lcrwpres Presentation described, Uncategorized

AI is Here to Stay – the Facts

Our February presentation will be a video by Tamara Merrill. She is an award-winning novelist and short story writer with a diverse body of work, including historical fiction and psychological thrillers. She is a passionate advocate for reading and writing, and a self-proclaimed computer NERD who witnessed the evolution of technology from
early UNIX programming to modern AI. She is experienced in developing software solutions
and voice recognition systems since the 1970s.

In her word; we’ll take a look at common beliefs and feelings about using AI as a creator, and how you can make the decision of when and if you may want to use AI in your
creative process. Points she will cover…
 To help you in making an informed decision, we’ll explore current laws and legal
findings.
 Then I’ll attempt to give you an understanding of how AI actually works.
 And If we have time, I’ll list a few real-world applications for…
o Writing, editing, and illustrating your work.
o From generating content ideas to managing time-consuming tasks,
o Practical ways to use AI tools to streamline your marketing efforts while
staying authentic to your unique voice.

lcrwpres Author's examples, Blog

A LCRW Member Shares Her Writing Journey Story

Sally Steele’s Journey

I have no natural talent for writing, so it is a skill I’ve had to learn. I could blame
my high school English teachers for not preparing me to tackle the written word, but my
inattention during class is the more likely culprit. When I graduated from high school, I
couldn’t construct coherent sentences or cohesive paragraphs, not that I made any
serious attempts to try it at that time in my life.

My post-high school attempts at storytelling fell flat. I briefly considered taking
journalism in college, but I had no ideas, so I chose math and science instead. I never
did finish college anyway and the fastest computer at that time was the Cray II, and it
took up two rooms. Only big businesses, universities, and NASA had computers.

Life moved on and I got married and had a family, so any dreams I had of writing
languished. Then, after thirty-some-odd years, ideas came to me, but I still couldn’t
write a readable story. Fortunately, a night-school flyer arrived in my mailbox – the one
at the end of my driveway. (Still not up to the “everybody has a computer” era.)

Kim Gore, a member of LCRW, was teaching a class on creative writing, and I
signed up. It helped, but I still had a lot to learn. From the writing class, I heard about a
Critique Group in the Barnes & Noble at the Greece Mall on the Ridge. It’s every second
Thursday from 6:30 pm – 8 pm, and tuition is free, which fits into my budget.

At the Critique Group, I found out about LCRW. The membership fee is only $20
a year, again easy on my budget, and I have learned from seasoned writers on how to tell
a tale with clarity and color. I’ve even had a poem and an essay published in local
papers.

LCRW offers encouragement, instruction and friendship and I recommend it to
all aspiring writers. If nothing else, you’ll have fun. Don’t delay – you have a novel in
you the rest of the world should read. Come join us.

lcrwpres Presentation described

The Idea Tree – January 24 Presentation

Explore ideas for short stories or novels using The Idea Tree, a made-up concept by your happy prompt inventor, Kim Gore. From the twisted roots, to the mossy trunk, to the leaves basking in the sunlight, we will grow your idea until it stands tall and sturdy, declaring its space in the crowded forest of unfinished projects. Bring a notebook, a pen, your imagination, and the courage to read your newly created stories, your seedlings for the future formed from writing prompts.

Thanks!!!

Kim Gore

www.thebarebonesguides.com

lcrwpres Author, New Book Release

John Caligiuri’s New Release

Maelstrom Unleashed Book 3 of Novaroma series

In a distant corner of the galaxy, where humanity’s exiled descendants have forged the resilient Novaroman Republic, an interstellar war brews after four hundred years of uneasy peace.

Captain Gabriel Carloman, a forgotten heir to a fallen imperial dynasty, uncovers a sinister incursion deep within Novaroman territory by a species who called themselves, Ipis. The purple-scaled conquerors—derisively called “harpies” by humans—launch a devastating surprise attack, shattering the fragile peace and threatening to extinguish humanity’s very existence. Rising from the rank of a backwater frontier guard commander, Gabe rallies the fractured human fleets and forges alliances with enigmatic alien species.

However, cunning tactics and audacious raids are not enough against an implacable foe with unlimited resources. Ancient secrets, sentient machines from a forgotten Earth, and shadowy galactic politics collide in a desperate bid for survival.

In Maelstrom Unleashed, the third explosive installment of John Caligiuri’s Novaroma Series, heroes must navigate betrayal, innovation, and the void’s unforgiving fury. Will Gabe’s unyielding resolve rewrite humanity’s destiny, or will the harpies’ manifest destiny claim the stars? Epic space opera meets historical intrigue in this tale of empires clashing and legends born.

lcrwpres Author's examples

Kris Kringle

Kris Kringle is my name
Giving gifts is my game
Every year when snow flies
I take my sleigh into the skies.
Bags of toys filled to the brim
are covered up with bows and trim.
Christmas trees sparkling bright
Guide my reindeer on their flight.
Little boys and little girls
Stay asleep through my twirls.
No one knows when I am there
I sneak around, they know not where.
Cookie crumbs I leave behind
But somehow no one seems to mind.
Tinsel trim stuck in my belt
Holly leaves, their pricks I felt.
Glittered cards shed their sparkles
In my hat and down my farckles.
Christmas Eve ends all too soon,
I rush up north in a zoom.
The sleigh ride’s done
The toys are gone
Now I can sleep
The whole year long.

Sally Steele wrote this poem to share at our Christmas Party. Thank you.

lcrwpres Presentation described

Writing Sexuality

You are writing a romance and want to include “sex scenes.” How graphic do you want the descriptions without them becoming smutty? What if you only want to include imagery that happens above the neck? What is the industry standard that is expected in the romance genre? Are there tricks to let the reader imagine what you only hint at?

Our long-time member, New York Times best-selling author Kathryn Shay, will answer these questions during her presentation on Saturday, August 23. We are fortunate to have an author with over 100 published romances in our midst who shares her expertise so freely.

Come visit our group for the business meeting that starts at 9:00, or join us at 10:00 and participate in the presentation. We invite visitors to attend one meeting for free before becoming a member. Our dues are only $20.00 a year. For that small amount, you get seven presentations, three peer critique sessions, and a December holiday party. Our location and meeting times are prominently displayed on the first page of this website.

lcrwpres Presentaation summary

Kaycee John Visits

Kycee John gave us some excellent information during the presentation at the May Meeting. She is an agent from Wild Rose Press, and some of us knew her by her writing name, Kat Henry Doran.

Tips for submitting to any press.

  1. Follow the guidelines given, and include all information asked for.
  2. Don’t submit what they don’t want, or more than they want.
  3. Do your research to submit to the correct department or person.
  4. BE POLITE and patient.

Your main character needs to have a well-defined goal, conflicts that make the goal difficult to reach, and the motivation to attain the goal anyway. That’s what makes a reader keep turning the pages.

No matter who you publish with or whether you do it yourself, marketing is your job. Learn ways to build an email list, ask your family, friends, and writing group to help you share news of new books, and plan book signings at local libraries, and/or book stores.

Thank you, Kaycee, for sharing information with us.

lcrwpres Presentation described

Character Development

Have you ever wanted to take a class from a New York Times best-selling author? On April 26, Kathryn Shay will present the basics on how to develop characters for your story, whether it’s a short one or a novel. The basics for doing this don’t change, so she will be sharing her methods with the group.

If not already a member of our group, you are welcome to visit one time free of charge.

The time and location of our meeting are given on the home page of this website.

lcrwpres Author's examples

A Birthday Poem for Jacob

By Sue Spitulnik

Music. The universal language.

When there’s a beat, toes tap and bodies sway.

It can be fast and exciting, evoke feelings of loneliness,

Or have an air of peace and tranquility.

Animals even surround a singer with a guitar

I’ve watched it happening on a video.

Music. It’s one reason I met my husband

He wanted a dance partner

We could fill an empty floor

Just the two of us doing an old fashioned swing

Usually during the dinner hour

When the DJ played the crooner’s songs

Music. We sing along when alone in the car

And it takes us away from our today

People clean house to it

Surgeons operate to it

Children wiggle their bodies and butts

Grinning while being the center of attention

Music, the universal language

Aging backs took away our dance steps

So we enjoy listening, sitting near the band

In bars like the Spirit Room.

It brought us here, it’s why we come back

Well that and the birthday boy

Music is one of Jake’s things

He has a marvelous set of pipes

Everyone should get to hear at least once

Plus he makes a wickedly good cocktail

That might include an eyeball

And he writes poetry much better than so many others

Music, has brought us many new friends

Those who play it and those who listen

Some we’ve grown very close to and

Others are acquaintances in the crowd

Music, is alive in Rochester. It’s a big deal

And in so many locations

Sometimes we choose by the venue’s menu

Because our favorites are giging the same night

Music brings us together

By genre, talent, acoustically and otherwise

The stories that are sung

Could be yours or mine

Full of protest or gospel understanding

Patriotic even, the result is the same

It’s a way to share the reality of life

Music continues to be

Everywhere, All the time    

Happy birthday, Jacob