TriCounty Technical College <www.tricounty.tec.sc.us> is offering a Writer's Weekend conducted by Michael Garrett <www.manuscriptcritique.com> on July 6-8. Topics include "Common Mistakes that Lead to Rejection", "Writing a Novel That Sells", "Short Story and Novel Feedback" and "Creating a Novel from Scratch".
TriCounty Tech also offers a number of writing courses via the Internet through their Online Instruction Center <www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/oic/offerings.cgi?name=tctc&dept=6>.

Quill Editor Peggy Cwiakala commends to your perusal The Poetry of James Nemeth <www.geocities.com/jamesjnemeth>, a web site she and Martin have developed as "a gift to our friend."
"For most of his life, poet James Nemeth has lived in urban N.J. in the same city in the same house. He writes about the city and captures its rhythm. An accomplished cook, James prepares food in the same way as he writes. Carefully. Methodically. With spice!" - The Quill, Nov/Dec 2000

Rumor has it, fairies are occasionally seen at play in Reedy Falls Park. The Upstate Shakespeare Festival offers you a chance to see for yourself as they present A Midsummer Night's Dream July 18 - August 4 (7:00 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday each week). Come early with your picnic basket and lawn chairs.

Our own Randy Crew rubbed elbows with (this is not a joke) Pat Conroy and Anne Rivers Siddon recently. All were attending the Governor's meeting to select South Carolina's next Poet Laureate (Job description: read poetry at the Governor's inauguration). Randy was, of course, supporting the candidacy of our favorite poet Gene Fehler. The process may be "somewhat political," says RC.

Look who made the best seller list! Robin Prince Monroe's book, God is Awesome, is now #5 on the Christian Bookseller Association Best Seller List of Christian Children's Books. You're pretty awesome yourself, Robin.

And look for Nancy Parker making her SCWW copies at Kinkos. Nancy received a gift certificate for the "Writing for Publication" tips she submitted for Decision magazine's upcoming workshop.

Celebrate freedom of the press by coming out to our July 5th meeting! It will be good for your constitution.

Leland Beaudrot continues with his Midsummer Day's Dream in which Dexter tries to manage the à trois of Kristin, Abbie and the ageless naiad, Chrysanthemum. Few men are able to deal with the complexities of one woman. Poor Dexter is hopelessly outclassed by two women and a lower-case goddess. With a premise like this, almost anything is possible. Leland takes full advantage of that fact when Naïve and Naiad discuss how many past lovers each has had. Poor Dexter!
The plot flow hit a bit of a snag when Kristin sent Dexter off to look for the missing Abbie. Why send Dexter? Why would Dexter - in mid smooch with a beautiful temptress - break off and look for Abbie? A word of advice for Dexter: Dump Abbie and Kristin. Stick with the water nymph.
If, however, Dexter should find happiness with Abbie, perhaps Leland could tell the rest of us males exactly where this spot by the waterfall is. For purely artistic purposes, of course.

Judy turned Rootless in her poem, "I Want To Go To Idaho". Judy cleverly linked well known characteristics of individual states, such as Louisiana gumbo and Carolina pines, to weave a map in poem form. The opening stanza described Idaho as a "stovepipe puzzle piece". We all loved the idea and, despite misplacing Yosemite Park, we hope to Judy follows through with a more complete version of her map. Most of us offered helpful hints that would incorporate other states. Hopefully, Judy will be wise enough to ignore us.

Once again we find ourselves remarking what a wonderful legacy Pat Stewart is leaving for her family. In "Picture of a Saint," young Jackie (now Pat's grown-up husband, Jack) is dispatched to grandmother's upstairs bedroom while Mom and Aunt Anna gossip downstairs. We can picture this small boy in the sunny lilac-scented room. Our interest grows as the frail, Parkinson-ravaged, grandma instructs him to write down a poem. Her own hands are too shaky. Grandma recites the story of a priest at first wracked by Christ's death upon the cross, but then bathed in reassuring sunlight. "Don't forget to keep this poem," says Grandma. "And remember me." Fifty years after her death, Jack finds the poem in his files. He is Jackie again. And he remembers Grandma. Nice work, Pat.

Faye Tollison entices us into Chapter two with sexy conversation and contented lovers. The mood changes abruptly, though, when Ken's gun drops out of his jacket pocket. It turns downright serious when Ken gives Anna her assignment: Deliver this envelope tonight. Don't be nosey or I might have to kill you. Ooooeee. This guy is bad news! It's not surprising that the envelope delivery gets messy. I, for one, was relieved that the hands that grabbed her from behind... the strong muscular arm that held her... belong to a good guy. I think. We all picked a little here (she seems pretty cool about the gun) and picked a little there (would a good guy be so rough?) but agree Faye has the makings of a good story here.

Inspired by her son's illustration for a Friends of the Library project, Sue Renault delighted us all with the beginning of a children's story. Based on a computer generated illustration of an elephant, she created a fictional electronic Trojan pachyderm meant for an unknown, sinister purpose.
Her main character was well drawn, with marvelous detail (loved "mustache hairs in teeth"). A creative use of language and humor permeated every line, and it was unanimous that she continue to pursue the story.
It was not clear to everyone that the "electrodial" was on the elephant, and was suggested that Sue clarify that there was an attempt made to fix the friendly eyes. Someone also felt that watching Battlebots on television might help with this story.
Sue, we can't wait to read more!

Is Dick Taylor's mysterious leading man really Leland's great-grandfather? Fortunately, they only share the same name (which we eventually learn is Jon Waller).
In this chapter, Jon proposes an interesting deal for Angelica. Although she asks many questions, Angelica doesn't learn much more about Jon. Strangely, she feels that she can trust him. Dick does a good job of making Jon threatening and attractive at the same time.
The changes in point of view were disconcerting for some readers, and Dick agreed that he would try to change by chapter instead. Further defining the characters was also suggested. It was also felt that there was a lot of unnecessary movement on Jon's part in the early parts of the chapter.
An incident that would serve as a bonding mechanism prior to Jon asking her to stay was one excellent suggestion. This would give each character a basis to trust the other.

Robin Monroe shared a crisp rewrite of her imaginative children's story "Ralph and Louie". The appealing personalities of the different pairs of shoes draw the reader into the simple magic a young child's life can have. The action is telling and the dialogue rich with emotion. We can't wait to see the illustrated version!

Andy Buckless also reworked a wonderful, sellable children's story "Gator Golf". It is a timely story that holds out respect, collaboration, and practice as valued traits. Grandpa Gator, his granddaughter Maddy, and boy Leo make the swampy golf course come alive. Thanks so much, Andy, for this contribution to our group.

Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, a fantasy novel penned in 1989, so ignited the wrath of the Islamic world that Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini offered a multimillion-dollar reward for the author's assassination. Rushdie secluded himself for his own protection.
In 1536, William Tyndale had the audacity to translate the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English so that the people could read it for themselves. He was burned at the stake as a heretic by church authorities.

Considering but these two examples, is it any wonder that the founders of this democracy set forth among the first of our rights as citizens the assurance of a free press, unconstrained by tyrants who would silence the interchange of ideas. Let us then wield the pen boldly!

What galls you? What rankles you? What stirs you to say, "Enough!"? Say it! Write it! Permeate your poetry and prose with the bile of your vitriol. What lifts you? What encourages you? What awakens your best hopes? Reveal it! Share it! Let others delight in the source of your joy. What startles you? What frightens you? What causes you to huddle in fear? Illuminate it! Illustrate it! Invite others into your haunted dream. What makes you blush? What stirs your libido? What whispers sweet allure in your ear? Do it! Dare it! Make us delight in a little voyeurism.

In short, find your voice in writing, and please let us be the first to hear.

Printed Matters is the newsletter of the Greenville Chapter, SCWW, which meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at The Open Book, 110 S Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC.

Thanks to our contributing writers & news reporters: Sue Renault, Bob Zavasnik, Andi Buckless, and Judy Root.

Copyright 2001 by Leland Beaudrot, Editor. Contributing writers retain all rights to their work.