Secrets

“Good books don’t give up all their secrets at once.” – Stephen King

I find that stetement ot be true. I’m often delighted by the surprises unvelied in a work in progress. Not today. Today all secrets are being guarded as closley as those encypted for national security reasons. So… I am gleefully off to have lunch with my very good friend and fellow writer, Betsy Allen. Perhaps I will come away inspired. If not I will have enjoyed good company and a nice glass of Chardonnay and it’s no secret that both of them are among my favorite things.

There Be Witches and Dragons Here

There be witches and dragons in the room and talk of the many ways the women in town are murdering men. Do you believe in ghosts? Here we encounter them often. Some nights they sit in the company of children who go on about their business with no outward sign of fear.

We never know when someone new enters the room what country their companions may inhabit or what message they seek to share, and it matters not if we agree for in this place all are welcome.

Please join us at the Round Hill Writers Group on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held at the Purcellville Library from 7:00 -9:00 PM. There are no fees to join, no minimum numbers of meetings to attend. Beginners to multi -published writers welcome.

Sessions include discussions about writing and the publishing world, sharing of resources, read and critique sessions, and occasional guest speakers.

For more information contact me via a comment to this blog or via email at bcarducci@comcast.net

Links to Some of Our Members:
Betsy Allen
Clar Bowman-Jahn
Bobbi Carducci
Dixiane Hallaj
David Sackrider
Suzanne Walls

Related Articles

• The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner (gabrielscala.wordpress.com)
• Over Two Million Children are Homeschooled (deaconforlife.blogspot.com)

Poetry on a Rainy Day

Rainy Days and Sundays

Rain and Daddy go together

Splashing in puddles on a summer’s day,

dashing from car to church to receive communion.

The day he left and stayed away far too long,

the grey days of yearning, wondering why he chose to go.

And years later,

did the clouds gather as we drove to the airport to greet him?

I don’t recall.

But today, as he lies dying, the rain continues to fall.

****

A Penny For Your Thoughts

They call me Penny,

say I haven’t much sense and

banish me to this dark space

while they run on their senseless rat race.

They call me Penny,

say I haven’t much sense,

yet when the till opens

they look for my face.

Insulted, I remain hidden in my comfy dark place.

Note: I have no illusions that I am a poet. These two are a result of writing exercises I participated in yesterday at Write-a-Palooza held at Shamrock Music Shoppe, in Purcellville, VA, taught by Betsy Allen, David Sackrider, both excellent writers and teachers, and Mike Carducci, drummer for the band, Local Flavor.  This particular class focused on poetry and songwriting and since I am neither a poet or a songwriter I did what I could to learn from them.   What you have just read is the result.

A Very Good Day

Yesterday, that is.

Today has yet to unfold and there is no point in whining about all the things on my to-do list. I’ll just say that it won’t come as any big surprise if a number of things on it slop over into tomorrow and beyond. Mondays are like that. It’s the day I do all the mundane tasks involved in maintaining a home and a growing business. It is not a day to be creative.

Sunday is a different matter. Attending five-o-clock mass on Saturday means that even if I wake up early on Sunday morning I can stay in bed and read as long as I want. Then it’s downstairs for a cup of tea and the crossword puzzle in the Washington Post. Solving it is a weekly treat. Word candy is the term that comes to mind. Sweet, satisfying and well worth waiting for. The rest of the day is mine to do with as I please while my dear husband relaxes by watching football. Sometimes I read, sometimes I watch chick flicks. But my favorite thing to do on Sunday afternoons is attend the Community Literary Jams held at the Round Hill Arts Center on the first and third Sundays of each month.

Writers of all ages are invited to read their short stories, poetry or novel beginnings. It’s a literary open mic where writers can receive supportive feedback and introduce their work to future fans. It’s also a place to meet local published authors. On the first Sunday of the month a featured author is invited to read his or her work and speak about writing.

Yesterday the featured author was Noel Grove, author of nine books and numerous magazine articles. He was kind enough to read from two of his works.

Anyone But Dwayne: “On June 4, 1965, a 22-year-old known for his exemplary behavior and gentle disposition walked into a small-town bank in the Midwest and shot four people he didn’t know.”

Why would the nicest guy in town do something like that? Read this true crime story to discover what the author believes is behind this stunning crime and post a note here and to let me know if you believe he got it right.

The Lure of Loudoun, Centuries of Change in Virginia’s Emerald County, by Noel Grove and Charles P. Poland Jr. “Much more than a local history, The Lure of Loudoun, Centuries of Change in Virginia’s Emerald County is a compelling diary in pictures and text of one of the nation’s fastest growing counties.”

This book is an amazing combination of fact and stunning photos. I can’t wait to delve into it and learn more about the inhabitants of the area where I now live, from the German, English and Scots-Irish who tended small farms so long ago to those who make up the huge increase in population in recent years.
If you have a story to share about the history of Loudoun County feel free to post it here. I’d love to read it.
***
It was a pleasure to meet Noel again and to spend an afternoon with two more of my favorite writers, Betsy Allen author of The End of Gath and Dixiane Hallaj, author of Born a Refugee.

Community Literary Jams are free and open to the public. Please stop in and enjoy the day with us sometime.
Yes, yesterday was a very good day. As for today, it’s time to get back to work.