The Presidentï¿½s Page

OUR PREVIOUS/MOST RECENT MEETING

Information about our most recent meetings is available via a link on the “Welcome” page. (To the left)

Visit the “Programs” page (to the left) to learn about our next meeting and other writer related events.

W now post current and most recent columns from our President, our Editor/Web-master, and any member or guest who wishes to contribute to ensure everyone sees them.

(Newest is at the top)

FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Hey there all SASPers and SASPerillas,

Again, congrats to all authors who are writing and getting their books out there. That includes you Joyce Wilkins, Michael Zargona, and Harland Eastwood.

Also, in the October newsletter we asked you to send us short stories or poems about the pandemic, but, as far as I know, we have received nada, so here is my first attempt at poetry – a traditional haiku:

Don’t get the virus

Don’t get it from papyrus

Or Miley Cyrus

(Guess I should stick to prose.)

On another note: Did you happen to catch the interview with Michael J. Fox in Parade Magazine (Sunday, Nov. 22)? I thought this little nugget of wisdom might be of some use to us writers:

Parade: When it comes to communicating, what does writing do for you that acting doesn’t?

MJF: I always try to find the humor in everything. I’m used to timing things with my voice and my body. Timing on a page is completely different. You have to set up sentences in a certain way to get to the punch line.

Hope you had a good (and safe) Thanksgiving despite the circumstances.

Happy Holidaze! Stay safe and spread kindness,

Jim

FROM THE EDITOR/WEB-MASTER

Like you, I’ve always looked forward to our December meetings. In celebration of the Holidays we have, for several years, had an open-mic session, allowing members (and guests) to share some of their work with us. However, with the Covid 19 Pandemic continuing, we won’t be able to indulge in such an enjoyable afternoon. Thus, a few days ago I put out a call for members to submit something that could be included in the December issue of SASP NEWS. I mentioned I’d be willing to make this an expanded issue, something longer than the ten pages (including the cover) that I normally consider as maximum.

If anyone wonders, the ten page limit is based on the cost of postage for those few copies we mail. I’ve found, over the years, that ten pages, five sheets of paper can go for a single first class postage stamp. But since the majority of copies now go via e-mail, it does not tax our budget to pay a little more now and then and send out an expanded edition. Such will be the case for this issue.

Thank you to all who have or will contribute to our December open ~~mic~~ page edition.

FROM OUR PRESIDENT (Previous)

Don’t have much to say this month – think I’m getting all covided out. A quick shout-out to Joyce Wilkens for her new book and book signing event. Sorry I missed the signing, but recently read that 80% of Covid deaths are people over the age of 65, and the majority of those are males, so I’m staying home, or as Yogi Berra once said, “Include me out!”

Since I’m all out of literary thoughts, here are a few plays-on-words (play-on-words, plays-on-word?) to fill up this space and to, hopefully, tickle your funny bone:

No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery.

A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

The person who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

Stay safe, spread kindness, and, if you haven’t already, please vote,

Jim

FROM THE EDITOR/WEB-MASTER (Previous)

First of all, I’d like to restate Jim’s reminder to vote if you haven’t already done so. In my opinion it is more important that you vote than who or what you vote for.

Thanks again to all of you who have contributed material for this edition of SASP NEWS. As I said last month, it is much easier to put a newsletter together when I have material to work with. Honestly, I have plenty for this time. But keep it coming!

I’ve always imagined myself as a blogger of some sort, and for years I’ve posted this and that in a now and then fashion over at my Live Journal. Among other things I’ve tried to post excerpts from the Stone Island Sea Stories. However, there would be times when I’d get off track and not put anything up for days or even weeks. This summer I tried to get onto some kind of schedule and for a couple of months adhered to it fairly well. On at least a weekly basis now I’m trying to put up a short excerpt from each chapter of my books. (I recently posted from the last chapter of Beyond the Ocean’s Edge and since have posted bits from the first two or three chapters of Sailing Dangerous Waters.)

Alternating with those posts I’m trying to post what I call, “Thoughts on Writing.” Basically I’m trying to pass along my thoughts and experiences, sharing what I’ve learned or figured out along the way. For those who might follow my Facebook Page, I usually post a link to the Live Journal posts there, and if you are on Twitter, they also get mentioned there. Otherwise you can just go to: https://vespican.livejournal.com/ Alternately, if you go to my web-site, www.stoneislandseastories.com there is a link to my Live Journal there.

I have a couple of rather important announcements to include this month, but I’ll add them as a separate article. I’m thinking it might stand out more if I do so. Should I bury it here, there is a chance that at least a few won’t see it.

Keep writing,

Spokane Authors & Self-Publishers

Page revised 11/29/2020 DAM