Minutes from Writer’s Hangout on 1/18/19

Attendance:

Kate from Oregon
Mary from Maryland
Jennifer from Australia
Debra from California
Cherrie from Arizona


Welcome to our newest attendee, Kate. Kate is in the query process for her 5 book dystopian series about a second civil war in the U. S. She has 3 of these books completed and she resolved this year to reclaim the joy of writing. She asked Mary for advice about publishing.


Since Mary already has one book published, she is working on her author platform. She has committed to a blog and Facebook page. She Is thinking about joining Spark/Engram.

Debra is taking 3 classes and editing her memoir. She plans to start blogging soon.

Jennifer is working on completing her first draft this year.

Cherrie had a successful NaNoWriMo and has a new first draft fantasy to edit in addition to the forever project of editing The Long Now. She resolved to finish The Long Now and send query letters by the end of the year. She has been busy with creating a new writing group in Flagstaff: Flagstaff Writers Connection. On 1/26/19 she will be starting an editing workshop series. Members may attend by Skype at 10 am-12pm at Mountain Standard Time. More details to come.

Reading:

Mary: Infinite Pieces of Us. She loved this book and says it is well written with a wonderfully slow narrative release that compels you to keep reading. Minimal backstory.

Kate: The Future Home of a Living God. She thinks this book feels like a response to The Handmaid’s Tale. She is also rereading many of the books she read in her formative years like The Catcher in the Rye and Women’s Room.

Jennifer is reading a lot of Liane Moriarty including Nine Perfect Strangers. These are excellent character driven thrillers with multiple points of view.

Debra is reading Educated which she feels is similar to The Glass Castle
Her favorite book of last year was the thriller A Woman in the Window.

Cherrie is reading All the Light We Cannot See. Her favorite book for last year wash N. K. Jimesin’s Broken Earth series. She also was surprised that she liked Rick Yancy’s Fifth Wave as much as she did. She was surprised about the complexity of that series.