APRIL 7, 2016

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Sharon Palmeri, Sharon Buckman, Sharon Dorelli, George Miga, Bob Philpot, Marilyn Kessler, David Wilgus, Gail Galvan, Mary Lu Cowley, Mary Ellen Beecher, Hardarshan Valia, Ruthann Graczyk, Donna Echelbarger, Neil Bedeker, Adam Sedia, Caren Von See

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the March 24, 2016 meeting was first given by RUTHANN GRACZYK and seconded by GEORGE MIGA.

NEW BUSINESS:

SHARON PALMERI was our speaker for the evening, beginning with asking the members the difference between a plot and theme.  The group discussed “theme” Sharon continued with the description of “plot,” the various types of plots, and plot structure. She asked members to watch a favorite movie they have seen before over the next two weeks to see if they could determine the plot type in the movie. This was accompanied with papers she passed out on these subjects as well as how to plot a short story and the description of a theme.

READINGS:

ADAM SEDIA read his five-quatrain poem entitled “They.” This five-stanza poem endeavored to answer the question we all want to ask, who are “they?”  When a person’s name cannot be given, they “Do not need names when all obey, The word of a mere They.”

BOB PHILPOT continued with four pages of his novel, Strange Friends.  In this part of his novel, Frank revealed how he had met his wife, a waitress working in a diner, as he was on his way to the Yuma airport.  After being seated in the diner he discovered a robbery in progress and took over by throwing scalding coffee in the face of one of the robbers to disarm him.  Frank stopped the other robber, who was standing at the cash register, as the robber bent over to pick up his gun and received a kick to his face.

CAREN VON SEE read two separate poems.  The first poem, entitled  “It Was Hers When She Was,” told in eight stanzas,  the sequence of random items found in her home, each relating to her age at the time.  The second poem, entitled “Friendship,” told of the wonderful attributes of a close friend, ending with “Blended into time – Forever friends.”

GEORGE MIGA continued reading four pages of his novel, The Spin Doctor.  In this part of the novel Cordell Edwards welcomed a surprised visitor and close friend, General Garnett, into his office.  After discussing other friends, including a former President, General Garnett was urged to tell the real reason for his visit, warning Edwards it had to remain classified.

RUTHANN GRACZYK read the beginning of her short story entitled, “Changing Lives.”  This true story tells of the beginning of her dog’s life, almost being run over by a train as it and seven other puppy siblings were left in a box in the middle of the train tracks.  They survived only because the engineer was able to stop in time.    

GAIL GALVAN read her eight-stanza poem entitled, “Think About It: Deadly Roadways.”  This poem tells of the dangers and tragedies of some driver’s bad decisions to text while driving.  The poem ends with “Will warnings halt the misery?  Will self-control happen and change reality?”

NEIL BEDEKER read two pages from his novel, Early Retirement.  In this part of the novel two daughters, Annie and Clare, talk of their mother and her messed up life that they want no part of.  After recently moving from Nashville and now living in Chicago, Annie questions Clare’s previous day job interview as both girls need to now find work.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN