Weekend Writers
Standing left to right: Ed, Heidi, Jennifer
Seated left to right: Sherry, Gabi
August 2008
I always enjoy reading the “Digging Into the Past” section of Renaissance Magazine. The fields, farms, and gardens of Britain are constantly yielding artifacts and treasures from the past; while my garden yields treasures from the present. The annual writer’s weekend!
We are a group of working writers intent on a weekend of constructive, developmental critiquing, good food, great wine, with lots of conversation and laughter. Not to mention my (not so well behaved) dogs and a sweet, very well behaved lab, who took to the pond to cool her feet amongst the lily pads and the goldfish. This year there were five writers with five stories in various stages of development. I cannot say enough about the positive support of a serious critique group. Here are highlights of their progress I want to share with you:
Ed Ratcliffe is working on a screenplay and is always the person to give those of us female writers a reality check when we are writing scenes from a male POV. I cannot tell you how many times he has saved me from making a complete idiot of myself with my male characters. Yes, we all chuckle in memory of my characters stumbling around in love scenes :D !
Gabriella Herkert’s second book DOGGONE, An Animal Instinct Mystery, hits the bookstores August 5th. Her first award winning book was CATNAPPED. Treat yourself to a fun read with both mystery novels and visit her website at: http://www.gabriellaherkert.com/
Heidi Thomas hopes to have her book COWGIRL DREAMS published soon and she has a new blog you should check out because she conducts interviews with other writers, Bob Mottram from Skagit Valley is the most recent interview. Heidi’s website is: http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/
Jennifer Wilke has almost finished “her first novel, CIVILITIES – a tender, humorous, tragic, true love story about an idealistic boy from Ohio who wanted the country to be the way it should be.” Jennifer’s beautiful website is: http://www.jenniferwilke.com/
I would also like to mention two members who were unable to attend but we hope they will make the trek next summer- Kari Diehl and Janet Oakley.
Kari Diehl has a new job writing for The Guide to Scandinavian Food at About.com! I drool every time I read the recipes and see the photos, and I love her witty and funny Icelandic proverbs. Her cooking website is: http://scandinavianfood.about.com/.
Janet Oakley was involved in cooking of a different sort . . . demonstrating 19th century cooking techniques over an open fire at English Camp. She is working on two writing projects JOSSING and MISTSHIMUS, and in her spare time she writes for Historylink. Did I mention this wonderful woman loves her history enough to recreate , experience, and teach it?
Yes, gardens nurture, support, and reveal treasures of the best kind. And human beings have an innate need to make sense of their world through syntax and the narrative interpretation of our reality. Writers keep writing!!!
I always enjoy reading the “Digging Into the Past” section of Renaissance Magazine. The fields, farms, and gardens of Britain are constantly yielding artifacts and treasures from the past; while my garden yields treasures from the present. The annual writer’s weekend!
We are a group of working writers intent on a weekend of constructive, developmental critiquing, good food, great wine, with lots of conversation and laughter. Not to mention my (not so well behaved) dogs and a sweet, very well behaved lab, who took to the pond to cool her feet amongst the lily pads and the goldfish. This year there were five writers with five stories in various stages of development. I cannot say enough about the positive support of a serious critique group. Here are highlights of their progress I want to share with you:
Ed Ratcliffe is working on a screenplay and is always the person to give those of us female writers a reality check when we are writing scenes from a male POV. I cannot tell you how many times he has saved me from making a complete idiot of myself with my male characters. Yes, we all chuckle in memory of my characters stumbling around in love scenes :D !
Gabriella Herkert’s second book DOGGONE, An Animal Instinct Mystery, hits the bookstores August 5th. Her first award winning book was CATNAPPED. Treat yourself to a fun read with both mystery novels and visit her website at: http://www.gabriellaherkert.com/
Heidi Thomas hopes to have her book COWGIRL DREAMS published soon and she has a new blog you should check out because she conducts interviews with other writers, Bob Mottram from Skagit Valley is the most recent interview. Heidi’s website is: http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/
Jennifer Wilke has almost finished “her first novel, CIVILITIES – a tender, humorous, tragic, true love story about an idealistic boy from Ohio who wanted the country to be the way it should be.” Jennifer’s beautiful website is: http://www.jenniferwilke.com/
I would also like to mention two members who were unable to attend but we hope they will make the trek next summer- Kari Diehl and Janet Oakley.
Kari Diehl has a new job writing for The Guide to Scandinavian Food at About.com! I drool every time I read the recipes and see the photos, and I love her witty and funny Icelandic proverbs. Her cooking website is: http://scandinavianfood.about.com/.
Janet Oakley was involved in cooking of a different sort . . . demonstrating 19th century cooking techniques over an open fire at English Camp. She is working on two writing projects JOSSING and MISTSHIMUS, and in her spare time she writes for Historylink. Did I mention this wonderful woman loves her history enough to recreate , experience, and teach it?
Yes, gardens nurture, support, and reveal treasures of the best kind. And human beings have an innate need to make sense of their world through syntax and the narrative interpretation of our reality. Writers keep writing!!!
