February Meeting Minutes 2025

Hello Everyone,

Today we held our February 2025 meeting.

PRESENT:

Sharon, Ryan, Mike, Marlys, Erin, Dawn, Jan, Sue. Welcome, Sue.

TALKING STICK:

Submissions for TS34 are coming in—please get yours in soon. March 1 is the deadline, which seems awfully soon! They always start off slowly and then by the end, I sometimes receive 10 per day. We already have the judges and instructor chosen. The book release party date will be Sept. 20.

HEARTLAND ARTS:

Mike attended their February meeting. The business downtown has been slow and it has been hard to get donations for the arts community. There has been no Art Beat published lately since it was too expensive. They are trying out Delahunt Media for announcements of events. Plans are being made for summer concerts and plays. Mike told them about the Talking Stick. Sharon had already sent in a quick ad stating our deadline for submissions.

OTHER WRITING EVENTS:

     Sharon is now taking an online poetry class with Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg. She has taken classes with her before, through the Loft. This is a 6-week class called Writing the Garden of Your Life.

    Several of our group went to see Kent Nerburn in Bemidji on Feb 8. We had him as a judge and instructor once years ago. We have all enjoyed his books. About 30 people attended his events.

     Mike will be attending the Rosemount even on March 15 to sell his books.

     Marlys will be attending a weekend winter retreat with Candace Simar. She is also taking an online class with Natalie Goldberg.

     In June, there will be the annual writers’ conference in Bemidji.

     Sue is putting on writing workshops in Bemidji for the historical society in Beltrami County. There were North Country journals with people’s personal accounts from the late 1800s and early 1900s. They are thinking of resuming these journals. Sue is helping people get their memoirs written.

     Check out Two Sylvia’s Press. Free newsletters or free Zoom classes with a paid subscription.

     Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg has a monthly newsletter with news about her classes. https://www.carynmirriamgoldberg.com.

Almost everyone brought something to read that they had been working on. We took turns reading and critiquing. We had an excellent meeting today—one of those days when we hated to quit talking and go home!

Hope to see you all next time—and get your Talking Submissions sent in!