APOLOGIES: Nathan, Heather, Alan
PRESENT: Katherine, Tricia, Tony, Liz, Sarah, Keith


A round of introductions and a run though of how the meetings are managed, took place for Tony, a visitor for this month.


NEWS:

  1. We started with the good news that Heather will likely be returning in March.
  2. Tony shared that his new book was self-published last November.
  3. The book group recently read Blindness by José Saramago. Tricia described it as an interesting book, while Liz felt it was challenging to read, calling it “hell.” The next meeting will take place on Monday, February 27th, and Liz can be contacted for further details.
  4. The Farnham Literary Festival is taking place in March, featuring an open mic event. Slots for the event are still available.

READINGS
Keith shared a blog article he wrote, inspired by Liz’s previously presented series of haikus capturing her experience of the ‘Frameless’ exhibition. Keith’s piece encouraged readers to reflect on the medium of writing itself. Simona praised it as well-written and engaging. Tricia suggested a few improvements, and Katherine commented that non-English poetry may not always adhere to the expectations of rhyme and rhythm, which sparked a discussion on cultural perspectives in writing.


Sarah reflected upon Carla’s poetry, a former WWC member, who sadly passed away in early March 2023. Sarah spoke about how Carla’s presence and poetry inspired her and how she had attended a Woking stanza hosted by Carla, when the task was to write about feeling tired and Sarah read this piece. Simona highlighted that the context chosen for the poem was well-placed. Sarah went on to read one of Carla’s poem’s entitled ‘Violetta’ about the joy and hope of a baby granddaughters future. The group also recalled Carla’s wonderful poems about Italian food and Keith read the poem ‘My way of cooking pasta’ and he succeeded in delivering this with panache. The poems were from the book ‘Workwear’ by Carla Scarano. A review of the book can be found on this link:
https://www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=127186


Tony read an excerpt from his self-published book, which touched on his social observations. Simona noted while well written, it felt somewhat mechanical and impersonal, making it harder to connect with the topic.


Tricia presented a piece titled “NO!”, based on the homework set in the previous meeting. Keith humorously mentioned that Tricia moved from Genesis to Exodus in under two minutes through her piece. Katherine provided some suggestions to enhance the flow.


Liz delighted the group with a heartfelt Valentine’s poem, which was well-received. She then read a poem she wrote at the age of 20, which was later published. Keith noted that while the poem described the wind, it didn’t convey the emotions behind it. Liz then read a reflection on her creative journey, appreciating the nostalgia. Simona enjoyed Liz’s vivid and heartfelt journey down memory lane.


Katherine read a short story describing a prison cell, where the protagonist is tied to a stake, potentially facing execution. The story explored themes of religion, martyrdom, and the dilemma of whether to become a martyr or live to continue spreading teachings in the face of zealotry. Keith inquired about the inspiration for the story, and Katherine revealed that she wrote it for a competition. Liz found the piece “absolutely amazing.”


Next meeting to be held on the 20th of March 2024. Tricia and Keith have sent apologies in advance.
Homework: The Dreaming
Chairperson and nibbles: Sarah
Minutes, Wine: Simona