When Writers Get Together

Last night was the first Hovey House Writer’s Group meeting of the season and I forgot how much fun we are — and how helpful. Most of the faces were familiar from last year and there were a few new ones which is always encouraging. The many changes in the world of publishing has turned this group into a sort of dual purpose one — writer/publishers, people who have tried the New York publishing trade and found it too frustrating, too limiting, too hostile, or just plain too annoying and have decided to form their own presses or publish through small, local presses.

Last night Mark was one of two planned guests and, since the other planned guest was unable to make it at the last minute, Mark wound up being the solo guest which proved to be a good thing. Everyone was so interested in F/V Black Sheep and in asking questions about his book that it took up much of the evening. Mark, who speaks quietly anyway, is not comfortable with reading before a group of people and so another member of the group, who had read his book and was enthusiastic about it, read a section for him.

That was a particularly good experience for me. Having read the book as many times as I did while working with him on it, I’ve lost all objectivity of my own. And, because he and I have spent endless hours talking about it, I’ve also lost objectivity with his view of it. So hearing the book read by someone whose intelligence I hold in high regard and whose taste in books is impeccable was exciting. It was clear she enjoyed the stuff she was reading — in fact she chose to read the very exciting rescue scene in the final chapter. It made me realize anew that he has written a very fine book which most people will love.

There was a new member present and I hope he returns. He was a Boston newspaper man for his entire career and worked on one of the biggest stories to come out of Boston in the sixties but, because events took a different turn, he never got to write the big story of his career. For years he has kept the manuscript and worked on it and now he wants to turn it into a book. His story has a completely different perspective and I think he may have a winner. I hope he keeps coming back. If I sound like I am being mysterious about this, well, I guess I am. But it is his story and I don’t want to get ahead of him with it.

Another group member, Mike Maranhas, brought his new book Re’enev, to show us. The book is due out in early December and has received some good reviews by Amazon readers so far. I have a copy of it and am very much looking forward to reading it. Mike’s an interesting guy full of intensity and integrity — I am betting his writing will be the same and I look forward to finding out.

Marc Levy, who was a presenter at a meeting last year, was also present. Marc recently filmed John Ronan’s The Writer’s Block which will be airing October 12 and 19 at 8 on Channel 12. Marc, a highly decorated Vietnam veteran, has written essays, short stories, and poems some of which have recently been published, was one of the original vets writing for Silent Men Speaking. Marc, another soft-spoken man, and Mark got into a good dialogue about the after effects of trauma — for Marc in Vietnam, and for Mark, when he was dragged overboard on from his boat. These are things writers need to share.

So it was a good evening and I look forward to more. Our next scheduled meeting will be November 16 and Mike Maranhas will be talking more about Re’enev. The second part of the evening will be spent talking about book promotion. Hope all the writers out there can make it!

Thanks for reading.