This month’s meeting of the Hill Country Women of Words was really FUN! I know I say that a lot, but every meeting is fun for me. I look forward to it all month.
We began the meeting with a writing prompt from Valerie Gaumont:
“He floated somewhere between restriction and freedom...” and we took
off from there. It’s always so interesting the different ways we each
can go with the same idea. We wrote about women’s lib, reality TV, a car
thief, afterlife, betrayed lovers, fantasy island, a poem about a pear,
amnesia, and a story from the point of view of a fish. Where would that
prompt have taken you?
We were so excited that Mary Eckert was with us this month! And guess what – Mary has a new blog – http://blessingsfortheday.wordpress.com/
. Mary’s goal is to write once a week so check it out. Mary recently
attended a writer’s workshop with author and speaker, Pamela Fagen
Hutchins. She was very impressed with Pamela and bought one of her books
about self-publishing. Mary has been side tracked from her writing for
awhile, but she is teaching creative writing one day a week at a small
church school in Junction and she’s determined to get back into the
writing saddle again. We are so glad to have her back with us!!
Betty Murphy
has a new Apple computer her children handed down to her (isn’t it
funny when we get their hand-me-downs?) and she’s struggling to learn
it, but she did have a sweet nonfiction piece to share with us called
“Believe in Happy Ending,” a true story of her grandparents
relationship. So bittersweet. I would never have imagined it. I’m glad
her grandmother did have her happy ending.
Lynn Harris has a new job at Hat Biz. They are a hat distributor and sell Lone Star Hats. Lynn brought us a continuation of her novel, Life With Lupe.
Now they’ve discovered tunnels used by drug dealers, stashed with a
cache of weapons and hordes of spiders. Yuck. Sounds gross and dangerous
at the same time.
Valerie Gaumont, http://valeriegaumont.weebly.com/ , brought us the rest of chapter one from her new novel, Ashka’s Road.
This haunting book is really interesting. I’m so glad Valerie brought
us copies so I can re-read the first chapter of the entire fantasy
adventure. War-weary Ashka lives on Gerodona Street,
an old street that has seen it’s share of revolutionary battles. How
honest will he be now in the re-telling of the revolution now that his
grandson is asking questions? Valerie is so good at creating intrigue.
Barbara Loyd, http://colorfilled.blogspot.com/
, and her husband, Paul, have both signed up for the Writers League of
Texas Summer Workshop in Alpine, TX, August 2-7. What a great adventure
they will have together! I didn’t even know Paul was interested in
writing, but Barbara says he’s working hard on a rough draft to take
along for evaluation. I can’t wait to hear Barbara’s report on the
event. Barbara brought us a short prose gardening piece she titled
“Prose-Bounty.” She also read us a sweet, visual poem called “Sunday
Evening.” I love the description of her dog as “pants-a-lot.” That was
fun.
Liz Brookshire
put is all in stitches with her piece “Adventures in Camping,” a story
she wrote and read for her Toastmasters group. I love this story!! I
will keep my eyes out, Liz, for a camping anthology. This would be
perfect.
Sheila Kale, http://www.sheilaspeakshope.com/
, brought us the very first beginnings of a story? novel? (we’re not
sure), just slightly more than ½ of one page, but we were hooked! An old
church, covered with vines, holds the key to whatever had destroyed her
family and our heroine is determined that nothing will remain hidden in
the ruins. I’ve always felt that Sheila could write powerful fiction if
she just put her fingers to the keys and look – I was right! Please
bring us more, Sheila.
Vici Wray is moving ahead with her planned proposal to Rainbow Publishers of her book, Adventures at Camp Grandma.
I am so impressed with the work Vici has done on this and pleased to
have a copy of her proposal to read and critique. I have a really good
feeling about this, Vici. I hope Rainbow is ready for an adventure!
Linda Colie
was with us, nothing to read, but she’s the one who wrote to Valerie’s
prompt from the point-of-view of a fish! What a great imagination Linda
has. Linda also brought us treats – nice manuscript folders and copies
of the Constitution of the United States. Someone had given these to Linda and she wanted to pass them on to us. Thank you, Linda!
Sally Clark, http://sallyclark.info/
, brought eight poems, “Tiny Skeletons, Empty Skin,” (bet you’ll look
at dust differently now, won’t you?) “Batten Down the Bodies,” (think
I’ll change that one to “Summer Squall”) “Old Sheets,” “How Do You
Explain,” “The Dam,” “Making My Way to Shore,” (I changed the title to
“Making Peace With God,”) “Forty-Four,” and “Memory.” Thank you all for
your help in critiquing these poems.
News from other WOWs –
Alice Kolb, http://pens-or-pins.blogspot.com/
, had intended to come to the meeting that night. She has copies of her
new book to show everybody, but emailed at the last minute – “I
am still hoping but not sure I can make it tonight. My left eye is
fighting a problem that reoccurs now and then, old scar tissue that
flares afresh on the cornea that makes me extremely sensitive to light. I
tried driving to exercise this am and found it very difficult to drive
home. I've been inside all day and just walked out to get mail and the
sun felt blinding. I have re-medicated the eye and maybe by 5:20 p.m. I can drive. If I don't show it is because of the danger of driving with this problem.”
Bobbi Grimmer had play practice for Les Miserables.
This is going to be a wonderful play and I think it will sell out
quickly. Be sure to watch for it June 20th through July 6th. Bobbi is in
the chorus.
Dorothy Leyendecker, our Florida member, sent me two writer magazines which I will read and bring to the next meeting to pass on. Thanks so much, Dorothy!
Karen Vanek http://karenvanek.wordpress.com/ , is out of town, attending the baptisms of her grandbabies. What a blessing!
Sylvia Rogers, http://praise4life.wordpress.com/ , emailed her regrets that she could not attend.
Upcoming birthdays are: Valerie Gaumont, Johnson City, June 27th
Dena Dyer, Granbury, July 12th
Katy Jones, Kerrville, July 20th
Keep writing!
Love to all, Sally
