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."