Trans-Siberian Experience

Dear Friends,

I hope that you all enjoyed a Happy Easter this past Sunday. Finally the weather seems to be cooperating and we are looking forward to a very nice weekend. Our last meeting was held at the home of June Saunders with all of the accompanying hospitality. Thank you, June! Present were June, Valerie Shimoyama, Jerry Chesnut, Kerry Pobanz, Russell Giordano, and Bob and Karen Beebe. I began the meeting by presenting an article by Alan Rinzler on "Falling in Love with Your Characters." He begins, "are you an author who'd rather spend time with your fictional creations than with a real significant somebody who's waiting in the next room?" Well, hopefully we are not that extreme, but the point is to be a good (great) writer you have to make your characters real. Most great literature rests on the foundation of great characters: Huckleberry Finn, Oliver Twist, the March sisters, Don Quixote, etc.

From there, I (Bob) presented the most recent addition to my budding novel (now all of 9 pages) about an American riding the Trans-Siberian railroad who has all his money stolen and misses getting back on the train after a stop at a village on the shores of Lake Baikal. There he meets up with an orthodox priest which is destined to become one of the great relationships in literature (well, maybe that's being a little presumptuous). In any case I am very grateful for all the feedback I received at the meeting. Since then I have added a few more pages in which the two engage in a fluctuating conversation in the priest's church office. It is a clash of civilizations on one level, but one where each has something to teach the other. From here, the American guy begins a long trek physically and spiritually back to his family waiting in St. Petersburg.

So our next meeting is this Sunday, April 19, 3:00-5:00 pm, at Kerry Pobanz's house. June Saunders will be presenting another chapter of her novel, which you should have already received. As she explained, this one goes back to a previous period in the novel to give some background to the relationship between her two main male characters. Unfortunately, Russell won't be able to make it this time, so his "homework assignment" is now due on May 3 (the next meeting).

See you this Sunday!

Bob