MAY 18, 2017

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Bob Philpot, Sharon Buckman, David Wilgus, Beverly Stanislawski, Kathy Flotz, Sharon Palmeri, Carol Young, Amy Brailey, Haley Hardin, Rebecca Juergens, Rachael Thomas, Caren Von See, Mike Musak, Diane Stratton, Helena Qi

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the May 4, 2017 minutes was first given by CAREN VON SEE and seconded by AMY BRAILEY.

NEW BUSINESS:

CAROL YOUNG, introduced herself to the members.  She stated she was a retired nurse, 17 yrs. in long term care, living in Louisville, Ky.  She is presently writing a book with her sister, Caren Von See, entitled Murder of an Imaginary Man.

SHARON PALMERI told of her experience when she attended a workshop for Magna Cum Murder in Muncie, IN after being asked about it.  She also stated she would like the members to start thinking about what they would like for entertainment at our Christmas Banquet in December, and to e-mail her with any suggestions.

LITERARY NEWS:

DAVE WILGUS brought copies of his recently published book, Cub Fans Dream Comes True.  He stated it was published through Create Space and that the Kindle version would soon be out.  He also stated that he has three speaking engagements, June 17^th in Plymouth, In., June 24^th in Valparaiso, In. and August 19^th in Michigan City, IN.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI stated that present, or past, members of Poetry for Society of Indiana were invited to submit two poems for their 75^th anniversary.  She also stated they must be a member since 2016 and that the deadline was May 31.

BOB PHILPOT stated that the members might be interested in turning to Writeway online for help with their writing.  He felt it was even better than Scrivener.

MIKE MUSAK was asked to re-introduce himself since some of the new members had not met him.  He stated that he is presently working on a novel.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM:

Members were asked  at the last meeting to write a short story concerning a picture of an old farmhouse with surrounding buildings, etc. that they were shown. The picture was posted at the end of the May 4 minutes.  The responding stories are as follows:

AMY BRAILEY read, “A Twice Told Tale.” The story began with telling of the two ladies seen walking up the farmhouse lane.  One of the ladies, Leah, spends most of the story searching for the other, Janie.  The end of the story reveals that they are both ghosts, coming back to visit their old homeplace.

BOB PHILPOT read “The House of Thaumaturge.”  The house of Thaumaturge was supposedly given this name by Abrahamson Stidolph, the man who painted the picture.  It was told that the picture had to be completed by the early evening of the Full Red  Moon.  After many rumors spread concerning this picture it was revealed that the original picture had no women walking up the lane but later included four figures, people who wanted to go visit their departed love ones decided to join the ghost figures.

CAREN VON SEE read “This Old House.” The story begins with two older ladies, Deidre and Mary, walking up the lane to the old farmhouse.  After entering the house they notice all the changes that had been made since they were last there and then decide to sit in the kitchen and have tea.  The story then reveals the Dunlap family entering the same house, deciding they would like to purchase it. They then begin to smell the aroma of sweet tea and shortbread cookies.

RACHEL THOMAS read, “The Return Home.”  This story begins with an older man and young woman walking down the dusty lane to the farmhouse.  He notices the bruised eye and matted hair of the woman and suddenly remembers how she and this house looked years before, before he kidnapped her and had taken her away from it.

KATHERINE FLOTZ read her short story entitled, “Germany.”  This story took place in 1943 Germany and began with visitors coming in to check on the old lady who was living alone there.  As they were leaving they hid when noticing a military truck pulling into the lane.  When the two men pounded on the door, saying Heil Hitler when it opened, and asking if a Jewish girl lived there they were told no.  After looking all around the house they finally left, forgetting to look in the chicken coop.

SHARON BUCKMAN read “The Day After Tomorrow.”  This short story told of a young boy hiding in the chicken coop waiting for his friends to come back and get him.  After hiding for quite a long time, and robbing the old ladies living in the farmhouse of small bits of food, he finally decides he can no longer wait.  He will wait two more days in the dirty old chicken coop before jumping on a train to California.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read a short story entitled,  “V and X.”  The story begins with a young boy at a five and dime, watching a salesman demonstrate how he could put a small mouse through its paces.  The boy rushed home showing his mother the small mouse he purchased.  When the mouse could perform no tricks he realized he had been scammed.  His mother comforted him by telling him to invite his friends over after school for milk and cookies.

 

READINGS:

MIKE MUSAK read his one stanza poem entitled, “The Key.”  The poem advises people to practice the lesson of learning to have faith in each other, learning to love and doing what’s right.

HELENA QI read her short story, “Vigilance in Soliltude.”  Her story began with her driving down Ridge Rd. at 6 AM  and not realizing in her solitude that she had failed to turn on her turn lights when changing lanes.  After being pulled over by a police car she realized what she had done and later related it to a story she remembered years before.

REBECCA JUERGENS brought several different designs for the members to see and vote on.   The designs were for the cover of her new novel.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN