Menopause moans, Botox blues and aerobics on speed.
No, not an episode of Loose Women, but the themes of three excellent humorous articles from the AWC readaround held in Crosshouse.
First in the hot seat was our host, Fiona A, with a really funny piece on the trials and tribulations of a menopausal woman. Much appreciated for its candour and comedy, we’re sure Fiona will be flushed with success when her article is published.
Then we heard from Pearl, who informed us of the perils of cosmetic procedures and the benefits of accepting the ravages of time on our faces. Our treble chins quivered with giggles when she advised us on the best way to snap a selfie which improved the appearance of our wrinkled, saggy coupons (flat on our backs, if you must know).
Lastly, Helena read an entertaining memoir piece based on her valiant attempt to acquire the body beautiful and keep fit by enrolling in an energetic aerobics class. Thanks to her flair for comedic timing and her realistic descriptions, we felt we were puffing around the exercise hall with her. Another good article destined for publication.
Well done and thanks for the hilarity, ladies.
Martin’s been sharing chapters from his prequel to The One Sided Story with us over the last few weeks. His latest extract captured the fear and stress Martin’s mum and grandfather experienced when they were told by a doctor to expect the worst while Martin lay in a coma in hospital after his accident. Although still at the first draft stage, this thought provoking memoir shows great potential and we admired Martin’s ability to write about such a personal and painful period of his life.
After tea, coffee, biscuits and plenty of blethers, we reconvened for the second half of the evening.
Kirsty read “The Time Capsule” – a fantasy/sci-fi short story she has been editing and redrafting since she last read it out at previous meeting. We agreed that her snappy and natural dialogue kept the story flowing at a good pace and we enjoyed the twist in the tale.
My own piece was the beginning of a short story set in wartime Ayrshire. Written a few years ago, I’d dragged it from my archives and have been working on my editing skills too with the hope of slashing its word count from 2500 to 1500. Fat chance.
Our evening finished as it began – with gales of laughter. Gail had brought along the script of a sketch called “Miss Take”.
Set in the reception area of an agency and with two characters, Gail played the role of Miss Take, the exasperated office receptionist. Jan W, had us in knots yet again, as she read the part of a feisty but slightly confused older lady. This was the first rehearsal in preparation for a performance at the Freshayr event on 5th August. Gail and Jan make a cracking double act and “Miss Take” is sure to be a terrific success.
Many thanks to Fiona for her hospitality and well done to all who participated.
Apologies for any errors I’ve made but this blogger was working without a safety net. * sigh* I was so busy listening and laughing I forgot to take notes.
Till the next meeting at Nigel’s. Keep writing !
Linda Brown