Volume 72, Issue Nine May 2019

WRITE AWAY Rockford Writers’ Guild | Since 1947

A Year of Sensational Writing

May Meeting: Bring new, original writing that uses a metaphor based on the senses (sight, sound, touch, etc.) to describe an emotion (love, fear, sadness, joy, etc.). 1300 words or less for prose and 50 lines or less for poetry. We will discuss our work and have a writing contest.

June Meeting: Review your work over the whole year and revise a piece; or bring an entirely new piece focusing on the senses.

July Un-Gala: We will distribute the summer-fall edition of The Rockford Review, feature an open mic, host an author’s row, and have a writing contest. We’ll swear in new board members, and feast on cake, fruits, and veggies.

New President and Editor: Sally Hewitt has been nominated to be the president and editor of the Guild. The official election is in May. The Guild will be in great hands with Sally Hewitt!

Board Openings: We still need a web director. We have a good, secure site. If you have an extra five hours a month to tend to the website, let Connie (or anyone on the board) know, otherwise the next board will determine how to proceed with this position.

The Board: Things are transitioning well! With seasoned board members Cindy Guentherman, James and Lori Marshall working with new board members Tom Walsh and Sally Hewitt, you will see growth, joy, and professionalism like never before. And special thanks to Hana Ferguson for adding her energy and professionalism to the Guild’s Facebook page.

May 19, June 16, & July 21 Meetings: Back at Burpee Museum of Natural history downstairs in the Riverview Room from 1-3 p.m.

Order copies of The Rockford Review for $12 from our website or by sending a check to: RWG PO Box 858 Rockford, IL 61105

Winners Announced Thank you to the writers who entered the “I Can’t Take It Anymore” Spring Prose Contest. We selected five $20 winners and their work will be published in the The Rockford Review. Winners are invited to share their poems at the May meeting.

Mike Bayles of Davenport, IA for his suspenseful and provocative story, “Thirty Days.”

Ann Wienen Edmonds of Dixon, IL for her riveting and frighteningly engaging story, “Slam.”

Cindy Guentherman of Loves Park, IL for her pragmatic and encouraging story, “I’m Old; I Have to Take It.”

Nancy Runner of Weston, WI for her funny and anecdotal story, “An Unscientific Conclusion.”

Al Youmans of Freeport, IL for his thoughtful and historical, “Messy but Desirable.”

Congratulations, winners!

Volume 72, Issue Nine May 2019

Notes from April 28, 2019 Meeting

Attendance: Gene Dameier, Susan M. Brazas Goldberg, Dan Goldberg, Cindy Guentherman, Angelo Kuntz, Connie Kuntz, Fern Kuntz, Jesse Kuntz, Jocelyn Kuntz, Sam Kuntz, Alex Marshall, Emily Marshall, Katie Marshall, Tom Lee, Tom Walsh, Andy LNU, and Carlos LNU

Nominations for Board: •President: No nominations •Web Director: No nominations •Treasurer: Cindy, nominated by Gene; seconded by Susan •Recording Secretary: Lori, nominated by Cindy; seconded by Gene •Membership Director: Tom Walsh, nominated by Lori; seconded by Cindy •Vice President, Events: James, nominated by Cindy; seconded by Gene

Annual Poetry Recitation •Angelo Kuntz: Birdhouse

•Fern Kuntz: Let the Light Enter

•Sam Kuntz: The Social Life of Water

•Jocelyn Kuntz: Elm

Metaphor Poems •Tom Walsh: My Head Sounds Like That (song) (Peter Gabriel)

•Cindy: My Father Adjusts His Hearing Aid (David Bottoms)

•Tom Lee: The Bhagavad Gita (Vyasa)

•Jocelyn: Tulips (Sylvia Plath)

•Sam: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? (Shakespeare)

•Angelo: A Birthday (Christina Rossetti)

•Fern: Go And Catch A Falling Star (John Donne)

•Susan: The Poem You Asked For (Larry Levis)

•Dan: Success is Counted Sweetest (Emily Dickinson)

•Jesse: Sonnet 130 (Shakespeare) and The Tattered Cord (Bertolt Brecht)

•Gene: MacArthur Park (song) (Jimmy Webb) •CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)

Volume 72, Issue Nine May 2019

Writing Exercises:

•Write a poem based on what you took away from all the poems shared.

•We shared our middle names. Everyone chose one they remember and wrote a poem about it.

•Write a poem about placement.

•Andy and Dan were recognized with $5 checks for their contributions to the meeting.

Next Meeting: 1-3pm Sunday, May 19th, 2019 at the Burpee Museum of Natural History:

•Assignment: Bring your own writing (poem or prose) that uses a metaphor based on the senses (sight, sound, touch, etc) to describe an emotion (love, hate, fear, sadness, joy, etc.).

•In June: review your work over the whole year and revise a piece; or bring an entirely new piece focusing on the senses

Board Meeting

Present: Connie, Jesse, Cindy, Lori, Tom

•Going forward, Tom will send membership emails and will cc Connie

•Connie will send Google Doc of Membership to Board to view

•Treasury: Cindy will update after deposits

•Federal taxes filed (Thank you, Jesse!). There are instructions for future.

•State taxes cost $10; executive board addresses will get filed

•Tom Lee has volunteered to assist as editor

Urgent need: Need suggestions for President. We might need to do something different in order to keep the doors open.

Follow-Up Email discussion 4/29/19:

•Sally Hewitt agreed to be nominated for President. (Cindy nominated; Jesse seconded)

•Web Director position will be determined by the next Board.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lori Marshall

Volume 72, Issue Nine May 2019

New Members for 2019: Please welcome Jason Cant of Silvis, IL; Karen DeFranco of Twinsburg, OH; Travis Morgan of Roscoe, IL; Amy McFarland of South Beloit, and Randal Stowell of Rockford.

GOOD NEWS about GUILD WRITERS

To have your literary good news published here and on our Facebook page, email editor@rockfordwritersguild.org every month.

Marie Asner, Overland Park, KS, has been asked to judge the humor section of the annual poetry contest sponsored by the Kansas Authors Club.

On Thursday, April 25th, Mike Bayles, Davenport, IA, took part in a Big Table discussion group at the Rock Island Public Library, the topic- Writers and the Community. On May 2nd, an interview of Mike will be posted on the website.

Olivia Diamond, Whitefish, MT, has a new novel about a disabled worker who finds healing and self-worth through knitting. Order your copy of Inland Waters via Amazon

Charlotte Digregorio, Winnetka, IL will have a solo haiku exhibit the month of July at Northfield Public Library in Northfield, IL. The haiku is illustrated with art.

Dixon Hearne, Sterlington, LA, writes, “I would like to share with fellow RWG members that I have new poems forthcoming in Deep South Magazine, Arkansas Review, UCity Review, Mojave Heart Review, and Mused Literary Review.” He also encourages fellow RWG members to submit to his new online literary journal: deltapoetryreview.com.

Sally Hewitt, Glacier, WA, recently won an award in the 2019 Sue C. Boynton Poetry Award contest, and the contest chapbook will include her poem, “Raised Goat Forest.”

This June, Connie Kuntz, Rockford, IL, will host the series The State of the Artist on NPR’s 89.5 FM and WNIJ. She interviews artists, including writers, in the places that inspire them. Listen during Morning Edition June 24-June 27. Her first writer is Chicago playwright Douglas Post.

Jennifer Lagier’s newest book, Trumped Up Election, was published by Xi Draconis Books

PLACE STAMP HERE

Join the Rockford Writers’ Guild! (Or Renew) Membership Levels:

Adult $35 (1-yr) $65 (2-yr) $95 (3-yr)

Family or Couple: $50 (1-yr) $90 (2-yr) $$130 (3-yr)

Youth/Student $15 (1-yr)

Library $25 (1-yr)

Name:______________________________________________________

Address:____________________________________________________

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Email:______________________________________________________

Phone:_____________________________________________________

Your membership with RWG is active until: ___________________________________________________________

Complete form and send check or money order to Rockford Writers’ Guild - PO Box 858 - Rockford, IL - 61105. Join/Renew online at www.rockfordwritersguild.org.

Rockford Writers’ Guild Board of Directors

Sally Hewitt Incoming President & Editor

Cindy Guentherman Treasurer, Social Media Editor

James Marshall Vice President

Lori Marshall Recording Secretary

Tom Walsh Incoming Membership Director

Hana Ferguson Social Media Director

Outgoing Board Members: Connie Kuntz, Jesse Kuntz, Wilda Morris

Rockford Writers’ Guild PO Box 858 Rockford IL 61105