July 9, 2026

 

July 9, 2026 – Called to Order at 6:10 PM

 

MEMBERS’ PRESENT:

Beverly Biehr, Amy Brailey, Sharon Buckman, Andrew Cummins, Nicholas Daykus, Bernadette Fortuna, Katerine Flotz, Gail Galvan, Ruthann Graczyk, Shirley Hinman, Lisa Keene, Al Koch, Karen Lauper, Tom Molnar, Bob Neuman, Judy Neuman, Sharon Palmeri, Trent D. Pendley, Diane Stratton, Shirley Vaughan.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

Trent asked for an update on the book we are putting together.  Amy advised that Sharon has received very few submissions so far.  If you are planning to be in the book, please submit your entries to Sharon.  The deadline is July 30, 2026.  Each member is encouraged to submit 4 short stories or novel excerpts, or 8 to 10 poems, depending upon the length, for a maximum of 4,000 words overall.  Not all will be published, but it will give the selection committee several to choose from.  Font is Times New Roman, size 12, 1.15 spacing.  They should be sent in Word or PDF.  Excerpts are acceptable if the book is self-published, but you must mention when and where it was published.  Keep in mind that it is intended for family reading and will be on sale on Amazon.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

Amy Brailey announced that she will be in Africa for the next meeting.  She also brought her books: one is Draft to Digital and the other is KDP, and they show the difference in quality.  Her new book is “I Teach for Entertainment,” which relays the conversations she has with kids in the classroom.

GAIL GALVAN mentioned her audiobook, New Jack Rabbit City, which includes 4 original songs, is available on Amazon, or you can download it on Audible. 

SHIRLEY VAUGHAN advised that her and Amy’s books are being sold at Miles Book Store in Highland (Kennedy & Jewet Streets).  He carries approximately 84,000 books, does author signings, and prefers that the books be signed before he sells them.  He accepts one copy first to assess your writing capabilities, then requests two copies for sale.  If they are sold, he will contact you for additional copies and receive 40% of the sales.  They also have book binding capabilities.

 

READINGS:

SHIRLEY HINMAN read “The Fence Was Gone,” a story about a Jack Russell who meets her match with Scruffy from down the street and becomes very insecure when her owner dies and her fence is gone.

GAIL GALVAN read from her book “Skelly the Skunk Saves Freedom Day on Plant Ka-reecher” which is about the new mean rat ruler who wants to lock up all the skunks on the planet.  Skelly the skunk saves the day, though, and saves Freedom Day.

SHIRLEY VAUGHAN read an excerpt from her novel entitled “Heaven’s Plan.” It tells how the ‘Peace Sign’ originated in 1958.

BERNADETTE FORTUNA read a poem “Favorite Cups of Joy” about four favorite beverages that titillate the author’s tongue and bring moments of joy in a cup.

AL KOCH read a short story from his column Koch’s Choice entitled “When I Wore a Younger Man’s Clothes.” To understand and enjoy life’s journey, one needs to “see” with both eyes and heart.  Wisdom is hidden treasure at both ends of the rainbow within the gift of each day.  Aging is the price one pays to discover, enjoy, and share the goodness, thoughtfulness, and kindness of those who touch our life.

TOM MOLNAR read an excerpt from his short book “Time Out for Happiness,” which delivers insightful thinking on how to minimize sadness and increase joy.  It features quick pick-me-ups as well as longer-term strategies.  Once we discard the ways that don’t bring happiness and focus on those that do, like sharing with others, we will be well on our way to living a happier life.  The truths found in this book are affirmed by those who have spent much of their working lives finding real answers to what brings happiness and joy.

SHARON BUCKMAN read an excerpt from her book “Canopy of Leaves,” which relays that while the 15-year-old girl is planning her escape, she realizes that her captor has planned too well to keep her imprisoned as he went to town.

NICHOLAS DAPKUS read an excerpt from his book, “This Is a Beginning,” where Mr. Butterfly is leading Pugberus, the three-headed Pug, into the forest where he notices ruins among the trees and nature reclaiming the land.  At a stream, the hungry Stomacus insists they eat, so Pugberus removes the satchel containing the magic First Aid Cookie Kit from his back.  He notices an approaching turtle as Mr. Butterfly, who becomes impatient with Pugberus, flies away.  He engages in conversation with the turtle and offers him a bite of one of the cookies.

KAREN LAUPER read an excerpt from her book “Can You Push Me to Heaven.” This is Part 2 of ‘Timmy Goes to School’ where at 8-1/2 years old Timmy officially begins Public School. Besides missing several days in the 2^nd semester due to another hospitalization, it was a great beginning.

TRENT D. PENDLEY read Chapter 4 of his book “Lewry Lurie” where, while talking in the study of Brighton House, Nathan and Brad Franklin examine a collection of linen postcards from a 1947 family road trip along Highway 66 that their grandparents, Uncle Irving and Aunt Sylvia, and other relatives took shortly after World War II.  The postcards and accompanying photographs spark a wide-ranging discussion about family history, including connections to prominent Lurie relatives in San Francisco and Hollywood, the family’s association with the Mark Hopkins Hotel and Gene Autry, and a near-tragedy involving Deborah and a Catalina Island excursion.  The conversation turns more somber as the brothers reflect on the long-suppressed death of Irving and Sylvia’s young son, Billy, whose loss profoundly affected the family and became an unspoken sorrow passed down through the generations.  Nathan and Brad also discuss the discrimination faced by Jewish families in mid-century America, the importance of preserving family artifacts, and the likelihood that the family acquired their treasured Georgia O’Keeffe painting during the same 1947 journey.  Through the postcards, photographs, and memories they evoke, the brothers gain a deeper appreciation for their family’s history, resilience, and the role that seemingly ordinary keepsakes play in preserving a legacy that might otherwise be forgotten.

RUTHANN GRACZYK read the continuation of Chapter 2 from the novel “New Day,” which is the saga of the Slade family, where son Keith is reunited with his two grandsons and comes face-to-face with Kristi’s parents for the first time in almost four years.

 

The Meeting was adjourned at 8:26 PM.

Respectfully submitted:

Ruthann Graczyk