By 
Shawano Area Writers met Thursday, June 17 in a conference room at the Shawano County Library. There were nine members present plus one visitor: Manuel Moraleda, Lee Pulaski, Dennis Vickers and his daughter Becca, who is currently teaching art in Bangkok, Wendy Goerl, John Mutter, Twilla Beyer, Barbara King, Tom Thorstenson, and Trudy Bosman.
Dennis Vickers, president, started the meeting with the reading of the minutes from the May 20th meeting, from Secretary Barb King. Minutes were approved and seconded.
Next, Treasurer John Mutter reported on the club’s finances. He began with the report on the Student Writing Contest. Fiona Hoffman was thrilled with the $2000 Scholarship she had won, which she will use as she attends Eastern Arizona University to pursue a degree in writing. John delivered certificates and cash to 22 students in Bonduel, Shawano, Wittenberg, and Menominee High School for a total of 106 miles at $0.50 per mile for a total of $53. The total cost of the 2021 Student Writing Contest is $1610.62 minus the $100 ad from Cobbler’s Coset on the back of the program for a final total of $1,510.62.
The funeral plant for Trilby Beauprey McIntosh was $50.
As of June 17, 2021, the balance in the large five-year CD is $63,138.10. As of June 17, 2021, the balance of the small CD is $10,603.68 at CoVantage. This small CD is due to expire on June 19, 2021. John plans to take $2,500 of this small CD and put it in the Associated Bank Account so we have enough in there for the Scholarship next year. John will put the balance of the small CD in a one year CD, which will be for around $7,500. Our membership share account has $181.22 in it.
John deposited $55 from the dues collected at the May meeting. Then he withdrew $2,000 for the scholarship. The balance at Associated Bank as of June 17, 2021 is $1,078.45. John has not withdrawn money for his expenses for the Student Contest yet. He will wait until he’s deposited the $2,500 from the small CD before he takes the money out he is owed, $1,030.62.
As of June 17, 2021, the grand total of the SAW savings is $75,001.45 The finance report was approved.
Next on the agenda was the discussion of writing workshops before our meetings. Trudy Bosman suggested we investigate the Community classes and see if we could be scheduled in. It was also suggested to contact NWTC. Lee Pulaski will investigate the Community classes and Dennis Vickers will check out NWTC. They will report their findings at the next meeting.
Accomplishments were then discussed. John Mutter had two short stories published during the pandemic. The story “The Blue Dog” was published in the fall 2020 issue of the Rosebud magazine. The other short story, “The Wind Giveth”, was published in Woods Reader magazine.
Trudy Bosman self-published a children’s picture book entitled “Butterflies in the Room”. It’s the true story of a teacher who brought monarch butterfly chrysalises into his classroom and showed the students’ reactions. The book may be purchased on Amazon.
Then the readings began. Lee Pulaski videotaped each reading to be put on the SAW Facebook site.
Barb King started the readings by reading chapter 1 from her book, “The Children in the Garden.” It’s present day and Jillian awakes from the same nightmare she has had every night for three years. The nightmare where her police officer husband is shot at a domestic violence call. He dies in her arms. The only problem is that it isn’t just a bad dream, it happened, and Jillian doesn’t know how to get on with life.
Manny Moreleda became interested in writing when he was asked to speak about prayer and culture as experienced in his native Thailand at a Koinonia retreat when he was 62. A bookmark with a poem on it sparked an interest in writing rhyming poetry. Today, Manny shared the preface to his book “Many Forms of a Neophyte Poet and His Memoirs.” Manny explains he calls himself a neophyte poet because he has had limited knowledge in poetry. His ideas come from inspiration, imagination, happenings, and life experiences.
Wendy Goerl read a possible prologue to her “Godsealed” trilogy. Demetrius was deep in his daily prayers when he feels the need to look in a master armor book. As he discovers the armor he was led to, Demetrius is shown, in his mind, the path to find The Chosen One. He feels the need to tell the leader only to find that the leader is golfing. So, he tells the next in charge. As their minds touch, they see children and the path to the Chosen One. Wendy describes this book as life as we know it, except for the Order of the Sacred Blade, who keep the armor that keeps them alive.
Trudy Bosman took the Wednesday prompt from the Writer’s Digest web site. The prompt was “in the name of… “ Trudy wrote a poem entitled “In the Name of Family”. Trudy wrote that no matter how you acquired your last name — occupation, choice, adoption, or marriage — you are all family just the same.
John Mutter read his published short story, “The Wind Giveth”. The wind had brought down a lot of trees in his back forty acres, mostly aspen and maple. March 3, 2017 he loaded his chainsaw on his hand pulled otter sled and headed out over the snow. The first day he produced 68 blocks of wood. The next day he got 59 pieces more. The snow melted so he was unable to bring in the wood. Then March 15, 2017 it snowed again, and John was able to bring back two face core from the fallen maple trees in his back forty. John admitted it’s a lot of work, but he likes to physically challenge himself.
Lee Pulaski is currently working on a supernatural novel. Three friends go up to Three Lakes when the grandmother of one of the friends dies and he inherits her house. The man finds out that his grandma was into witchcraft and he’s supposed to carry it on. Another friend, Adam, a Navajo, has the secret that he is a skinwalker. A Skinwalker is taboo dark magic where the person possesses or turns into an animal. Adam was fourteen when it first happened. He remembers what he became, what he killed and what he ate. Anger triggers him.
After the readings, Dennis Vickers announced that the next meeting would be 10 AM at a downstairs conference room in the Shawano County Library on July 15, 2021.
A motion was made for the meeting to be adjourned and seconded.
