Tag: Fiction

Guild Meets, Reviews Authors’ Works

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing CenterLeave a comment

The August Writers Guild meeting welcomed some new faces, updated health issues of members, and discussed the Literary Journal and PSBWC blog.

Most important, the deadline of the Fall Issue of the PSB Literary Journal has been extended to September 30th, 2016. You can find the submission guidelines here.

Cindy Loudon announced that she and Anne Kaler have a trove of books they will offer members. That sparked a debate about how best to handle the “swap” with more members participating. Continue reading “Guild Meets, Reviews Authors’ Works” →

Writers Guild Meets Sunday August 21st

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing CenterLeave a comment

Bring your work and join us in the Cultural Center (Red Barn) at Pearl S. Buck’s historic home site, Green Hills Farm, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm this Sunday, August 21st.

Be sure to make 15 copies of any poem, essay, memoir, fiction or non-fiction selection you’d like to share for comments from our friendly group of writers. We all sometimes struggle to polish our works and invite each other to weigh in with constructive critiques.

We usually limit the reading and discussion of each piece to 15 minutes, so 3 to 4 pages maximum is suggested, though longer pieces can be handed out. Please add your email address to any selection since discussion time is limited, and members can respond later via email.

Don’t forget our deadline for submissions to the Fall Literary Journal has been extended to September 30th. Guidelines for submission can be found here.

The Power of Place

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing Center2 Comments
Sandy Cody
Sandy Cody

I grew up in St. Louis and the surrounding area, never too far from the Mississippi River. The character of the city, the small towns, the farms and, most of all, the people, of the mid-section of the country, have been shaped, for both good and ill, by that mighty river.

On the good side, St. Louis owes its life and much of its prosperity to the fact that it is located on a major artery of transport. As for ill, The Old Man at floodtide can, in a single day, wipe out a small town’s entire business section or rob a farm family of a year’s livelihood. Yet, for all its destructive force, I don’t know anyone who has grown up within the reach of the Mississippi who doesn’t love it–an affection that baffles many visitors, especially those who grew up near other rivers. They think water should be clear−sparkling and transparent. The Mississippi is nothing like that. There’s good reason it’s called The Big Muddy. Looking into its dark, impenetrable depths, you see a living entity, pulsing with power and energy. To live near the Mississippi is to know that Nature is in charge. Continue reading “The Power of Place” →

Literary Journal Deadline Extended

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing CenterLeave a comment

The editors of the Pearl S. Buck Literary Journal announce an extension to the deadline for our Fall Issue, planned for publication in mid-October. The new deadline is September 30th.

Please visit our Submission Guidelines for instructions on submitting your work.

Mark your calendars, so you don’t miss our August Writers Guild meeting on Sunday, August 21st from 1:30 to 3:30 pm in the Cultural Center (the red barn) at Green Hills Farm, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, PA.

Poets, essayists, fiction, non-fiction and memoir writers are all welcome, regardless of project status.  In the words of our fearless leader, Keep Writing!

“The power of story”

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing Center1 Comment

MacomberThe Doylestown Bookshop will sponsor a book-signing by romance novelist Debbie Macomber at the Pearl S. Buck House, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, Tuesday, August 2 at 6:30 pm.

In a recent interview, Macomber said she has a photo of Pearl Buck on the wall of her writing turret that extols “the power of story.” To review that interview by Liz Thompson of the Bucks County Courier Times, click here.

A registration fee of $32 includes both admission and a signed copy of her latest book – Sweet Tomorrows.  To register and pay online: http://www.doylestownbookshop.com.

The Hook, The Body and The Twist

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing CenterLeave a comment

By Linda Donaldson

July’s Writers Guild meeting this past Sunday was full of shared work and spirited discussion. Anne introduced a guest, Lonnie Barone, author, lecturer and editorial writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, who spoke about blogs and opinion editorials or op-eds.

On Sunday, Lonnie told us his simple 3-step formula: a hook, followed by the body or thesis, and the twist. Start by capturing the reader’s interest, tell the story, and end with something unexpected that will make the reader think. You can find Lonnie’s blog under our Resources heading entitled On Blogs and Op-eds. Continue reading “The Hook, The Body and The Twist” →

In the Beginning

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing Center7 Comments

By Sandy Cody Sandy Cody

For me, the hardest part of writing a novel is the beginning. Let’s say the book I’ve been working on is finished – polished and tweaked until it shines and I can’t find one more thing to change. In reality, that never happens, but at some point I realize that I’m just tinkering: changing, but not improving this story.

It’s time to move on. So, I open a new file. I can’t think of a title. Not a problem. I’ll do that later. So … what do I type at the top of the page? Continue reading “In the Beginning” →

Irish Eyes Will Smile on July 12th

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing CenterLeave a comment

The Pearl S. Buck Writing Center is proud to announce a book signing, on Tuesday, July 12th from noon to 2pm at the Lansdale Public Library, by author Paul Sullivan for his new novel The Irishman’s Song – A Story of Love & Rebellion.

Irish Front Cover OnlyA tale of the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish Civil War, The Irishman’s Song weaves adventure and survival into themes of loyalty, love and friendship –represented by the symbols on the Irish Claddagh ring – the crown, the heart and the hands.

The Irishman’s Song was published by the Pearl S. Buck Writing Center Press. Paul graciously contributed the first chapter to our Spring 2016 Literary Journal. Be sure to stop by and meet Paul and hear more about his new book.

Born in Trenton, New Jersey, Sullivan was raised in Tennessee and enjoyed a boyhood of camping, fishing and hunting in the South with his father who encouraged in him a love for books and education. After a move to Pennsylvania at fourteen, Sullivan became bored and restless in school. He dropped out and began working while continuing to read and learn.

Sullivan’s previous novels have themes of adventure and survival. The Legend of the North. Keewatin, The Unforgiving Land, Maata’s Journal and The Seal Hunters are all set in the Arctic; The Spirit Walker in Africa; A Burning of Prayers in Guatemala; Torn from the Sun in Peru and Spain; and Breaker at Dawn in the coal mines of Pennsylvania.

Sullivan traveled around the world, gathering a wealth of stories to tell. He now resides in Bristol, PA and is a member of the Pearl S. Buck Writers’ Guild.

June 2016 Guild Meeting shared 8 submissions

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing CenterLeave a comment

By Ye Olde Editor,

A sunny day at Green Hills Farm greeted the dozen members of our prolific Writers Guild, who brought eight stories to share! We even received an emailed story from a member who couldn’t attend, but wanted our feedback.

Cindy Louden and I greeted the group and told them that Anne was under the weather, and she would not attend. We reminded everyone to follow our blog, and use the link to submission guidelines for the Fall Issue of the Literary Journal.

Happily for the author, Paul Sullivan is busy promoting his book, The Irishman’s Song. Paul will appear on the radio broadcast of WBCB 1490AM on Saturday, June 25th at noon, during Bristol’s Celtic Days celebration. Tune in to enjoy! Continue reading “June 2016 Guild Meeting shared 8 submissions” →

On A Few Useful Memories

Published on by Pearl S. Buck Writing Center1 Comment

By Anne K. Kaler, PhD

“Writers waste lots of paper but few useful memories.”

Is that a provocative sentence for a writer? Tony Hillerman uses it to end a paragraph describing how he uses a memory of an actual helicopter ride deep into a canyon as a major action in his mystery Hunting Badger.

Anne Kaler Head Shot
Anne Kaler

If a novelist as skilled as Hillerman can use his memory, why can’t we as writers use our memories – good and bad alike – to flesh out our fictions? Well, we can and we do.  Pearl Buck herself employed familiar touches in her writings to enhance the scenes.  Her children have even recognized several of them and treasured them.

In a way, we as writers inhabit many worlds, some of which are real. One of those worlds lies in our memory bank, just waiting to be withdrawn and put to use in another of our worlds, that of our writing. Of course, once the memory is withdrawn and staring us in the face, it must be transformed to fit the place it will be deposited into our story. That means that we have to revisit just how the memory affected us then and how it affects us now. Continue reading “On A Few Useful Memories” →