Our session this evening will open with the popular and enjoyable Mug of the Month competition, for which members have produced texts of no more than fifty words containing the keywords LIE and WALK. We can expect a wide variety of themes around these two words, a compact example of our group’s creativity. The winner of the contest will have the honour of housing Mugsy until the end of May, which will be our last Zoom session before the summer break.
Deirdre Anne Gialamas puts her knowledge of Athens to good use in her contribution, ‘Circles‘. We are introduced to Dimitris, a former CEO turned street-dweller, whose sharp descent from opulence to destitution lets us reflect on the twists of fate that can befall all of us.
A special welcome of Anne McManus, one of our original members, who is presenting two short stories this evening. In ‘No Regrets’, we follow the thoughts of a woman at the bedside of her dying ex-husband – life choices, regrets, and promises fulfilled and unfulfilled pass through her mind. In a different vein, Anne’s story ‘New Girls’ reconnects us with Tracy, who is drawn back into her schooldays by a phone call, reviving memories of past friendships and unresolved conflicts.
Old age and the onset of Alzheimer’s are the themes of Eileen Miller‘s story: as Christy’s vibrant past, his identity and memory gradually fade, we are confronted with the complexities of aging and the deep connection to one’s roots.
Jutta Rosen‘s ‘Vertical Ridges’ takes us on a contemplative journey through Connemara, contrasting today’s opulence with the stark hardships of the Famine era, which is captured in the enduring scars of the landscape.
Our Editor and Publisher Frank Fahy will shortly be sending members page proofs of the Write-On Anthology 2025. The deadline for submissions to this fascinating collection of works from the past year is Friday, 31 May 2024. Any members who have not yet entered written examples of their talent should not miss this opportunity to have their work published in a professional volume containing writing of the highest standard. Happy writing and good luck to all our participants!
Programme
Competition Mug of the Month April 2024 All Members
Short Story Circles Deirdre Anne Gialamas
Short Story Gone the Heather, Gone the Hawthorn Eileen Miller
Short Story No Regrets Anne McManus
Short Story New Girls Anne McManus
Essay Vertical Ridges Jutta Rosen
Discussion Proofreading Anthology 2025 All Members