Author Karen Lauritzen is January Featured Reader for Mountain Wordsmiths

By Carroll S. Taylor

Mountain Wordsmiths will begin its 2024 year of gatherings with a stellar guest reader, Karen Lauritzen, on Thursday, January 25, at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom. The monthly event is sponsored by North Carolina Writers’ Network-West.

Karen Lauritzen

Lauritzen writes short stories, poetry, essays and memoir. Her work has been published in "WNC-Woman Magazine," "The Chrysalis Reader," "Carpe Articulum," and others. Her memoir, "Nothing Vanishes, Memoir of a Life Transformed," was published in 2012. She was awarded ¬ first place in non-¬fiction for her short story, “Making My Way Home,” in the 2023 Porter Fleming Literary Awards through the Morris Museum of Art. "Just the Right Kind of Wrong" is her first novel. She lives in North Carolina.

“In Just the Right Amount of Wrong," author Karen Lauritzen deftly crafts the story of 23-year-old Toni Margiani, whose flawed and broken life propels her to St. Mary’s Abbey where she sets forth on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth. This book is a page-turner that leaves readers waiting for Lauritzen’s next contribution to literary fiction.” (author Peggy Tabor Millin)

Sandra I. Brown, MA, psychotherapist, writes, “Lauritzen portrays the ‘courageous terror’ a victim of a socially hidden psychopath experiences and the unlikely path of restoration. All recovery is a journey of heroism and Lauritzen deeply portrays the victim’s experience of harrowing fear and courage.”

Readers can find more about Lauritzen on her blog at her website karenlauritzen.com where she talks about the development of her writing process.

Mountain Wordsmiths gatherings always take place on Zoom. NCWN-West is also continuing to stay in touch by using technology to share our writing. We offer writing events and writing classes both online and in person. Writers are enjoying the convenience and flexibility of Zoom meetings because they can join our gatherings from other locations across America. Attendees are welcome to bring a poem or short prose piece to read during Open Mic. Please limit the reading to 3-5 minutes.

Those wishing to attend Mountain Wordsmiths may contact Carroll Taylor at vibiaperpetua@gmail.com or ncwngeorgiarep@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link. Our group is informal, and we welcome those who would simply like to listen to the beauty of wordsmithing. All who attend are encouraged to enjoy their morning cup of coffee or tea as we share our thoughts about writing.

Joseph Bathanti and Mountain Wordsmiths

 The large group of writers who attended Mountain Wordsmiths Thursday morning had the pleasure of hearing Joseph Bathanti read and talk for about thirty minutes. Then he answered questions and had dialogue with those who were eager to talk to him about his poetry, his writing program, and his environmental views about mountaintop removal. 

One of the things I like best about Joseph is his casual demeanor and his genuine appreciation for his audience. We all felt we could speak up and join in the discussion. To purchase his latest book visit this link to LSU Press. His new book is Light at the Seams. Read more about it. You will want to own this book.

Carroll Taylor is the founder and leader of Mountain Wordsmiths and none of us knew it would be such a popular event for NCWN-West. Carroll's easy manner and casual ways make everyone feel comfortable. At this recent event, we had Ken Chamblee, noted poet, Pat Zick, author of novels, nonfiction, and now Netwest county Representative for Cherokee County in North Carolina. We had Jill Jennings from Florida sitting in with us as well as other writers from distant places. 

Part of the enjoyment of this online group is seeing the poets and writers from the far reaches of the NCWN-West region gather to visit and share their views and their writing. Mountain Wordsmiths has brought our Netwest writers closer than ever. I used to try to visit the distant counties and meet with reps and members, but COVID put a stop to that. However, we will not be stopped.

Carroll Taylor

Karen Holmes

Carroll's Mountain Wordsmiths and Karen Paul Holmes's Writers' Night Out are on Zoom and each month we are delighted to see local friends and writers and poets from across the country on our Zoom screen. 

Please feel free to join us for these events you can only find on Zoom. 

Contact Carroll at vibiaperpetua@gmail.com for Mountain Wordsmith's Zoom invitation. Contact Karen Paul Holmes at kpaulholmes AT protonmail DOT COM to receive your link for Writers' Night Out. You can ask Karen and Carroll to put you on their contact list and you will receive the announcement of the guests each month and the Zoom link.

If you have questions for me, Glenda Beall, about reading or attending, email glendabeall@msn.com. 

Multi-Talented Carrol Taylor: Zoom Reading June 10, 7 pm

Writers' Night Out - June 10, 7 p.m. Reading + Discussion... + Open Mic  Carroll Taylor, multi-genre writer "When Sissie Stevenson reluctantly begins her fifth grade year at Slippery Branch Elementary School, she has lots of questions that need answers. How can she stop the class bully from picking on her cousin and best friend Spud McKenna?" —Chinaberry Summer, Young Adult Novel by Carroll Taylor NCWN-West invites you to join us via ZOOM (see link below).

Carroll S. Taylor is the author of two young adult novels, Chinaberry Summer and Chinaberry Summer: On the Other Side. Both books emphasize themes of generational storytelling and anti-bullying, interwoven with learning about reptiles and amphibians. Her children’s book, Feannag the Crow, teaches children about making friends and appreciating both their diversity and their unique talents. Her poetry has appeared in the Georgia Poetry Society’s Reach of Song, yourdailypoem.com, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International online art gallery, Old Mountain Press, and the anthology Poems to Lift You Up and Make You Smile. In November 2021, Taylor and three other local Appalachian authors were honored by their illustrator with a mural featuring animals and characters from their children’s books. The mural was installed on the outside wall of Mountain Regional Library in Young Harris, GA, to encourage children to read. Taylor is also a member of Scribes On Stage, and she co-wrote and directed a one-act play about the history of Clay County, NC; Hayesville; and the Cherokee Trail of Tears. “Beneath the Sky and Waters” was performed onstage at the Peacock Performing Arts Theatre in April 2022. After teaching in high school and university settings for more than forty years, Taylor retired with her husband in Hiawassee, GA. To learn more about her, visit chinaberrysummer.com. Sign up for Open Mic: 3-4 minute max, poetry or prose (2 poems only, please) by emailing glendabeall@msn.com

CWPW 2019 SCHEDULE OF READERS

Schedule for Coffee with the Poets and Writers for 2019

March  20 –Knute Rary  and Bob Grove

April   17--  Brenda Kay Ledford

May 15--   Charley Pearson   

June  19—Joan Howard  and Gene Hirsch

July  17--  Patricia Zick   

August  21—Don Long and Carroll Taylor

September  18--   Richard Cary and Fred Tarr 

October  16  -- Glenda Barrett and Roy Paine

November   20 --  Mary Ricketson and Jim Davis

December –  18 --  Christmas Luncheon – Open Mic

 If you are on this list and have not done so, please send your bio, less than 200 words, along with a photo (300 DPI) at least a month before your reading. Send now and Carroll Taylor will put it in her file and you can forget about it.

If you would like to be put on our waiting list to read if someone cancels, send your bio and photo and tell us you want to be put on the list.

We hope you all will come out to hear these writers and storytellers share their work. We meet the third Wednesday of the month, March - December at Moss Memorial Library in Hayesville, NC. We often give door prizes so come and maybe you will get lucky.

Joan Howard is the facilitator of this group. Carroll Taylor handles publicity. 

Round Robin Reading with Poets and Prose writers at Coffee with the Poets and Writers, at the Moss Memorial Library, Hayesville, NC, Wednesday, November 15, 2017

On November 15^th, 2017, at 10:30 AM, the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West will host Coffee with the Poets and Writers at the Moss Memorial Library. The event will be round-robin style, with several members reading from their works for approximately 40 minutes. Members will include: Glenda Council Beall, Joan Ellen Gage, Bob Grove, Joan M. Howard, Mary Ricketson, and Carroll Taylor. 

After the member readings, guest attendees will be invited to read their work. All open Mic readings will be approximately 3 minutes. 

Coffee and cookies will be provided, and the public is invited. For more information, please contact Joan Ellen Gage at 828-389-3733.