OCTOBER 3, 2012

 
 MEMBERS PRESENT: George Miga, Katherine Flotz, Gail Galvan, Michelle Vargas, Donna Douglass,Ron Trigg, Mike Musak, Jane Burns, Julie Perkins, Tom Spencer, Sandra Nantais, Beverly Stanislawski, Sharon Dorelli, Sharon Palmeri, Jackie Huppenthal, Kelly Chase, Laurie Chase, Liz Wilson, Carol Castaneda, and Neil Bedeker
 

OLD BUSINESS

The vote of approval for the last meeting’s minutes was first given by Jane Burns and seconded by George Miga.

NEW BUSINESS

The group voted on a photograph to use for the cover of the next edition of Hoosier Horizon Magazine. It was tough because there many beautiful entries, but first place went to Jackie Huppenthal, a winter scene which included a pose from our state bird, the Cardinal.   

Second place ties went to Sandra Nantais for her photo which included a beach scene and Ron Trigg who captured an Autumn seasonal scene with a tree and colorful leaves.  Another tie for third place, Sandra Nantais, her photo of a fence and sky and Ron Trigg’s photo of colorful autumn leaves.

PUBLISHING NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Beverly Stanislawski announced that she won a few state poetry contest awards:  one honorable mention in Kentucky—in Michigan, a Haiku series to be published in the Poetry Society of Michigan Magazine which included first and second places and one honorable mention.   In the Massachusetts’ contest, she placed several times, including a first, two seconds and a third place with her poetry category entries.

SHARON PALMERI reminded everyone that the Christmas party this year will be on December 6^th, the first Thursday of December, and the cost is $23.00 per person. Payments  must be in by November 21.  Sharon also clarified some formatting guidelines regarding entries for the magazine which are now posted.  (One mention, poems work better single-spaced.) Last year’s cost of the Hoosier Horizon Magazine will be approximately $6.00 and expected not to be much different (if at all) this year. All authors are expected to purchase four copies each.

TOM SPENCER gave handouts to members regarding two upcoming literary events:  Saturday, October 13^th, a poetry open microphone session at the library in Lowell from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Poetry in the Park on Saturday, October 20^th at Evergreen Park in Lowell.  Call 1-219-696-3338 for more information.

GAIL GALVAN mentioned that she continues to work on revisions, a second draft, of the story titled New Jack Rabbit City: Starring the Chicago Hares.

 

READINGS

Readings began at 6:56 p.m.

MICHELLE VARGAS

Michelle started the evening off by reading from chapter two of her novel, Striving After Wind. In this chapter, Rebecca continues to convey her dismay at leaving Chicago, and the frustration with her husband and living in a different town.  Adam continues to complain about his new bride and wants to see his son Landon.

JANE BURNS

Jane continued her story about Atalanta and read from chapter seven:  “All Acts of

Love and Pleasure.”  The Sisterhood has gathered inside the Great Hall to feast. Conversation turns to the nature of gods, stories, and nature.  Kyra insists that anyone can tell a better story than Laurel.  Atalanta is taunted as she climbs onto a table and speaks. Yet, she is the one who gets “thunderess cheers” from the others.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI

Bev read her Haiku Series of four poems and told us that Haiku poems usually don’t have or require titles, but she was asked to title this work for publication in the magazine.  She was asked to title it Sea Variations.

LIZ WILSON

Liz read the prologue from her novel titled Bottomside. Though the story takes place in modern day Chicago, the prologue is set on the British Isle of Anglesey in 60 AD. The Romans are nearly ashore.  Myrddin vows that his people will “triumph and drive back those who would destroy the old earthen way of life.” 

CAROL CASTANEDA

Carol read from her short story, “True Lies,” which introduces two characters, Mack and Michelle.  Married for four years, Mack hates Chicago and can’t wait until the two of them can board a flight out of town to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A car accident happens instead when Mack hits a patch of black ice on the road.

KELLY CHASE/LAURIE CHASE 

Kelly’s mom, Laurie, read for her since Kelly had a case of laryngitis.  The story of The Ring continued with the end of chapter eight and into chapter nine.  In this chapter, Kristine and Jesse take off and leave the ritual that involves a “poor baby goat” behind.  The ring is being silent.  Kristine is afraid the Mistress will follow them.  Although they’ve only know each other for a couple of hours, two kisses are exchanged. 

SANDRA J. NANTAIS

Sandra read her poem entitled Old Fashioned Chocolate Soda which was graphically placed inside a soda fountain shaped glass.  

NEIL BEDEKER

Neil read from his novel, Dark Hearts, White City, from chapter seven, “The Trouble with Love.”  He continued telling his story, which takes place in Chicago. The time period is 1893, during the World’s Fair.  Officers Bockleman and McGhan are sitting on bar stools at Kelsey’s saloon on Halstead speaking to each other with their Irish way with words.  They spot Willy the Lump who is headed for the back door.   As “Willie” is patted down, the officers find a dozen small packets of chloral hydrate.  They tell Willie, he’d better start talking and give up the name of who he got the stuff from.

GEORGE MIGA

George read more from his novel Medal of Dishonor which he is revising. In this segment, McCall talks long distance on the phone to President L.B. Johnson.  McCall is in the Middle East and just had a meeting/lunch with King Hussein.  President Johnson tells McCall to go to Israel since Hussein has requested it but says depending on what happens in Israel, McCall might have to return to Jordan.  McCall starts to wonder and asks the President, “Did you send me here to just keep me quiet about the Crawford business?”  (Note:  George stated that some facts are from actual historical records.) He also continues to work on his other story titled Ariela – Lioness of God.

 

MIKE MUSAK

Mike read a short story titled “Lunch Time.”  It was along the lines of his script writing, but in a different format for submission to this year’s Hoosier Horizon Magazine. At lunch time in the cafeteria, George introduces Jake, a new guy, to some other workers.  Jake sees a fly and swats at it.  Ted, another worker at the table, snatches Jake’s sandwich and smashes the fly on the table with it.  Jake yells, “That was my sandwich.” Ted replies, “It still is, has more meat now.” Workers tell Jake he’ll get used to Ted. 

DONNA DOUGLASS

Donna's short story entitled "For What It's Worth" focused on her experience as an R.A. in a freshman dorm on I.U.'s campus in 1970 when social and legal norms were in extreme flux.  One of the girls came to Donna in confusion over sexual activity, now that the birth control pill was readily available and most of her friends were sexually active.  Later, after the girl's mother had stopped her from acquiring the pill, she came back for more counseling because she was now alone, pregnant, and planning to go to a dangerous old man for an illegal abortion.  After much thought, Donna gave her two phone numbers, one for adoption and one for a bus to New York where abortion was safe and legal.  The girl took both numbers but never revealed the choice she had made.  

NOTE:  Tom Spencer, Ron Trigg and Julie Perkins volunteered to wait until next time to read due to time constraints.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

Gail Galvan

~~To write is human, to edit is divine~~

 Stephen King     "OnWriting"

                      

2012 HOOSIERS HORIZON MAGAZINE GUIDELINES

NEW HOOSIER HORIZON MAGAZINE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

 

Due to the growth of our membership it was felt that a new format was needed for the magazine. 

The new format includes:

Three pages or less per member (This is to include short stories, inserts from novels, poems and pictures.) 

Print should remain Times New Roman, 

Font size is to remain 12

 

Spacing should be 1.15 with one inch margins for stories. 

Spacing should be single spaced for poems

 

The title should be 18 font, bold, with author's name centered below title in bold 12 font. 

The author's bio needs to be short and will be placed on the contributors’ page at the end of the magazine. 

All entries need to be sent to Sharon Palmeri through the Microsoft doc file before the end of the first of October.

 

Photo entries need to be sent in J Peg.

DEADLINE: October 3rd

2012 WOH PHOTO CONTEST

Hoosier Horizon Cover Photo Entries  

Deadline October 3rd

Interested applicants may submit:

·   Up to four photos maximum

·   Size should be 5x7

·   Photographic or brochure paper (glossy shows off the photo best)

·   Photo should be taken in Indiana (or at least LOOK like Indiana)

·   Cover photo WILL be in color

·   Do not place your name on the photo or identify them in any way to assure unbiased judging.

·   Deadline for photos to submit is October 3rd

·   Judging by members will be on October 3rd

If you have any questions please contact Sharon Palmeri

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

MEMBERS PRESENT:

George Miga, Ron Trigg, Donna Douglass, Sharon Buckman, Sharon Dorelli, Jackie Huppenthal, Sandra Nantais, Carol Castaneda, Jane Burns, Julie Perkins, Gail Galvan, Laurie Chase, Kelly Chase, Neil Bedeker, Michelle Vargas, Sharon Palmeri

OLD BUSINESS:

The vote of approval for the last meeting was first given by SHARON DORELLI and seconded by GEORGE MIGA.

NEW BUSINESS:

SHARON PALMERI talked about the need for entries concerning the  annual Hoosier Horizon magazine; they need to be submitted before October 2^nd.  The entries for the photo contest also need to be submitted before the same time.  Sharon also mentioned that anyone planning to attend the Christmas Party (the first Thursday in December) needs to send in their payment of $23.00 per person as soon as possible.  She also asked for a volunteer to take the minutes at our first meeting in October. GAIL GALVAN  volunteered to take minutes.

LITERARY NEWS:

GAIL GALVAN stated that she and JULIE PERKINS attended the Chicago Writers’ Convention and had a wonderful  time.  it was held at the Chicago Tribune Tower this past weekend.

JULIE PERKINS also stated that there were various evening events which featured various authors.  The fee was $200.00 per person but was well worth it.  Julie also stated that she recently found out that in trying to renew her teacher’s license she was able to include, in the 90 hours needed, the hours she has spent in our Write On Hoosier meetings.

JACKIE HUPPENTHAL mentioned the upcoming Indiana Writers’ Consortium at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville on October 2^nd – the ticket price for members is $27 and $30 for non-members, after Sept. 24^th the prices will rise.  Book table sales space is available for $10.

READINGS:

GEORGE MIGA read four pages of his novel Medal of Dishonor.  This part of the novel involved McCall being asked by President Johnson to attend an informal party at the Shuna Palace in the Jordan Valley; he was asked to attend to try and persuade his friend, King Hussein, to avoid becoming involved in a possible conflict involving Israel and Palestine.

SHARON BUCKMAN read four pages of her new novel, Canopy of Leaves – The Sequel.  The novel continues with Anne, the 13yr. old held captive for several months, finding her way to freedom and encountering the house where her captor had found Jeepers, her dog she recently had to bury.

SHARON DORELLI read two pages from her story, “The Faces of Sociopathy.”  The first page, entitled, “The Child and the Fly,” involved a young girl named Annie who was about to torture a fly.  The second page entitled, “The Evil-Doer,” involved a 17 yr. old named Tony who purposely became involved with a woman, 15 yrs. his senior, so that he could eventually end up in America.

JACKIE HUPPENTHAL read her poem, “Rain Drops.”  The poem related the wonderful relief felt by everyone, especially farmers, after the scorching heat of the summer.

SANDRA NANTAIS read her acrostic poem entitled, “Tijuana Zebra.”  A photo accompanied the poem which revealed a donkey, painted like a zebra, standing next to a “makeshift wagon for the visual enjoyment of tourists.”

JULIE PERKINS read her short story entitled, “One Night Stand at the Hometown Inn.”  The story told of a pregnant woman, Rachel, forced to spend the night at a motel with a prostitute.  She finally convinced the prostitute to give up her “clientele” for the night if she paid her three times her usual earnings.

GAIL GALVAN read a summary that she wrote about tips she received from the Chicago Writers’ Conference she recently attended in Chicago.  Her summary was entitled “Best Top Ten Advice Tips and Observations,” and offered some good advice for our members concerning various aspects of writing.

LAURIE CHASE continued with her novel, Badradin.  This part of her novel,  entitled  “The Unwanted,” told of Dr. Togalaz being escorted by a guard to her quarters after an altercation with another guard; she will not be allowed to leave her quarters until a debriefing is completed on all concerned parties.

KELLY CHASE continued with her novel, The Ring.  Kristine is made to listen to “the ring” as she is almost forced to slaughter a baby goat.  Suddenly the dagger is forced from her hand, saving the goat and ending the ceremony.

RON TRIGG continued with his memoir, Moments On An African Landscape. This part of his novel, entitled, “The Ugly American,” tells of his experience in Kenya, 1972, while he was traveling with a dozen other American tourists and trying to enjoy “Africa’s great wildlife.”  The experience was almost ruined by a woman named Maggie who couldn’t seem to enjoy anything on the African trip.

DONNA DOUGLASS read her short memoir entitled, “The Geography Lesson.”  The story related to her experience during an eighth grade geography class when she encountered a leaky classroom ceiling and a teacher who seemed to care about nothing but his “flask” and embarrassing Donna.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

Sharon Buckman