JANUARY 16, 2013

Donna Douglass, Sharon Buckman, Kathy Flotz, Beverly Stanislawski, George Miga, Janice Beier, Jackie Huppenthal, Julie Perkins, Ron Trigg, Jane Burns, Liz Wilson-Cotey, Sharon Palmeri, Michelle Vargas, Laurie Chase, Kelly Chase, Mike Musak

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval was given concerning the January 2, 2013 minutes, first by Beverly Stanislawski and seconded by Ron Trigg. 

NEW BUSINESS:

We will be temporarily losing one of our members, Kelly Chase, who has already enlisted in the Navy.  A going away party is planned for her on February 9^th – Good luck Kelly.

LITERARY NEWS:

KATHY FLOTZ announced she has been continuing to do quite well in the sales of her book, “Pebble In My Shoe,” she already has five speaking engagements lined up for this year.  Kathy also recommended the book, “Sara’s Key.”  The book contains information concerning the Jewish people that were taken away from France during the Second World War.

SHARON PALMERI announced that she has invited journalist Kevin Bradley to attend one of our meetings – he answered in the affirmative.

READINGS:

MICHELLE VARGAS read four pages of her novel, Striving After Wind.  This part of the story began with an attack on Tabitha by one of her old Clarke Station customers named John.  The attack was interrupted by her old friend Adam and ended with a romantic kiss, reminiscent of the old days.

DONNA DOUGLASS continued with the last four pages of her memoir entitled, “Eine Natcht In Munchen.” The memoir told of her ordeal in Munich, Germany after finding herself locked out of the hotel where she and her daughter were staying and being forced to spend the night on the stairway.  Terrified that something dreadful had happened to her daughter, the story ended happily.

KELLY CHASE read two additional pages of her short story, “Stormy Night.”  After letting a rather disheveled and wet woman into her home and offering her the guest bedroom for the night, Jamie began to have second thoughts as weird things began to happen.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read her two page short story entitled “The Decision.”  The story began with a man standing on a bridge near an Italian town, remembering how he had received the scar on his face during the war.  The scar was a constant embarrassment, causing him to avoid people.  When he met a woman named Maria in a small café he made a decision to return to the café and renew the friendship.

LAURIE CHASE continued with her novel,  Badradin, which takes place near the year 2300. After being disciplined for her role in an incident that threatened her life, Dr. Togalaz was forced to have a meeting with the ship’s psychologist.  Dr. Togalaz found herself being forced to reveal personal facts concerning her heritage.

GEORGE MIGA read four additional pages of his novel,  Medal of Dishonor. This part of his novel began with McCall’s friend, Eleanor, a managing editor for a Chicago newspaper, trying to get the facts straight concerning the possibility of the Medal of Honor going to the wrong person, a person possibly nominated due to the fact his father was a general.

JANICE BEIER read her twenty-four couplets poem entitled, “Beautiful.”  The poem related to a flower seed wanting to know “when will I be beautiful.”  Janice was advised by the members to turn the poem into an illustrated children’s book.

LIZ WILSON-COTEY read four pages of her novel, Bottomside. This part of her novel began with photographer, Zophie St. Clair, hearing a shrill sound outside her apartment window.  Looking down from her balcony she saw what looked like a small child, soon joined by other small weird looking children who found themselves being attacked by two men deciding to kill them for fun.

JULIE PERKINS continued with her novel, The Levee.  The novel takes place during the World’s Fair in 1893 and now concerns the Greer family, a father and his two sons, Charles and Arthur.  The wealthy and famous father, finding fault with his oldest son has instructed the youngest to help him at the fair, causing an upcoming problem for the two boys.

RON TRIGG read four pages of his memoir, Moments On An African Landscape.  This story, “Tears of Mourning,” takes place in South Africa, 1988 and begins with the funeral of a 23 yr. old local activist, killed by a policeman during the struggle against apartheid.  The march of the mourners turned to panic as the police showed up with tear gas and sticks to disperse them.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN