Minutes of the meeting at La Rosa Hotel on the above date.
Present: Gill, Ian, Jan, John, Magda, Michele.
Apologies: Adele, Harry, Jenny, Jonathan, Laura, Suzanne.
Topic: Members’ work-in-progress.
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Matters Arising
None.
Members’ Readings
Magda — continued her exploration of the issues surrounding dowsing and its public acceptance, or toleration. Dowsing was condemned by Martin Luther in 1518. There’s a difference between believing and knowing. Believers’ faith in dowsing is often modulated by their faith in the tools used. Expensive copper rods, or coat hangers? Uri Geller claimed to be dowsing simply by perusing a map. Magda described the childhood formation of her own belief system in a Catholic household, where Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy held sway along with revenants and the BVM, and the fruits of belief were undeniably tangible: desirable goods or actual money left under the pillow in exchange for a tooth.
Magda’s research gave cause for a lively discussion. Attendees’ opinions were notable for seeking a scientific explanation for a given belief, e.g. in some people’s alleged ability to sense the direction of North. Were they using the earth’s magnetic field? If pigeons can do it, why not people? Is science itself just another superstition, if you don’t personally follow the Scientific Method (and who actually does?)
Ian (trained as a physicist) claimed that looking for a scientific explanation of dowsing was neither here nor there. Science proposes rational ways to collect statistical evidence for dowsing, but by itself that proves nothing. To suppose it does turns science into just one more religion/superstition. He applauded Magda’s choice of dowsing as a hygienic way of examining the issues of people’s beliefs in hidden knowledge. Another obvious choice: fortune telling, is tainted by the likelihood of lodging dodgy propositions in people’s minds on topics crucial to their lives.
Ian — continued reading from Anitra’s Petition. The court hearing begins. Anitra’s legal counsel Dolpou delivers a powerful and inspiring vision of how her very existence supercharges the Martian Project Tahiti for conquering the galaxy.
Petra, repesenting the Vratch (who oppose the petition) now rises to begin shredding Dolpou’s lofty arguments.
John — continued reading from his new draft novel. Tom has been gifted a camera as a retirement present, and decides to take up photography as a profession, beginning with Whitby Goth Weekend. Jeff, on the other hand, is there to scam the attendees. The way he lures a goth visitor into his trap is meticulously described.
Jan — is co-authoring the memoir of a friend called Alice (unable to write for herself), who with her husband and two toddlers lived off-grid in a tiny French village near La Rochelle in 2012 or thereabouts.
It is hunting season. Alice is warned by local not to go outside without wearing bright orange, which may protect you from getting shot. Or not.
Mother-in-law wants to come and visit the household. Alice is thrown into consternation at the prospect: there won’t even be electricity for her hair-dryer.
Gill — continued her children’s tale of Tommy’s quest to pre-empt an awful doom for the world. Tommy has got parted from his witchy companions in the Amazon jungle. Locked in the cannibals’ pantry, he now faces the prospect of becoming dinner.
The cannibals come to get him, but seeing Tommy’s little magical friend hovering over his head, they worship him as a god. Realising they will now do anything he wants, Tommy demands to be returned to the base of the Great Tree.
There, the cannibals’ rite-of-passage ordeal is about to take place. Participants must place their foot on a flat stone placed in the way of the unstoppable mole-maggots, as they commence dropping off the branches to drill down to the centre of the earth.
The meeting closed at 1:07 PM.
Links (in accession order)…
Contact https://whitbywriters.com/contact/
La Rosa Hotel www.whitbywriters.com/venue
Ian www.whitbywriters.com/ian-clark
Anitra’s Petition https://whitbywriters.com/2026/05/07/clark-nida-anitras-petition/
Whitby Writers Group 