Canyon Lake Area Writers (CLAW)

03/25/2026

March 17, 2026
Meeting called to order 4:30 p.m.
Members present - 11

New Business: Kathy shared information about Texas Authors Museum Short Story Contest
Discussion of Storage Unit Stories - 5,000- 8,000 words - next steps

Prompt: What was your childhood dream?

Don- The Independent
Agnes - Right There, Turn Off
Kathy - What I Wanted to Do
Heather - Surprise, It's a job!
Jackie - Heart Rocks
Gretchen - What I really Wanted
Craig - What Were My Childhood Dreams
Peggy - Since I was a Wee Girl
Melissa - The Artist

Projects:
Jackie - Sticks and Stones
Craig - To the Market
Peggy - Alien Transformation
Melissa - Detective Ace
Heather - The Artful Rules of War
Agnes - Fairy Tales
Josiah - Matilda's Life
Don - Familiar

New prompt: Write about a time you were lost. 50 word limit

Meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m.

Next CLAW Critique: March 26, 2026 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Next CLAW Meeting: April 7, 2026 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

03/22/2026

Devo ⏰

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

03/09/2026

CLAW Minutes for March 3, 2026
Meeting called to order 4:30 p.m.
Members present 10

New Business: Welcome new member Don
Agnes is visiting
Heather's novel-The Haunted First Wives Club is under consideration with Raconteur Press

Prompt: Cats on a Plane
Peggy - A Very Smart 9 Lives
Gretchen - Cats Everywhere
Jackie - When Cats Fly
Heather - read part of novel about cats
Melissa - untitled

Projects:
Heather read Synopsis for feedback
Don - Familiar -True Story
Peggy - The K&M Farm
Kathy - requesting suggestions for marketing
Jackie - Wintepring Poem - TTC Anthology
Melissa - Detective Ace- Missing Ring

New prompt: What was your little person's (childhood) dream? 200 word limit

Meeting adjourned: 6:30 p.m.

Next CLAW Critique: Cancelled - March 12,2026 - no critique this week

Next CLAW Meeting: March 17, 2026 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

03/02/2026

February 17,2026
Meeting called to order 4:30 p.m.
Members present - 8

New Business: Welcome new member Kathy
Gretchen shared NBWG Anthology, Texas from the Southwest, in which Gretchen has 2 entrees. We discussed the possibility of publishing the group Storage Unit Publication with this publisher. Rodney offered to write the tenth piece needed to meet the minimum number.

Prompt: Flashing Lights
Peggy: Finger Poke

Prompt: First Love, Last Love or The One You're Glad That Got Away
Peggy: Bob
Melissa: This and That
Gretchen: Hiding from Love While Looking for Love
Heather: The Fallen Mustang
Jackie: First Love, Last Love
Regan: The First One

Project Readings:
Heather: Re-read her first page to clarify hook
Peggy: Bermuda Triangle story
Jackie: TTC Anthology - Drowning in Sheets
Kaylee: Working on science fiction story - Before Time
Inspired by Trinity Towers Scholars Day
Melissa: Autumn Leaves story continued

Next Prompt: Cats on a Plane

Meeting adjourned: 6:30 p.m.

Next CLAW Critique: February 26, 2026 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Next CLAW Meeting: March 3, 2026 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

01/30/2026

January 20, 2026
Meeting called to order 4:30 p.m.
Members present - 7

New Business:
1. Gretchen has information from New Braunfels Writing Group about AI and writing and she also suggested we devise a format to share writing tips.
2. We will start using a timer set for five minutes on project sharing. This may be adjustable depending on the number of people sharing.

Prompt:
Use these three words in your script: Having Been Said
Jackie: Just First Grade Level
Heather: Food Groups
Melissa: He Said It
Peggy: MLK

Project Readings:
Peggy: Saving Whales with Magic in Moby Dick
Jackie: No Brag, Just Fact
Heather: Chapter 20 - The Morning After
Melissa: The Tapestry- she asked us to evaluate the strength of her hook at the beginning

Next Prompt:
A boy wakes up to see flickering lights outside his window...

Next CLAW Critique meeting - January 29, 2026, 1:30 p.m.- 3:30p.m.
Next CLAW Meeting - February 3, 2026, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.

12/17/2025

CLAW Minutes for 16 Dec 25

Called to order 4:30 pm, 9 present.

Welcome, Anne-Marie. Has a number of unfinished stories; hopes we’ll inspire her to finish a few.
Time for new officers: Regan has to step down from any office, but will continue to maintain the web presence (as long as someone sends the minutes). Melissa volunteered as Chair. Jackie will be Scribe. Heather is Vice Chair. Peggy will do Treasurer.

Prompt:
Aliens Crash Land at Christmas and Try to Blend In
Santa’s Elves go on strike, forcing him to recruit mythical creatures to help
Melissa: Autumn Leaves
Peggy: My Little Green Neezers
Gretchen: Christmas Alien Angelic Invasion
Jackie: Elgeepees
Heather: Bert

Next Prompts:
With all due respect…
It all started on the first.

Project readings:
Regan: How Do I Do This To Myself?
Melissa: Here And There
Peggy: The K&M Farm
Jackie: Perfect Poem For Pondering
Heather: Gnome Lies and Pigeon Pies
Regan: Pumpkin Spice Soliloquy

Next meeting: 6 Jan 26, 4:30 pm, in the boardroom. Annual dues will be due then.

Next critique: 15 Jan 25, 1:30 pm, in the boardroom.

Adjourned 6:28 pm.

12/14/2025

There's a fellow over on YT that does the classics in a Southern accent. He's well worth the listen. This season he's done Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Because FB downgrades posts with outside links in the main post, I'll put the link in the first comment.

Merry Christmas and y'all enjoy it.

12/03/2025

CLAW Minutes for 2 Dec 2025

Called to order 4:30 pm, 8 present.

Change 3 to the Christmas Potluck. Saturday, 13 Dec, 3:00 pm until 5:00. Gennaro’s is catering Chicken Alfredo and Lasagna; bring beverages, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Gretchen will bring her cabbage casserole.

Prompt:
Scandal at the rest home
Peggy: Just Dying to Get Out of Here
Gretchen: Scandal At Forget Me Not Rest Home
Jackie: Scandal at Rest Home Sweet Home
Heather: Scandal at Breathless Acres Rest Home

Next Prompts:
*Aliens Crash Land at Christmas and Try to Blend In
*Santa’s Elves go on strike, forcing him to recruit mythical creatures to help

Project readings:
Melissa: How to Get It Right
Peggy: We Be Trippin’ final episode
Jackie: The Tree
Heather: Gnome Lies and Pigeon Pies

Next meeting: 6 Jan 26, 4:30 pm, in the boardroom.

Next critique: 11 Dec 25, 1:30 pm, in an alternate location. Text Heather for details.

Adjourned 6:15 pm.

12/01/2025

It’s once again time for CLAW members and significant others to share good food, tell stories, and make fun of ugly Christmas sweaters/shirts/tees (not necessarily ours). This year, we’ll gather at Melissa’s house on 13 Dec, from 1:00 pm until Melissa tosses us all out. Her address is in the first email I sent; ignore the food signup. It went out before I knew about the catering. Pay attention to the second email...

Please note that the Sattler Christmas Parade starts at 11:00 am. If you’re coming from FM 306 and want to go through Sattler, FM 2673 will be closed from about 10:30 am to around 1:00 pm or so, depending on how long the parade is this year. Closure is usually from Sattler Road at King Feed, to Sattler Road, west of Wildflour Artisan Bakery & Grill. River Road will be closed, as will South Access Road, in Sattler.

Gennaro's will be catering, so all we need to bring is desserts and beverages.

See you all at Melissa's, if you don't make it to the CLAW meeting on 2 Dec.

11/11/2025

CLAW Minutes for 4 Nov 25:

Called to order 4:32 pm, 9 present.

Melissa will host the Christmas Potluck on Saturday, 13 Dec, 1:30pm until ???. Gretchen: Cabbage casserole. Regan will send an email signup for dishes.

Prompt:
Explore uncharted waters
Magazine, pantry and telephone
Melissa: Uncharted Territory
Gretchen: Life In The House
Jackie: Gray Day
Heather: The Fairy Pools

Next Prompts:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was Christmastime.

Project readings:
Melissa: The Task (wrote a new beginning)
Peggy: Will send an email with new title
Jackie: Time After Time
Heather: Gnome Lies & Pigeon Spies

Next meeting: 20 Nov 25, 4:30 pm, in the boardroom.
Next critique: 13 Nov 25, 1:30 pm, in the boardroom

Adjourned 5:48 pm.