SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Katherine Flotz, Sharon Buckman, Sharon Dorelli, George Miga, Meggie Tolkland, Jane Burns, Tom Spencer, Ron Trigg, Neil Bedeker, Beverly Stanislawski, Sharon Palmeri, Michelle Vargas, Donna Douglass, Michael Musak

GUESTS PRESENT:

Doris Curless

OLD BUSINESS:

The minutes for our last meeting was first approved by NEIL BEDEKER and seconded by DONNA DOUGLASS

NEW BUSINESS:

SHARON PALMERI announced that our WOH Christmas party would be on December 6^th, the first Thursday of December.  The fee, per person, will be $23.00.  She also announced that our entries for the Hoosier Horizon (3 pages) as well as the entries for photos of it should be turned in soon.  

LITERARY NEWS:

MEGGIE TOLKLAND stated that she would be speaking at the Portage Library, her topic will be “So You Want to Write.”

SHARON BUCKMAN asked for advice from any of the members that have published a book; she needed to know the best and cheapest way to publicize it.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI mentioned that she had received an Honorable Mention for her sonnet in an Ohio contest.  She also received an Honorable Mention from the state of Michigan for two of her entries in a Haiku contest.

TOM SPENCER stated that there were 27 rooms being held at the Turkey Run State Park on Oct. 28^th for the Indiana State Poetry Club.  Anyone wishing to attend should call Tom.

SHARON PALMERI stated she would be teaching a Writer’s Workshop at the Merrillville High School from Sept. 24^th to Nov. 26^th.

GEORGE MIGA stated that he had recently had a conversation with a good friend, and writer, Rick Karr.  He noticed that some of the critique he was given by his friend was similar to what he had received from our various members, one of them was “show, don’t tell.”

READINGS:

MICHELLE VARGAS continued with her novel, “Striving After Wind.”  In this part of her novel, Tabitha reflected on her frustrating life, especially all the time and work it took to take care of an elderly woman named Helen.

MEGGIE TOLKLAND continued with her sequel, “The Mayhem – Thorn’s Story.”  In this part of her sequel, Thorn was killed while trying to defend Tru.  While Thorn lay dying, his cousin, Roan, was sent to watch over and protect her.

KATHERINE FLOTZ told about the Indiana Writers’ Consortium’s fourth annual banquet.  The banquet is open to all writers and guests and will be held at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville on Tuesday, Oct. 2^nd.  The fee, before Sept. 24^th, will be $27 for members and $30 for non-members.

DONNA DOUGLASS read her memoir entitled “On My Honor.”  This part of her memoir told of Donna being charged with a violation of her university honor code and how badly her depressed state had affected her grades.  The end of her memoir revealed the jury finding in her favor and acquitting her.

RON TRIGG read from his memoir, “Moments on an African Landscape.”  In this part of the memoir, entitled “Climb at Own Risk,” taking place in Zimbabwe in 1989, Ron began climbing Mount Nyangani, the highest peak in Zimbabwe.  After taking the wrong trail back down the mountain, he tells of his scary time as it was near dark and he was without food or shelter.

MIKE MUSAK brought his screenplay entitled, “Randy’s New Job.”  The screenplay had two character parts, which was given to two of our members, and told of how an overqualified woman was applying for a position that would give her very few benefits for very little pay.

JANE BURNS read from her novel, “Atalanta.”  In this part of her novel the Sisterhood met at The Wall, which was their own private quarry, to learn the art of knapping flint for their arrowheads.  Atalanta had gotten into the prized rocks, obsidian cores, and fashioned a beautifully sharp blade.  However, instead of being praised, she was punished for taking one of the rare pieces.

TOM SPENCER brought his eleven stanza line poem entitled, “Illusion.”  Tom stated he decided to write his poem, which concerned the social graces of sin, several years prior when he realized how the seven dwarfs may have been a metaphor for the seven deadly sins.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read several of her award winning poems.  The first she read had received Honorable Mention in a Michigan Haiku contest.  The second was called “Orange Sunshine,” in which she had taken first place in the Voices International Award in Arkansas.  The third was entitled “Go Fly a Kite,” which had given her first place in the Spring River Award in Arkansas.

NEIL BEDEKER continued with Chapter 6 of his novel, “Dark Hearts, White City.”  This chapter, entitled “A Lucrative Offer,” told of Mary Cassidy meeting with Sioux Chief Plenty Horses.  He was sent to find her by Buffalo Bill to offer her the position of riding in the Wild West show for the sum of $5 a day.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 P.M. 

Respectfully Submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN