June 1, 2021

MEMBERS PRESENT

 

(June 1, 2021) The meeting began at 4:15 p.m.

Sharon Palmeri, Beverly Stanislawski, Shirley Vaughan, Diane Stratton, Amy Brailey, Hardarshan Valia, and Gail Galvan

 

NEW BUSINESS

Crown Point library updated their mask policy and stated no masks are necessary if individuals are fully vaccinated.  Dues are half price this year ($10.00) and Katherine is happy to collect!  Dates, times and places for future meetings were sent out to emails previously. MARK YOUR CALENDARS because “WE’RE BACK!”

 

LITERARY NEWS

AMY BRAILEY stated that the book signing on May 23^rd at her church went exceptionally well.  She was promoting her novel BEHIND THE VEIL.  The magic sword was even on display! She also let us know she would be gone on vacation for a while.

SHIRLEY VAUGHAN brought both of her books to the meeting.  The first one is titled:  The Will of God.  Her second published book is Heaven’s Plan. She is working on some revisions on this one. 

There was an open discussion on some of the differences between self-publishing with Digital Draft 2 and Kindle Direct Publishing.  For comparisons and contrasts a good link article for those who are interested is the following:

Best Self-Publishing Companies [UPDATED]: Guide to Self-Publishing Companies (Written by Scott Allan Published on 2020-10-14)    SOURCE: https://selfpublishing.com/self-publishing-companies/

GAIL GALVAN suggested a literary project:  a book compiled of Haiku poems by members.  If the idea sparks and one hundred poems are obtained she would publish a book—HAIKU HUNDRED.  If interested send Haiku poems to savesoulusa@gmail.com.  Updates will be given later. (A haiku consists of three lines with a 5-7-5 syllable structure.  The first line has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the last line will have five syllables.)

 

READINGS

GAIL GALVAN read three haiku poems. The first one was about “a sobered-up dude” who won American Idol, the second touched upon creativity which is “always burning inside us,” and the last one emphasized the sentiment that it’s best to keep on trying rather than letting dreams die.

SHIRLEY VAUGHAN read from her latest book, Heaven’s Plan.  As the story begins, Mary claims, “I know who my new mother will be.”  She is in Heaven, but getting ready to be born again on Earth.  Mary and two friends, John and Eric, are able to fly, and they soar above the Statue of Liberty in New York where Mary believes she will begin her new life soon. Members found the premise of Shirley’s book, guardian angels roaming around on Earth, very interesting.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read two interesting, carefully crafted poems, “Glorious” and “Peace, Just a Word.”  “Glorious” paid tribute to our American flag.  There were six verses. 

Here is the last one:

 “This banner has its fifty stars

 For all the world to see.

 Our glorious flag that serves so well

Waves for our liberty.”

The second poem has five verses and seems to imply that peace is “hard to define” and important, but elusive.

“Peace, just a word

With a universal creed

That must include

Freedom for all mankind.”

HARDARSHAN SINGH VALIA read his beautiful, intriguing poem: “Theater on the Lake.”   It described glaciers forming, Paleozoic rocks shaped by a divine order, and moonlit skies while enjoying country fair rides, corn-on-the-cob, funnel cake, and a viewing of The Sanctity and the Vulnerability of Life at a Theater on the Lake. Here is how Valia explains his poem.  “The poem is an ode to Lake Michigan that formed when the glaciers melted during the last glaciation period and filled the basin some 10,000-15,000 years ago. With that started the warm interglacial period and celebration of life began. This aspect of interglacial period resulted in tremendous growth for the society. So, enjoy the life in between the ice ages of the past and the future.”

 

The meeting ended at 6:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, 

Gail Galvan