Next meeting is on Tuesday 21st December at 7.30 in the library.

Hi Scribblers,

Just a reminder that our next meeting is on Tuesday 21st December at 7.30 in the library.

Being the last meeting before Christmas we will have a little party after the first [and hopefully short] first half of the meeting. If you remember the homework theme is "Mistletoe" and you are asked to write a mere 50 words on the subject after which the fun will begin. Perhaps that should be re-worded as I really mean getting stuck into any of the goodies that are brought along.

If you can please bring along a little something for the party table, and a little drink if you wish, but please remember that some of us have to drive home....

Some sad news, Jan's father died in the Bartlet last week and his funeral is on Tuesday so please send out your thoughts to Jan and her family.

I have heard from Marilyn, our previous secretary, that she has moved back to England and is currently living in Birmingham. I am hoping she will be in touch with the Scribblers in the future.

Hope to see you all on Tuesday so....

Even if you can't make the meeting,

Keep Scribbling!

And Merry Christmas!

Dave

Nominations for Committee

At our AGM in January we will have the results of the election for our 2005 committee.


Standing for re-election to the four strong committee are :-
Morag Clarke, Caz Wilkinson, Dave Feakes.


As Sue Smith has decided not to stand for re-election a vacancy has been created.

So far there has been one nomination to stand for this vacancy - Dick (Richard Bradshaw) was nominated by Dave Feakes and seconded by Caz Wilkinson.

Will you please send any further nominations by the 19th December to

scribblers@ntlworld,com

Should there be no other nominations then the four named members above will be elected. If there are further nominations then a vote will be made.

Report of Meeting Held 7th December 2004

Apologies for absence were received from both Keith and Sharon who were unable to attend due to teaching and continued reports respectively also from Allen

*****

It was nice to welcome Rachel along for the first time after she heard about the group following Culturama. Also we were pleased to see Tony along for the first time. Tony is a playwright and member of the Rushmere Players who performed his play at Culturama last month.


What a superb gathering on a not particularly nice evening for, In Attendance with Rachel and Tony were Belinda, Scott, Dick, Alex, Ken, Avril, Morag, Richard, Peter, Christine, Jack, Caz, Ann, Les, Judith, Doreen, Gordon, Sue, Jacqui and Dave.

*****

Members and Other News:


Jacqui passed round her impressive folder of work, with each submitted piece of Scribblers work included above her own paintings on handmade Himalayan paper. During the evening Jacqui erected her display in the library which will be on view for two weeks. With the standard of her work so high, I am certain that she will gain her degree!


Jacqui passed on her sincerest thanks for the efforts of the Scribblers and even took photographs as evidence! We wish her every success.


*****

It was nice to welcome two Scribblers back, Peter who spent several weeks on 'holiday' in Spain and Portugal and goodness knows where else! Also Scott who has always been with us in spirit but is now back until the next month with an extra Tuesday in it! Also nice to see the star of Felixstowe TV clip, Doreen with us once again

*****

Liliane should be well and truly Down Under by now and enjoying the sunshine. Before she left she sent in some homework which was read out along with work from our other on line regulars Jan and Margareta.

*****

Good news from Sue who wrote to Pan MacMillan and the Oxford University Press and has been accepted onto their lists of contributors and so the future looks very exciting for her - lets hope it's profitable too!

*****

As you will perhaps be aware, November was National Novel Writing month and Geraldine, another on-line member has achieved what I would call the impossible. If you visit www.nanowrimo.org you will find her name (Gerry
Rose) amongst this years winners. The task? To write a mere 50,000 word novel during the month. She started on 1st November and completed it on 30th November with a day to spare - and holding a full time job too! Now Geraldine will begin her edit and hopes to go to the next stage in the equation and publish it. She has offered to send the first draft to me so that we will be able to share the work and hopefully early in the New Year will come along and talk about the discipline she needed and how she managed to cope. The Scribblers all considered this a remarkable feat and look forward to what should be an interesting visit.

*****

Richard has just begun a writing course but - forgiveness here please! - I forgot to record which course he is on. He read out a part of his first assignment as homework.

*****

Dick was also beaming with pleasure having just been accepted as a speaker for the W.I. when he will read out his poetry. He had to attend an interview and give a reading that he obviously passed and also learned of their publication in which he may appear on page three or as the centrefold! Dick said this was all down to our friendly BBC Radio Suffolk broadcaster, Rachel Sloane.

*****

Christine has been in touch with the Tiverton Writers group and recently she agreed to swop their anthology for ours. Sounds like a good deal to me. She read out the accompanying letter which was extremely complimentary. Their anthology also looked very good and, perhaps, I will be able to read it when my turn comes round!

*****

Christmas wishes from two of our senior members who are unable to attend anymore. From Cynthia who now lives in Hereford and is caring for her very sick husband comes the message of thanks for the anthology which she liked especially Allen's play. A similar message from Desmond who passes his wishes and kind regards on to all the Scribblers new and old.


*****

Jan still remains in control of the
BBC Radio Suffolk On Line Short Story with chapter 12 still there!



*****

The forthcoming AGM.


The AGM will take place at the first meeting in 2005 when the committee will be elected.


Reluctantly I have to announce that Sue now wishes to step down and obviously a replacement will be needed.


However seeking re-election are Caz, Morag and myself whilst Dick has been nominated and agrees to stand for the vacancy. Whether this is democratically correct or not I am uncertain but if YOU would like to nominate someone else for the committee then please email me at the soonest opportunity. scribblers@ntlworld.com Thankyou.


*****

The New Year Social Evening (Our meal!)

It has been suggested that this year we move to another venue more central in Felixstowe but still with good food. Although I have not a menu, the suggested place is the Grosvenor - the date is Tuesday 25th January 2005. More details can be obtained direct from Caz at

cazwilkinson@ntlworld.com

Spouses, partners etc will be welcome!

*****

This evening's open subject 1,500 word masterpieces were opened by Ann who again based her story on a real life situation. This revolved round the time she applied for a teaching post and ended up in school looking after a drunk named Julian on her interview. It was a rather amusing story to start the evening!


Gordon continued with part three of his story Nightmare at Norbridge - the tale about a football club saved from the brink by a sex shop owner, but now evolving into tales of blackmail on certain undiscerning directors. Chapter four follows in the New Year.


Rachel kindly read Jan's Hi Pen Pal to the group. This also involved another chap with a bit of a drink problem but this one eventually acquired a double-decker bus which he converted into his home. The story drew quite a bit of positive comment.

*****

Next came the 250 words themed homework on "Identitiy".


Doreen read out Liliane's intriguing encounter "The Past Will Always be with you" featuring Rosa, Ruan and Carlo, the latter seeking his own identity. A touch of the Irish accents from Dick whose 'Curiosity Killed' related the tale of IRA man who, after collecting a load of semtex from a Suffolk hideaway, murdered a policeman at a road check.


Richard read out the second part of his extremely descriptive and flowing words from his first course assignment, set in a graveyard and describing tombstones and memorials. Peter's 'Identity' was a tale of exactly that - beginning in childhood and continuing through the ages.


Scott's 'Return' was about the creator of a dog but with a tremendous punch line 'Look what happened when you last disturbed me - I slipped up and created man!' Les with his 'Gotcha' and the special department MI 7.5, an unproven robbery and the diamonds hidden in the back of a tape recorder. Dave's (me) 'Giveaway', a pornographic video and a tattoo revealed the identity of someone close.


Our youngest member Jack read out his lovely new poem 'The Elements' but promises to add graphics to it soon. 'Lady In Blue' is Christine's tale of a dog finding a skeleton in the garden complete with red stilettos and fragments of a blue dress. 'Identity', a flowing acrostic style poem by Avril whilst Ken's untitled tale began like a Jonathan Creek mystery and was solved in the same style.


Sue read out the final version of the on going children's poem that began at the Library day in September and was completed at Culturama. An excellent verse and a valuable lesson for the future.


'Who am I Today' was a tale with a difference from Belinda for this one was complete with painted masks and even a hat. An effort that resulted in deserved applause from everyone. Judy's 'What's in a Name' told the true story of a boat in distress called Sexy Knickers! You just can't imagine the fun a name like that produces!


'Identify Yourself' is another true story, this time by Caz, that concerned her friend Eric and an investment company. Alex wrote another of his short precisely worded stories entitled 'Identity Taken Away' about soldiers and the barriers they face. Morag read Margareta's 'Identification Number' about the inability to remember such a number except that for survivors of the concentration camps, their identification are tattooed for life.


Tony had a play to read out that would have taken about half an hour to read and there just wasn't time to read it. The thought is that one meeting we can postpone the three 1,500 word works and just read Tony's work.


*****


The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 21st December at the usual time. Being so close to Christmas we have decided that we will keep our homework very short this time. So everyone please just 50 words maximum on "MISTLETOE".


After the readings there will be a little Xmas gathering but for this it will be nice if everyone can bring just a little something along as savouries, crisps, biscuits, or cakes, and perhaps a little wine or lager (for the non-drivers) too.

Last year it was fun… so this year it will be even better!
Dave

Just a reminder that our next meeting is on Tuesday 7th December at 7.30 at the library.

The homework theme is "Identity" which was set by Caz with Ann, Gordon and myself (since substituted by Jan) for the 1,500 word open themed topic. As usual the rest of the Scribblers can take it easy with a mere 250 words or so.....!

You will also have the opportunity to see Jacqui's work on display at the library but if you are able, why not go along on Sunday when her work will be displayed tor for the first time.

Hope to see you all on Tuesday so....

Keep Scribbling!

Dave

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