WITH PEN IN HAND

Volume 21, Issue 12

December 2007

CHRISTMAS PARTY

THE NETWO ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY WILL BE A POTLUCK SUPPER ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13^TH, AT JEAN PAMPLIN’S BANK BUILDING IN WINFIELD.

SOCIAL HOUR WILL START AT 4:30 P.M., DINNER AT 5:30 P.M., FOLLOWED BY READING OF FLASH FICTION.

PACK UP YOUR FAVORITE POTLUCK DISH, A STORY TO READ, AND COME JOIN THE FUN!

Directions:

From I30 take the Winfield exit, turn north approximately ½ mile. Cross a railroad track and immediately to your left you will see the old bank building and the Winfield US post office.

Minutes of November 2007 Meeting

NETWO met at the Western Sizzlin in Mt. Pleasant,Texas, November 8, 2007. Sixteen members and three guests attended. Ted Rankin opened the meeting and stressed that the business portion of each meeting should be over by 7:00, in order to have an hour and a half for critiquing the reading projects of participating members. Each reader wanting to share his/her work during the critiquing session is asked to sign a list. The maximum readers will be limited to five or six per session. The goal is to end the meeting by 8:30.

Old Business:

1. The Treasurer, Pat Hamilton, closed the bank account in Winnsboro and combined the funds to the Pittsburg Capital One bank account.

2. Jean Pamplin commented on how much the anthology committee members are learning through NETWO’s project.

3. The members voted to change the number of poetry pieces in the anthology from one to three, if the poems are short. There is a 28-line limit. However, no new submissions will be accepted.

4. Each contributing author of the anthology needs to have a bio with a maximum word count of 275.

5. Skip Hughes’ workshop entitled Poetry: Why and How to Write It will be held for three consecutive Saturdays in January --- 5^th, 12^th, and 19^th. The workshop’s location will be at the Pizza Inn in Pittsburg from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The workshop’s tuition is $35.00 per person

New Business:

1. The Christmas party will be December 13, 2007 at Jean Pamplin’s bank building in Winfield, Texas. It will be a potluck supper. Each member is encouraged to write a 250 word flash fiction to be read during the party.

2. The importance of supporting one another through attending major events such as a book signing was brought up. This is a special way members can bolster each other up. After all, encouragement is a major reason why many writers join such organizations as NETWO.

3. Jory Sherman will be a book signing November 10, 2007 at the Pizza Inn in Pittsburg.

4. Jean Pamplin told the group that the library in Avinger, Texas would welcome any type of books, such as westerns, teen romance, etc. If anyone has books to contribute, contact Galand Nuchols.

5. Michele Chitsey volunteered to work on a new members’ list of phone numbers, addresses, and e-mail addresses. If you would like to update your personal information or add your e-mail address, contact Michele at jchitsey@mt-vernon.com.

The business portion came to a close.

The reading critique session began.

Bill Carl read the first chapter in a murder mystery entitled End of the Line.

Gay Ingram read a Christmas story entitled His Name is Jesus. The story was from the

perspective of a child working in the stable where Jesus was born.

Jackie Brown read a synopsis of a book she wants to submit. The title of the book is Widow’s Challenge. It is a romantic suspense novel.

Holly White read from her children’s book entitled Purley’s Journey. This book is based on a true event in Holly’s family. Her Quaker grandparents worked for the Underground Railroad and adopted a runaway slave.

Matt Edwards read a graphic novel entitled Jakarta Beach.

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted, Michele Chitsey

& & & &

I was finally able to contact the librarians at Avinger and Miller Grove schools. They were both eager to receive our books. Ms. Hogle at Avinger said her students are into science fiction, teen romance (tear jerkers) and westerns. One boy has read all of Louis L’Amour’s books and is searching the shelves for additional westerns. She also said she needs Easy Readers for the younger children.

Ms. Watson at Miller Grove said she could use any and all books, but the elementary students, K-6^th grade, read the most and that level would really be the most utilized.

Both librarians understand that some of the books will be used but in good condition. I already have a couple of boxes.

After a wonderful get-together at the Pizza Inn Saturday, Georgia and I visited the Goodwill store in Mt. Pleasant and selected 50 or 60 books we thought appropriate for donations to our partner schools. We shopped till we dropped before giving up and returning home. There were still two shelves of books to examine, however. If you are searching for good buys on children’s books, try Goodwill on the Loop near I-30 or the Hospice Thrift Store west of the courthouse in Mt. Pleasant.

If you care to contribute books, you may bring them to the NETWO Christmas party

December 13^th, or to the Pizza Inn in Pittsburg. I’m usually there for the Saturday luncheon gathering of writers and story tellers. Some tell bigger stories than others but we all have fun and would enjoy your company, with or without a book. <

NEW MEMBERS

Ginnie Bivona

Dallas

Billy Simmons & Fleta Smith

Hughes Springs

BITS AND PIECES

Sincere sympathy is extended to Georgia Henson on the loss of her sister, Muriel Marshall. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Congratulations to Vicki Anderson! She has a selection in the “Hero” series that Adams Media is publishing. This anthology is “My Teacher is My Hero.” Publication date will be in the spring 2008.

STORY-CRAFTING

By Paul Darcy Boles

Reviewed by Gay Ingram

Author of more than one hundred and fifty published short stories, author Boles brings a lifetime of expertise to Story-Crafting. He wrote it…”as an attempt to encourage and abet the young or starting writer in knowing what he or she is getting into.”

As I delved into its pages, I reached often for my notepad, scratching down gems and nuggets of pure gold as I came across them. Story-Crafting is definitely not a how-to book. It’s more of an intense discourse by a recognized master personally directed toward anyone hungry to learn from his experience. I sat at his feet, spellbound and sometimes overwhelmed, by his knowledge.

“Every story writer has to discover his own speed and proceed at it and no other.”

“Stick to what you started. If it was important enough to you to conceive, it’s important enough to be born.”

“To make your reader care about your people, you have to care about them. Care constantly and desperately and deep down.”

“Be free to say anything with pride and taste, humility and insight.”

“Knowing emotionally where you’re going with a story is different from knowing mentally where you’re going.”

“Style is a way of saying; style is also a way of seeing.”

Spaced throughout the book are twelve experiments—he doesn’t call them exercises—which force you to stop learning from the author and start learning from yourself. I was tempted to photocopy Chapter Fifteen. This chapter contains a story written especially for this book, complete with thoughts and feelings as he wrote it.

I found this at the Upshur Library in Gilmer. If you’re serious about becoming the best writer you can be, add Story-Crafting to your personal library.

Story-Crafting – Paul Darcy Boles – Writer’s Digest Books – 1984 – ISBN 0-89879-147-2. !

BILL CARL

A Profile

By Jackie Brown

William P. Carl was born in San Antonio, Texas, a depression era baby, as many of us were. He’s lived in different areas of Texas since. He received his B.B.A. in Business Administration at the University of Texas in Austin; his B.S. in Chemistry, with a minor in Math at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, and his M.S. in Physical Chemistry also at the University of North Texas. He was also certified by the RCA School of Electronics. He worked for Dow Chemical Co. in Freeport, Texas as a chemist for 30 years.

Although his favorite subjects in school were Math, Chemistry, and Physics, Bill always enjoyed the liberal arts. He especially enjoyed acting and singing, and while working in the area, he often performed in the Brazosport Music Theatre in Lake Jackson, TX. He appeared as the Father, H.C., in 110° in the Shade, sang baritone in several musicals including The Fantastics, and The Music Man, and especially enjoyed being one of the trio in Music Man singing songs like “Lida Rose”. These appearances were during 1975 to 1980. While attending the University of North Texas, Bill also used his voice to good advantage as a Teaching Assistant.

Bill has a son, Michael, a pastor, who lives with his family in Lynn, Massachusetts; and a daughter, Melissa, who lives in Jefferson City, Missouri with her family.

Bill plans to marry again next January. He is marrying Barbara Hazelwood, and they will still be residing in the Texarkana, Texas area. I know they will continue to enjoy Bill’s hobbies. We know one of them is great cooking, witness his delicious divinity fudge! He also enjoys walking and fishing. He says his idea of a really fun vacation would be hiking into the Grand Canyon.

Bill’s favorite book is Sum of All Fears, by Tom Clancy. His idols in the writing world include Zane Grey, Erle Stanley Gardiner, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Other favorite authors include Ann Coulter and John Grisham. He recently read Godless, by Ann Coulter. His favorite historical period is the 1980’s.

Bill enjoys reading the American Rifleman magazine, and Texas Highways, and his favorite movie is The Patriot Game. His favorite genre of literature is action and adventure, which you can see from his reading list and the novels he writes.

Bill has already completed five novels, and is still polishing them. He is currently working on Flip of the Coin, and of course also writes the occasional short story. I enjoy his excellent use of good action verbs and the vivid pictures he draws.

While writing he listens to Christian singer Michael W. Smith. One of his biggest ambitions is to be written about in Press Review.

His advice to would-be writers is: “Start writing.”

He is inspired in his own writing by his “muse”

-- and he finds being critiqued alternately useful and discouraging, but usually helpful in improving a story.

After retiring, Bill toured the country in a travel trailer for six years. A series of “travel mysteries” might be a winning idea, eh?

I believe that Bill’s stage experience has helped him to write exciting action and interesting dialogue; his vocal projection also makes for interesting listening.

Bill says that if one word sums him us, it is Positive.

That sure beats Negative!

ANTHOLOGY UPDATE

The 2008 NETWO Anthology is moving right along. Most pieces have gone through two editings. The committee has requested pictures of the authors who have pieces selected. Each has also been asked to write a brief bio, plus how he or she came to writing, and in particular, how he or she came to write the piece printed in the anthology.

If you have been sent a “Grant of First North American Publishing Rights” form, it must be signed and mailed (U.S. mail) to NETWO. No selection can be printed in the anthology without a copy of this form signed by the author. Basically, the form simply says that NETWO has the right to publish the piece. If you have received one of these forms and have not returned it, please do so as soon as possible. If you have received a copy and lost it, please e-mail netwomail@netwo.org and request a duplicate.

The committee is still working to have the anthology printed before the spring conference. However, all the work is being done by volunteers, and deadlines have been missed. So, it will be close. But the goal is still possible.

Check each issue of “With Pen in Hand” for updates. And, of course, check the website: www.netwo.org.

t t t t t t

WORKSHOPS

Why Poetry, Indeed?

By Skip Hughes

Writers tend to become excited about writing, which may seem odd to the uninitiated. If you understand this statement, you’re a writer. If you are a writer, you also understand that writing is a craft. Though you need not be crafty to write, there are those who claim that it helps.

You must merely be determined. As a teacher once said, “The craft of writing consists principally in the application of the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.” This is true of writing poetry as well, of course. It’s not difficult, but it does require effort.

Continued on Page 6

Continued from Page 5

As I see it, the more important question is not how to write poetry, but why. If you’re already a writer, you have some idea of what I’m driving at here. For a hint, see my poem below. To find out the rest, come to my January workshop, “Poetry: How and Why We Write It.”

We’ll meet on three successive Saturdays, January 5^th, 12^th, and 19^th, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Pizza inn just north of Pittsburg. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Tuition is $35 for the entire three-session workshop. It’s first-come, first-served, and space is limited, so do sign up at the December NETWO get-together.

For those who wish to remain after the sessions for conversation and comestibles, the informal Saturday Literary Klatch will follow at its usual time in the same location.

Purpose

By Skip Hughes

A random eddy in the flow,

A drifting moment channels part

Of everyday emotion, so

It snags, and catches in the heart.

The swelling undercurrent floats,

And washes the distracted soul

Resistless on, as paper boats

Are swirled along, beyond control.

Then sudden tears are squeezed from eyes

As quickly shut to stem the flood,

The waves of pain and joy that rise

And plunge, in rhythm with the blood.

That tempest is what verse is for –

Above the storm in primal shout,

To cry what words can’t say, and pour

Those overwhelming feelings out.

The heart, however fierce its strife,

Cannot sustain the raging blast.

There’s never been a storm of life

That failed to dissipate at last.

If when the tempest passes, and

Its howling turbulence subsides,

Clear skies don’t follow, understand

That still the poetry abides. %

STORYBOARDING FOR THE

STORY CHALLENGED

“ An active group of writers whose work covers the full spectrum of romance sub-genres, from historical and regencies to paranormals and contemporary comedies” is how the East Texas Chapter of Romance Writers of America is described. Their stated goal is to support writers in their craft.

They are offering this on-line workshop with author Shelley Bradley, January 6-12, 2008. Cost is $20 for non-RWA members. To learn more about the storyboarding method and RWA-ETC, as well as a workshop entry form, go to www.easttexasrwa.com/html/workshops.html.

It is for all writers—not just Romance writers. <

The following is reprinted from the December 2003
“With Pen in Hand”, courtesy of Virginia Brown:

A SCROOGE EXCUSE

The Christmas shopping done this year

Was in my dentist’s chair,

Where I bought crowns and root canals –

The nicest anywhere.

My gifts to all are in my smile.

I’ll flash my crowns at you,

And if you’re not indeed impressed,

I have crowned molars, too.

I thank you for your cards and gifts.

I hope you like my smile.

I’ll share it every day next year,

And keep this plan on file.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!