Meeting Minutes November 13, 2011

I'm a little behind this week. I've been working on some edits for both my agent and a publisher for Murder on Manitou as well as doing some renovations on the basement.

Marilyn led our meeting this week and led us in a round of introductions to new visitor Stafford, who professed to be a writer but only on a family blog. Welcome, Stafford, hope we didn't scare you off!
We did talk about the joy of being with other writers and how it forces us to write. Ron asked Stafford "Do you have any idea the depth of your writing?" None of us do. We write and dig deeper each time we do, creating art where we never knew any existed.

Business:
Gloria gave us all information for a booklaunch at Eramosa Eden on Nov 27 from 1-5pm. The book is called "Limericks from the Animal Kingdom" by I. Mary Hackney and features art work by Carly Hatton, a 19 year old autistic woman. Her website is www.CarlysArt.com. The book was published by Gloria's imprint Sprial Press. For more details, you can check www.eramosaeden.org or www.SpiralPress.ca.

Marilyn has a new release from Sundragon Press called "Keep IT Simple" by Sharon Bennett. http://sundragonpress.com/non-fiction/sharon-bennett/

Nancy asked if we would like to host a workshop by Nora Zylstra-Savage in the new year. The total cost for a three hour workshop would be $345.00 ($34.50 per person if we have 10!) and focus on creative writing and finding inspiration. Check her out at:  http://www.story-lines.ca/index.php?wp=68

Nancy also reminded us that Dec 11 is our Christmas Luncheon. This year we are holding it at Kelsey's and will have a reservation time. Family is welcome to attend.

Reading:
Gloria read three limericks from I. Mary Hackney's book. Very clever! A great gift for all ages.

Nancy read a poem she called "Tapestry."

Danielle wrote a song for the Sunday school kids church concert based on the book "Little Bunny's Christmas." She wrote the words and the organist at her church came up with the music. She said it sounds fabulous and will see if she can get a recording. The performance will be Dec 4th at Knox Presbyterian Church in Grand Valley at 10:30am. All are welcome!

Joe is updating his previously published non-fiction work to included new information in an epilogue. More information at www.grafspee.com. He is looking for an American publisher once it is updated. It is currently published in German and Spanish.

Marilyn had a piece about how writers organizations and groups help to encourage and give help and support. She says judging the content of other people's writings becomes political and we are not there to discuss politics. She appreciated the safety of the group, everyone reads aloud with like-minded people.
Nancy told us later that we also discuss what people have said for discussions sake.

Stafford read an item off his blog from Nov 10 that he has also submitted to the Banner. It was a very thought provoking look at war in our global village. Thanks for sharing!!

Ron talked about a group he's gotten involved with called "Women Writing For (A) Change"

Prompts:
Marilyn focused on the premise for this session. She gave us a definition then a list of novels to write a premise for.
Definition of Premise: "A story premise introduces the protagonist (without naming him/her) and sets out a story's core dramatic issue, the movement of that issue toward resolution, and the fulfillment that resolution sets up for the story's audience. It should be brief (one or two sentences at most), provocative, and contain an idea that jumps out at you. It is expressed in the present tense, is easily understood by a 15 year old and should attempt to be the same but different from other similar stories."

The novels:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone - JK Rowling
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - Tom Robbins
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austin
Black Beauty - Anna Sewell
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
The Scarlett Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexander Dumas
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
The Pelican Brief - John Grisham

Marilyn suggested that we write a premise before working on any short story or novel.
It was a tough, but interesting exercise.

Our next meeting is Nov 27. Nancy will be leading.
Our last get together of 2011 takes place Dec 11 at Kelsey's. Bring your appetite!

Eramosa Eden Book Launch

Hi All,

This is the photo taken by the SNAP magazine of Gloria Nye's Book Launch, April 18, for the 26 "Stories of Prayers & Faith", which many members of the Headwaters Writers' Guild attended. It was a wonderful day celebrating the publication of these heartfelt stories. Thanks to everyone who supported this project!

Ruth Cunningham

Meeting Minutes April 11, 2010

What happens in the writing group stays in the writing group so I'm not posting any more blogs.

Kidding.

We started off the meeting by blowing up balloons. Nancy brought chocolate cake. We were celebrating. Last year Clare turned 70 and we missed marking the occasion due to Len Rich passing away. Can anyone believe it's been a whole year? We were also celebrating Gloria's 70th birthday and found out Caitlyn's was April 10! Happy Birthday to all!

First on the agenda was our choice of a date for this year's Eramosa Eden Retreat. Our options were May 22, May 29, June 19 or June 26. In then end, we chose June 19 from 10am-4pm. The cost to all who want to attend is $10. Coffee will be provided but you are asked to bring a bag lunch. Feel free to bring treats to share. Don't forget to bring your CAMERA as well. Last year we were visited by several raccoons. Please let Nancy know if you plan to attend and submit your $10 to her.

June 19 is also the deadline for submissions to our anthology. There is a limit of 2,000 words per piece of writing. You are also invited to submit poetry. Gloria will get back to us as to how many pieces we may submit. She will also send the publishing information to Richard who will pass it on to Clare via a note attached to a rock thrown through his window. We are also seeking ideas for the Cover of the anthology. If you have any great photos, please bring them in!

Speaking of the anthology, we have Clare talking to the Banner and Richard talking to the Citizen about possible sponsorship to fund it. We also discussed donating the proceeds of our sales to the Headwaters Health Centre. In particular, books for the children's ward.

Ron had some exciting news. He is meeting his mentor from England soon to go over his notes and information for his book. We wish him all the best.

Just a reminder that the book launch for Gloria Nye's book Stories of Prayers and Faith will take place April 26 on 7pm at BookLore.

Clare showed us all a book called "Page Fright" by Harry Bruce that talks about good writing and peculiarities of writers. He asked if we had any peculiarities when we wrote. Some of the more interesting notes from the back cover were: Mark Twain rejected the "new fangled" typewriting machine. Truman Capote wrote only in bed. Friedrich Schiller could only write if his desk drawer was full of rotten apples. Balzac never drank less than 50 cups of coffee per day. And if that doesn't make you raise an eyebrow, Victor Hugo tops them all. He wrote his novels bare-naked ina glass cage that was affixed to the roof of his house and occasionally poured cold water over his head and rubbed his torso with gloves made of horsehair.
I'm afraid to ask if anyone can top that.....

Gloria read about the glories of a mushy brain.

Nancy read a letter she received from Glenn who is still out in Alberta then passed Harry a poem to read. Glenn wrote a poem called Right Place? Right Time? which Harry did a brilliant job reading. Beore he read, he added, "I'm Glenn, you just have to imagine someone who is balding on top." We all agreed that Glenn has found the rhythm of the Spoken Word or Words Aloud.

Nancy's raw writing mentioned that "What surprises her the most is that we're a writing group and hardly anybody posts to our blog." Maybe we should all try to make it a habit to talk about a writing topic on the blog once a month.

Harry read a piece littered with circus lingo. He also reminded us about the Grey Roots Museum's Poetry afternoon for National Poetry Month. He and 4 other poets will appear on April 24 from 2-5pm to recite poems about Climate Changes.

Jayne thanked us all for reading and commenting on her Dean Constable Mystery on http://www.presbyterianrecord.ca/ she said it was a very highly commented on series (thanks to all of us who just have to sing her praises!) Keep it coming, Jayne, we love your book so far!

Caitlyn read poems that were "not rhyming or depressing". One about rock hunting and the other about her dog with "so much hair".

Diane (that would be me in case you didn't read ahead) read a short story about a set of false teeth. Yes, Richard, it is a true story only it didn't happen to me luckily. But she is looking forward to seeing it as part of our anthology.

Richard wanted to stop for cake but was forced to read first. He read from Chapter 2 of his second book of The Ostiary. Can't wait for that one to be finished. No pressure.

Sandy came back to another meeting! She's so brave. She warmed up with a limerick poem about writing then had a great poem about "Reed and Daddy."

Finally we took a cake break. Once everyone's blood sugar was sufficiently spiked, Nancy reminded us that we don't always celebrate birthdays. Two 70th birthdays was a milestone and we had to recognize that. Richard told her that was a good thing or we'd all be diabetic.

We did do prompts later than usual but I'll post them here for anyone who wants to do them to read next week. Clare took the cake home then the room went quiet. Too quiet. So quiet we could all hear the balloons drop...

We did a quick read of prompt writing. Harry slayed us all with a story about "The hand that squirts the words on the page." He was asked (threatened?) to bring it to the next meeting.
If anyone wants a great prompt to write, try writing BEST EXCUSES NOT TO WRITE. Be sure to bring it to the next meeting to read. There will be a prize for the best one...maybe...or maybe not.

Okay, enough drama. Our next meeting is April 25 and Judy will be leading.

And now for the prompts....
1) A word of caution.
2) The reason I can't write today is...
3) "Let me pose a hypothetical question," he began.
4) Music wafted through the air on the spring breeze.
5) She clutched the hot cup of coffee and gazed at her reflection in the window.
6) The only real tragedy in life is not to use the gifts and talents that God gave you.
7) It was quiet. Too quiet.
8) Two men sat at a coffee shop. One looked the other in the face and said,"....."
9) He placed his hand on the hood of the car and frowned.
10) Being curious about other people and their dramas is a natural by-product of a lifetime spent as a writer.

See you all April 25.
Keep on writing!

ERAMOSA EDEN

Hi Nancy -

I made a page for the Headwaters Writer's Guild with the pictures yousent me. You can tell your people to go to www.eramosaeden.org and click onCourses/Workshops and then click to the page, or they can go directly the pagevia www.eramosaeden.org/id27.Thanks for the great pictures.Looking forward to our next time together.

Love,Gloria.