Word is getting out, and new writers are coming in. Our meetings are now regularly announced in The Greenville News and MetroBEAT. In addition, John Migacz made up posters to display at our perennial meeting place, The Open Book. In our last Thursday gathering we greeted Ellen Ethridge, Carol-Ann Rudy and Ingrid Sthare, who were joined by members Phil Arnold, Leland Beaudrot, Nancy Parker, Bob Strother, Ray Lewis, Michael Gibb, Marcia & John Migacz.

Before we gather in November, there are a couple of important matters to consider and plan for our December meeting. We usually do something special for our Christmas month meeting. We need to set the where and how. And, when we gather in December, we will have a very important item of business to complete: the election of a new Chapter President. Phil Arnold, our Fearless Leader for the past year and a half has declined nomination as President for Life and asked that we choose his successor at the December meeting. Phil isn't going anywhere (except the occasional Elvis convention), but he does want to hand over the reins. So please come prepared to make a nomination, having previously gained the approval of the nominee.

HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND; October 14, 2004-Writers of fiction and poetry, and photographers are encouraged to submit work to The Antietam Review for consideration. Editorial staff are preparing for publication of the Review as it enters its 23rd year of publication.

The Antietam Review is a literary and photography journal published annually by the Washington County Arts Council. It publishes short fiction, poetry, and black and white photographs that have not been published previously. Works chosen for publication bring their creators an award of $25 to $100.

The Review's editorial board seeks fiction of 5,000 words or less, with a preference for short stories. Excerpts from longer works will be considered if they work as an independent piece. Additionally, essays, interviews, memoirs and book reviews also are considered. Individual writers may submit only one work of prose for consideration. Poetry submissions should be of 30 or fewer lines. Poets may submit up to three works for consideration. Photographers may submit up to three black-and-white works for consideration. Electronic submissions are not accepted for consideration. All submissions should be accompanied by a brief biography of the submitter, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Deadline for prose and poetry is December 1, 2004. Deadline for photography is March 31, 2005.

Submissions may be addressed to:

Antietam Review
41 South Potomac St
Hagerstown MD 21740

For a copy of complete submission guidelines, contact antietamreview@washingtoncountyarts.com

If you're looking for a little inspiration, go out on Wednesday evening, October 27th for a little moonshine. A lunar eclipse begins at 9:14 and goes total from 10:23 to 11:45. Check out this NASA web site for details.

Before you gobble the Thanksgiving turkey, you'll have two opportunities to gather around the table for a feast of words (low in calories but sometimes salty): Thursday, November 4th and Tuesday, November 16th, 6:00 p.m. at The Open Book.

October's meeting left a delightful traveler on our doorstep. Traveller, the young female protagonist in Carol Ann Rudy's novel-in-progress Mill Child, has come from Florida to the Upstate with her mother, Josephine. Mom's nomadic lifestyle has left Traveller weary but wiser for her experiences. Carol Ann's short, animated reading promised characters that are both interesting and believable. In the critique, there was a question relating to the time period for the story, and a suggestion that some of the background - how Traveller and Josephine got to South Carolina - might work better if it appeared in later paragraphs. A road atlas will help Carol fill in some "holes" in her descriptions of the state's geography. I like stories about kids of this age, particularly ones who seem as resourceful as Traveller. I'm looking forward to future installments.

In the continuing story A Second Chance by John Migacz, we see the protagonist, Jolly, come to the point where he throws caution to the wind and lets his thirty-something mind speak through his six-year-old mouth. His questions about reincarnation startle his adoptive parents, but that is nothing compared to his well-rounded vocabulary. Jolly, at one point, smiles and says, "This was only a philosophical discussion, brought on by the nearness of the Theology building." Talk about 'out of the mouth of babes!'

This evening's reading ends with a discussion about Jolly's schooling where he professes interest in Calculus. His adoptive father, Tyler, is incredulous at his interest and bawls, "Calculus?" To that Jolly says precociously, "Yes, you know, the mathematical methods comprising differential and integral calculations. I always understood the theory but never grasped the mechanics." We are left to wonder how Jolly will reconcile his mental capabilities to his physical capabilities, but, alas, we must wait for John's next reading.

Some suggestions during the critique period were that John should expand the struggle between the physical child and mental man as well as have more questioning from the adults about Jolly's incredible vocabulary. Another encouragement was to watch for repetitive or extraneous phrases.

We all have heard of the 'child within', a consciousness of the child we once were, buried deep within the strata of the adult we have become. Imagine if it were the other way around, an adult buried within a child's psyche. Tremendous opportunities as well as caveats present themselves. Our questions are: what will Jolly do next and what roadblocks will be cast his way. Sometimes our best hopes and dreams have a way of unraveling. The hint from John is that Jolly's ideal world is about to unravel. We can't wait to find out.

It's rare when a person can intertwine two avocations as Phil Arnold does with his articles for Elvis International Magazine. In his latest offering, "Backstage with 21 Music Legends," Phil describes what it was like to be a Production Assistant at a Memphis concert during Elvis Week. As the number two assistant, he was assigned the heady task of getting ice. Phil was, of course, a standout in acquiring sandwiches and sodas, but armed with an 'all access' backstage pass his real goal was autograph hunting.

Previously, in the 50th Anniversary issue of Elvis International, Phil had written a short biography and commentary on each of the twenty-one performers playing at the concert. Now his goal was to get their signatures over his written text in the magazine.

Phil's exuberance shone all through an article that effectively reflected his enjoyment. The group suggested that Phil could add tension and a connecting thread to his story if he first stated that his goal was to get all the autographs and then described the difficulties in acquiring them. A few folks suggested other titles such as 'Autograph Bingo' and the 'Hunting the Legend's Autographs.' The passive police pulled Phil over at a checkpoint, but he was let go with only a written warning to keep things active and, of course, it was stamped with the ubiquitous 'Show Don't Tell.'

I'm envious the way Phil's interest in writing and all things Elvis dovetail so nicely. Fatz's interest in beer drinking and writing always seems to be at cross purposes - but that should be obvious if you've read this review.

Ellen Ethridge, one of three first-time visitors at our meeting, introduced us to Garland, the title character in her story "The Goosey King." This proposed picture book for six to nine year olds tells how the lonely Garland finds his true love, Gardenia. She is a pretty young goose whose migrating gaggle stops for a rest at Garland's pond.

Our group liked the pace of the story and the effective use of words beginning with the letter G. Nancy Parker was at her insightful best, catching a few too many actions preceded by the dreaded began to. Another suggestion was that it all fell in place too easily. Even though the intended readers are children, perhaps a little tension would increase their enjoyment of the story. Maybe one of the unnamed geese with speaking attributions could be Gardenia's father, and he could initially be against her leaving the family to marry Garland. Ellen's happy ending would be stronger when Garland finally wins him over or possibly convinces mom and dad to stay in the Kingdom of Duck-Duck-Goose. This story could turn out nicely with a little tweaking.

When Ray Lewis passed "Peter Fisher Meets Mr. Bubble" around the table, It looked like we might be getting our second lighthearted tale of the night. Not exactly. This chapter of Ray's book Dream School could easily have been called "Killer Pins Attack Harmless Bubbles." Seriously, Ray has embarked a difficult challenge with this story, and the Professor is impressed with his progress. The dream images he painted were vivid and striking, which is not surprising since Ray experienced them all himself as a child.

Some of our group felt the passages about two-year-old Peter Fisher added little to the story and could be eliminated. Another suggestion was to simplify the vocabulary and long sentences four-year-old Peter used in conversation with his dad. Ray has embraced earlier suggestions by the group, and Dream School is going to be a terrific story when he completes it.

[Hi! I'm Thaleia and I approved this message.] My Zeus! They've got me doing it too. Isn't it November 2nd yet?

Bob Strother, who only recently joined our bi-monthly Museathon, brought to us a thought provoking piece, "Till Death Do Us Part," an essay built on the reminiscences of his eighty-seven year old Uncle Cecil, "a World War II veteran, and four years a widower." Bob and family were making a circuit of cemeteries, not collecting marcabre specimens for October's popular holiday, but "digging up" old relations for the purpose of genealogical research: "getting names and dates of births and deaths."

Between stops, Bob "asked the right question" and the normally taciturn Uncle Cecil shares cherished memories of his wife. "I really believe I fell in love with her the first time I saw her.... she pulled a pack of Chesterfields out of her brassiere and asked me to light one for her. I did, and then I smooched her pretty good." It seems more then the nicotine was addictive for Uncle Cecil. After a two year Army hitch in WWII "it was like the rest of my life I was living my dream."

We were all so moved by this 59 year love story, we found little that needed verbal tuning: a few words here and there, and perhaps omission of the mention of maiden aunt, Jenny, who is otherwise not heard from. An alternate title is suggested by the closing of an undiscovered love note found after his wife's death: "Love Always, Cecil." No doubt, Bob, you did ask the right question.

I'm a writer... or am I? Sometimes I'm not sure. Do I make my living writing? No way, unless computer programs count (I've checked, they don't). Have I been published? A few times, even got paid for some of it. But something's missing, that milestone that says, "You have arrived!" When I climbed my first mountain, I knew I was a real hiker. What do I lack as a writer? I haven't written the obligatory novel.

Oh, yeah. I've planned the novel. I've started the novel. I've subjected some of you to the novel, but it never got very far. I keep falling back to good old short (attention span) stories that, even if strung end to end, would not comprise anything like a real novel (though it might be a rather novel plot). Am I capable of a novel? I don't know, and won't until I do it.

A decade ago, when I got serious about writing, I took a couple of courses. Jim Gittings, my instructor, once took me aside on the way out of the classroom and said, "I've seen what you can do with these short stories, but you can do more. I want to see what you can do with a novel." Some time later I told him when I did my novel, he would be one of the characters. And though the book of his life closed a few years ago, I still want to make good on my word.

How about you? Got a novel in you? Want to give it a shot just for fun? Check out National Novel Writing Month. In November of each year, people from all over the world set out to do the insanely unlikely: to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. This is not a lesson in great literature, nor is it aimed at people who take their writing too seriously. It's for those of us who, having mastered the jog in the park want to try, if only once, for the marathon. I'm in. How about you?

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 and news reporters: Bob Strother, Michael Gibb, John Migacz and Phil Arnold.

Copyright 2004 by Leland Beaudrot, Editor. Contributing writers retain all rights to their work.