Thursday, February 17, 2011

MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2011


MEMBERS PRESENT:


Beverly Stanislawski, George Miga, Sharon Buckman, Liz Wilson, Jessica Bard, Gail Galvan,
Kathy Flotz, Sharon Palmeri, Sharon Jesik, Pamela Gonzalez, Jackie Huppenthal, John Boufis,
Kelly Chase, Laurie Chase, Judy Whitcomb, Mike Musak


ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sharon Palmeri announced to the members that Borders Bookstore would be closing. She asked if anyone had any suggestions as to where we might continue with our meetings. Several suggestions were given, such as, various libraries, restaurants, churches, community buildings, etc. It was decided that a few of the members would take it upon themselves to call a few of the places suggested. If any of these places agree to let us use their facilities, it would be discussed, and decided upon, at the next meeting. Katherine mentioned that she would try to arrange for our next meeting to be at Schoop's Restaurant in Crown Point.

NEWS:
BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI won another poetry contest with a Shakespearean sonnet entitled, “The Tempest." Congratulations Bev!

SHARON BUCKMAN stated she had received several phone calls regarding the WOH Christmas photograph and editorial that was placed in both The Times and Post Tribune.

LAURIE CHASE informed the members that her father, who had been recently residing with her, passed away. She also stated that the pain she had been suffering in her right arm was bursitis not damage to her rotator cuff, thank goodness.

PAMELA GONZALEZ stated that the revision she had started on her novel is almost complete.
JUDY WHITCOMB announced that she had received another rejection letter concerning her children's book, "Grandma is a Science Teacher." She is also working on her newest story, "At Rainbow's End - Oops!"

JACKIE HUPPENTHAL stated that she has been busy writing. She also reminded us that there will be stories and poems read from the Prairie Writers Guild concerning their newest book, "From the Edge of the Prairie." The readings will be from 2:00 to 5:00 on Saturday, Feb. l9th.

GAIL GALVAN talked about her book, "Simplicity, From Fat to the New Me & Maybe You." She also told us of the various writing projects she is involved in, especially concerning print on demand. When asked how many she has had published, she stated probably twelve or thirteen.

JOHN BOUFIS stated he has been working very hard trying to get "safe harbor," (meaning trying to keep the school where he teaches from closing.)
KATHY FLOTZ has been busy re-reading, and enjoying, Write On Hoosier's newest book, "Hoosier Horizons."

SHARON PALMERI is presently in her second week of teaching Writers' Workshop. She has also been busy with the Indiana Writers Consortium’s PoPP project. She is compiling and designing a magazine showcasing the childrens contest poetry winners. Sharon is also involved in working as a media technician for IUN’s radio station (no writing involved). She also stated that she will be on a selection panel for Indiana Arts Commission concerning Individual Artist Grants that will be awarded in At the IAC on April 21.

READINGS:

GEORGE MIGA read a few pages of his newest book, "Medal of Dishonor." This part of his book concerned a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden, honoring three men who were about to receive the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Battle of the Bulge. The medals, presented to them by President Harry Truman, neglected to include another soldier, three thousand miles away in a U. S. Army hospital.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read her new, award winning, Shakespearean sonnet, "The Tempest." The sonnet told of a captain's valiant fight to save his ship from the raging sea.
SHARON BUCKMAN read the last few pages of her book, "Canopy of Leaves." The story concludes with the captor of a young teenage girl, losing his life as he chases the girl into the freezing high water of a local river, setting the victim free.

LIZ WILSON continued with a few pages of her book, "Bottomside," in which Isaak, a clairvoyant runaway counselor, who is trying to save the subterranean city of Bottomside, has a war of words with his "bodyguard," an elf named Cullen. Due to the terrible headache he is presently suffering, his psychic abilities have begun to diminish.

JESSICA BARD read the beginning of her short story entitled, "The First Snow." The story told of a man heading home when he spotted a woman lying in the snow. The woman was badly injured, and bleeding, begging him not to leave her so that he might call an ambulance.

GAIL GALVAN read her "Top Ten Reasons Why A Writer Should Not Give Up," reasons, some very humorous, that all the members certainly agreed with.

SHARON JESIK continued reading several pages from her book, "Corn Dancer." Events that took several friends of deceased, Dotty, on a trip to New Mexico, began to take shape as they encountered a large basket filled with various items that they began to withdraw, helping to explain things Dotty was trying to tell them.

JACKIE HUPPENTHAL read the first part of her delightful short story entitled, "Our Little Girl." The "little girl" turned out to be a "mid-sized mutt with a dark face and floppy ears," who they realized was a pregnant female mutt who later gave birth to five puppies.

JOHN BOUFIS, after explaining the word "seep" to us, read his two page story, "Seeping." The story tells of a seeping party, in which old bodies were exchanged for new ones, and then enjoying the benefits of their "new bodies."

JUDY WHITCOMB read a past story that she revised into a children's short story, "At Rainbow's End - Oops!" The humorous story told of a leprechaun losing his recently found gold and blaming a young boy and his dog. In the end, the dog, Wrigley, accidently helps him find his gold.

MIKE MUSAK came through with another humorous screenplay. After various members each took part in the cast of five characters, the play, "White Elk Bar," came alive, telling another humorous tale. This play concerned a man who ate his meal much too fast, causing him to fall, face first, into his plate; the outcome being that no one wanted to leave his dinner to go call the police.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 P.M.
Respectfully submitted:
Sharon Buckman

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