Meeting Highlights: 4.17.19

Members Present: Jackie, Karen, Luneil, Patty, Rachael, Valia

Welcome new member Debbie!

Karen and Patty discussed their writing coach Esther and finding their main character’s voice. Both have been patient throughout the ongoing editing process despite making countless revisions and penning numerous versions.

Patty and Karen explained NaNoWriMo to Debbie.

Valia is working on a picture book A Bird, A Tree, and a Volcano. It is geared towards children ages 5-8. Members suggested formatting changes and helped with a few minor grammatical issues. Rachael discussed the science behind the story and offered a few suggestions. Valia then read “Roosters of Hawaii” which was featured on the Who Writes Short Shorts website earlier this month.

Jackie read “Ceramic Attraction,” a short memoir she wrote for the 2019 edition of From the Edge of the Prairie anthology due out later this year. She is also submitting a few pictures for inclusion in the publication.

Patty read “Chapter Three: Heaven Slipping Away” from her novel The Iron Ladies.

Luneil plans to continue working on Barty, the Clumsy Vampire.

Next Meeting:  Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at Rosati’s in Schererville

LM and JSH

Meeting Highlight - March 13, 2019

Members Present:  Jackie, Karen, Patty, Valia

Patty read the first two chapters of The Iron Ladies. A few members suggested reworking the beginning chapters so that a devastated Vienne is alone with Pippi struggling with the news of what is to come. Patty plans to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo again this year. The fun begins April 1^st. https://campnanowrimo.org/.

Karen is working on chapter 6 of Saving Ivy. She recently entered into a partnership with The Military Order of the Purple Heart. They sent out a letter to members which encourages them to purchase two The Medal With A Heart books so they can donated one to their local library. Karen is anxious to hear how many people ordered. She then discussed Purple Heart Cities. Karen has another school visit scheduled in Boswell, IN.

Valia read “Facets of Refugee Status” which is a series of three poems he wrote. He also suggested members look into humanities grants available to Hoosiers. https://grantgopher.com/Indiana-Grants/Arts-Culture-and-Humanities

Jackie reported that she is a Hoosier Women Artist honoree and will take down a framed picture of Cataract Falls on March 22^nd for the artist reception. Her picture will hang in the treasurer’s office in the Indiana State Capitol building for a year.

Next Meeting:  (A week later) April 17^th, 2019.

JSH

Meeting Highlights - February 13, 2019

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

Karen read Patty’s young adult novel last month and offered suggestions within the manuscript. She hopes to be done with Saving Ivy by the end of March. Karen also plans to attend a one week workshop at an artist colony in Vermont so she can meet with Esther and get more in depth critique. She then explained the partnership with the Military Order of the Purple Hear and how her book can be personalized for $37.

Jackie shared a few versions of her latest poem about finding melted gum in the washing machine. She also discussed a couple artist residencies in Washington and artist awards that are available for parents. Jackie reported Prairie Writers Guild is accepting submission for their 2019 publication due out in the fall. The deadline is April 1^st. Jackie will give Rachel a copy of last year's book.

Valia read his poem “Poetic Medicine” which was written in response to a call for poetry with the theme #MeToo. He then shared another poem with a photo entitled “Shades of Creation”.

Judy has been submitting to Northwest Indiana Senior Newspapers. A picture of her grandchild and an article on Clarendale has already been published. She plans to write an article on wellness next.

Patty read the prologue for The Iron Ladies and then Chapter 1. Members discussed other starting points for her first Chapter.

Next Meeting:  March 13, 2019 at Rosati’s in Schererville

JSH

Meeting Highlights 1.9.19

Members Present:  Jackie, Karen, Luneil, Patty, Rachael, Ruthann, Valia

Adhering to her editor’s advice, Patty said she is working on cutting a lot out of her novel Vienne and is also developing subplots.

Ruthann read her short story One Night… She plans to enter it in a contest. Winners receive a trip to New York.

Rachael brought her books The Blue Pencil and The Lucky Beads and read them to the group. 

Members purchased copies and Rachael autographed them.

Jackie read a letter she received from her sponsored child, a teenager from India. Valia explained a little about the Hindi language.

Valia read his humorous poem “Granite Wall”. He also added a related picture to the handouts.

Karen is still revising her screenplay which is now called Saving Ivy and will send chapter one to the group via email since we ran out of time.

Next Meeting:  February 13, 2019

JSH

Meeting Highlights 12.12.18

Members Present:  Helena, Jackie, Judy, Karen, Luneil, Patty, Rachael, Ruthann, Valia

Members met at Clarendale in Schererville for a Christmas / holiday party. Everyone brought a dish, dessert, drink, and/or appetizer. Earlier in the month Judy suggest members also bring “a gift of words” to the gathering.

Patty reported her editor Esther had her story for 6 weeks. She has also heard from a few publishers that she submitted to. Patty then read her tribute “The Magic Hour” and said some pretty amazing things about our group.

Rachael’s 2^nd book in the One Kindness at a Time series won a Readers’ Favorite 5 stars award. She will bring copies of her first and second book to the next meeting.

Karen sold 12 of her The Medal With a Heart book at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis at an author’s fair. The book launch went well also. Karen then read a poem she wrote about writers.

Valia read two poems: “Grandfather” and “Fabrics That Carry Us”.

Judy read “I Walk in Beauty,” a Navajo prayer/song. She reads the prayer often and it has helped her keep her focus.

Helena read A Gift of Promise, inspired by her friends from MHW who encouraged her to send her story to them when she needed some critique.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2019!

JSH

Meeting Highlights 11.14.18

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

Guests: Michael, Debbie

Debbie is a medical assistant and met Judy and Helena at the IWC conference in October. Debbie shared a book she started writing years ago. The working title is The One We Could Not See. Members discussed publishers and Karen mentioned Children’s Writers Market.

Valia read his Guest Commentary “Answer Hate With Love”.

Helena read a memoir “Be Thankful Always”.

Patty read “Chapter 13 - Shocking Revelations.”

Karen reported her book The Medal With A Heart can now be personalized. Also, The Military Order of the Purple Heart supports the book by offering it to members to raise funds.

JSH

Meeting Highlights October 10, 2018

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

Karen brought in copies of her latest book The Medal With A Heart. Members bought books and she signed them.  Karen reported she had a book signing this past Saturday at Barnes and Nobel in Valparaiso.  A young girl approached her and said she had seen Karen’s Rescuing Ivy presentation a few years prior. Karen would like to talk to fifth grade teachers and see if they are interested in sharing her book with their students.

Jackie said she helped her son with a few history writing assignments but hasn’t written much else lately.  She then reported she has a metal print on exhibit at the Carnegie Center in Rensselaer, IN until November 3^rd, 2018.

Valia’s poem “Dementia” was accepted in Sage-ing Literal Journal and will be published in December. Valia discussed a few of his favorite children’s books by Eric Rohmann.

Luneil read an excerpt from Barty. Members offered a few suggestions relating to character development and improving the story line.

Patty read “Chapter Twelve:  Time For Truths” from Vienne. The judge questions Vienne about the way she was raised and where she feels she belongs.

Next Meeting:  Tuesday, November 14, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.

JSH