August 2022 Muse

August 2022
“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.” — William Faulkner

Editor's Note:
The Strathcona Writers Muse is a forum for members of the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County to provide an opportunity for members to publish their works. Anything published in our letter is eligible to receive a publishing credit. We accept poems and short stories of 1000 words or less normally but longer pieces can be accommodated if they can be published in parts. We are always in need of new items for each month so don't hesitate if you have something we can put into our publication.
Send submissions to wfscsherwoodpark@gmail.com care of Henry Martell, editor.

Important Dates
Writers Circle Virtual Sharing Meeting online
Next date August 2, 2022
RSVP on the website and the link will be emailed to you prior to the meeting.
https://www.wfscsherwoodpark.com/event-details/writing-circle-meeting-online-13
Next Board Meeting: August 9, 2022
Newsletter Submission Deadline: Aug 28, 2022
Poets in the Park
Poets in the park meets the third Wednesday of every month online.
Reply to the link on the WFSC website
www.wfscsherwoodpark.com
Next scheduled meeting Aug 17, 2022
Children's Creative Writing Workshop
Second Monday of each month
Next Meeting Aug 8, 2022
Reply to the link on our Website
www.wfscsherwoodpark.com
Words in the Park ~ Author Fair & Book Sale****SAVE THE DATE**** Saturday, September 24th
9:00 am - 4:00 pm in the Sherwood Park AGORA. Watch our website and Facebook page for more event details coming soon. Interested in being a vendor? Submission form available soon!
This Month's Submissions
The Satanic Mountain Place by Mandy Eve-Barnett
Juan sat with his head in his hands, the dusty grit of the road covering his shoes and hem of his trousers. He gasped, as he struggled to catch his breath. From between his fingers he glimpsed the road he’d descended at breakneck speed. There was no one chasing him – not an animal nor a human – but he still felt pursued.
The day had started out so normally. A hearty breakfast, a kiss on his wife’s cheek and a sturdy staff to walk with when ascending the meadows to herd his goats. Now, he remembered the strange greenish glow on the top of the mountain at sunrise. He’d dismissed it as a trick of the light. It had been a portent of things to come.
His goats were the first to sense something odd, something wrong. They became increasingly skittish, running in different directions – wide-eyed and obviously fearful. Juan looked to the sky searching for an oncoming storm, a large bird of prey or the advance of another predator, to no avail. Why were his beloved goats, his livelihood so distressed?
Now, he knew and feared for his life and that of all the villagers...