Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2006 3:45 PM
Subject: The Ram's Head Review

Hello Fellow Rams:
 
Hot enough for everybody?  Getting sunburned?  Heatstroke?  Writing madly under your sombrero with a marguerita to keep you company?
 
Wonderful meeting Thursday with 7 of us here. 
 
By default I was chosen to read first.  I brought out an old article I want to re-write for Cup Of Comfort for Writers.  It was a piece I called "Sin-dication?" about trying to get rich syndicating a weekly column called "What Is The Occult?".
Of course that plan didn't work.  I want to rewrite the piece to make it more of a personal story and I need to add words to make it long enough to submit.  Susan and Gemma didn't understand my reference to "The Bible Belt" here in the Fraser Valley, so that is one area in which I can expand the story.
 
Nathaniel read to us of the settlers moving upriver, with it being sunny and hot during the day and the portages, then a cold wind at night, along with the mosquitoes.  Alexander, Declan and Lachlan visit a former Northwest Company shack, now deserted.  There is the rotting skeleton of a former fur trader inside, which reminds Declan of his background in Scotland, where the crofters were forced off the land by being burned out.  We pointed out to Nathaniel that so far the whole story is very depressing and he agreed he needs to add some lighter moments along the way so we understand the strength these people had to settle such unforgiving territory.
 
Ellie was still looking for some lost pages but we talked her into reading what she had anyhow.  We see Brekken, Nadika and Meron keep moving, looking for other ruins.  They are weary and in need of water.  Brekken keeps from the other two what he has seen happening with Jarod and the others.  He desperately wants to learn more and expand his power of seeing and understanding as a mage.  Then there is the sudden appearance of huge beasts of burden, accomanied by some very short people.
 
Lynette read to us a 515 word article she wants to enter in the Harmony Airways travel writing contest.  She has taken relevant parts of her article about visiting her parent's property in Modoc County, California and used them to write a piece enticing tourists to visit this wild west part of northeast California.  The group kept suggesting things she could add, but the allowed word count is only 500, so good luck, Lynette.
 
Gemma had 3 travel pieces to read to us that she was thinking of entering, too.  The first article tells of her husband leaving Montreal in a snowstorm, dressed for an arctic winter, and traveling to Karachi via JFK Airport in New York.  The luggage compartment is frozen shut, his luggage cannot be unloaded in New York, and he arrives in Karachi sweltering in his winter clothes, with nothing cooler to change into.
 
The second article tells of Gemma traveling Toronto to Victoria with her dog, Treff.  Changing planes in Vancouver, the dog is let out of his cage and is so happy to see Gemma he tears her dress bodice off her in his greeting her.  She then has to travel with torn and dishevelled clothing the rest of the way to Victoria.
 
The third article tells of Gemma flying Tokyo to Vancouver one New Year's Eve, and the annoying constant attention of the flight attendants when she just wanted to be left alone.  But she did get to celebrate New Year's Eve every hour as she travelled eastward that night, going backwards in time.
 
Susan and Bob didn't read on Thursday.  And Susan says this coming week will be her last appearance until she and her children return from their summer in Nfld.
 
Next meeting here at my place on Thursday, June 29th at 7:00 p.m.  Stay cool till then and do lots of writing.  What better occupation in this heat than to sit in the shade and write?  Conserves energy.  Prevents sunstroke.  Write On!
 
Lisa