Meeting Highlights August 21, 2025

Members Present:  Jackie, Judy, Karen, Patty, Pete, Valia

Jackie informed the group that over the summer she had compiled a list and printed out Alan's poems. She then met with Alan's sister. Alan's sister gave her additional poems that Alan had written several years ago. Jackie would like to submit some stories and poems to Chicken Soup for the Soul at some point and would also like to see a few made into picture books. Also, she hopes to find out if Alan's friend still plans to publish Pioneer Spirit.

Patty read the synopsis and query for The Iron Ladies.

Judy read Chapter 5 Choosing a Friend from and a synopsis of her middle-grade novel Emma and Guinevere.

Karen read Chapter One of Haunting Mom.

Valia was challenged to write a 100 word story about love. A Loving Farewell resulted, a touching story about his parents.

Next Meeting: September 18th, at 6:30 at Rosati's in Schererville.

Meeting Highlights July 17, 2025

ATTENDEES: Valia, Karen, RuthAnn, and Patty

Pete's poem "Beyond the Raven's Door," came in 3rd place in the "Poe-it Like Poe" poetry contest. Congratulations, Pete!

Valia talked about ‘Grammarly’ an app that he frequently uses. The APP checks your writing and finds grammar, spelling, and writing mistakes. He finds it very useful.

Valia then read his poem titled, “Steel Industry’s Homage to the American Independence.” He will submit it to various organizations including the Smithsonian. This submission celebrates America’s 250 Anniversary and explains how the steel and iron industry literally build America from the ground up, even into outer space.

Patty read Chapter 22- “Two Worlds Meet’ the chapter in which Vienne takes her father, Gepard, down Rue des Rosier and introduces him to her shopkeeper family.

We had a lively discussion about both pieces, and about what constitutes a MG or YA novel. Ruthann shared that she had written 5 books and we eagerly asked that she bring a sample to the next meeting.


Respectfully submitted,

Patty Yackanich

July 2024 to June 2025

MORE MINUTES TO COME

July 18, 2024

Members Present:  Alan, Debbie, Jackie, Karen, Patty, Valia

Commedy Recap:

Alan taught stand-up comedy at IUN and performed at Wisconsin Dells so members were intersted in learning what goes into being a stand-up comedian. Alan discussed the importance of looking for funny and ironic things in every day life. We worked on the first joke of the set and learned opening and closing jokes are most important. Alan suggested we look up several famous comedians and watch them on YouTube. He also went over vocab words.

August

September

October

November

December 

January

February

March - no meeting

April

May

June

Meeting Highlights for June 20, 2024

Members Present: Alan, Jackie, Karen Patty, Pete, Ruthann, Helena

Karen talked about her book, The Cabooseman’s Garden, and how the 3^rd graders in Griffith read her book as part of their local history segment in school. They also get to tour the museum. Members are interested in getting a tour of the Griffith Train Museum as well.

Alan is starting a poetry group at the senior center in Michigan City in August. Class will be every Wednesday morning. He plans to write and share more short stories at MHW meetings. He will start teaching a comedy class before regular MHW meetings starting in July. Members decided we should meet earlier, at 6pm, and plan to start the regular meeting a little later, around 7pm. Alan then read "A Man to be Respected" and another memoir written in poetic form about his uncle that fixed his broken elephant figurine.

Pete read "Poem 171" which was influence by the poem "Casey at the Bat" by Ernest Lawrence Thayer. In it, Casey’s descendants have the opportunity to break the curse and bring honor back to the family name.

Patty reported that she won a free critique through SCBWI then read "Chapter 6 - Laws Ruin my Life."

Next Meeting: July 18^th at 6pm (Comedy Writing) and 7pm (Regular Meeting).

Highlights: December 2023 to May 2024

 12-14-23

Meeting was cancelled

 

1-12-24

Members Present:  Alan, Debbie, Jackie, Pete

Pete searched for Poe related groups and wrote "Poem 166" which was inspired by "The Raven". He now has written 33 riddles. I would like his work to be featured in Junior Scholastic.

Alan read The Farmer and The Bull which was written for The Pioneer Spirit book.

 

2-12-24

Members Present:  Karen, Jackie, Patty, Pete, Ruthann

Members decided to change the meeting day so it does not interfere with Write-On Hoosier meetings which are the 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of the month.

Pete is rewriting an old baseball poem ("Poem 168")

Patty has decided to self-publish The Iron Ladies.

Valia read "Winter's Knock at Memory Door."

Karen discussed Picture Book Party and later sent us a link.

https://mindyalyseweiss.com/2024-pbparty-annual-contest/

3-21-24

Members Present:  Debbie, Jackie, Karen, Patty

Meetings are now changed to the 3^rd Thursday of the month.

Karen reported she was not a finalist in the Picture Book Party which received over 1,100 entries. There are 50 agents and 20 editors involved in the contest and 50 submissions were picked to be featured.

Patty read "Chapter One, Stupid Girl" in her revised novel The Iron Ladies which now fits in the magical realism genre.

April 2024

Members Present:  Jackie, Karen, Patty, Valia

Karen is trying to get an agent for her elephant book. She then read Bear's Vacation that she originally wrote 20 years ago.

Valia read his latest poem, "Solar Eclipse."

May 2024

Members Present:  Alan, Jackie, Karen, Patty, Valia

Valia read his poem "Learning to Drive in a Graveyard."

Patty read Chapter 30 Living in Two Worlds.

Karen attended a non-fiction webiner that connects you to agents and editors. She then sent in 10 pages of her elephant book for a critique. They responded that it was charming, had meaning and depth, and says it really shines.

Alan reported that he will be the official story teller for Pioneerland at the LaPorte County Fair. He then read "Wife or a Dog."

Fall Meeting Highlights

Meeting Highlights -September 14, 2023

Members Present: Alan, Debbie, Jackie, Karen, Patty, Suzy, Valia

Patty brought up blue zones and living to 100. There are five places on Earth where people live a long healthy life and they have things in common regarding diet, exercise, and religion.

Valia has re-worked his book “Bill Quartz” and read the synopsis to the group. He has resorted to a Sci-Fi Fantasy approach to teach children about the different geologic periods. His book has 15 chapters.

Members discussed their favorite books which included Alan’s pick, “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and Debbie’s choice, “See You in the Cosmos” by Jack Cheng.

Alan said the book he is publishing with Pete and his blacksmith friend, entitled "The Pioneer Spirit," will have about 36 poems, about 20 of which are his. He then read a poem about wolves to the group.

Jackie read The Corpse Café, a poem she wrote a few years ago about a gruesome spread at a creepy diner.

JSH


Meeting Highlights – October 12, 2023

Attendees: Valia, Karen, Alan, Patty and later joined by Ruthann.

Valia read a very moving poem composed for a dear friend, Rangan, who had just passed away. It was called Magical Hands.

Alan read a poem with the working title of: The Legend of Artis McGee which is the longest poem he's ever written. It took him 1-1/2 years to write. He also read Cactus Wood.

Ruthann arrived at 8:30 and we visited. By popular demand, Alan read his famous In Defense of the Male Wolf, which sent us all into fits of laughter.

PY


Meeting Highlights – November 9, 2023

Jackie and Alan were the only members that were able to meet this month at Rosati’s. Alan read The Legend of Artis McGee, a very long poem about a sailor and his love for the sea. Jackie talked to Alan about getting his poems down on paper and backed up in a safe place.

JSH

Meeting Highlights for August 10, 2023

Attendees: Pete, Suzy, Valia, Alan and Patty

Valia read his new poem, 'Supermoon Rising' It was sent to the Rattle via Submittable. Poem was written while Valia was in New York on the event of the August super moon on Aug 8. Valia also shared information about India, its many languages and customs.

Pete delighted us with two more of his riddle poems: First one was about the Statue of Liberty, the second, all about Babe Ruth. We discussed artwork regarding his poems and how it would give hints for answers with pictures. He has nearly 35 poems about things and 15 about people.

Alan read two poems in his 'Retribution Poetry' series. First title: The Woeful Tale of Eli Jones, to become part of his newly formed Pioneer Series. The second one, and it was the funniest, and personally, the best poem I think Allan has written. The work, 'Defending the Male Wolf' was written especially for Karen Kulinski. He has taken fairy tales to a new height.

Suzy read the delightful, magical continuing short story tale of Mrs. Walters. In this chapter Mrs. Walters enchants a car that can drive itself. :)

Patty read Chapter Eight of the never-ending saga of Vienne. The members gave many great suggestions for changes.

Our goal was to end by 8:30, so the discussions began as soon as we ordered. We accomplished a lot, laughed even more, and the meeting promptly ended by 8:28.

Next Meeting: September 14, 2023 at 6:30 at Rosati’s.

PY