Tag: Louden

PSB Writing Center Deadlines Approach

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Just a reminder to send in your submissions to our Winter 2020-21 issue of the Pearl S. Buck Literary Journal by February 15, 2021. Click here for our submission guidelines.

Our Writers Guild meetings in 2021 will be virtual Zoom meetings. Beginning on March 21, 2021 at 1:30-3:30pm, our eight monthly meetings (held on the third Sundays of each month from March through October) will cost $80 for all eight meetings: March 21st, April 18th, May 16th, June 20th, July 18th, August 15th, September 19th, & October 17th.

The Guild welcomes all genres of literature, from novels and short fiction to memoirs, essays and poetry by all levels of writers. Registered Guild members must send writings for editing consideration and distribution to lindadonaldson@verizon.net  two weeks prior to our meetings so attendees can read and be prepared to discuss. To register, please follow the Registration instructions below.

The Writing Center’s “HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL” webinar is February 17th from 11am – 1pm and offers a practical process from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. Novelist and writing coach John DeDakis is a former editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” and is the author of five mystery-suspense novels. More about him at: www.johndedakis.com. $50. Registration required.

Our 3-step Registration Process for All of our Zoom Classes:

  1. Please send Cindy Louden your complete street address/zip, preferred Email address and your cell phone number to clouden@pearlsbuck.org.
  2. Cindy with then forward your info to our PSB Volunteer Association President, Nancy McElwee.
  3. Nancy will call you to ask for your credit card info to complete the transaction and send you a receipt. Payment by check or money order can also be arranged with Nancy.

Writing Center Announces 2021 Programs

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By Cynthia L. Louden

The Pearl S. Buck Writing Center began in 2010 under the title of Writing at a Writer’s House.  Our purpose is to respectfully continue the successful writing partnership and networking of Pearl S. Buck and her husband, Richard Walsh. Public information about the center is available at www.pearlsbuck.org/writingcenter. Interest quickly grew into the many activities offered by the Writing Center today. The PSB Writing Center has served approximately 500 people through its workshops and published 17 books through its WCP/Writing Center Press, continuing the writing legacy of Pearl S. Buck, with writers writing at a Writer’s House.

Are you an aspiring or an already-published writer?  Do you know someone who is?  Do you have a manuscript or an idea for a novel or story?  Then sign up for the writing events at the Pearl S. Buck Writing Center!  Mark your February & March calendars to attend a Zoom Writing webinar and “write at a writer’s house” or Zoom Discuss Pearl’s novels and short stories. Continue reading “Writing Center Announces 2021 Programs” →

Writing “In Place”

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By Linda Donaldson

Just to let you know, the Pearl S. Buck home and facilities are still closed until further notice. Your editors hope to offer a two meeting per month schedule for the rest of this season once health guidelines allow for it. We will keep you informed through this blog.

Continue reading “Writing “In Place”” →

March Writers Guild Meeting Cancelled

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Dear Writers Guild Members,

The decision was just announced that the Pearl S. Buck house and gift shop are closing for the remainder of the month of March. We will be cancelling our March Writers Guild meeting that was to have occurred this Sunday at 1pm.

We will post to this blog, in advance of our scheduled April 19th meeting, to keep you informed.

Stay well and safe, and keep writing!

Your Editors,

Anne Kaler, Cindy Louden, Sue Wagner and Linda Donaldson

2020 Update on Guild and Writing Center Press

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By Anne K. Kaler

So you thought that we were celebrating and/or napping over the holidays . . . but here is an update of our most recent accomplishments at Pearl S. Buck Writing Center.

The Writing Center Press is proud to announce the publication of two important books this November, both memoirs/autobiographies worth reading: Continue reading “2020 Update on Guild and Writing Center Press” →

July Guild Meeting Recap

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By Linda Donaldson

Summer heat did not deter fourteen members from attending our July Guild meeting on Sunday, July 21st.  Our editor Anne K. Kaler was not able to attend, so Cindy Louden and your author soldiered on in her absence. Our guest of honor, author Paul Sullivan, was unable to join us, but Paul thinks he’ll be able to attend our August meeting.

Eight selections were shared starting with an amusing story by Jane Bleam about a prank that resulted in her getting caught smoking at eight years old. Disappointing her mother had a profound effect and Jane never smoked again. Listeners suggested starting the story with her childhood experience and then tying it to her adult reaction to medical questions.

Melissa Triol introduced a powerful chapter to her ongoing novel featuring the WWI Battle of the Somme. Vivid and frightening, her story built steadily. Comments about dialogue length during the noise of battle brought suggestions to cover the statements as unspoken thoughts.

In a complete change of tone Paul Teese brought his story of a boy’s confidences to his dog. The relationship to his beagle was pivotal to this imaginative youngster who confessed everything to him.  Everyone wanted to know the ending, and I’m happy to share that the story will be in our upcoming Journal.

Betty Esris brought a poignant poem of unspoken love and loss. Faced with the body and belongings of her recently deceased father who had fled his young family while she was a child, Betty reflects on her mixed memories of him, similar physical traits, his past military history and the final folded flag.

In his poetic introduction to his new short story collection, John McCabe describes seeing ageless children peering over windowsills of row homes along the El line. John also shared a short story about his Dad taking him fishing on Ludlum Bay. Listeners praised John’s use of evocative sights and sounds.

Bob McCrillis shared a scary dystopian story about aging out of this closed society of men and women. Suspenseful and dark, the climax yielding a new leader is unexpected and brutal. Much discussion about the audience – YA vs. New Adult – ensued.

A book introduction by Meredith Betz begins with the thread of one discovered photo and weaves itself into a memoir. Not only Meredith’s memoir, but that of an elderly immigrant from Estonia now celebrating his 101st birthday. A daunting task, but Meredith is on a quest. We applauded her way of imbuing artifacts with life.

Following on that theme, we were treated to a story by David Werrett about his acquisition of a used collectible German camera made in Dresden in 1938. Studying its features and obtaining compatible film, David begins taking black and white pictures and reflecting on what kinds of images the camera had captured during its earlier “life.”

Guild Notes, 2019 Class Preview and BookFest

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By Linda Donaldson

Cindy Louden opened our August Writers Guild meeting opened with a preview of the 2019 Writing Center’s classes with final dates to be announced.

Linda Wisniewski will offer a Beginner’s Memoir series of classes for six weeks in May and June. She will then offer Advanced Memoir classes monthly from June through October.

Pam Varkony, author, speaker and last year’s recipient of the Pearl S. Buck Woman of the Year award, will teach two classes next year: one on essays, op-eds and exposes, and the other on marketing your writing through web and social media. Pam plans to offer each of these two topics at three different times – morning, afternoon and evening – June and July.

Writers Guild meetings will be held next year at 1pm to 3pm on the third Sunday of the month from March through October. Continue reading “Guild Notes, 2019 Class Preview and BookFest” →

June Writers Guild Meeting Summary

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By Anne K. Kaler

The June 17th meeting started at 1 pm in the upper area of the red barn. Cindy Louden (chair) and Anne Kaler (instructor) led the meeting where all seven attendees presented their writings which are summarized below.

Notice was given on several new sources for short stories and poems under the BookBaby ads. One of their downloads includes a list from Authors Publish Magazine of 180 journals who accept submissions of poetry and prose. Visit www.authorspublish.com. Continue reading “June Writers Guild Meeting Summary” →

Writers Guild Begins 2018 Season

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By Linda Donaldson

Thirteen was a lucky number this Sunday. It represented the number of members who attended our first meeting of the Pearl S. Buck Writers Guild this 2018 season. Both previous and new members came with work to share.

First was an excerpt from a novel by Joe Vitella. It featured a high-action scene with a man searching for his missing girlfriend as he interrogates her former roommate. We stopped midway through Joe’s long chapter, and many wanted to read on to learn more – the best compliment we can give a writer! Continue reading “Writers Guild Begins 2018 Season” →

October Writers Guild Meeting Recap

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By Linda Donaldson

Our last meeting of the Pearl S. Buck Writers Guild brought a dozen of us to the Cultural Center at Green Hills Farm on Sunday October 15th.

Four people brought work to share, and we began with John McCabe’s new introduction to his collection of short stories about the Market-Frankford Elevated trains. Many voiced a connection to John’s depiction of the silent “rules of the riders” that discourages people from talking to each other on trains. We liked his handling of the protagonist’s reconnection with a childhood pal and their subsequent adult friendship as the “glue” that brings these stories together. Continue reading “October Writers Guild Meeting Recap” →