Georgia Writers Taylor and Howard to Read at Campbell School

The August Literary Hour at the J.C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, will feature two Hiawassee writers, author Carroll Taylor and poet Joan Howard.  Literary Hour is Thursday, August 21, at 7 p.m. in the Keith House.  Literary Hour is free and open to everyone.

Taylor is the author of two young adult novels, “Chinaberry Summer” and “Chinaberry Summer: On the Other Side,” as well as two children’s books, “Feannag the Crow” and “Ella’s Quilt.”  She is also a playwright with three of her plays performed at the Peacock Performing Arts Center in Hayesville, NC.  One reviewer of her book “Chinaberry Summer” called it “a sweet story of family life written from the perspective of a child.  The author’s use of words is poetic and touching.”

An educator for over 40 years, Taylor is a member of North Carolina Writers’ Network and the Georgia Poetry Society.  She and her husband live in Hiawassee, GA, where she feeds a crow family whose antics inspire her to write every day.

Howard's recent book of poems, “Radiant Blues,” celebrates years living in Hiawassee, GA, and on the beautiful shores of Lake Chatuge.  She has two other books, also published by Amazon: “Death and Empathy: My Sister Web,” and “Jack, Love and the Daily Grail.”  The poems in each celebrate the beauty of nature, love and friendship.

Her poetry is “pure music: love songs, laments, hymns [demonstrating] an incredible ear for sound, …rhyme and meter. This, coupled with an eye and heart for discovering the sublime in nature, gives her poems a classical feel—a formality that ups the poignancy while keeping sentimentality at bay,” according to Karen Paul Holmes, author of “Untying the Knot.”

Mary Jo Dyre of Murphy is the host of Literary Hour.  She is author of “Springheads” a novel combining elements of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure and fantasy to create a story of self-discovery.

The Literary Hour at the folk school is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West on every third Thursday of the month through October.  It brings local writers to the campus to share their work with the community.  The public, and students and faculty of the school are welcome to attend the readings.

The John C. Campbell Folk School offers classes in folk arts and crafts and storytelling.  For information about the school, you can find its webpage and contact information at https://www.folkschool.org/.