Showing posts with label North Carolina Writers' Network-West. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Carolina Writers' Network-West. Show all posts

Friday, September 16, 2016

Glenda Council Beall and Mary Ricketson to read at The Literary Hour at John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC, Thursday, September 22, 2016, 7:00 PM



Glenda Council Beall
Mary Ricketson
JOHN CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL

On Thursday, September 22, 2016 at 7:00 PM, John C.Campbell Folk School and NC Writers Network West are sponsoring The Literary Hour, an hour of poetry and prose reading held at Keith House on the JCFS campus. Usually this is held on the third Thursday of the month but this month it will be the fourth Thursday. The reading is free of charge and open to the public. Poets Mary Ricketson and Glenda C. Beall will be the featured readers; both are well-established mountain area poets.

Glenda Council Beall is a poet, memoirist, and teacher. Beall’s poems, essays and short stories have been published in numerous literary journals and magazines including, Reunions Magazine, Main Street Rag Poetry Journal, Appalachian Heritage, Journal of Kentucky Studies and online, Your Daily Poem, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, and Wild Goose Poetry Review.

Beall's poems have been anthologized in The Southern Poetry Anthology: Volume VII: North Carolina 2014, Lights in the Mountains, The Best of Poetry Hickory Series, 2011, Kakalak: North Carolina Poets of 2009, and Women’s Spaces, Women’s Places, among others. Her poems have won awards in the James Still Poetry Contest and the Clay County NC Poetry Contest.

Beall taught memoir writing at John C. Campbell Folk School for a number of years. She teaches senior adults to write about their lives at Tri-County Community College where she will begin a new course on September 1. She says she enjoys hearing the unique stories written by each of her students. “Everyone can leave a written legacy for their grandchildren,” says Glenda.


Glenda served as leader of North Carolina Writers’ Network West in 2007 and 2008, and is now Clay County Representative for NCWN West. She is a co-administrator of the blog for NCWN-West.

Beall is author of NOW MIGHT AS WELL BE THEN, poetry published by Finishing Line Press, and she compiled a family history, PROFILES AND PEDIGREES, THOMAS CHARLES COUNCIL AND HIS DESCENDANTS, published by Genealogy Publishing Company.

Glenda Beall is owner/director of Writers Circle Around the Table, where she invites those interested in writing poetry or prose to her home studio for classes taught by some of the best poets and writers in North Carolina and Georgia. Links are: www.glendacouncilbeall.com and www.profilesandpedigrees.blogspot.com

Mary Ricketson, Murphy NC, has been writing poetry 20 years, to satisfy a hunger, to taste life down to the very last drop. She is inspired by nature and her work as a mental health counselor. Her poetry has been published in Wild Goose Poetry Review, Future Cycle Press, Journal of Kentucky Studies, Kentucky Review, Lights in the Mountains, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, Freeing Jonah, Red Fox Run, and her chapbook, I Hear the River Call my Name. Her new collection of poetry, Hanging Dog Creek, was recently published by Future Cycle Press. She is Cherokee County representative to North Carolina Writers Network West, and president of Ridgeline Literary Alliance.

Mary writes a monthly column, Women to Women, for The Cherokee Scout. She is a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor and an organic blueberry farmer.
Ricketson won the gold medal for poetry in the 2011 Cherokee County Senior Games/Silver Arts and silver medal for 2012 and 2013, and first place in the 2011 Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest 75th anniversary national poetry contest.

The Literary Hour is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Writers' Network-West. which is a program of NC Writers Network.

Friday, August 5, 2016

NCWN-West's Coffee with the Poets and Writers will feature poet Don Long, on Wed., August 17, 2016 at the Moss Memorial Library, Hayesville, NC

Coffee with the Poets and Writers meets monthly at the Moss Memorial Library, 26 Anderson Street, Hayesville, NC. On Wednesday, August 17, 2016, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Don Long of Cherokee County will be the featured North Carolina Writers' Network-West member who will read his poetry.

Long was born and raised in Sebring, Florida even though his Mother’s family hails from West North Carolina, East Tennessee, and North Georgia. After two years of college, Don enlisted in the army as a private. He was later commissioned and earned the chance to fly helicopters in Vietnam for two one-year tours.

He was the recipient of numerous awards including the Silver Star, Meritorious Service Medal, three awards of the Bronze star, the Purple Heart, two awards of the Valorous Unit Award, three awards of the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry w/palm, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and Master Army Aviator Wings.

While work situations prevented participation, based on his aviation expertise, he was invited by the state department (People to People program) to go to China (1987) and later, Czechoslovakia (1988), to help those countries improve their air traffic control system.

After retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1988, Don worked with the Federal Government as a Safety Professional. He retired again in 2000 and began splitting his time between Winter Park, FL and Murphy, NC.

Starting in his teen years and all throughout his entire adult life Donald Long has written poems, mostly for his own enjoyment, but on request he sometimes wrote poems for special occasions. For a short while after retiring from the Army he had a business called “People Poems.” He wrote poems for others for a fee after they provided him pertinent information. The business was doing well, but he obtained a time-consuming position with the Government which necessitated closing the business.

Publication has not been his goal and he has made little effort to publish his poetry except in local newspapers. He writes poems for personal reasons and enjoys the challenge of using rhyme. One of his poems, “I’m Glad It’s Mine” has been used during citizenship swearing-in ceremonies in central Florida and for central Florida Flag Day ceremonies. Also, one of his combat stories was published in a compilation called “The Harsh and the Heart” and “Vietnam Helicopter Crew Member Stories, Volume 2”.

Don’s long and illustrious career includes earning a BA in Psychology, MS in Personnel Counseling and Human Development, and a Commercial Pilots license for airplanes and helicopters.

Recently, while in Washington, DC, his poem about Vietnam Veterans and the Flag was accepted for the Army Historical Archives. A veteran friend had told some at the Pentagon about the Vietnam Poem and the Pentagon asked for one. While at the Pentagon he also presented a copy of each to the Secretary of the Army.

Don Long has been married for 31 years to his wife Marti, and they have children and grandchildren spread out in Central Florida, California, Pennsylvania, and North Georgia.

Everyone is invited to hear this reading and to participate in the Open Microphone session that follows. A short discussion on publishing poetry will follow.

Writers and readers and those who like to listen to poetry will enjoy this program. Glenda Beall, a Clay County Representative for NCWN-West, facilitates this event each year from March – December. Join us for lunch after the meeting at Angelo’s on the square where we continue to socialize and talk about writing.

NCWN-West appreciates the Moss Library staff providing a room for us. Coffee with the Poets and Writers is sponsored by North Carolina Writers’ Network-West, is a program of the North Carolina Writers’ Network.

For more information contact Glenda Council Beall, 828-389-4441.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

The Blue Ridge Bookfest 2016 featured author Sara Gruen; you can watch her interview with Bill Ramsy, here.

Sara Gruen is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of At the Water’s Edge, Water for Elephants, Ape House, Riding Lessons, and Flying Changes. Her works have been translated into forty-three languages, and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. Water for Elephants was adapted into a major motion picture starring Reese Witherspoon, Rob Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz in 2011.

She lives in Western North Carolina with her husband and three sons, along with their dogs, cats, horses, birds, and the world’s fussiest goat.

Sara was the featured author at the 2016 Blue Ridge Bookfest. You can watch her video where she was interviewed by Bill Ramsey, who is on the board of North Carolina Writers' Network, here:

Sunday, June 19, 2016

In case you missed Karen Paul Holmes & Bill Ramsey at Coffee with the Poets and Writers on June 15, 2016, enjoy some video excerpts

 
 Karen Paul Holmes reading at CWTP&W on June 15, 2016


 
Bill Ramsey reading at CWTP&W on June 15, 2016 

You can find other videos of these writers, and other NCWN'West writers, on the network's YouTube page, at: 

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Ronald Moran and Jonathan Rice entertained at Writers' Night Out, NCWN-West event, June 10, 2016, at Blairsville, Georgia


Ronald Moran
Jonathan K. Rice
Ronald Moran, former Clemson professor, dean, and a Fulbright
Lecturer, joined Editor Jonathan K. Rice at Writers’ Night Out on Friday, June 10 at the Union County Community Center in the heart of Blairsville. Moran read first, not only featuring published poems from Eye of the World, but also recently written ones. Quite a bit of his work was witty and met with laughter and acknowledgment. Rice followed and read from Shooting Pool with a Cellist (Main Street Rag), and Killing Time (Main Street Rag). Rice’s love of music was apparent in his poems, as was his keen eye. The poets were followed by open mic, where several writers in attendance shared both poetry and prose.

Writers’ Night Out is sponsored by NC Writers' Network-West and takes place on the second Friday of the month. Prose writers or poets wishing to participate in the open mic can sign up at the door to read for three minutes. The Union County Community Center hosts the event at 129 Union County Recreation Rd., Blairsville, Georgia 30512, off Highway 129 near the intersection of US 76, phone (706) 439-6092. Food is available for purchase in The View Grill, but please arrive by 6 pm to get served.
Rosemary Royston

https://theluxuryoftrees.wordpress.com/about/

Reminder: Call for Submissions North Carolina Writers’ Network–West Summer 2016 Flash Fiction Contest, ends August 31, 2016



Who’s Eligible: Members of NCWN-West whose dues are paid up to date.   

Original Work: The entry must be the author's original work and not previously published.

Eligible Genres: All fiction except children’s fiction. 

Dates: Submissions will be accepted beginning June 1, 2016. All entries must be emailed or postmarked by August 31, 2016.

Entry Fees: An individual writer may enter up to three submissions. A fee of $5.00 must accompany each entry. Entry fees will be used for awarding prizes to the winner or winners.

Length: The word count (excluding the title) may not exceed 300 words.

How to Enter: No entry form is required. Electronic and paper entries are acceptable. Handwritten copies cannot be accepted.
To submit by email, copy and paste the manuscript into the body of an email or send the manuscript as an email attachment to novelistapproach@gmail.com.
Checks for email and paper entry fees, as well as paper manuscripts, should be submitted by mail to Pat Meece Davis, 23 Tutor Lane, Brevard, NC 28712.

Author’s Identifying Info: The author's identifying information and manuscript title should appear on the subject line of the email or on a separate sheet of paper if entering by mail.
You may enter up to three manuscripts, but each entry must be submitted separately with a $5.00 fee for each.

Judges: Judging will be non-biased. Writers’ identities will not be shared with the judges.

Agreement: By entering this contest, the author agrees NCWN-West may publish the winning entry/entries on its website. Polish and proofread your work.  
The winner will be asked to provide a short paragraph biography to accompany the published manuscript.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

John C. Campbell Folk School Reading June 16th, 2016, will feature Jo Carolyn Beebe & Brenda Kay Ledford


JOHN CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL

On Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 7:00 PM, John Campbell Folk School and N.C. Writers Network West are sponsoring The Literary Hour, an hour of poetry and prose reading held at Keith House on the JCFS campus. This is held on the third Thursday of each month unless designated otherwise. The reading is free of charge and open to the public. Brenda Kay Ledford and Jo Carolyn Beebe will be the featured readers, both of whom are accomplished poets and writers and well known in the area..
Brenda Kay Ledford is a seventh-generational native of Clay County. An honor graduate of Hayesville High
Brenda Kay Ledford
School, she earned her Master of Arts in Education from Western Carolina University. She studied Journalism at the University of Tennessee and was editor of "Tri-County Communicator" at Tri-County Community College. She holds a diploma of highest honors from Stratford Career Institute in Creative Writing.

Ledford's prose and poetry have appeared in many publications including "Angels on Earth Magazine," "Our State," "Asheville Poetry Review," "Poem," "Woman's World Magazine," "Chicken Soup for the Soul," "Country Extra," "Blue Ridge Parkway Celebration," "North Carolina Civil War Museum," and 30 Old Mountain Press anthologies.
Finishing Line Press published three award-winning poetry chapbooks. Aldrich Press printed her poetry book, Crepe Roses, that won the 2015 Paul Green Multimedia Award from North Carolina Society of Historians. She has received the Paul Green Award seven times for her literary works and collecting oral history. She was featured on the "Common Cup" on Windstream Communication's cable television. Ledford blogs at: Blue Ridge Poet. Jo Carolyn Beebe is a native of Mississippi. Many of her poems and stories are based on her recollections of
Jo Carolyn Beebe
conversations with her grandparents. Her Grandmother Anderson said, "The Bartletts are kin to Daniel Boone. They came through the Cumberland Gap with him." Great-grandfather Ricks showed her a greasy circle in his front yard where no grass would grow. "This is where the Indians cooked their food," he told her.
Beebe also has her own memories of life in a small, rural town. Her story, "The Way You Hypnotize a Chicken," really happened when she and a friend hypnotized one of Grandmother's hens. And where else but in a small town could two little girls play in the funeral home and pick out their everyday casket and their Sunday casket?
Jo Carolyn has been published in "Main Street Rag," "Clothes Lines," "Women's Spaces Women's Places," "Lonzie's Fried Chicken," "Lights in the Mountains," Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, and by Abingdon Press. She has been most gratified with her family history book THE BEEKEEPERS AND SONS OF ANDER. Beebe
is a graduate of Miami University, Oxford, and has been a resident of Towns County for 21 years.