Rising to the call and willing to serve her fellow SCWW members statewide, our own Sarah Cureton has agreed to become the SCWW treasurer effective immediately. Sarah is also taking on responsibility for the statewide SCWW website. It's great to have such a strong showing from the Greenville chapter, with Sarah, Bob, and Susan all holding offices on the board. Thanks guys!

It's time to send in your submission to the SCWW 2006 Catfish Stew Anthology! Guidelines can be found on the SCWW website. Submissions must be postmarked by April 30, 2006.

The most recent edition of Elvis International Magazine featured an article by Phil Arnold titled "January 1956 - A Look Back, 50 Years Later At What Could Be The Most Significant Month in Elvis' Career," as well as five articles from his Elvisblog. Providing 8 out of 48 total pages, it's hard to imagine Elvis International Magazine ever getting along without Phil.

Bob Strother was published twice more in Carolina Regions,the statewide newsletter of the South Carolina Association of Regional Councils. The two pieces contained the second and third installments of a three-part series Bob wrote on "Regionalism: Concept and Practice."

Another one of Kevin Coyle's stories has hit the presses, this time the cyber kind. Seek "Beastly Numbers" on the Poor Mojo's Almanac(k) website.

Need the start date of the Mayan Calender? Zasu Pitts' birth date? Check out timelines.ws (no WWW.) This website lists historical events from the big bang to yesterday and could be a big help for historical fiction writers, alternate history buffs or maybe for a realistic background check for a period piece. It has an easy to use search engine and fairly complete database. Thanks, Faye, for this tip.

The Travelers Rest Arts Mission's "Poets in the Forest" meet every first Friday at the Leopard Forest Coffee Company on Main Street in Travelers Rest. On May 5, they will feature 2003 SC Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth, and on May 6, Marjory will teach a poetry workshop and share lunch with attendees. The website is www.trartsmission.org/poetsintheforest.html

The Hub City Writers Project will be holding their sixth annual "Writing in Place" creative writing conference at Wofford College June 16-18, 2006. Registration is now open.

The Hub City conference is a hands-on, intensive writing experience, designed to help both beginners and professionals develop the craft of creative writing. The conference is limited to 60 people, and registrants must sign up for one of three tracks: poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction.

For more information, call 864-577-9349 or visit www.hubcity.org.

The next meetings of the Greenville Chapter of SCWW are as follows:

• Thursday, April 6 - First Thursday Meeting, 6:00 p.m. at The Open Book
• Tuesday, April 18 - Third Tuesday Meeting, 6:00 p.m. at The Open Book

All genres welcome at both meetings. Suggested limit for reading selections is five double-spaced, typed pages, although longer selections may be possible if time permits.

The Open Book, 110 S Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC

It was more good rockin' last night as Phil Arnold helped celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the release of The Sun Sessions - songs Elvis recorded when he was with Sam Phillips at Sun Records Studio. I agree with Phil. It seems odd that it took twenty years to package those early recordings as a CD. Odder still that it required a bootleg British import titled The Sun Collection to inspire RCA's eventual release.

As usual, there are so many interesting info-nuggets in Phil's Elvis writings it's hard to decide which are the most significant. But how 'bout this - Rolling Stone said: "In a tiny Memphis studio, in 1954 and 1955, Sam Phillips and Elvis Presley created rock & roll." As Phil observes: "You can't get more significant than that."

It was also hard to find suggestions for improving Phil's Thursday night offering. One person wondered if Phil could research VH1 and Rolling Stone to find out their criteria for rating albums. Another suggested splitting a paragraph for more impact. Anyway, by that time, Panama was hardly listening. He was back in the seventh grade, at a party in a low-light living room, slow dancing to "Blue Moon" with a little blonde named Cindy.

Happy anniversary, Elvis.

Jeff Oxborrow began his untitled story. Michael is a 9-year-old who "sees" things others do not. The story pulls us in with an example of this power. At the doctor's office, he picks up a book and sees the story without opening the book. Jeff does a good job describing Michael, his Asian mother and bear of a father. The critiquers felt Jeff needed more active verbs. Using participles detracted from the story. Go back and look at words and phrases like standing, leaving, seriously considering, opening his eyes, wandering off would help the piece. I am ready to hear more about this child who can visualize a rose into reality in a doctor's waiting room, another example of Michael's power.

Jeff brings a new element to our meetings. I would bet that no other writer's group has a German Shepherd listening to our reading. Curtis is Jeff's personal assistant, a guide dog. I guess Curtis won't do any critiques, but I did see him dozing off during a reading. I won't reveal who was reading at the time!

I was also touched by a letter Jeff included in his package. I would like to quote part of it: "Do you remember why you decided to pick up that pen; did it call to you in a dream? For whatever reason you felt compelled to write, the immortal word lives in all of us, yet we are the few, the skilled, the leaders... I salute you, my fellow writers, dream those crazy dreams and write them down, create your own worlds and follow your Hearts." Put that essay in an envelope and send it off to Catfish Stew.

Susan Boyer treated us to her third--that we know of--beginning of her Southern novel Lowcountry Boil. The third time's the charm because her opening sentence--The dead are patient.--is one that many of us would kill for. Attending her grandmother's funeral on the mythical island of Stella Maris, the protagonist Liz is also haunted by a childhood ghost.

Since Susan didn't provide many opportunities to complain, I submitted her third page to a technique I've been using lately to analyze paragraph balance. As we all know theoretically, but often forget in the passion of the keyboard, sentences in a paragraph should have a variety of structure, length, and opening words. So I fed page three into my newly programmed sentence processor. It spit out the first word of each sentence and dashes for the rest of the characters:

My - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Flames - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It - - - - - - - - -
Sunshine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Everything - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Emma - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Three paragraphs on a page, admittedly the worst example of this small sample, suggests Susan enjoys long paragraphs. The variety of lengths of the sentences is praise-worthy. Since no words that typically introduce a subordinate clause or prepositional phrase appear as the first word of any sentence, almost every sentence begins with the subject. A quick review of the other four pages concludes that Susan is in a rut.

Furthermore, five sentences and one phrase begin with an indefinite pronoun: it rained, everything, it was, it seemed, there were, and that's. To a lesser degree, this habit also haunts other pages.

When Susan read this selection at the meeting, did you notice those flaws? A good scene may obscure such blemishes but better sentence diversity will enhance any scene.

All writers have to pay their dues. We have to endure some rough critiquing along the way, as we learn our craft and the quality of our work improves over time. Such is the case with "The Proposal" by Elysabeth Elderlng. It was a good writing exercise for her as she continues on her journey as a writer, but it is not a strong piece of fiction.

This reviewer found "The Proposal" to be rather dull and repetitive. The ending was a distinct disappointment. Martina Navratilova popping into the scene was bad enough, but when the whole story turned out to be a dream, it all seemed just too contrived. In fairness to Elysabeth, it should be noted that she wrote her story to enter in an April Fools Day contest that required the use of a number of things in the fiction. It was a tough list, including croaking frogs, a joke playing mother, and Martina. At least Elysabeth took the challenge and came up with an entry. Any member of our group who not only writes, but also submits her work, deserves kudos for trying. One of these days she'll have a winner.

John Migacz's PI piece, "A Dark and Stormy Night", has an authentic 1950's noir feel. It was a change of pace for him, one that he seemed to relish and the group enjoyed. Such throw away lines as, "Hey it's America, even scum can have lofty aspirations," bring the hero to life. The story is a quick-paced, entertaining read.

The consensus of the group seemed to be that the first line (and title) is a distraction, and John should consider replacing the "dark and stormy night" hook. I had mixed emotions - I actually kind of liked it, but I was a minority of one, so changing it is probably the best idea. There was a great deal of discussion on whether or not the bobble-headed dog was period appropriate. John seemed sure it was - I wouldn't know, I was born in 1961.

Everyone agreed that John needed to account for why his PI couldn't hear the gunfire. There was a fair amount of discussion about the actual shooting and how it happened. In a group of fifteen, there were maybe three different assumptions about how it happened (specific blocking), so maybe some clarification is called for.

When I reread this story in the comfort and quiet of the recliner in my office, I had a few additional thoughts. I wanted the PI to have a name-maybe it's there and I missed it. Also, it would seem smoother if we saw the "fast-moving black Cadillac" stop before the backdoor pops open and Alice and Louie get in. The way it reads, I picture them jumping in to a fast-moving car. Also, I wanted to know what the connection was between Angelic, the hooker on whose behalf the PI was following Donny, and Donny. Why would this "square his tab with Angelic?" I got the connection between Angelic and the PI, but not Angelic and Donny.

Up until the PI discovers the four bodies, I thought there were only three people in the car: Donny driving, Louie - by the way, who is Louie, and why was he with Alice when Donny picked her up for a quickie and a ride home to momma? - riding shotgun, and Alice in the backseat. I was confused.

As you might surmise, I don't read a lot of gritty detective stories. It's possible my confusion is simply a product of being unfamiliar with the genre. In any case, I enjoyed the story, and, for my money, John should write a few more detective stories.

According to Pat Stewart and her "What I Learned From My Children" story, a rewrite from the rules of the house, we definitely can learn a lot from our kids. In this recollection of what the Stewart children told their mother of the experience in France, some unstated rules of the house were broken.

For anyone who has ever traveled abroad, there are many barriers put up immediately and kids tend to be innovative when overcoming problems. Lying, cheating and maneuvering the authorities to benefit oneself are ways around the common sense we all hope we are instilling in our children's futures. Some of the children couldn't read the boards, so copied off their French seatmates, which only lead to other problems since the French students weren't up to par either. One child even learned how to recycle bus tickets and thus saving money on fare and using it for other things, such as wine.

My favorite was the person in charge of the housing coming to Mr. Stewart regarding stones being rolled down the hill and hitting people's cars below. The kids, of course, denied this at first but after twenty years admitted they did roll the stones down the hill but they didn't know they were hitting cars below.

Pat brings lots of humor to the group with her stories about her family and happenings in their lives.

Pam Gurule continued her beauty queen wannabees story, Your Tiara is Waiting. She brought some humor to the group with her little vignettes of each Ms. Georgia something or other by showing us what possibly could happen during preparations for an off-the-beaten-path beauty pageant.

The old saying, "if anything can go wrong, it will", comes to mind while reading these short little glimpses into these southern winners of unheard of pageants. Each girl's personality is coming through with each little chapter that Pam presents to us.

The part when Eva Lee runs out and into one of the contestants mother was quite funny. And the mother being all haughty and asking for an apology, only to get told to watch where she was going had the group all in sniggles.

Overall, Pam's writing needs a bit of tightening but as she exposes more and more of herself to the group, this will happen.

This reviewer looks forward to hearing more about each girl and how they come together.

Speaking of rewriting history, Jim McFarlane continued with his reimagining of his own family's past in The Widow Dunn. In a pivotal scene, Angus McFarlane (Great Grampa?) proposes to the Widow Dunn in the middle of a seemingly unrelated conversation with his friend Hampton. Some clue to Angus' state of mind would have helped this reader (and no doubt, the Widow herself) better prepare for this important declaration. That, and several long stretches of dialog with no beats or attributions, detract from the emotional weight of this scene. Jim does treat the reader to a clever discussion of sister Margaret's accusation that Angus is a Yankee carpetbagger who will "murder us in our sleep and rob us blind." Hampton reminds her, among other things, that the family has nothing to rob. And Angus responds that everyone to the south of Canada, where he was raised, is a Yankee in his eyes, so Margaret is as much a Yankee to him as he is to her. Jim continues to apply extensive research fleshed in with liberal doses of imagination to make his family's story come alive.

The way Fatz heard it, Shakespeare said "to be, or not to be" when he was talking to Hamlet about a piece he was submitting to the Avon Literary review and he hit on something Jim needs to do. Not "to be" is the way to go. Lose the "to be" verbs and their tentative sidekicks "seems" and "began." It weakens the writing by removing the reader from the action.

Fatz welcomes Jim to the group and hopes to hear more about the "engine of destruction now turned on" that is the character Rhohan.

The problem with vampire stories is that they've been done to un-death. But there still seems to be a market for such stories if they're somehow fresh (as in a fresh kill). While I have trouble pointing to anything specific about Bob's story that sets it apart from the legions that have come before, there's a quality about his writing-maybe it's the narrator's tongue-in-cheek delivery-that made me want to read on. And that's saying something. I look forward to seeing more of Bob's attempt to breathe new life into the genre. So long as he doesn't eat any garlic first, that is.

In Bob Strother's novel Burning Time, Jesse escorts Louise to her grandfather's butcher shop. Louise tells her grandfather that she has a new baby brother and the jovial grandfather replies, "And, would you believe it - I got a grandson on the very same night!" Later that evening, the family gathers around the new momma's bed and speculates on the new baby's future. There's theorizing on Louise's future but her grandfather tells her not to worry as she will never lose her job as "princess."

Exiting With Grace by John Kingsbury opens with George "Shirt" Pendelton visiting his grandmother at Christ Lutheran Home. Eighty-two-year-old Grace has lost many of her mental faculties and "Shirt" has hired Furman College student Barbara Parker to assist in Grace's care. He tells Barbara that her job is to "keep her talking instead of just sitting there doing nothing with her mind." Grace's disjointed patter shows the depth of her mental confusion.

Kevin Coyle once again braved Icelandic pronunciations with his continuation of "The Saga of Snorri the Priest." Vighus of Drapuhlid, goaded by Styr the Killer, sends Svart the Strong to kill Snorri. The assassination attempt fails and Svart is hung by Snorri's best friend Hauk. Vighus of Drapuhlid then accuses Snorri of manslaughter. Snorri and his thingmen ride to Vighus' to pay damages but are ambushed by Styr the Killer's berserkers, Halli and Leiknir. Kevin left us in the middle of the battle.

The Widow Dunn by Jim McFarlane resumed at the dinner table with Angus and Hamilton negotiating Laura Ann's and Angus' marriage contract. Laura Ann's brother Hamilton and Angus are able to agree that the lack of a dowry is not a problem. Hamilton wants Angus to pay the back taxes on Laura Ann's land, but since it actually belongs to her children, Angus wants it to be a loan, not a gift, to be paid back by Hamilton planting two or three acres of cotton next year. Laura Ann finally jumps in and declares that Hamilton and Angus together should plant ten or twenty acres of cotton. Then she proceeds to list all her demands to Angus, stating that if he'll write it all down then she might consider accepting his offer in the morning.

In Jim Morgan's novel, Cassador, Nimue Llyn, an emergency room nurse, is attacked in her home by six swordsmen, and rescued by a seventh, named Rhohan Glendower. Rhohan tells Nimue that they are of the same blood - that he is assigned to protect her, she is marked for death, and she must follow him if she wants to live. Although her intellect says it's crazy, her inner voice tells her to flee or die, so she runs with him through the woods towards a safe place.

Spartanburg Chapter transplant Frank Weber shared Chapter One of The Summerville Light. Tom Reardon, a senior in high school in 1960, has been sent to the principal's office for punishment. After turning on the public address system, Principal Hoyt gives him four hefty wacks on the rear with a ten-inch long paddle that Mr. Hoyt calls the "Board of Education." When Tom returns, his classmates, including the lovely Sylvia, treat him like a celebrity, and he wonders, "Do I have to get in trouble to get noticed?"

The first chapter of new member Aimee Caruso's book Epiphany introduces a number of characters to us. Jen, 19, and Emily, 20, are college roommates visiting each other in the Adirondacks over summer break. They stop in for a beer and a smoke with Jen's father, who is recovering from his second round of chemotherapy for throat cancer. Then they return to Albany and go to hang out and have dinner with their new friend, Epiphany, a homeless man with dirty dirty-blond hair. To explain changing his name from Darryl, Epiphany says, "When I turned thirty this January, I decided to open myself up to deeper knowledge from the universe. I am ready for an awakening. I am going to be reborn."

In Chapter 4 of Lowcountry Boil, Susan Boyer takes us on the road to Stella Maris with her protagonist, Liz Talbot, and Liz's dog, Rhett. As she drives, Liz talks to her sister, Merry, on her cell phone. Liz threatens to make a scene at the council meeting that night, saying, "There is no way I'm going to let you develop Devlin's Point." Later, she arrives at the house previously owned by her grandmother - her house now - and finds that "the obvious signs of Gram's recent presence were a comfort, even as they reminded [her] sharply of [her] loss." Studying the lush and beautifully cared for landscaping, Liz suddenly wonders when her ghostly friend Colleen will show up.

Leland Beaudrot started his short story "The Good Egg". College student Kerri returns from a month in Paris into boyfriend Jason's apparently amorous arms. However, before things progress as far as Kerri would like, Jason pries her off him and states, "We need to... respect good boundaries." At breakfast the next day, Kerri accuses Jason of square dancing with another woman, but he denies it. Then Jason discovers that Kerri spent time with their mutual friend Ricky after leaving him the previous night, and she claims that although they held each other, they kept their clothes on.

To close things up for the night, John Migacz read a short essay called "Coffeehouse Contemplations." Starting with an unkind comment made about a struggling octogenarian in the check-out line at Walmart, John chronicles the actions of the all-seeing Karmic Eye and the effects of instant Karma on the narrator as he attempts to escape the Karmic target zone. He sets off the Walmart security alarm, falls in the parking lot, spills sugar at the coffeehouse, and rubs his over-microwaved pecan roll on his sleeve. Then the narrator begins to understand that what the "poor elderly woman needed [was] understanding, not judgment from someone who didn't know her circumstances." As he realizes his fault, he discovers that the Karmic Eye has moved across the coffeehouse aisle to a father who is loudly berating his son for a simple mistake.

Printed Matters is the newsletter of the Greenville Chapter of South Carolina Writers Workshop.

Thanks to our contributing writers and news reporters:
Bob Strother, Pat Stewart, Jim McFarlane, Phil Arnold, Susan Boyer, Elysabeth Eldering, Steve Heckman, John Migacz, and Kevin Coyle

Copyright 2006 by Marcia Migacz, Editor. Contributing writers retain all rights to their work.

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