Welcome To Writers’ Group

I’ve joined a writers’ group here in Sun Lakes.  Although I’ve always enjoyed writing, I’ve never been part of a formal writing group. There are a lot of excellent writers in this community and each  one has a unique voice.  It is touching to hear stories written from the heart and others that are pure flights of fantasy.This is not a critique group but one of encouragement and appreciation. 

The format is simple, each week the leader chooses a couple of words that act as prompts for the next weeks writing.  You can choose to write on those words or simply write whatever you are inspired to write.  

Our room is spacious and the six tables are arranged into a large square.  Everyone takes their usual spot at the table and Barbara, our fearless leader, gives a tap of the gavel to quiet everyone down.  We pass a microphone and take turns reading our writing of the week.  If the week was busy and there was no time to write, almost everyone has an archive file they pull from.  But for the most part the folks seem to write every week.  There are some wonderful poets in the group,  I envy their ability to create a story in poetry.

The Sun Lakes community has a monthly newspaper that lands on the doorstep of the 10,000 or so Sun Lakes homes every month.   The Writers’ Group has a section that includes stores written by members of our group.  I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of my stories printed in the Sun Lakes Splash.  I was thrilled to find them Splash worthy!!   

Although I haven’t seen this essay in the Splash I enjoyed writing it when the word for the week was ‘favorite’.  I hope you enjoy it and maybe even read one of the books mentioned.

The word selected for this week is favorite.  Hmmm, so many choices. Favorite activity/pastime, favorite food, favorite entertainer, favorite sports team, favorite friend, favorite place to spend time.  The list is endless.  

After giving it some thought I’m going to go with the first choice, favorite activity or pastime.  I thoroughly enjoy spending time with strangers,  ordinary people, detectives, lawyers, in small towns, or big cities, here or abroad.  I can spend an afternoon completely enthralled with the story between the covers of a book.  

Over the years I’ve spent time in the dust bowl just after the depression with Kristan Hannah in Four Winds, and again recently in West With Giraffes. I loved visiting the Midnight Library where you can review your book of life, pull a new book off the shelf with different choices and see how your life turned out.    I spent a year in a hotel in Moscow with a Gentleman, I spent hours on the edge of my seat with both The Silent Patient and the Girl in Cabin Ten. 

I loved visiting Appalachia with Jojo Moyes and her book the Giver of Stars, a story based on the women in the 30’s delivering books on horseback to the people in the hill country.  I’ve  read many of Sharyn McCrumb’s books about Appalachia, most take place in the early 1900’s but my husband and I both enjoyed St.Dale, the lighthearted book about a group of strangers on a bus tour of NASCAR racetracks.

I’ve visited Cuba with Chanel Cleeeton with three of her books, When We Left Cuba and Next Year In Havana and The Last Train to Key West.  I spent time in Sweden with Anxious People, and A Man Called Ove.  I escaped from Iran with the Stationery Shop.  Spent time in the bogs of Ireland with the Searchers and learned some Korean history with the Calligrapher’s Daughter. 

On the steps of The Paris Library  WWII came to life as the librarians attempted to save books during the occupation. The Nightingale, The Flight Girls, and The Rose Code all involve brave women fighting in WWII.  The Book of Lost Names was one of my favorites, saving the names of the Jewish children being hidden from  Hitlers’ thugs.    

I learned more about the Native American culture in the Night Watchman.  And was delighted with Jesus in the water spout in The Trouble With Goats and Sheep.

I’ve probably spent more time than I should with Erin Hilderbrand on the beaches of Nantucket, and Laine Moriarty  in Australia.  But I just can’t resist the drama of real life.  

While I was working it was difficult to find time to read, you know, that 8 to 5 thing is really 5 to 8 by the time you get ready in the morning put in the 8 or 9 hours working, get home, fix dinner and decide what to wear tomorrow and to do it all over again.  Weekends were full of chores you didn’t get done all week, Monty and I were both ready to retire early and having time to read was one of the biggest perks.

If you choose to read one of the books mentioned here let me know if you enjoyed it.