tells Alyssa she will be there alone for Christmas when he takes Carrie to visit their parents. And he tells her the only other cop he trusts is Carl Jackson. Yes, the plot thickens.
Annette also brought her laptop and showed us adorable pictures of her brand new grandson.
Jim had phoned to say he was knee deep in yard work and couldn’t make the meeting. We missed him.
The next Meeting of The Rams will be Wednesday, July 2nd at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then. Happy Canada Day in the meantime!
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
Six of us Rams met on Wednesday to share our written musings, although Wendy and I didn’t have any writing of our own to read.
Kristi read to us the latest in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. Jane awakes on the hill with the daisies, near dawn. To escape them, she has agreed to bring them humans to devour, but hopes to renege once she gets away. They tell her though, that they can control her in her mind and torment her with nightmares, but they will give her some time before she has to comply as they are not yet hungry. Scary damned flowers!
Kristi also read a short piece from a writing promtp that was “Dust And Dead Ends”. It’s about a girl walking on the road barefoot, trying to escape an abusive man she lives with, but he stops beside her in his pick-up truck, and she obediently gets in. This could be the beginning of a longer story.
Jason was just back from Germany on Tuesday and hadn’t done any writing, still suffering from jet lag. He read to us about Leigia in love, from his blog. It is a sensual bit of character development that was not included in the novel. Jason thought it too racy for young adults.
Leah’s art project is progressing, and there will be consecutive showing probably till this time next summer. And she also has volunteers to do voiceover on the video. Way to go, Leah!
She also read to us her first chapter from “Bonguetopia”. It introduces Tally and his grandfather who are reading some very dull history book about the Bard. We also found the history book a little too much, and asked to hear more about Tally, and why he’s desperate to know more about the Bard. Since this is only Leah’s first draft, we know there can be many changes yet to come.
Annette read the next chapter in “A Taste Of Wormwood”. Inside the secret room, Alyssa turns on all the monitors that show different parts of the house, and listens in on the exchange between John and the two policemen. John doesn’t let on she is in the house. After the cops leave Alyssa questions John about his brother Mike, and learns both he and John are police officers, that Mike was undercover with West’s crime organization but was compromised and is now hiding. He tells Alyssa she will be there alone for Christmas when he takes Carrie to visit their parents. And he tells her the only other cop he trusts is Carl Jackson. Yes, the plot thickens.
Annette also brought her laptop and showed us adorable pictures of her brand new grandson.
Jim had phoned to say he was knee deep in yard work and couldn’t make the meeting. We missed him.
The next Meeting of The Rams will be Wednesday, July 2nd at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then. Happy Canada Day in the meantime!
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, June 6, 2014
THE REVIEW
HEALING CIRCLE
Five of us were here Wednesday night, though some were suffering. Leah had fallen down some stairs and was hurting. Jim was still recovering from first the flu, and then from being knocked off his bike by a car hitting him. And Wendy wasn’t able to attend as she wasn’t feeling well. Jason was away, on holidays in Germany. Ellie has sold her house and is moving to Nanoose Bay on the Island by August, and is very busy with that endeavor. We will miss her greatly. Stay well, Dear Rams.
Annette read first, Chapter 10 from “A Touch Of Wormwood”. We are kept in suspense waiting for Ali’s diagnosis. Then she and John and Carrie share a sad Thanksgiving dinner with Marc not there to be with Carrie. Later the police who were watching Ali at the clinic knock on the door, and John hides her in a secret room.
Kristie has become the queen of macabre. She added a prologue to her prologue for “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”, which shows the gruesome side of Talbot, the magician, when he murders Ursula, a barmaid, because she helped the ship captain beat him at cards.
Then Kristie read the latest chapter, which has Jane being accused by the daisies of murdering their sister. They also tell her she is blue, just like them, and offer to let her live if she will bring them food (humans) to eat. Lying, she agrees.
Leah brought a video we watched showing the pictures and poetry from “Winter In The Rain Forest” that was set to music. The pictures were gorgeous in digital format on the screen. Then, regarding the historical fantasy she is writing, Leah shared 4 Haiku, a Hybrid, and 5 Senryu; all poems by the Bard of Bonquetopia about a ruined city. He will be a major character in the story.
Regarding story structure, Leah also gave us each a copy of a printout which itemizes the steps in the mythical story structure, further to what Marcela had spoken of at the last meeting.
Jim read Chapters 56 and 57 from “Coventry Ghosts – Book II”. In 56, we see Sara and Joel scouting around the outside of the compound where Jason has his laboratory. In 57, we see Jason experimenting with more brains added to his server, in his quest to take control from the ghosts that he wants to use in the search for his parents’ essences. He has a single minded determination to own total power over all.
I read another ‘Honey’ story, “The Virtue Of Vice”. This tells of meeting a repairman at the pub who offered to replace my worn kitchen arborite, since Honey doesn’t do more than the minimum in home maintenance.
Kristie then read to us her own version of Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”. It was a moving vision of a song going forth in freedom.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Hope, B.C. in the June issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, June 18th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
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
Five of us were here Wednesday night, though some were suffering. Leah had fallen down some stairs and was hurting. Jim was still recovering from first the flu, and then from being knocked off his bike by a car hitting him. And Wendy wasn’t able to attend as she wasn’t feeling well. Jason was away, on holidays in Germany. Ellie has sold her house and is moving to Nanoose Bay on the Island by August, and is very busy with that endeavor. We will miss her greatly. Stay well, Dear Rams.
Annette read first, Chapter 10 from “A Touch Of Wormwood”. We are kept in suspense waiting for Ali’s diagnosis. Then she and John and Carrie share a sad Thanksgiving dinner with Marc not there to be with Carrie. Later the police who were watching Ali at the clinic knock on the door, and John hides her in a secret room.
Kristie has become the queen of macabre. She added a prologue to her prologue for “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”, which shows the gruesome side of Talbot, the magician, when he murders Ursula, a barmaid, because she helped the ship captain beat him at cards.
Then Kristie read the latest chapter, which has Jane being accused by the daisies of murdering their sister. They also tell her she is blue, just like them, and offer to let her live if she will bring them food (humans) to eat. Lying, she agrees.
Leah brought a video we watched showing the pictures and poetry from “Winter In The Rain Forest” that was set to music. The pictures were gorgeous in digital format on the screen. Then, regarding the historical fantasy she is writing, Leah shared 4 Haiku, a Hybrid, and 5 Senryu; all poems by the Bard of Bonquetopia about a ruined city. He will be a major character in the story.
Regarding story structure, Leah also gave us each a copy of a printout which itemizes the steps in the mythical story structure, further to what Marcela had spoken of at the last meeting.
Jim read Chapters 56 and 57 from “Coventry Ghosts – Book II”. In 56, we see Sara and Joel scouting around the outside of the compound where Jason has his laboratory. In 57, we see Jason experimenting with more brains added to his server, in his quest to take control from the ghosts that he wants to use in the search for his parents’ essences. He has a single minded determination to own total power over all.
I read another ‘Honey’ story, “The Virtue Of Vice”. This tells of meeting a repairman at the pub who offered to replace my worn kitchen arborite, since Honey doesn’t do more than the minimum in home maintenance.
Kristie then read to us her own version of Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”. It was a moving vision of a song going forth in freedom.
Margaret Moffatt has an article on the history of Hope, B.C. in the June issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, June 18th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
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, May 23, 2014
THE REVIEW
SPRING POSIES
Annette, Leah, Wendy, Jason and Ellie all joined me Wednesday to honour The Muse. Kristi was unable to join us as she couldn’t find a babysitter. We missed her tales of horror. And there’s been no word from Jim for weeks now. We all hope he’s doing fine. If anyone hears from him, let the rest of us know. Margaret F. had said she wanted to attend, but then emailed she would be away on a cruise. There was no word from Marcela or Mary.
Annette shared with us a cover she had drawn up for a novel of hers called “Chocolate Curls and Dragons. She intends to self-publish in hard copy, and says she has many online writers asking for copies of it. And Leah handed out printed invitations to an Exhibit of her photography and poetry.
First to read, Annette gave us Chapter 9 of “A Taste Of Wormwood”. Ali is fearful and plans to leave but John calms her down and she confides in him about the previous rape and her visits to the health clinic where she spotted George’s men who were looking for her. John takes her to a different doctor for the vaccine she needs. She turns to him like an older brother but John might feel differently about her. This reads like a burgeoning romance, but Annette assures us it will turn into something very different.
Leah shared with us a map and world fact book entry about a country she is fabricating on another planet to become the platform for an historical fantasy novel she plans to write. This pre-fab setting is extremely detailed and we were all amazed at the work she has put into this.
Jason read his next chapter about Dave and his friends camping beside the whispering woods. Grammy uncorks her bottle of wine and asks for a glass. But there are only plastic cups, which she disdains and then proceeds to drink straight from the bottle. She then reminisces about her father and his penchant for drinking wine. Leah gets Dave to go for a walk with her, and after they leave, Grammy says she’s trouble. This was a good depiction of both the young people and a very experienced elder.
I had found two ‘Honey’ stories I had misplaced in my computer files for several years, so I read one entitled “Rodeo Of Fabrics”. It’s about Honey wanting me to make a cowboy shirt for him and the prolonged search for the right combination of fabrics and colours for it.
Ellie read a poem called “Bee In My Bonnet” about a honey bee telling her off for trying to swat it away. Very amusing.
Wendy didn’t read as she has been so busy selling her mother’s house and moving her Mom into a retirement home and helping her to settle in. It’s a lot of work to tend to an aging parent’s needs. We hope at some point she’ll be able to write about the experience.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, June 4th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. In the meantime I hope your writing blossoms forth in tune with Spring.
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
Annette, Leah, Wendy, Jason and Ellie all joined me Wednesday to honour The Muse. Kristi was unable to join us as she couldn’t find a babysitter. We missed her tales of horror. And there’s been no word from Jim for weeks now. We all hope he’s doing fine. If anyone hears from him, let the rest of us know. Margaret F. had said she wanted to attend, but then emailed she would be away on a cruise. There was no word from Marcela or Mary.
Annette shared with us a cover she had drawn up for a novel of hers called “Chocolate Curls and Dragons. She intends to self-publish in hard copy, and says she has many online writers asking for copies of it. And Leah handed out printed invitations to an Exhibit of her photography and poetry.
First to read, Annette gave us Chapter 9 of “A Taste Of Wormwood”. Ali is fearful and plans to leave but John calms her down and she confides in him about the previous rape and her visits to the health clinic where she spotted George’s men who were looking for her. John takes her to a different doctor for the vaccine she needs. She turns to him like an older brother but John might feel differently about her. This reads like a burgeoning romance, but Annette assures us it will turn into something very different.
Leah shared with us a map and world fact book entry about a country she is fabricating on another planet to become the platform for an historical fantasy novel she plans to write. This pre-fab setting is extremely detailed and we were all amazed at the work she has put into this.
Jason read his next chapter about Dave and his friends camping beside the whispering woods. Grammy uncorks her bottle of wine and asks for a glass. But there are only plastic cups, which she disdains and then proceeds to drink straight from the bottle. She then reminisces about her father and his penchant for drinking wine. Leah gets Dave to go for a walk with her, and after they leave, Grammy says she’s trouble. This was a good depiction of both the young people and a very experienced elder.
I had found two ‘Honey’ stories I had misplaced in my computer files for several years, so I read one entitled “Rodeo Of Fabrics”. It’s about Honey wanting me to make a cowboy shirt for him and the prolonged search for the right combination of fabrics and colours for it.
Ellie read a poem called “Bee In My Bonnet” about a honey bee telling her off for trying to swat it away. Very amusing.
Wendy didn’t read as she has been so busy selling her mother’s house and moving her Mom into a retirement home and helping her to settle in. It’s a lot of work to tend to an aging parent’s needs. We hope at some point she’ll be able to write about the experience.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, June 4th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. In the meantime I hope your writing blossoms forth in tune with Spring.
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, May 9, 2014
THE REVIEW
FAME AND FORTUNE
Jason, Annette, Kristi, Marcela, Mary, and Ellie all joined me here Wednesday for another great meeting of the famous Rams! We congratulated Ellie on her win in the Shuswap ‘Word On The Lake Festival’ writing contest. She won first prize in non-fiction with her story “Beware” about the cougar encounter. The prize included $150.00 cash, admission to the 2014 Shuswap writers’ conference, and publication in an anthology. Congratulations, Ellie!
Jason read first, from book two of his “Roots Of Creation” series. Dave and his friends are still at their campsite by the whispering woods when his Grammy arrives. She chides the teens for camping so often on her property. She and Dave’s girlfriend, Leah, size each other up. Then Grammy finds a corkscrew in someone’s backpack and is delighted she can finally open her bottle of wine. She sits down to join the party. There was humour in this chapter and the characters were very realistic.
Kristi read her next chapter in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. It’s nighttime, and Jane is dreaming of the cat purring while being held by a ghost whose skin is peeling away. Then Jane awakes and looks out her window and sees a red glow on Miller’s Hill. She goes to investigate and finds glowing red flowers under a glowing apple tree. She picks one of the flowers, which turns black, then hears the others crying she killed their sister. This chapter was written with a lot of gory detail. True horror.
I read my latest Honey story, “Honey’s Next Degree”. It’s about Honey putting up with all my medical appointments over the past two years because of four surgeries I’ve had. He’s finally getting the hang of being a caregiver, in spite of his reluctance.
Annette read chapters 7 and 8 from “A Taste Of Wormwood”. We see Alyssa going to a medical clinic for follow-up treatment after a previous rape that she never reported from fear of being found by George West. But we hear the nurse report to someone the Alyssa was at the clinic and saying she would come back for the test results. When she does return, she spots one of George West’s men watching the clinic and she manages to leave without being seen. But she tells John she can no longer stay and look after Carrie.
From a writing prompt that required 50 words about the worst thing you did, Annette read her four sentences about drowning a worm. Very funny.
Marcela read to us Joseph Campbell’s steps in the hero’s journey, which is basically a plot outline for most storytelling. She said her sixteen year old daughter analysed these steps in “Crime And Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It’s very brave of a teenager to take that on.
Mary read to us what she hopes to be an introduction to her own personal story. The words were eloquent and flowed well but only hinted at what the story could entail. We hope she finds the courage to write it all down for herself, whether she shares it with the rest of us or not.
Ellie didn’t read, but was supportive of everyone else. We really missed Jim. I later learned he has been unwell and I’m sure we all wish him a speedy recovery. Wendy was visiting her mother in Chilliwack. And Leah had another commitment on Wednesday.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, May 21st, at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Look forward to seeing you then.
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, Annette, Kristi, Marcela, Mary, and Ellie all joined me here Wednesday for another great meeting of the famous Rams! We congratulated Ellie on her win in the Shuswap ‘Word On The Lake Festival’ writing contest. She won first prize in non-fiction with her story “Beware” about the cougar encounter. The prize included $150.00 cash, admission to the 2014 Shuswap writers’ conference, and publication in an anthology. Congratulations, Ellie!
Jason read first, from book two of his “Roots Of Creation” series. Dave and his friends are still at their campsite by the whispering woods when his Grammy arrives. She chides the teens for camping so often on her property. She and Dave’s girlfriend, Leah, size each other up. Then Grammy finds a corkscrew in someone’s backpack and is delighted she can finally open her bottle of wine. She sits down to join the party. There was humour in this chapter and the characters were very realistic.
Kristi read her next chapter in “Jane And The Midnight Daisies”. It’s nighttime, and Jane is dreaming of the cat purring while being held by a ghost whose skin is peeling away. Then Jane awakes and looks out her window and sees a red glow on Miller’s Hill. She goes to investigate and finds glowing red flowers under a glowing apple tree. She picks one of the flowers, which turns black, then hears the others crying she killed their sister. This chapter was written with a lot of gory detail. True horror.
I read my latest Honey story, “Honey’s Next Degree”. It’s about Honey putting up with all my medical appointments over the past two years because of four surgeries I’ve had. He’s finally getting the hang of being a caregiver, in spite of his reluctance.
Annette read chapters 7 and 8 from “A Taste Of Wormwood”. We see Alyssa going to a medical clinic for follow-up treatment after a previous rape that she never reported from fear of being found by George West. But we hear the nurse report to someone the Alyssa was at the clinic and saying she would come back for the test results. When she does return, she spots one of George West’s men watching the clinic and she manages to leave without being seen. But she tells John she can no longer stay and look after Carrie.
From a writing prompt that required 50 words about the worst thing you did, Annette read her four sentences about drowning a worm. Very funny.
Marcela read to us Joseph Campbell’s steps in the hero’s journey, which is basically a plot outline for most storytelling. She said her sixteen year old daughter analysed these steps in “Crime And Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It’s very brave of a teenager to take that on.
Mary read to us what she hopes to be an introduction to her own personal story. The words were eloquent and flowed well but only hinted at what the story could entail. We hope she finds the courage to write it all down for herself, whether she shares it with the rest of us or not.
Ellie didn’t read, but was supportive of everyone else. We really missed Jim. I later learned he has been unwell and I’m sure we all wish him a speedy recovery. Wendy was visiting her mother in Chilliwack. And Leah had another commitment on Wednesday.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, May 21st, at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Look forward to seeing you then.
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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