July 19th 2009

Today we held our July meeting for the Jackpine Writers’ Bloc. The next meeting will be held on August 16, 2009, from 12:30 to 3PM at Bella Caffe in Park Rapids MN.

Present: John, Scott, Niomi, Tarah, Sharon, Shirley.

JWB BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENT
Last Sunday, July 12, we held our benefit golf tournament at Fair Havens Golf. We made over $1500. That will pay for this year’s book!! We thank Fair Havens Golf Course for all their help with this tournament. We also thank our members who helped with the tournament and/or brought food.

TALKING STICK 18
Finally, TS18 is off to the printers. It should be back in early September. The proofing seemed to take forever this year. This book is the same size as TS16 and slightly smaller than TS17.

LOCAL EVENTS
People should try to attend these local events. Long Lake Theater puts on a play each month during the summer. They are so much fun. Northern Lights Opera is putting on Fiddler on the Roof the last weekend in July and the first weekend in August. That should also be fun.

HACKENSACK BOOK ART FAIR
Saturday, August 22, 2009 will be the date of this event. We go every year and sell books. This year, again, they are having the poetry contest. That adds to the fun of the day. They have a contest and winners are chosen. They also have a People’s Choice award. Will anyone be able to attend and help out this year? Sharon and Tarah will probably go again. We are not sure about Marilyn or Scott or Jerry. Judy has said that she would help.

WRITING EVENTS
John attended the Woodtick Poetry Retreat in Merrifield MN near Horseshoe Lake. This was a three day event and at least 26 people were in attendance. It was an excellent event. They did read-arounds, writing exercises, and put on programs.

Every two years, there is a Geraldine Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey. Shirley attended this and spoke highly of it.

Margaret Hasse came to read her poetry at the local poetry group’s meeting at Sister Wolf in Dorset. 18 people attended, so it was a very successful event.

Scott mentioned the San Diego Comic Convention. He enjoys going to this event. They also have various film conventions in the Cities.

LOCAL HAPPENINGS
Park Rapids is considering turning the old Armory building into an Art Gallery of some sort. This sounds like a wonderful idea. They might also have an Art Co-op with various businesses on Main Street making room for displays of local art. We would love to see even more art in Park Rapids. There could be an Arts Walk through town from the river to the old water tower, with plaques commemorating some of the old buildings in town. There could be a movable outdoor stage to have downtown for art and music and plays. There are some empty buildings in town right now–Radio Shack, the old library; a place to hang art might be the Melo Hair Place.

WRITING EXERCISES

Here is a good writing exercise. Using a dictionary or even a regular book, just go through and put your finger down on a word. Write this word down and find a few more. Use these words in a poem. This can help you come up with something vastly different than what you usually write.

WEBSITE DESIGN
Remember, if you need a website designed for your business or writing group, Tarah designs websites. Check out our website using the address below, designed by Tarah.

BOOKS TO READ, OTHER MISC.
Stephen King — On Writing

Kent Nerburn — Neither Wolf Nor Dog — Letters to My Son

Linda Pastan — poetry books

Judy Picoult — My Sisters’ Keeper

Speculative poetry, futuristic–check it out.

Printer — Blue Earth Graphics in Blue Earth MN, Blue Mountain Press. Shirley has had 8 of her poetry books printed by this printer.

FUTURE WORKSHOPS
In April, 2010, we hope to put on a Screenwriters’ Workshop during the Red Bridge Film Festival weekend.

An idea for another workshop would be developing characters using correct psychological tics and problems or diseases and accurate symptoms.

We critiqued each others’ work. Not too many of us are having time to write right now. It was one of those really great days when all of us writers were having so much fun talking that we hated to leave. We discussed what a superb writer that Stephen King is, even though some of us are not crazy about his subject matter. We are excited about the possibility of even more art coming to the Park Rapids area.

Hope to see you next time!