Month: January 2023

After a very full session last week, with a record(?) of eleven entries for the Mug of the Month contest (congratulations Celia Scully!), our members are recovering this week, and we can catch up on items that have been held over from past sessions. We also have an intriguing poem from our potential new member Roisin Maher. Welcome to the group, Roisin!

The Flash Fiction Challenge should produce a variety of texts ranging from amusing to gruesome! We look forward to the results and to a rewarding discussion on writing descriptions.

Finally, the MOTM competition for February is based on the key words ARM and HAND – again words with multiple meanings and multiple interpretations. Closing date is Sunday, February 19th. Please send your text/poem of maximum 50 words to annemurraypost@yahoo.ie .

Have an enjoyable and profitable evening!

Programme:

Flash Fiction Write-On Challenge – Description (250 words) : ‘The Smelly Apartment’ Open to all Members

Poem Supernova Kathleen Phelan

Poem Solemn Speaks Roisin Maher

Short Story Big Brother Frank Fahy

Short Story Cream James Conway

Short Story New Draft Short Story Joanne Dowling

Thursday will bring this year’s first Mug of the Month competition, with no less than eleven entries. The key words BOLT and CLUTCH have inspired a wide variety of texts, and we can anticipate a close contest to find Mugsy’s new home for the coming four weeks. With contestants from three different countries – Ireland, Germany and the USA – as well as different locations in Ireland, Mugsy might have to pack his bags and take to the road again!

Two short stories and three poems are also scheduled. This time our participants are located in Ireland and Australia, a wonderful reflection of how international our Zoom group has become.

Have an enjoyable evening, everyone!

Programme:

Mug of the Month:

• A Bolt of Thunder James Conway

• Blue Lights Seamus Keogh

• Chickens Anne MacManus

• Hinny Jutta Rosen

• Driving Test Frank Fahy

• Escape Celia Scully

• Hold Up Anne Murray

• Mini Morris Mary Hodson

• Remnants Carmel Leydon

• The Date Elizabeth Hannon

• The Lottery Mary Rose Tobin

Short Story Modern Dating Joyce Butler

Short Story Big Brother Frank Fahy

Poem Ukraine Seamus Keogh

Poem We Remember (Revised) Brian Ferguson

Poem Molly the Menace Kathleen Phelan

After last week’s lively start into the New Year, we can look forward to another session with a diversity of submissions by our members.

While we concentrated on novels last week, this week we’ll be looking at poems, as well as a new song by Bill Geoghegan. In prose we have a chapter from a novel and several short stories.

Nine members have risen to the Write-On Challenge presented last week: a text of not more than 250 words on the topic: ‘The letter’. A quick poll to select the most interesting piece will present a challenge in itself!

With such a wide variety of genres, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

And not to forget Mug of the Month. The closing date of January 22nd is drawing near. The key words are BOLT and CLUTCH, to be included in a text (poem, prose) of maximum 50 words. Send to Anne Murray at: annemurraypost@yahoo.ie

Programme:

Flash Fiction Write-On Challenge – The Letter (250 words) Jutta Rosen, Anne Murray, Kathleen Phelan, James Conway, Frank Fahy, Mary Hodson, Elizabeth Hannon, Carmel Leydon, Anne McManus

Song Satchel Molloy Bill Geoghegan

Poem Sea Legends Seamus Keogh

Poem Switched On Elizabeth Hannon

Poem Ukraine Seamus Keogh

Poem The Marathon Brian Ferguson

Poem Father Browne James Conway

Poem We Remember Brian Ferguson

Novel Chapter 1 Carmel Leydon

Short Story The New Arrival Frank Fahy

Short Story Modern Dating Joyce Butcher

Short Story The Dance Joanne Dowling

Happy New Year to all members, supporters and guests! We’re looking forward to lots of new writing; our opening session for this year shows promise of this wish being fulfilled.

Several members are engaged in writing a novel, and this is reflected in our programme for coming Thursday, when we hope to look at synopses, while writers will report on their work so far. A stimulating discussion may be expected! We especially welcome a new member, Carmel Leydon, who is also working on a novel.

This session includes short stories by Frank Fahy, as well as poems by Brian Ferguson and James Conway, which are always well received.

Finally, a Flash Fiction Challenge for all members is a novelty which will surely find lively resonance.

And not to forget our Mug of the Month competition: a maximum of fifty words of text – prose or poetry – including the two key words, which this month are BOLT and CLUTCH. Closing date for sending to Anne Murray (annemurraypost@yahoo.ie) is 22 January.

Have an enjoyable evening, everyone!

Programme:

Novel The Family – Prologue Carmel Leydon

Novel: A Normal Couple. Jutta Rosen

Short Story Modern Dating Joyce Butcher

Short Story Peppi and the Tuba Frank Fahy

Poem To be named Seamus Keogh

Poem The Marathon Brian Ferguson

Poem Father Browne James Conway

Poem We Remember Brian Ferguson

Flash Fiction Challenge – The Letter (250 words) All Members

Description Write-On Challenge All Members

Discussion Work in Progress – Novels All Members