JUNE 18, 2014

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Sharon Palmeri , Sharon Buckman, Katherine Flotz, Beverly Stanislawski, George Miga,  Sharon Dorelli, Suzy Stueben, Paul Mulligan, Tom Molnar, Michelle Vargas, Bob Moulesong, Neil Bedeker, Denise Taylor, Luneil Morrow, Ruthann Graczyk 

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the June 4, 2014 minutes was first given by BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI and seconded by NEIL BEDEKER.

NEW BUSINESS:

SHARON PALMERI urged the members to go to Facebook and watch for prompts, several members stated that they had already done this.  It was also disclosed that we should be able to continue our meetings at Chapel Lawn despite a reduction in their staff. Good news!

 

READINGS:

RUTHANN GRACZYK read three pages of the beginning of her new book entitled, The Adventures of Boop.  Her novel, intended for adolescent readers, began with a teenage daughter tagging along with her mother to a local nursery and craft store.  Upon approaching the pet section the daughter encountered a Diamond Back Dove and eventually talked her mother into purchasing it.

DENISE TAYLOR read a summary of her book, All The Little Secrets.  Members decided that she needed a hook at the beginning of the summary to entice a prospective publisher into reading further. 

BOB MOULESONG read four pages of his short story, “Wolf Moon.”  The story, to be entered into his book of short stories entitled, “Lunacy, A Clutch of Short Stories,” told of a poacher, Nick Stavich, setting a snare bear trap and finding that he was being surrounded by a pack of wolves, blocking his retreat back to town.

SUZY STUEBEN continued with her book, Battle Mage.  In this four page revision of her previous beginning, Meg, a battle mage, sits on a wall at the edge of Lake Michigan.  She was surrounded by the sights and sounds of Chicago and fighting the memories of her last battle when she tried to protect the knight she loved..

MICHELLE VARGAS continued with her novel, Caelestis. Caelestis,, an angel disguised as a church organist, finds that one of his hands has become deformed when he transformed back into his natural state.  He also soon realizes that someone has witnessed his transformation.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read her 24 line free stanza poem entitled, “The Luck of Canary Jones.” The poem tells of a rags-o-line man keeping himself busy as he paints his name on his wagon and later deciding life has treated him well.

KATHERINE FLOTZ read her delightful short story entitled, “The Way We Were, Then and Now.”  The story, with paragraphs under the “Then” category followed by the “Now” category, revealed the very distinct difference between the work performed by our mothers and grandmothers and how much these tasks have changed in today's world.

SHARON BUCKMAN read three pages of her novel sequel, Beyond the Canopy.  In this part of her novel Anne is caught by surprise when a neighbor comes by with a message for Sally and soon discovers that Anne, or Sally, is not disclosing the correct information about the death of Anne’s parents.

NEIL BEDEKER continues with his novel, Early Retirement.  Mitch, a school teacher, finds himself being interrogated and then taken from the school by several FBI men as all the other teachers and students look on.

TOM MOLNAR continued with his novel, Dark Age Maiden, a book placed in the early Middle Ages and concerns a swordsman, and Duke, who becomes intrigued with his friends daughter, Lady Carina.  The Duke, Giancarlo, decided that her independent nature presented a challenge and would “sweeten his ultimate conquest.” 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN

 

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JUNE 4, 2014

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Sharon Palmeri, Sharon Buckman, Beverly Stanislawski, Sharon Dorelli, Denise Taylor, George Miga, Mary Ellen Beecher, Suzy Stueben, Michelle Vargas, Tom Molnar, Mike Musak, Paul Mulligan

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the May 20, 2014 minutes was first given by SHARON BUCKMAN and seconded by DENISE TAYLOR.

NEW BUSINESS:

SHARON PALMERI passed around a copy of a brochure from the Ball State University for anyone who might be interested in registering for Magna cum Murder, featuring John Gilstrap as the guest of honor on October 24-26, 2014.  She also introduced an advertisement for the Northwestern Summer Writers’ Conference from July 31 to August 2, 2014.

READINGS:

TOM MOLNAR read four pages of the introduction to his book, Materialism and Religion.  The book relates to the changes of religious views since the developments of science and how many great minds of the past, such as Galileo, were proven right, even though the church tried to prove them wrong.

MARY ELLEN BEECHER read her short story entitled, “A Gesture of Love.”  Her one page story told of the strong love shared between an older woman and younger man after the death of the woman’s husband.  The relationship was never accepted by her family.

MIKE MUSAK strayed away from his usual screenplays to begin a novel entitled, Things Change.  The novel begins with a nun reading a newspaper clipping printed six years earlier and ended with a hospital physician telling the parents of a raped teen aged girl that her condition was improving.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read her fourteen line sonnet entitled “Creative Juices.”  The sonnet, certainly agreed to by most writers, related to the imagination and inspiration needed to “find creative juices at the spring,”

DENISE TAYLOR continued with the teenage novel, All the Little Secrets. In this part of her novel she told of Beth’s father reprimanding her for taking out her anger on her little sister.  Because of the gentle and loving way he proceeded the scolding was much more effective.

MICHELLE VARGAS read four pages of her novel, Caelestis.  Caelestis, presented to the congregation a normal human being as he played the organ.  After the church service was over, and when he felt he was all alone, he shed his clothes and spread his wins as he took to the air, jumping off the balcony railing.

SUZY STUEBEN continued with her adolescent novel, this chapter entitled, “Mrs. Walters Investigates.” In this chapter Mrs. Walters decides to investigate a cold case murder of a young girl.  Dwelling on her neighbors across the street, she “investigates” by boiling their hard drive in a kettle.

SHARON PALMERI read her four page memoir entitled, “Swiss Miss”Trades Her Cocoa for Skis.”  This short story tells how Sharon met her husband, John.  The blind date was set up by a co-worker that had stated John could teach her how to ski, something she desperately wanted to do.  Sharon’s lack of ability in learning how to ski resulted in their turning to other endeavors, such as downtown Chicago entertainment.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN