Zoom Meeting Highlights - March 11, 2021

MHW Members got together, via Zoom, after not meeting for over a year. Judy set up the Zoom account and created a how-to document for anyone who is confused about how the process works. The link will be sent out a few days before each monthly meeting. Please call Judy or Jackie if you want to get on the mailing list or still need some technical help sorting it all out.

Current and past members, as well as anyone interested in writing for children, are welcome to join us virtually through these meetings. Membership dues have been waived this year, so this is a great time to see what we are all about! Also ask to join our Magic Hour Facebook Page if you haven't already. Hope to have a big turn out next time :). JSH

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

Minutes by: Judy Lachance-Whitcomb

• Pete 

• Has moved away from poems and is focusing on a children’s book inspired by his journey into family history (DNA test, Ancestry)

• He has also written lyrics for a song that he is waiting for a friend to put to music.  He shared one lyric with the group, I’ll See You in a While.

• Helena

• She has been doing all her writing in Chinese and hasn’t been writing in English.

• Mainly, she has been writing about her family’s history

• She has one book completed on her father

• One book on general family history

• Her mother is over 90 and she wants to complete a book as she did for her father for her mother.

• Patty

• Patty had taken a break from her novel due to Pete’s health issues and COVID.

• She has gone back to it and appreciates the break because the “step back” from it has given her a “fresh eye”

• She is using “filter words” to eliminate some of the weakest words written.

• She uses the “search” function on Word and types in a filter word.

• She takes the filter word out and is surprised at how much better it makes the sentences.

• filter words: https://www.invisibleinkediting.com/blog/how-to-find-filter-words-and-filter-them-out/ 

• Valia

• He has taken several on-line workshops through SCBWI with Shannon Anderson and Lynn Oliver

• He has now become interested in writing a children’s picture book

• He shared what he has written on it so far

• Judy 

• While at Clarendale, she didn’t do any creative writing

• Her writing was devoted to putting out a monthly newsletter that was an average of 30 pages

• She also wasn’t attending MHW meetings because of her other commitments at Clarendale.

• With freed time, she is determined to attend MHW meetings regularly and start writing again.

Meeting Highlights - January 8, 2020

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

Patty participated in a two hour webinar sponsored by SCBWI. The webinar was $35 and included critique. She recommended those put on by the Texas chapters. The 2020 Winter Webinar Series is being offered to both members and non-members. You must register for ZOOM, a free website to view the SCBWI webinars. https://indiana.scbwi.org/events/winter-webinar-series-motivational-speaker-erin-ramsey/

Karen is the SCBWI Library Coordinator and updates the Hoosier Book Happenings Library Newsletter which promotes PAL members’ new books. https://indiana.scbwi.org/2020/01/04/in-scbwi-hoosier-book-happenings/ . The fall retreat will be the first weekend in November for the next three years.

Valia talked about the Tri City Safety Village. History teacher Tom Clark that is there every Saturday from 9-12. Valia suggested Karen get in touch with him again and discuss her book The Medal With A Heart. The museum has a vast collection including pictures of Purple Heart recipients.

Valia brought in an old Hoosier Horizon Children’s Magazine he found in his father’s trunk. Vaila’s own son was a contest winner decades ago, before Valia had even heard of the group.  Valia then read “Wolves Around the Chattisgarh Express,” a poem he wrote about his cousins and uncle who were killed in 1984 by mobs who targeted Sikhs.  It was published in The Sikh Review, Volume 67:12, No. 792 Dec. 1, 2019. http://www.sikhreview.org/magazine.aspx

Pete’s fifth book came out in December. Mr. Webster Rock Star Teacher was illustrated by his daughter and is a memorial for a friend. Pete interview several teachers who were friends with Mr. Webster. Proceeds benefit the Gary Webster Young Musicians Program for Valparaiso 4^th and 5^th grade elementary students. Pete is also working on a screenplay based loosely on his high school and college friends that he continues to golf with.

Jackie applied for another writer residency/retreat. She informed members that Magic Hour Writers has now been in existence and meeting regularly since February 11, 2010. The blogsite has over 110 published posts and continues to highlight members’ achievements, upcoming events, and includes resources for writers of all levels and genres. Members suggested we celebrate MHW's 10 year anniversary next month.

Next Meeting:  February 12, 2020, Rosati’s in Schererville, at 6:30 p.m.

JSH

Meeting Highlights - November 13, 2019

Meeting Highlights to come.

Meeting Highlights October 9, 2019

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

Alan shared the latest project he is working on. The Witch Who Runs the Daycare will be a picture book geared toward third and fourth graders.

Valia brought in a handout on publishing that he got from Gail Galvan at the last Write-On Hoosiers meeting. Jackie will share it with the rest of the group via email.

Valia then read his poem "Grandfather", which was published in the Spring 2019 edition of Wards Literary Journal. The theme was Borders. Valia also shared "Three Facets of Refugee Status". This poem was featured in Dove Tales, an International Online Journal of the Arts in August 2019 and was written in response to the sinking of a boat full of refugees earlier this year.

Judy passed out copies of The Lost Little Penguin. She started this book years ago and just recently finished illustrating it. Judy also brought in copies of the monthly newsletters she has been creating for Clarendale.

Karen talked about the history of the Seagoing Cowboys and the  Heifer Catalog.

Jackie reported Light Literary Journal published one of her photos in their last issue "Finishing". She then read the first stanza and some notes for a new poem she is working on for Halloween.

Patty read "Chapter Seven, Trapped…Or Not" in her novel The Iron Ladies.

Next Meeting:  November 13, 2019, Rosati’s in Schererville, 6:30 p.m.

JSH

Meeting Highlights - 8.14.19

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

Patty read Chapter 5 and 6 of The Iron Ladies. Karen and Patty discussed how the main character should change in the second part of the story. Vienne should stop reacting and instead be taking more control by being the acting force. They went over some basics for character development and how the plot should progress.

Alan shared the first chapter in his new young adult novel which is about a troll and is written in first person. Alan usually writes poetry so this is a big change for him. Members discussed dialogue and tags as well as some popular children’s books.

Pam had a lot of questions about self-publishing so members discussed Kindle Direct Publishing.

Jackie printed out and started to organize the poems she has written over the past 10 years. She would like members to look at their bios and send any updates to her.

Next Meeting:  September 11^th, Rosati’s in Schererville, at 6:30.

JSH

Meeting Highlights 7-11-19

Members Present:  Jackie, Karent, Luneil, Patty, Valia

Guest:  Allen

Allen was a stand-up comic who enjoys writing poetry for children. He has written four books.

Luneil wrote another chapter in Barty and will read it at the next meeting. Members suggested she try to write the next chapter in first person.

Karen was working on a “Dear Reader” letter for the workshop she will be attending next week in Vermont. It introduces her book to others who are also attending the workshop. She then read the newly revised first chapter of Ghost Lessons.

Valia reported three of his poems have been published in three different literary journals. “Grandfather” was published in Wards, “Bell Tolls” was published in Northwest Indiana Literary Journal, and “Heart Beats” was published in Poetic Medicine. He submitted to Poetic Medicine for over a year which shows persistence pays off.

Jackie submitted a poem and four photographs to Light Journal. Unfortunately, this will be their last issue.

Patty likes Children’s Book Insider as a downloadable resource. She met with Esther again in Chicago and is trying to sort through her recommendations.

Allen read his poem “Gorilla Chose Vanilla” which he wrote for a friend’s birthday. He is not sure if he will self-publish or submit to traditional publishers. Members suggested he tighten up the poem and check out a few rhyming picture books at the library. Jackie suggested books by Jamie Lee Curtis. Allen also hopes to attend Write-On Hoosiers and Northwest Indiana Poetry Society meetings.

Next Meeting:  August 14, 2019, Rosati's in Schererville at 6:30

JSH

Meeting Highlights June 12, 2019

Members Present:  Helena and Valia

Helena presented her essay entitled ‘Wait with Patience.’ It was an essay that she was going to present to her church under a program called Write to the Heart Presentation. It highlights spiritual journey when one of her church closed. It served her family and other Chinese families for 20 years. It describes their anguish which she describes using quotes from the Bible that gave her inspiration. The essay ends with doors opening to another church by Bethel Church for Chinese Congregation.

Valia presented his poem entitled Old Man and the Stick (inspired from Shel Siverstein’s Giving Tree). It describes how an old man finds companionship with a stick during his lost phase of life journey and how the stick rewards him.

Next Meeting:  July 10, 2019 at Rosati's in Schererville at 6:30 p.m.

HV