FALLEN LEAVES
Jim, Jason and Bob joined me on Wednesday for our Meeting. Anne was busy helping her sister. Ellie had hurt her shoulder and was advised to rest and relax. And Gemma was unable to attend as well.
Jason read first from his novel “Provoked”. He had a short chapter called “Examining” which saw Gregg staying up through the night to keep watch for the two weirdos he had seen earlier. His brother, Dave, woke up and wanted to know what Gregg was doing and then threatened to level Gregg if he didn’t go to bed. The dialogue between the brothers was realistic and portrayed the sibling dynamics that are fairly universal.
I read “Deposition For Separate Bedrooms”, a short piece that I had rewritten to make it fit my “Honey” collection of humorous stories. In it I recount all the annoyances of listening to Honey from when he rises very early until he leaves for work, a noisy production he uses to protest my still being in bed.
Margaret had sent her next chapter of “The Village Of Salsbury Mourns Again”. Reverend Solace was awakened at 4:00 in the morning by Mrs. Willows. When he opened the door he saw a crowd around the drain Coffin had “fallen” in. Wondering if Coffin had turned into a ghost, he asked Mrs. Willows what happened. She told him Mr. Turnkey was found face down on the ground, staring into the drain. When the Reverend asked about Mr. Turnkey’s welfare, Mrs. Willows informs him Mr. Turnkey was no longer alive.
Jim read Chapter 9, and we learn that Cheri is facing bankruptcy due to her husband’s gambling debts and repairing the damage to the coffee shop that had been caused by the ghosts. She informs Leanne and ghostly company that she will have to sell the coffee shop. They are alarmed and start making plans for fundraising. They invite Cheri into ghostdom to hear their suggestions and we learn they want to throw parties where only ghosts do the serving. Cheri says she doesn’t have the money to start another business and.Leanne thinks maybe her Mom and Dad could invest and become partners with Cheri.
Bob read from his personal history and we heard about major changes in his life in 1947. His father was not well, and his parents were moving. They decided to send Bob to live with his stepsister, Edna, and her husband, Jim, in Amherstburg, Ontario. He traveled alone by bus to Seattle, then east to Chicago and Detroit, and then back into Canada to Windsor and his final destination. He was given chores to do on the farm, tending the chickens and the roosters. But Jim was no farmer and kept the chickens and roosters separate, so there were never any eggs. Bob was roped into helping construct the new house and found the hard physical labour very taxing. He was lonely and never made any friends there, but he did acquire a new red bike.
Today the rain is pouring, the leaves are falling, and I’ve spotted giant mushrooms growing in our lawn. Fall is flourishing. Perfect excuse to stay indoors and write.
The next Meeting will be Wednesday, November 2nd at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Friday, October 21, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
THE REVIEW
SHORT AND SWEET
Jim and Jason were the only ones joining me on Wednesday for our Meeting.
I read Chapters 4 and 5 of “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”. Jason said even though there was hardly any dialogue in these chapters, he wasn’t bored by the details I wrote.
Next I read two of Margaret’s chapters from “Coffin And Dye”. Dye and Lizzie leave on vacation, but stop first so Dye can tell Coffin about his next assignment. Recognizing Lizzie as the housekeeper he had slept with, Coffin then says he’s engaged to Trish to confuse Lizzie, who then says she and Dye will be happy to attend his wedding. In the next chapter, Coffin is supposed to enter a drain hole to exterminate ghosts of former coal miners. Instead of going into the drain, he allows himself to be picked up by Polly Parks who teaches a class in knitting Argyle socks.
Jim read Chapter 8 of the second book in “Coventry Ghosts” and we see Solak arriving in Mexico to break Jason out of prison so his ability to extract souls via his computer can be put to more nefarious use elsewhere. Solak terrifies two teenaged hoodlums into helping him for money. Jacobo, one of the teens, realizes Solak would kill them if they don’t help.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, October 19th at 7:00 p.m. at my place. Hope to see you then. Happy Thanksgiving in the meantime!
Lisa
Jim and Jason were the only ones joining me on Wednesday for our Meeting.
I read Chapters 4 and 5 of “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”. Jason said even though there was hardly any dialogue in these chapters, he wasn’t bored by the details I wrote.
Next I read two of Margaret’s chapters from “Coffin And Dye”. Dye and Lizzie leave on vacation, but stop first so Dye can tell Coffin about his next assignment. Recognizing Lizzie as the housekeeper he had slept with, Coffin then says he’s engaged to Trish to confuse Lizzie, who then says she and Dye will be happy to attend his wedding. In the next chapter, Coffin is supposed to enter a drain hole to exterminate ghosts of former coal miners. Instead of going into the drain, he allows himself to be picked up by Polly Parks who teaches a class in knitting Argyle socks.
Jim read Chapter 8 of the second book in “Coventry Ghosts” and we see Solak arriving in Mexico to break Jason out of prison so his ability to extract souls via his computer can be put to more nefarious use elsewhere. Solak terrifies two teenaged hoodlums into helping him for money. Jacobo, one of the teens, realizes Solak would kill them if they don’t help.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, October 19th at 7:00 p.m. at my place. Hope to see you then. Happy Thanksgiving in the meantime!
Lisa
Friday, September 23, 2011
THE REVIEW
SUMMER’S OVER
Fall has arrived and so did the rain. Time to cocoon and do some writing. Anne, Jason, Jim and Bob were all here with me Wednesday night to honour the Muse.
Anne read first, continuing her story about the sisters of Ruth and Ida. The two women go out for dinner, to the Spaghetti Factory and Ida takes her own grape juice. She is obviously a regular as the staff all know her and smile ‘supportively’ at Ruth. Ida asks why Ruth has bothered to come and see her and Ruth tells her she discovered Ida is being sued by a Strata Council. This is well done with the dialogue between the two sisters really showcasing the spit and scratch of sibling relationships. And background information given with Ruth flashing back to a previous time enhances the difficulties of being related to someone who is bi-polar.
Jason read his next chapter called “Discovered”. We see the evil Damianos and the siren, Ligeia, stalking Jo, who arrives home from her date with Sean. Sean attacks her and tears her top, but then stops when seeing something on her back. Gregg arrives and his presence stops Damianos from grabbing Jo. Jo tells Gregg she doesn’t need him to protect her, that she can take care of herself. Looking into the bush, Gregg locks eyes with Damianos, and the latter knows Jo is the benighted child because of Gregg’s desire to protect her. This was a very well-done chapter with lots of tension in it.
Jim read Chapter 7, still at Olivia’s thirteenth birthday at the coffee shop. Leanne and the other ghosts, with the help of Piovra, performed a type of light show for Olivia and the other guests. One of those present was Shen, a student from Olivia’s school, who wanted to meet the pretty girl. Olivia’s father pointed him out to her and then regretted that when he saw Olivia smiling at the boy. But Sara, the kitten, intervened by giving Shen a ghostly ‘scratch’, which spurred him to talk to Olivia. He ended up being invited to Sunday dinner at Olivia’s home.
I read Margaret’s next chapter in “Coffin And Dye”, which was “Dye Telephones Coffin”. Dye phones Coffin to tell him he’s going away for a week with Lizzie Farmer and Coffin is scandalized. Dye is offended that Coffin thinks so little of Lizzie, and he defends her. Tootsie goes shopping for something to wear when she marries Coffin. Trish tries to talk her into a spring wedding but Tootsie doesn’t want to wait that long. She ends up buying a black suit with a red shawl, a red purse, and a red hat with three tall black feathers. Coffin still doesn’t know he’s getting married.
I re-wrote “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”, putting the third chapter first, and modifying the other two chapters to follow. These I read and everyone said it read well in that order. I had found it easier to add to it as well. So now we have Nigel driving to Watch Lake and Dee telling him she murdered her child in the first chapter. The next chapter is Edna’s point of view, relating the afternoon’s events and giving background info. The third chapter now is Nigel’s point of view, telling how he met Dee and what had been going on with her and Hank. It then shows Nigel at the cabin, alone in the hide-a-bed, when Dee slips in with him during the night.
Jim said he was feeling better, more clear-headed, but is still waiting for surgery. We hope this happens soon for him. Ellie was busy writing for an online course she’s taking and waiting for her husband to come home for supper. Margaret Fluorczak was going to check out a group in Maple Ridge. And Gemma said she was helping her brother with a move.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, Oct. 5th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Look forward to seeing you then. Happy Writing!!!
Lisa
Fall has arrived and so did the rain. Time to cocoon and do some writing. Anne, Jason, Jim and Bob were all here with me Wednesday night to honour the Muse.
Anne read first, continuing her story about the sisters of Ruth and Ida. The two women go out for dinner, to the Spaghetti Factory and Ida takes her own grape juice. She is obviously a regular as the staff all know her and smile ‘supportively’ at Ruth. Ida asks why Ruth has bothered to come and see her and Ruth tells her she discovered Ida is being sued by a Strata Council. This is well done with the dialogue between the two sisters really showcasing the spit and scratch of sibling relationships. And background information given with Ruth flashing back to a previous time enhances the difficulties of being related to someone who is bi-polar.
Jason read his next chapter called “Discovered”. We see the evil Damianos and the siren, Ligeia, stalking Jo, who arrives home from her date with Sean. Sean attacks her and tears her top, but then stops when seeing something on her back. Gregg arrives and his presence stops Damianos from grabbing Jo. Jo tells Gregg she doesn’t need him to protect her, that she can take care of herself. Looking into the bush, Gregg locks eyes with Damianos, and the latter knows Jo is the benighted child because of Gregg’s desire to protect her. This was a very well-done chapter with lots of tension in it.
Jim read Chapter 7, still at Olivia’s thirteenth birthday at the coffee shop. Leanne and the other ghosts, with the help of Piovra, performed a type of light show for Olivia and the other guests. One of those present was Shen, a student from Olivia’s school, who wanted to meet the pretty girl. Olivia’s father pointed him out to her and then regretted that when he saw Olivia smiling at the boy. But Sara, the kitten, intervened by giving Shen a ghostly ‘scratch’, which spurred him to talk to Olivia. He ended up being invited to Sunday dinner at Olivia’s home.
I read Margaret’s next chapter in “Coffin And Dye”, which was “Dye Telephones Coffin”. Dye phones Coffin to tell him he’s going away for a week with Lizzie Farmer and Coffin is scandalized. Dye is offended that Coffin thinks so little of Lizzie, and he defends her. Tootsie goes shopping for something to wear when she marries Coffin. Trish tries to talk her into a spring wedding but Tootsie doesn’t want to wait that long. She ends up buying a black suit with a red shawl, a red purse, and a red hat with three tall black feathers. Coffin still doesn’t know he’s getting married.
I re-wrote “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”, putting the third chapter first, and modifying the other two chapters to follow. These I read and everyone said it read well in that order. I had found it easier to add to it as well. So now we have Nigel driving to Watch Lake and Dee telling him she murdered her child in the first chapter. The next chapter is Edna’s point of view, relating the afternoon’s events and giving background info. The third chapter now is Nigel’s point of view, telling how he met Dee and what had been going on with her and Hank. It then shows Nigel at the cabin, alone in the hide-a-bed, when Dee slips in with him during the night.
Jim said he was feeling better, more clear-headed, but is still waiting for surgery. We hope this happens soon for him. Ellie was busy writing for an online course she’s taking and waiting for her husband to come home for supper. Margaret Fluorczak was going to check out a group in Maple Ridge. And Gemma said she was helping her brother with a move.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, Oct. 5th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Look forward to seeing you then. Happy Writing!!!
Lisa
Friday, September 9, 2011
THE REVIEW
EIGHT ARE GREAT!
It was wonderful to have eight members at our Meeting on Wednesday. Ellie had arrived a week early, but came back on the 7th as well. She didn’t explain to her husband why he was eating supper alone two weeks in a row. And Margaret Florczak arrived with Gemma, for the first time in a couple of years. She’s graduated from SFU now, and may attend Meetings more regularly. It was so good to see everyone, and many thanks for your generous donations to the Ram’s Head domain name fund. We are good for two years now.
Jim is still waiting for surgery, but attended our meeting and was first to read. In Chapter 6 of the second book in Coventry Ghosts, we see the ghosts Leanne, Robin, Laurie and Sara all haunting the coffee shop, excited to celebrate Olivia’s 13th birthday. Olivia makes a wish when she blows out the candle on her cupcake, and we hear her wish will soon come true.
Ellie read a memoir of hers inspired by finding an old address book from her childhood. She remembers the summer spent with her friends when she was six years old and living in Penticton in 1953. She vividly portrays their antics and the sense of freedom and empowerment they learned from their interactions and adventures.
Jason read the chapter “Connections” from his novel, and we see Gregg meeting up with Jody after his great grandmother’s funeral. She wants him to tutor her in French, but then tells him she’s going out with someone else that night. And we see Gregg and his brother Dave interacting and learn that even though Dave is older, Gregg is the more responsible one. Jason exemplified very well and true to life how the teens interact with each other.
Margaret F. read a journal entry of hers from Nov. 13/04 about her insights on aging. She sees the expansion of her mind, but the loss of her physical attributes. Even so, there is still the overriding joy of life to sustain her every day. This was a very poignant piece that spoke to all of us.
Anne Berrie has started a story based on her own experience with her sister. In it we are shown Ruth going to visit her older sister, whom she hasn’t seen for seven years. Ida battles with mental illness, but still lives on her own in her own apartment. When Ruth arrives, Ida first has to tear off the masking tape around the inside of the door before she can open it, and then greets Ruth with bloodshot eyes, and a gas mask around her neck. She then says that Ruth looks terrible. This was a priceless piece of characterization of both sisters.
I read Margaret Moffatt’s “Baronet Dye Has A Visitor” from “Coffin And Dye” Dye is alone at his office one evening, reading a letter by candlelight because Coffin forgot to pay the electric bill. He sees what looks like a ghostly apparition, but is really the housekeeper from Wagnal Manor whom Coffin had slept with. She thinks Dye is Coffin, now with a beard but still owning the Rolls, and she proceeds to proposition him, wanting to show him a good time if he pays for her room at the hotel. We have yet to learn of his reaction.
Bob told us that his wife Carole includes being a Boston Red Sox fan on her Facebook profile. Bob is a true fan who watches all their games, and was looking at something on the internet regarding the team, and there, out of two million fans, is Carole’s picture. Talk about coincidence.
If you know of other writers you think would like to attend our Meeting, please feel free to invite them. Meeting other writers inspires us all.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, September 21st at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Look forward to seeing you then.
Lisa
It was wonderful to have eight members at our Meeting on Wednesday. Ellie had arrived a week early, but came back on the 7th as well. She didn’t explain to her husband why he was eating supper alone two weeks in a row. And Margaret Florczak arrived with Gemma, for the first time in a couple of years. She’s graduated from SFU now, and may attend Meetings more regularly. It was so good to see everyone, and many thanks for your generous donations to the Ram’s Head domain name fund. We are good for two years now.
Jim is still waiting for surgery, but attended our meeting and was first to read. In Chapter 6 of the second book in Coventry Ghosts, we see the ghosts Leanne, Robin, Laurie and Sara all haunting the coffee shop, excited to celebrate Olivia’s 13th birthday. Olivia makes a wish when she blows out the candle on her cupcake, and we hear her wish will soon come true.
Ellie read a memoir of hers inspired by finding an old address book from her childhood. She remembers the summer spent with her friends when she was six years old and living in Penticton in 1953. She vividly portrays their antics and the sense of freedom and empowerment they learned from their interactions and adventures.
Jason read the chapter “Connections” from his novel, and we see Gregg meeting up with Jody after his great grandmother’s funeral. She wants him to tutor her in French, but then tells him she’s going out with someone else that night. And we see Gregg and his brother Dave interacting and learn that even though Dave is older, Gregg is the more responsible one. Jason exemplified very well and true to life how the teens interact with each other.
Margaret F. read a journal entry of hers from Nov. 13/04 about her insights on aging. She sees the expansion of her mind, but the loss of her physical attributes. Even so, there is still the overriding joy of life to sustain her every day. This was a very poignant piece that spoke to all of us.
Anne Berrie has started a story based on her own experience with her sister. In it we are shown Ruth going to visit her older sister, whom she hasn’t seen for seven years. Ida battles with mental illness, but still lives on her own in her own apartment. When Ruth arrives, Ida first has to tear off the masking tape around the inside of the door before she can open it, and then greets Ruth with bloodshot eyes, and a gas mask around her neck. She then says that Ruth looks terrible. This was a priceless piece of characterization of both sisters.
I read Margaret Moffatt’s “Baronet Dye Has A Visitor” from “Coffin And Dye” Dye is alone at his office one evening, reading a letter by candlelight because Coffin forgot to pay the electric bill. He sees what looks like a ghostly apparition, but is really the housekeeper from Wagnal Manor whom Coffin had slept with. She thinks Dye is Coffin, now with a beard but still owning the Rolls, and she proceeds to proposition him, wanting to show him a good time if he pays for her room at the hotel. We have yet to learn of his reaction.
Bob told us that his wife Carole includes being a Boston Red Sox fan on her Facebook profile. Bob is a true fan who watches all their games, and was looking at something on the internet regarding the team, and there, out of two million fans, is Carole’s picture. Talk about coincidence.
If you know of other writers you think would like to attend our Meeting, please feel free to invite them. Meeting other writers inspires us all.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, September 21st at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Look forward to seeing you then.
Lisa
Friday, August 19, 2011
THE REVIEW
FORSAKEN FRUIT
The grapes and watermelon I put out for Wednesday’s meeting were largely ignored. And Bryon isn’t a fruitaholic, either, so I’ve been enjoying them by myself. There were five of us here at the meeting, an increase of 25% over the last meeting! Jason keeps saying we need to improve marketing strategies. I’ll have a sandwich board made for him and he can stand at the corner of No. 10 and 200th Street flagging down all unaffiliated writers for us. Failing that we will have to rely on the two community ads I’ve sent to the Langley Times and the Langley Advance.
Margaret sent me a copy of the Quesnel Observer with her interview and picture in it. I will save that for posterity. She was interviewed on air by CBC Northern Radio on Wednesday morning at 6:30. That had been arranged by her publisher.
I received a letter from Polar Expressions to say my short story “Freedom”, about the homeless man in Langley City, is being included in their anthology “Inkspots”, which will be published by year end, I believe.
Jason read first, a chapter of his novel, called “Devote”. We see the half brothers, Gregg and Dave, at their aunt’s funeral, and Dave is chastised rudely by his stepmother. Both boys are bored. Gregg starts thinking about his aunt, and her suicide, and wondering what drove her to it, and what is on the other side of death. Then his great grandmother tells him his aunt died thinking it was the best way to keep him safe. There is developing tension here and we liked the switch from two brothers to making them half brothers, and then making Gregg’s Mom the evil stepmother to Dave. It adds to the tension, that’s for sure.
Anne brought her thesis for me to read for her, and so we asked her to read the introduction out loud. Protesting that it was so boring, she did read it and we were all interested in learning more about the causes of serial murder; what goes into generating a serial murderer. This should give me good background for a future murder mystery!
In helping her sister who was being harassed by a Strata corporation, Anne has more than enough material for a fascinating book about strata Nazis victimizing someone with mental illness.
Anne also wants Margaret to know that her teenaged son, Trevor, is reading Margaret’s “Blow Up The Castle” and just raves about it. She said she is going to donate a copy to her son’s school library.
I read Margaret’s chapter “Perplexing Situations”, all three sections of it she had sent me. Trisha, who had proposed to Coffin, and her daughter Tootsie, both wanted to know why he had a suitcase full of women’s clothing. He explained that he wore them to catch Tootsie’s dog for her. When Dye saw Coffin looking ill, Coffin told him that Wagnal’s ghost tried to strangle him when he was wearing Mrs. Wagnal’s clothes. Then Dye proceeds to tell Detective Philmore Shorthouse that Mrs. Wagnal was murdered by Mr. Wagnal. The Detective sent a squad to the manor. Upon investigating, the police found everyone happy the ghost had been eradicated. The Detective asked to see room 30, and when Mr. Sours opened it, they found it completely empty. Mrs. Wagnal’s ghost had taken her furniture with her!
I read chapter 3 of “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”. Jason and Anne both thought it should become the first chapter, even though it would put the time line out of sync. I’ll have to give it some thought and try it out. It would emphasize more explicitly the part that Nigel plays in the novel, which would be good.
Jim read chapter 5 of the second book in “Coventry Ghosts”. We see two Asian villains scheming to kidnap Jason, the genius scientist who had been steeling souls through his computer, from a Mexican prison. It is thought Jason’s power would be very useful to them.
We were very glad to see Jim recovering from failing kidneys and his stay in ER over the weekend. He returned to work on Tuesday and next week will see the specialist again. We wish him all the best of health and a total recovery.
Nest Meeting will be Wednesday, September 7th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then, and feel free to invite any other writers you think might like to join us, preferably those incarnate.
Lisa
The grapes and watermelon I put out for Wednesday’s meeting were largely ignored. And Bryon isn’t a fruitaholic, either, so I’ve been enjoying them by myself. There were five of us here at the meeting, an increase of 25% over the last meeting! Jason keeps saying we need to improve marketing strategies. I’ll have a sandwich board made for him and he can stand at the corner of No. 10 and 200th Street flagging down all unaffiliated writers for us. Failing that we will have to rely on the two community ads I’ve sent to the Langley Times and the Langley Advance.
Margaret sent me a copy of the Quesnel Observer with her interview and picture in it. I will save that for posterity. She was interviewed on air by CBC Northern Radio on Wednesday morning at 6:30. That had been arranged by her publisher.
I received a letter from Polar Expressions to say my short story “Freedom”, about the homeless man in Langley City, is being included in their anthology “Inkspots”, which will be published by year end, I believe.
Jason read first, a chapter of his novel, called “Devote”. We see the half brothers, Gregg and Dave, at their aunt’s funeral, and Dave is chastised rudely by his stepmother. Both boys are bored. Gregg starts thinking about his aunt, and her suicide, and wondering what drove her to it, and what is on the other side of death. Then his great grandmother tells him his aunt died thinking it was the best way to keep him safe. There is developing tension here and we liked the switch from two brothers to making them half brothers, and then making Gregg’s Mom the evil stepmother to Dave. It adds to the tension, that’s for sure.
Anne brought her thesis for me to read for her, and so we asked her to read the introduction out loud. Protesting that it was so boring, she did read it and we were all interested in learning more about the causes of serial murder; what goes into generating a serial murderer. This should give me good background for a future murder mystery!
In helping her sister who was being harassed by a Strata corporation, Anne has more than enough material for a fascinating book about strata Nazis victimizing someone with mental illness.
Anne also wants Margaret to know that her teenaged son, Trevor, is reading Margaret’s “Blow Up The Castle” and just raves about it. She said she is going to donate a copy to her son’s school library.
I read Margaret’s chapter “Perplexing Situations”, all three sections of it she had sent me. Trisha, who had proposed to Coffin, and her daughter Tootsie, both wanted to know why he had a suitcase full of women’s clothing. He explained that he wore them to catch Tootsie’s dog for her. When Dye saw Coffin looking ill, Coffin told him that Wagnal’s ghost tried to strangle him when he was wearing Mrs. Wagnal’s clothes. Then Dye proceeds to tell Detective Philmore Shorthouse that Mrs. Wagnal was murdered by Mr. Wagnal. The Detective sent a squad to the manor. Upon investigating, the police found everyone happy the ghost had been eradicated. The Detective asked to see room 30, and when Mr. Sours opened it, they found it completely empty. Mrs. Wagnal’s ghost had taken her furniture with her!
I read chapter 3 of “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”. Jason and Anne both thought it should become the first chapter, even though it would put the time line out of sync. I’ll have to give it some thought and try it out. It would emphasize more explicitly the part that Nigel plays in the novel, which would be good.
Jim read chapter 5 of the second book in “Coventry Ghosts”. We see two Asian villains scheming to kidnap Jason, the genius scientist who had been steeling souls through his computer, from a Mexican prison. It is thought Jason’s power would be very useful to them.
We were very glad to see Jim recovering from failing kidneys and his stay in ER over the weekend. He returned to work on Tuesday and next week will see the specialist again. We wish him all the best of health and a total recovery.
Nest Meeting will be Wednesday, September 7th at 7:00 p.m. here at my place. Hope to see you then, and feel free to invite any other writers you think might like to join us, preferably those incarnate.
Lisa
Friday, August 5, 2011
THE REVIEW
MID-SUMMER
Jim, Gemma and Bob joined me Wednesday for a short meeting. Jason was housebound with his kids while his wife was away on business.
Gemma asked us to read and comment on a personal article of hers that she had re-written at the request of “Chicken Soup For The Soul”. The article is about her family immigrating to Canada and coming to love hockey. She was a radiology technician required to be on duty when games were played in Montreal, but she would sit in the hospital corridor knitting and let her young son use her reserved seat to watch the games. The article had been accepted for the Chicken Soup book “Oh, Canada” but they had asked for some changes to eliminate repetition. Congratulations to Gemma!
An interview of Margaret by the Quesnel Observer appears in their paper today, Friday, August 4th. You can find this online. In it she mentions the Ram’s Head Writers’ Group. That was nice to read.
I then read Margaret’s next chapter in “Coffin And Dye” which was titled “Arthur”. In it, Coffin has some boozy adventures and takes credit for finding the dog, Arthur. And Tootsie’s mother, Trisha, admits to having amorous intentions towards Coffin. Donny merely staggered across the hall to his own flat and passed out.
Since only Jim had heard the re-written first chapter of my new book, “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”, I read that again as well as the second chapter which tells how Nigel met Deirdre in the mid 1960s, and tells of her abusive boyfriend and that Nigel gave her the money to take her child and go to her mother at Watch Lake to escape. That is where the child drowns. Jim said I was keeping up the suspense.
Jim read the 4th chapter in the second book about the Coventry ghosts, and this is where the kitten, Sara dies and meets Leanne in ghostdom, who wants her to stay with her in her haunt at the coffee shop. They are both happy to have found a ghostly friend.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, August 17th at 7:00 p.m. at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Jim, Gemma and Bob joined me Wednesday for a short meeting. Jason was housebound with his kids while his wife was away on business.
Gemma asked us to read and comment on a personal article of hers that she had re-written at the request of “Chicken Soup For The Soul”. The article is about her family immigrating to Canada and coming to love hockey. She was a radiology technician required to be on duty when games were played in Montreal, but she would sit in the hospital corridor knitting and let her young son use her reserved seat to watch the games. The article had been accepted for the Chicken Soup book “Oh, Canada” but they had asked for some changes to eliminate repetition. Congratulations to Gemma!
An interview of Margaret by the Quesnel Observer appears in their paper today, Friday, August 4th. You can find this online. In it she mentions the Ram’s Head Writers’ Group. That was nice to read.
I then read Margaret’s next chapter in “Coffin And Dye” which was titled “Arthur”. In it, Coffin has some boozy adventures and takes credit for finding the dog, Arthur. And Tootsie’s mother, Trisha, admits to having amorous intentions towards Coffin. Donny merely staggered across the hall to his own flat and passed out.
Since only Jim had heard the re-written first chapter of my new book, “Nigel Wingate Is Dead”, I read that again as well as the second chapter which tells how Nigel met Deirdre in the mid 1960s, and tells of her abusive boyfriend and that Nigel gave her the money to take her child and go to her mother at Watch Lake to escape. That is where the child drowns. Jim said I was keeping up the suspense.
Jim read the 4th chapter in the second book about the Coventry ghosts, and this is where the kitten, Sara dies and meets Leanne in ghostdom, who wants her to stay with her in her haunt at the coffee shop. They are both happy to have found a ghostly friend.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, August 17th at 7:00 p.m. at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Friday, July 22, 2011
THE REVIEW
SUMMER SLUMP?
Wednesday’s meeting was sadly lacking in attendees. Where is everybody? Well, Gemma was saying goodbye to her beloved but ailing dog, Heidi. Ellie was overwhelmed with looking after a distant and ailing aunt and her aunt’s aging poodle. Jason just disappeared. Bob phoned to say he wasn’t well. Anne Berrie emailed to say she was involved in helping her sister.
But Jim showed up recovered from his fall, and Sharon Robinson joined us for the first time. Sharon owns Today’s Senior Newsmagazine and wants to do more of her own writing. Welcome to the Ram’s Head Writers’ Group, Sharon.
Jim read Chapter 3 in the second novel of the Coventry Ghosts series. He called the second novel “Search For Jason” and it is from the point of view of Sara, the ghost kitten. The 3rd chapter tells how Sarah died when she was chased by a dog and then hit by a car. It was a sad chapter.
Recently Jim submitted a romance novel to Harlequin and they sent him acknowledgement of same, and said response could be anywhere up to 24 weeks. He is also a judge in a published book contest in White Rock and has admitted he personally dislikes some of the entries. I won’t say which ones.
Margaret had some interesting news. Her publisher wants to set up an interview for her with the paper in Quesnel, because the bookstore owner wants her to have some notoriety before she does a book-signing there. Also, Margaret’s article, “Happy Birthday Vancouver!” is in the July issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. Margaret had sent me three more chapters in “Coffin And Dye”, but I only read the first one which was “To Wagnal Manor”. This is where Coffin proceeds to the manor and is compelled by Mr. Sours to dress in the clothes of the murdered Madam Wagnal in an attempt to rid the manor of her ghost. After losing his patience waiting for Mr. Sours to return, he wanders the halls in female attire, looking for Mr. Sours and proceeds to terrify all who see him, including Tootsie who was there meeting the Commissioners about her dog, Arthur. When she was driving home, Coffin passed her at great speed in the Rolls.
I had spent some time re-writing for the 3rd time the beginning of “Nigel Wingate Is Dead” and read that. I had gone back in time and using 3rd person, wrote about the death of a child in 1969 that starts the mystery rolling. I started with the point of view of the child’s grandmother, but there will be a number of points of view used in this novel. Jim and Sharon said they both wanted the story to continue and are eager to hear what happens next. So I guess that’s a good start for a mystery.
Sharon read us a published personal story from when she took her children, younger then, to Halloween night at Potter’s Nursery. It’s called “Potter’s Haunted Potty” and tells of the predicament when her young son needed a bathroom but absolutely refused to use the haunted outhouse that night. Hilarious. Sharon was also trying to write some serious personal things that were full of emotion for her and we encouraged her to do so. And we sincerely hope Sharon will return to many more meetings with the Rams.
Since the last time I wrote a Review, I have played some more with my eReader. After many frustrating attempts I was finally able yesterday to transfer correctly to my eReader an ebook I downloaded onto my PC from the Digital Library that the Fraser Valley Regional Library belongs to. By ‘correctly’, I mean in such a way that I was actually able to have the eReader open it so I could read it. No small feat this, and I only have about 10 days left to actually read this novel as the lending period was only for 21 days. I assume it will self-annihilate when the time elapses. Can’t have that with hard copy now, can we? And I won’t have to drive the digital file back to the Library.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, August 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
Wednesday’s meeting was sadly lacking in attendees. Where is everybody? Well, Gemma was saying goodbye to her beloved but ailing dog, Heidi. Ellie was overwhelmed with looking after a distant and ailing aunt and her aunt’s aging poodle. Jason just disappeared. Bob phoned to say he wasn’t well. Anne Berrie emailed to say she was involved in helping her sister.
But Jim showed up recovered from his fall, and Sharon Robinson joined us for the first time. Sharon owns Today’s Senior Newsmagazine and wants to do more of her own writing. Welcome to the Ram’s Head Writers’ Group, Sharon.
Jim read Chapter 3 in the second novel of the Coventry Ghosts series. He called the second novel “Search For Jason” and it is from the point of view of Sara, the ghost kitten. The 3rd chapter tells how Sarah died when she was chased by a dog and then hit by a car. It was a sad chapter.
Recently Jim submitted a romance novel to Harlequin and they sent him acknowledgement of same, and said response could be anywhere up to 24 weeks. He is also a judge in a published book contest in White Rock and has admitted he personally dislikes some of the entries. I won’t say which ones.
Margaret had some interesting news. Her publisher wants to set up an interview for her with the paper in Quesnel, because the bookstore owner wants her to have some notoriety before she does a book-signing there. Also, Margaret’s article, “Happy Birthday Vancouver!” is in the July issue of Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. Margaret had sent me three more chapters in “Coffin And Dye”, but I only read the first one which was “To Wagnal Manor”. This is where Coffin proceeds to the manor and is compelled by Mr. Sours to dress in the clothes of the murdered Madam Wagnal in an attempt to rid the manor of her ghost. After losing his patience waiting for Mr. Sours to return, he wanders the halls in female attire, looking for Mr. Sours and proceeds to terrify all who see him, including Tootsie who was there meeting the Commissioners about her dog, Arthur. When she was driving home, Coffin passed her at great speed in the Rolls.
I had spent some time re-writing for the 3rd time the beginning of “Nigel Wingate Is Dead” and read that. I had gone back in time and using 3rd person, wrote about the death of a child in 1969 that starts the mystery rolling. I started with the point of view of the child’s grandmother, but there will be a number of points of view used in this novel. Jim and Sharon said they both wanted the story to continue and are eager to hear what happens next. So I guess that’s a good start for a mystery.
Sharon read us a published personal story from when she took her children, younger then, to Halloween night at Potter’s Nursery. It’s called “Potter’s Haunted Potty” and tells of the predicament when her young son needed a bathroom but absolutely refused to use the haunted outhouse that night. Hilarious. Sharon was also trying to write some serious personal things that were full of emotion for her and we encouraged her to do so. And we sincerely hope Sharon will return to many more meetings with the Rams.
Since the last time I wrote a Review, I have played some more with my eReader. After many frustrating attempts I was finally able yesterday to transfer correctly to my eReader an ebook I downloaded onto my PC from the Digital Library that the Fraser Valley Regional Library belongs to. By ‘correctly’, I mean in such a way that I was actually able to have the eReader open it so I could read it. No small feat this, and I only have about 10 days left to actually read this novel as the lending period was only for 21 days. I assume it will self-annihilate when the time elapses. Can’t have that with hard copy now, can we? And I won’t have to drive the digital file back to the Library.
Next Meeting will be Wednesday, August 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at my place. Hope to see you then.
Lisa
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