10.30.2006

4th Meeting Update

After brief debate, the decision was made to change the meeting start time to 6:30 pm. 6:00 has been a hardship for the majority of members.

At tonight's meeting, we revisited Megan's mystery and loved the direction of spirited humor that has been injected into the piece. Sherylle's Detective Waterbury continues to create a feeling of nostalgia and her prose flows like lyrical poetry.

Next week: Lets do a free write!!!

Mark's Great News

I'm ecstatic to announce that I sold the rights to my first short story, An Acquired Taste. The small publishing house, From the Asylum Books and Press, has plans to go to print in November and set for release, shortly thereafter.

The story will appear in the anthology book (that's right, book - I'm dying), Loving the Undead, an Anthology of Romance, Sort of.

Here's hoping that this is the first of many. I'll keep the group updated as to the actual publication date and will provide a link to Amazon, after its release.

Thanks to the group for much support.

10.27.2006

6 Word Stories

The magazine Wired, put out a request to scifi, fantasy and horror authors for very short stories - no more than 6 words. For example, Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and the new Son of a Witch, came up with this gem:

From torched skyscrapers, men grew wings.

I challenge the group to come up with their own 6 word stories. Here's mine:

Binding laces, coaxing favors. Harlot's work.

10.24.2006

Ha! I did it. Although that is an awfully l o n g something to type in.

Any way, am enjoying the Monday night gathering. It gets a little noisy in the shop at times, but oh well, it IS comfortable.
Will be working hard to meet my goals. This group helps me do it.
Thanks
Sherylle

New Stuff...

Check out Miss Snark, the Literary Agent. Her blog is pull no punches stuff. Very informative.

I've added links to the Book Reporter and Booksense. I think it's really important to keep up with the trends in genre fiction.

In addition, I've been updating my own blog, Burlesque of the Damned, with weekly book reviews, some freewriting and weird stuff I find on the internet.

So, pull up a chair and stay a while.

Another Resource

This one came from an agent, at Full Circle Literary, along with a pretty fair rejection of my children's novel.

Meeting 3 Recap

Monica joined in for the third meeting of the South Sound Algonquins. Submissions and rejections seemed to be the theme of discussion. We also discussed going to a conference as a group. If anyone is aware of upcoming area conferences please feel free to post to this blog. Invitations have been resent.

We each shared from our work and the critique was helpful and constructive. Particular focus was given to showing in scene rather than telling the reader.

Goals for the week included: finishing chapters and editing past work.

Good Luck, all. Remember, writing as little as thirty minutes a day can turn out a novel in a year.

10.17.2006

Second Meeting!

The South Sound Algonquins met again last night. Decided to go ahead with this name for the group, as there was not a lot of interest in a vote.

We reviewed goal accomplishments set last week and proceeded right into the critique. Our group is producing a variety of interesting writing, literary, genre and memoir.

I encourage everyone to attend, next Monday's group. It looks like we'll start around 6:00 pm.

See you there.

10.15.2006

Campaign for the American Reader

I have, sort of, become enamored of this blog, of late. Particularly the "Page 69 test," described here.

10.14.2006

Two Great Resources



For those unaware, Stephen King will be in Seattle for the Seattle Arts and Lectures Series, on November 1st at Benaroya Hall (cheap seats $25).

Additional lectures this year by Frank McCourt (11/21), Edwidge Danticat (1/8), and Jonathan Lethem (4/18).

Tickets through www.lectures.org.

Writing Group Parameters

At our first meeting (October 9), we made the following decisions.

  1. Frequency: Meetings will be held weekly on Mondays @ 6:30 p.m.
  2. Location: Cafe Pegasso, in DuPont, offers us the most flexibility, as it is owned by group member Megan.
  3. Goals: At each meeting we will set and review individual and group goals, to stress progress and accountability to our writing.
  4. Critique readings: Limited to three double spaced pages (supply copies for readers).
  5. Group Name Suggestions: Pegasus Writing Group, The Vicious Circle, South Sound Algonquins.
Members in attendance (weekly goal)
  1. Mark: 1 Chapter complete in each novel (2).
  2. Sherylle: 1 Chapter complete in novel, and completed "snapshot."
  3. Megan: Wrap up scene from novel.
  4. Katherine: Review previous chapters and write 1 new.
We discussed our reading preferences and current projects. New members should be prepared to do the same.

10.10.2006

Welcome

The South Sound Algonquins are a writer's critique group. Our goals are to challenge each other to better writing and publication.