PRESENT: Tricia, Nathan, Simona, Catherine, Liz

APOLOGIES: Natasha, Sarah, Alan, Heather

NEWS:

  1. The meeting began with the announcement that Peter is no longer a member of the group. We wish him well in his new adventures and hope he will come visit us every now and then.
  2. Liz shared that the book group will be meeting on the 27th to discuss Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky. The meeting will include festive refreshments, and Liz encouraged anyone interested to reach out to her. She also mentioned that the previous book, My Brilliant Friend by Eleanor Ferrante (a story involving the Mafia), was very good.
  3. Liz also contacted the Lionsheart Bookshop, which remains keen on collaborating with the WWC to organise an event.

READINGS:

  1. Simona – presented a draft with good pacing and a building sense of tension towards the end. Some concepts were found to be confusing as they hadn’t been previously introduced to the group, and members expressed interest in learning more about the world’s rules. Overall, it was a promising first draft.
  2. Tricia – shared a rough poem about a volcano, inspired by her recent cruise. Liz commented on the poem’s powerful and economical use of words. Nathan said it resonated with him and reminded him of a David Attenborough documentary. Simona noted themes of retribution and the anger of the Timanfaya volcano bubbling beneath the surface.
  3. Catherine – read a potential first chapter. Simona appreciated the foreshadowing in the interactions between the main characters. Nathan found it easy to follow with a nice rhythm, while Tricia said it made her think of a selection process and the motivation behind being chosen. Catherine agreed to make the motivation more explicit. Liz felt the piece could easily be imagined as a TV production.
  4. Liz shared her poem titled Being an Earthworm This Winter. Tricia praised it for evoking a strong sense of being an earthworm and liked how it portrayed the worm interacting with various environments and feeling out of place. Nathan enjoyed the repetition, which he felt emphasised key points and conveyed a sense of hope. Simona, however, observed that some repetitions added a detached despair, as the worm seemed too small to grasp the magnitude of its situation. Catherine noted that the poem tackled a specific theme effectively.
  5. Nathan – presented a piece titled Evil Angel. Liz commended his skill in evoking and sharing pain through striking imagery, describing phrases such as “catching and crushing” as both horrible and effective. Tricia admired Nathan’s beautiful way with words. Simona found the last line uncomfortable, which seemed to be an intentional effect. Nathan concluded by delighting the group with another poem he plans to submit to a competition.

Homework – ‘No!’

Chairperson – Tricia

Wine – Nathan

Milk & biscuits – Sarah

Minutes – Simona

The next meeting will be held on 20 February 2025.