A New Community
A new chapter in my writing career started this week at the State of the Guild Address for the Houston Writers Guild. This was my first experience with the organization. I had to miss meetings with two other communities of which I am a member: Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. I felt guilty as I traversed Houston highways on the hour drive to the Westchase Marriott.
The negative feelings melted away as Denise Ditto Satterfield, Director of HWG, greeted me like an old friend. She writes Children’s books among other endeavors. I met Shelley K. Hall, a charming, successful author in the romantic genre. She will be one of the presenters at the Pre-Convention in March and the Convention in April. I was introduced to Enos Russell, Vice President, author in the sci-fi/fantasy genre. He will be a presenter as well. I talked with Fern Brady, Director, founder of Inklings Press.
I met one amazing author after another. Some wrote in my preferred genre. Others in nonfiction. A few more in comedy and romance and a combination of the two. I am enthralled by their experience and passion. I cannot wait to get to know the members better.
Enos holds a bi-monthly critique circle specifically for sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal writers. I desperately long to participate. Unfortunately, the meetings are held on second and fourth Saturdays. My children obligations tend to eat up my Saturdays. I’m still going to try, however. I need all the help I can get and would love to be a part of other people’s success. I will start scheduling everything within my control around those Saturdays.
I would like to recommend Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. It looks like I will be reading many romance novels as I progress through the authors in the HWG. Not my favorite genre, but not something I avoid. This classic by one of the Bronte sisters was the first love story I read as a child that I enjoyed. If you haven’t read it yet, give it a go. It has been decades since I’ve read this piece and I still have images of the English country side and the manors and the cruelty of love and loss. When I think of life in the early 1800’s, I think of simplicity. This story proves my reconstruction wholly inaccurate. Not only are the lives of the characters intertwined so intimately that sometimes it’s difficult to sort out who has done what to whom, but, also, the emotions experienced by the major players are truly modern.
Read more books!
Good luck on your new adventures Kelly, it sounds like you’re mixing with some great people.