Write-in No. 5

Sadly, last month's Write-in No. 4 was cut drastically short by lightning, torrential rain and wall clouds hovering over the city. In fact, I believe it lasted just long enough for Brittany to collect her free (read: paid for by Sarah) soy mocha for winning Write-in No. 3's Haiku Havoc. Luckily, everyone seemed especially productive at Write-in No. 5.

I'm sure you've all been on edge wondering what your favorite local writers have been up to for the past month. Lucky for you, I have the answers.

• Joselyn's been editing her script and is preparing to send it out to readers next week.
• Sarah finished up a first draft of one script, a second draft of another, and started attempt No. 2 to adapt her 2007 NaNo into a lovely, little indie screenplay.
• Our virtual attendee, Matt, has been working on a new novel along with some episodic fiction between bouts of soul-crushing illness.
• And Brittany's been toiling away at The Blood of Renatus.

We had two more or less new participants last night: Daren and Jerry. Welcome!

And, of course, we had the return of Haiku Havoc and Metaphor Melee.

Metaphor Melee
On Determination
Matt Marko: Determination is your cheerfulness in spite of my best efforts.
Brittany Froeschle: Determination is the last paragraph of the last chapter in your first book.
Sarah: Determination is a blank page and a nonfat, sugar-free, chai tea latte with a double shot of espresso.
Daren Froeschle: Determination is doing anything you can to win this Metaphor Melee including playing up to the judges' emotions: X-Files is the best television series ever, There Will Be Blood is the best movie ever, Ben Folds is the best singer/songwriter ever and Daren is the best ever.

Also, honorable mentions from our truncated June write-in:
On Desperation
Matt Marko: Desperation is believing that faith will see you through.
Brittany Froeschle: Desperation is thinking up a metaphor for desperation quickly so that I can go work on my novel.
Jennifer Varner: Desperation is a sunflower who turns in all directions in hopes of reaching the sun.

Haiku Havoc
(from June & July)

Matt Marko (1)
family pictures
gathering dust--who can see
the pain in a smile?

Matt Marko (2)
dark skies blot the sun
inside the light darkens also
and takes me from you

Brittany Froeschle (1)
Freshly made and dipped
Chocolate covered strawberries
sent to the Froeschles'

Brittany Froeschle (2)
Books depreciate
When ceilings flood and collapse
But I still love them

Jennifer Varner
I hate moving lots
I want to throw it away
I just don't know how.

Sarah
Ignoring the "no"
Pressing forward to a "yes"
Each a stepping stone

Daren Froeschle
I hope no one else
Writes one of these because then
I'll win by default.

Vote on your favorites in the sidebar. Winner gets a free drink at next month's write-in.

If you'd like to make an appearance at one of our write-ins, either to do some writing yourself or to see some local writers in action (you can say you knew us before we were wildly successful), feel free to join us from 6 p.m. to closing time on the first Tuesday of each month at Doozen's Coffee in Lee's Summit. You can also find us on facebook.

Write-in No. 6, wherein Matt has promised to write a happy haiku, is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 5.

Write-in No. 3

Thanks to all who made it to last night's write-in! Everyone met their writing goals last night, which means everyone who wanted to walked away with sidewalk chalk!

The Productivity Tiaras went to Sarah and Joselyn for having written screenplays as part of ScriptFrenzy in the month of April. (Matt also wrote a screenplay for Screnzy, but since he attended virtually, he did not get a tiara, a fact I'm sure makes him very sad.)

Last but not least, below are the entries for last night's Haiku Havoc and Metaphor Melee games! use the poll in the sidebar to vote for your favorite. The winner for each will receive a prize at next month's write-in.

If you're interested in joining the Greater Lee's Summit Writing Group, we meet at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at Doozen's in (you guessed it) Lee's Summit. You can also find our group on facebook.

Metaphor Melee: Satisfaction

Matt Marko: Satisfaction is a song you haven't heard in years when you remember all the words.

Danielle Burgess: Satisfaction is standing on the finish line and remembering the journey there.

Brittany Froeschle: Satisfaction is a mug of hot chocolate and a good book.

Sarah Hurst: Satisfaction is a lightning bug: more beautiful during pursuit than in captivity.

Joselyn Martin: Satisfaction is that feeling you get when you stand in front of an ATM that you haven't used in a long time and you think to yourself "man, what is my pin number," and you try the number you think it is, but it doesn't work, and right as you're thinking "dang it, that was my last try," the machine asks how much you'd like to withdraw.

Haiku Havoc

Matt Marko
faint light from a screen
rhythmic tapping in the night
a cold empty bed

Danielle Burgess
Danielle Burgess is
In love with Michael Burgess
So much in love that
She wrote this haiku for him

Brittany Froeschle
my laptop is green
does that make me earth friendly
i like to think so

Sarah Hurst
ideas are brewing
enhanced by the atmosphere
stories come alive

Joselyn Martin
(dedicated to her coworkers)
constipation ache
relaxation acquired
plopity plop plop

Jon Arnold
I saw you walking
Giant beard -- wait, that's not you
It was a grandpa