MARCH 24, 2016

MEMBERS PRESENT:  

Mike Musak, George Miga, Sharon Palmeri, Amy Brailey, Dave Wilgus, Caren Von See, Beverly Stanislawski, Bob Philpot, Mary Ellen Beecher, Hardarshan Valia, Donna Eckelbarger

OLD BUSINESS:

Approved by SHARON PALMERI; seconded by BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI

NEW BUSINESS: 
 

SHARON PALMERI  distributed  updated information about our new book Horizon Spectrum, including a new deadline date: April 30. Title and possible themes also discussed. Font should be Times New Roman size 12. Spacing is to be 1.5 with 1" margins. The cover will be selected from online artwork.

Sharon also distributed a handout with a rough draft about upcoming lecture/discussion topics to be held at meetings.

In addition, she also mentioned a five-week class in writing children’s books that she will be teaching at the Crown Point Library: 5 Mondays, starting April 25 – May 23  from 6:30-7:45 pm. There is no charge for the class but registration (219-663-0270) is a must. There is a strict limit of 14 students.

Book Expo America  Conference in Chicago at McCormick Place, May 11-13 for anyone interested. NOTE: REGISTER EARLY FOR A SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNT.

Printers Row also coming up. Check their website for more information.

READINGS:

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI  reported that she had won three awards in Oklahoma's State Poetry Contest: First place, "Cowboy Wannabe," limerick; second place, "Sibling Rivalry," quatrain variation; and  second place, "Swimming Swans," tanka.

AMY BRAILEY read Chapter three of her story "Jon Everett and the Hall of History." Jon and his grandmother have a heart- to-heart about his responsibility for his actions and punishment he deserved.

DONNA ECKELBARGER introduced us to Wilma Inchworm and her exploits while trying to bake edible goodies for Lila, the ladybug and Charlie, the cricket

in her story, " The Lonely Inch Worm."

CAREN VON SEE presented two poems. One, "Ages and Stages" took us through the life of a person at ten year intervals until he reached 100, and "by cracky," he would live his life again. The second poem, "Inside My Eyelids," commented on some sad aspects of history and some present day politics.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read of the "Swimming Swans" who formed a heart when face-to-face; her "Cowboy Wannabe" whose brain was just a little too small for his ten-gallon hat, and her "Sibling Rivalry," which told of a sister who was jealous of her sister, so she wished to have been born "an only child."

MARY ELLEN BEECHER continued with an excerpt from "Out of Control."

This part of the story dealt with a mother's concern for the whereabouts of her son and his phone call to her about some weird people he had met.

DAVE WILGUS read two separate parts of his yet-untitled work. One character, Millie, visits a burn unit where patients' conditions shock her.  In another part of his story, the main character, Chad, is asked to turn state's evidence against the people who raided Parson's, but he refuses for fear of reprisal.

HARDARSHAN VALIA transported us to India and told of an ill-fated love affair between a young couple from different caste systems. The couple commit suicide by throwing themselves on the tracks of an approaching train India's cultural clashes were brought to light when the two families tried to agree how to handle the remains of their children.

Respectfully submitted,

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI