"Unforgettable Characters and Incredible Journeys" (and one bonus)

As some of you know, I am the co-leader of a critique group that began in 2012: WriteOn Joliet. 

It's a very laid-back, friendly group where members and guests meet twice a month to share pieces of their writings in order to get feedback from other writers. 

The group has hosted guest speakers, produced an annual anthology, and provided some marketing to its members, too.

To help encourage the process, co-founder Kristina Skaggs began suggesting optional writing prompts or "assignments" that people could tackle that month.

When Kristina moved on (parenting, nursing school), another member, Tom Hernandez, stepped up to co-lead with me and serve as the main "voice" of each meeting. A couple years ago, he began adding some flash fiction nights.

In all cases, I have used the assignments, prompts, and flash fiction as inspiration for the BryonySeries, since, between features writing/editing for my day job and writing a fictional series the rest of the time, I had no time and little inclination to shoulder another writing project.

But I could use those opportunities from WriteOn Joliet to strengthen my writing-in-progress. Because I'm one of the writers, too, not just the leader.

Then in 2018, plane fare jumped, and it wasn't in out best financial interests for Rebekah and me to fly to Raleigh to spend a week with Sarah and her family. So I used some of my vacation time to take two  at-home writing retreats, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

In fact, I enjoyed them so much, I really missed not having that same opportunity in 2019 and decided to try and schedule one in 2020.

Well, a pandemic hit in 2020, and I took two more. And I also became involved with a side group from the Twitter group that goes by the name of #5amwritersclub.

This group began meeting on Zoom during the pandemic with an open invitation for other writers to join. The group hosted a virtual holiday party in December and it's hosting its first virtual writing retreat at the end of this month called "Unforgettable Characters and Incredible Journeys."

Yes, I signed up. I'm working on a the second novel of the BryonySeries Limbo series (Call of the Siren) and felt this was a good opportunity to learn from other writers and gain fresh perspective in the writing journey.

What makes this group different from WriteOn Joliet is that most, if not all of these writers, either have literary agents and/or are published traditionally - or are striving toward landing an agent and traditional contract. 

I may actually be the only current journalist in the group and the only one who has self-published by choice. 

To keep the feel of an in-person treat, the coordinator and host, Ralph Walker, even sent swag.

I was deep into deadlines when the box arrived. Rebekah called up to me, saying an order arrived for me. I called back, saying that I hadn't ordered anything.

So Rebekah, who likes mystery boxes (she orders them from time to time - makeup boxes, Japanese snacks, etc.) asked if she could open it. Of course!

She had all the items laid out for me to see when I finally had a break and excitedly showed me each component.

Ralph had written (and copywritten) the entire instruction manual for our weekend. He sent snacks, coffee, tea, a few fun items, envelopes we're not to open yet, etc.

Timothy, whose photography skills are better than mine, took some nice pictures for social media. 

But he forgot the most important item of all (photo mine) - the coffee mug!

Having written and coordinated retreats when I led a Sunday School and youth group at St. Nicholas for many years (and even taught two of its grades), I'm more than well aware of the time that goes into such a feat - and sooooooo appreciative Ralph took on this work for the sole desire of helping other writers grow.

Now here's the bonus Here is one of the pieces that came from one of Tom's flash fiction nights. It's from Lycanthropic Summer, a standalone BryonySeries novel about a teen girl in the early 1960s who's had one life goal: to write the world's greatest werewolf love story before she turns eighteen - and that date is imminent.

Then novel is part diary (addressed to a pretend friend named Maggie) and part manuscript. And the main character, Caryn Rochelle, shares some of her short werewolf stories in her diary, too.

This is one that came from a flash fiction prompt. We had a to write about a man named Lionel who is stting in a bar.

Enjoy!

Dear Maggie,

So when I say Aunt Silly sells her jewelry everywhere, I mean everywhere.

And last night we actually went into a place called, get this original name, Pelican Bar.

It really ought to be called Surf Your Turf.

It’s the place where are all the tourist men ditch their tourist wives for a while.

It’s not the first time we went into this bar. But it’s the first time I’m telling you about Lionel.

Lionel looks like he used to be really hot. But now he looks like charred meat that people forgot to take off the grill because they were too drunk. You know, when you get back up in the morning and stagger over to the grill and there it is, a wizened lump, all that’s left of a twenty-two dollar cut.

That’s Lionel.

Anyway, he sits there every day, looking like he’s about to cry and hoping that his  wife has left enough on his bank card that he can pick up someone else’s wife and bring her back before either spouse finds out.

But what if…

What if, Maggie, he forgets to pick someone up?

What if he just sits there drinking and moping that he can’t get anyone because his card is maxed out?

What if he sits there until the sun – and his pecker – goes down and the moon goes up?

And then what if a very sexy hairy woman walks into the bar and sits right down beside him.

Lionel, of course, does a double take. He’s never seen a woman so hairy. And so beautiful. And then he remembered his friend Joe, before he died, had set up a blind date.

For him. For tonight.

And she smiles at him.

With blood on her teeth and human flesh on her lips, she smiles at him.

And Lionel, uncertain what to think, bangs the side of his head a couple of times, glances down at his near empty drink, and then thinks, “Oh, what the heck.”

Lionel turns back to her and smiles. “Drink?”

The hairy sexy lady shakes her head. She places her paw on his thigh and nods her head to the door.

Lionel leaves his drink and follows her out the door.

All you can hear all night are loud howls. The loudest howls anyone ever heard from a human or werewolf.

The next day, Lionel is back at the bar. His clothes are torn; his face is scratched; and one eye is swollen shut.

But he is grinning.