Tuesdays with Story

Writer’s Mail
Tuesdays with Story
July 20, 2018

In 10 days

It’s Fifth Tuesday!

The Trivedis will host us at their home in Madison, about a five-minute drive from Barnes & Noble Westside.

Yes, it’s a potluck, so bring some great food to share. Vegetarian, please. No meat dishes allowed this time.

And we have a writing challenge: Write a fake book blurb, a nice way to roast a fellow writer. Example: blurb Larry Sommers’ latest book, The Sommers’ System for Writing a Bestselling Novel in 30 Days.

Maximum length: 200 words

Format for your page:
(Title of book)
(Author’s name)
(Publisher and publication date)
(Number of pages)
(Retail price of book)

(Your blurb)
(Your name and at least one writing credit)

When you have your mini-masterpiece finished, email it to Jerry Peterson by Sunday evening, July 29.

Start time for our Fifth Tuesday is our usual 7 p.m.

The TWS eight

Eight writers came out Tuesday evening to critique the work of six of our colleagues. Here’s some of what was said

Millie Mader (rewrite, “Stone Cold Stripper) . . .  A lot of critiques and suggestions. Will try a larger rewrite.

Bob Kralapp (short story, “Faith”, party 2) . . .

Kashmira Sheth (chapters, Surya’s Story) . . . Kashmira submitted her middle grade novel chapters. Larry wanted some things away from the readers to build up more mystery. Jerry commented on one of the details that was not clear. Tracey mentioned that she struggled with some foreign words and wondered what can be done about it.

Jerry Peterson (short story, “The Marksmen”) . . . Big confusion over which rifles James Early’s team takes to Abilene; some rewriting will clarify that. Tracey and several others asked that the scouting-of-the-town scene be written rather than merely referred to in a later scene. Jack and others thought the news conference scene dragged. Jack suggested it would be better for Early to be taken to the hospital for treatment of his gunshot wound, that Eisenhower come there to give his thanks to Early.

John Schneller (chapter 23, Final Stronghold) . . . Tracey has battle fatigue. The series and frequency of battles has taken its toll on her as a reader. Point taken. Suggestions were made to separate the quest/struggle into different environments. Jerry pointed out a couple logistical problems to correct. Readers are finding it difficult to be grounded in individual scenes due to poor clarity of Kotel’s goals as well as the length of the saga and our editing process that takes a year to get through a third of the book.

Jack Freiburger (chapters 9-10, A Walk upon the Water) . . .

Who’s up next

August 7
Paul Wagner (???)
Mike Austin (chapters, Backroads)
Larry Sommers (chapter from new coming-of-age novel)
Kashmira Sheth and Amit Trivedi (chapters)
Meg Matenaer (???)
Amber Boudreau (chapter, Avice)
Tracey Gemmell (chapters, Lavender Wine)

Our editor

Short month for Larry Sommers. He had only this week’s edition of Writer’s Mail to shepherd. Tracey Gemmell picks up the job next month. Email her everything good you’d like her to include in the next edition.