Featured Writer

Bruce McLaren

Writing Workshop Participant at Zimmerman Community Center

Bruce McLaren is 58 years old, and he is retired. He participated in Write Around Portland this past spring, and he wrote the featured story during our Summer Roving Workshops open to low income adults throughout the city. Bruce received his Bachelor of Fine Art degree in Film/Painting, and when he’s not writing, he enjoys taking photographs.

The Green Macabre

Bruce McLaren

When John was a child he ate many things he didn't like. Spinach was at the top of his list. John's dad would say, " Eat your spinach and you will be muscular like Popeye." But everyone knows that if you ate too much spinach, you would look like Olive Oyl. Olive Oyl had the shape of a 2x4, nose the size of a small sausage and the feet of a clown. And being around Popeye so much, she had that ocean brine smell.

John's Mother tried many ways to disguise the green slime. There were omelets, salads, cookies, and even food coloring. John made a game to switch the pots on the stove to kernel corn and putting a sliver of spinach on the kitchen linoleum, he produced produced a slug AND a spooked Mother.

When the neighbors were invited over for dinner and spinach was served, for some reason, they never returned. Eating dinner was fine until John got to the spinach. While eating, John would slyly slip some of the spinach off his fork to his cat. She realized what it was and high tailed out of the kitchen to the sanctuary of the outdoors, with the fresh air. For John eating spinach it was a matter of holding his nose and letting the spinach slide down his throat. Then after it slid down John's gullet, the self torture was over. It was then that his family was rewarded with tasty ice cream.

After the evening's festivities, John headed to his room to play. And evenings like this John always made sure he had one eye on the bathroom for vacancy

in case of a spinach upheaval.

Interview

Write Around Portland Website

Featured Writer Interview - Bruce McLaren

Tell us about your experience in a Write Around Portland Workshop.

My experience in a Workshop was slow starting. I had doubts that I was good enough to be with the other members of the Workshop. As time went on, the writer hidden inside began to blossom.

What did you get out of the workshop?

The Workshops gave me direction. The individuals in the group showed me how many styles there are out there.

Had you written much before you joined the Write Around Portland workshop?

My cat's autobiography. She lived to be 21 yrs. For last 8 years, I've been writing on that. There was little other writing to express my inner thoughts.

How was your experience writing in a group? Sharing with others? Hearing other people's stories?

Writing in a group was a welcome to the day. Hearing what others were doing was refreshing and enlightening. The feedback helped build my ability.

Would you recommend Write Around Portland workshops to others?

Anyone could benefit from the Workshops. Writers who may be in a slump would be rejuvenated. Someone whom had never written anything would be excited to start.

What did the workshop help you learn about yourself as a writer?

The big thing that the Workshop taught me that I had a writer hiding in my head. Pages and pages have been reeling out like movie shorts. There are people out there who enjoy my work.

Is there anything you would like to tell your readers about your writing?

With my experience in film, I can play out the whole short story as a movie before one word is written. Putting humor and Fantasy is part of me. I have a dry sense of humor, and it shows in my work.


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TAKE A Writing Workshop SIGN UP for Write Around Portland News WRITING RESOURCES	Publications & Writers Featured Writer Bruce McLaren Writing Workshop Participant at Zimmerman Community Center Bruce McLaren is 58 years old, and he is retired. He participated in Write Around Portland this past spring, and he wrote the featured story during our Summer Roving Workshops open to low income adults throughout the city. Bruce received his Bachelor of Fine Art degree in Film/Painting, and when he’s not writing, he enjoys taking photographs. The Green Macabre Bruce McLaren When John was a child he ate many things he didn't like. Spinach was at the top of his list. John's dad would say, " Eat your spinach and you will be muscular like Popeye." But everyone knows that if you ate too much spinach, you would look like Olive Oyl. Olive Oyl had the shape of a 2x4, nose the size of a small sausage and the feet of a clown. And being around Popeye so much, she had that ocean brine smell. John's Mother tried many ways to disguise the green slime. There were omelets, salads, cookies, and even food coloring. John made a game to switch the pots on the stove to kernel corn and putting a sliver of spinach on the kitchen linoleum, he produced produced a slug AND a spooked Mother. When the neighbors were invited over for dinner and spinach was served, for some reason, they never returned. Eating dinner was fine until John got to the spinach. While eating, John would slyly slip some of the spinach off his fork to his cat. She realized what it was and high tailed out of the kitchen to the sanctuary of the outdoors, with the fresh air. For John eating spinach it was a matter of holding his nose and letting the spinach slide down his throat. Then after it slid down John's gullet, the self torture was over. It was then that his family was rewarded with tasty ice cream. After the evening's festivities, John headed to his room to play. And evenings like this John always made sure he had one eye on the bathroom for vacancy in case of a spinach upheaval. Interview Write Around Portland Website Featured Writer Interview - Bruce McLaren Tell us about your experience in a Write Around Portland Workshop. My experience in a Workshop was slow starting. I had doubts that I was good enough to be with the other members of the Workshop. As time went on, the writer hidden inside began to blossom. What did you get out of the workshop? The Workshops gave me direction. The individuals in the group showed me how many styles there are out there. Had you written much before you joined the Write Around Portland workshop? My cat's autobiography. She lived to be 21 yrs. For last 8 years, I've been writing on that. There was little other writing to express my inner thoughts. How was your experience writing in a group? Sharing with others? Hearing other people's stories? Writing in a group was a welcome to the day. Hearing what others were doing was refreshing and enlightening. The feedback helped build my ability. Would you recommend Write Around Portland workshops to others? Anyone could benefit from the Workshops. Writers who may be in a slump would be rejuvenated. Someone whom had never written anything would be excited to start. What did the workshop help you learn about yourself as a writer? The big thing that the Workshop taught me that I had a writer hiding in my head. Pages and pages have been reeling out like movie shorts. There are people out there who enjoy my work. Is there anything you would like to tell your readers about your writing? With my experience in film, I can play out the whole short story as a movie before one word is written. Putting humor and Fantasy is part of me. I have a dry sense of humor, and it shows in my work.	"I just believe in myself more." Write Around Portland Participant Provide a writer with a journal, pen, bus tickets, and Anthology. Featured Writer Bruce McLaren
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