Meeting of Woking Writers Circle on 16 June 2022

Present: Simona, Greg, Hilary, Liz, Alan, Amanda, Tricia, Carla

Apologies: Heather, Sarah DD, Peter.

News

Greg is taking part in a book signing event at the Lionheart bookshop in Woking on July 23, with other Woking writers. The event is due to take place from 4-6pm.

Carla and Greg have been involved with The Vision Project, involving music, dance, art and poetry. See Carla’s article

Carla was due to perform her poetry live and to be interviewed at Teddington’s Poetry Performance on Zoom. She has also been displaying her art and crafts over two weekends at Chobham community centre as part of the Surrey Artists Open Studios scheme. See Greg’s article

Liz reported that the book group has just read My Antonia by Willa Cather, which everyone enjoyed, and it was given 8.25 out of 10. Thanks to Peter who recommended it. Our next book will be The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng.

Readings

Everyone really enjoyed Greg’s poem ‘This Garden’, where he reflects about what he is leaving behind, when he moves up north. The enjambment technique was used to great effect, there was a sense of meandering through the garden, using vivid imagery, the phrase “evening jungle” was liked by Liz, the touches of humour about the shed resonated with all.

Hilary read a dramatic episode from her novel about a young girl called Linnet. The tension was maintained and increased throughout, Liz liked the use of dialogue and questions were used to great effect. The characters’ reactions within the hospital setting were realistic and effective. Imagery conjured by the black smoke, sweet but not sweet, with the geese establishing a melancholy air at the start.

Alan – ‘Fair waved the eight-byte string’. A very funny and entertaining piece in less than 500 words, Alan is becoming a past master at these short tales with a twist. It was very easy to connect the images and makes good use of sense and colour. Twas so funny at the end.

Carla – ‘The delay of summer’. Dealing with the difficult subject of the conflict in Ukraine, through visual imagery and seasonal development, there were some beautiful contrasts with the changes to the seasons mirroring the people. “Fractured walls” was particularly effective. There was much discussion about the heron and it being a sacrilege. Carla unusually set the text to the right, which added to the sense of discomfort, as well as that of nature continuing its journey despite the horror of the war.

Liz – ‘Postcards’. This was a very genuinely innocent, and well-written piece. Liz explained that she had written to Enid Blyton from school. She was allowed to write two letters after church, so after completing one to her mother, she penned this missive asking if the author could see her way to starting a cats club with a magazine. This opened a window onto a childhood spent on a farm and navigating through all that that entailed, and then being at boarding school, too. It was a fabulous piece and sprinkled with humour and anecdotes from Liz’s rural upbringing. Alan felt that there were some sinister undertones regarding the polarised attitudes.

Simona treated us to an extract from the science-fiction novel she is working on. It was very well written and introduced us to many aspects of this alternative world, where people seek to drive away “the Gloom”. The counting of souls and Tally Day all sounded intriguing. There could be more showing than telling, but everyone thought it was a very powerful piece. More please.

Tricia – ‘Sunny days’. A hastily compiled poem on this month’s topic, all the lines of each verse started with the same letter. Everyone said it conjured up images of Tricia’s recent sunny holiday in Turkey.

Next Meeting: 21 July 2022

Can everyone give some thought to the August meeting being a social at the church.

Homework: ‘Fractured’

Jobs:

Chair – Tricia

Milk & Biscuits – Hilary

Wine – Amanda

Minutes – Greg