Congratulations to Tipper Pressley whose YouTube channel reached 100,000 subscribers recently.

Estelle Rice, writer and member of NCWN-West and Katie Pressley at Coffee with the Poets in 2007. Katie read a poem that day. Now she is a grown young woman with many talents.

Tipper is a writer who publishes a post on her blog, Blind Pig and the Acorn every day. Her mission is to show the world how wonderful is life in these mountains and to keep the Appalachian way of life alive for generations to come. She researches and uses natives of this area to inform her readers about the old ways of cooking, gardening, playing music, and so many other things. She has a huge following for her blog, but since she went to YouTube and has made it her full-time job, her readers are from all over the world. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP87Uu3q9IDUpEl1xr8-VQA

Tipper Pressley

Tipper helped me with my first blog and has been a friend for many years.

I watched her twin daughters grow up and now they are known as The Pressley Girls who play guitar and fiddle and sing at events all over our region. 

I am so, so happy for this lovely family and the success they have found doing what they really like to do.

Subscribe to the YouTube channel or check out the Blind Pig and the Acorn. You will be glad you did.

www.glendacouncilbeall.com

www.riceandbeall.blogspot.com 

News from Netwest PC

On our latest membership list for NCWN-West, we have 116 members. Our members come from Henderson County down to Cherokee County, and we have twelve members from bordering counties in Georgia.

Most of our counties have one or two Netwest representatives, but we still need people in Transylvania County, Graham County and Cherokee County. We are able to reach more writers when we have a representative who makes himself or herself available to members, and who cares about those she represents. The best writers are generous writers, and I hope you will think about being generous in your county.

What can we do for others during a pandemic?
In this time of having to give up so much in our lives, I see our fellow writers  lending a helping hand to others. I see people searching for ways to make their lives meaningful during this crisis. 

I don't have money to give away, but I want to help our local food pantry which is feeding many, many people who can't work because their places of business are closed, who don't have a paycheck coming in and need to feed their children.

Estelle Rice, member and co-author of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins, joined with me in offering all profit for the next month from sales of our book to the Clay County Food Pantry. This is done through City Lights Books in Sylva, NC where you can order online, and they will ship the books at a deep discount. I sent out a few emails and posted it on Facebook and my blogs, but hope you will help us spread the word. This helps our favorite bookstore as well as helping the food pantry.

I have been surprised at the response. One person thanked me for reminding her that she should send a check to the food pantry in her county. Another person who was once a member of NCWN-WEST simply sent a check for the Clay County Food Pantry. We all want to help when we can. Be creative. How can you use your talents to help others?

For four weeks in March, I taught a creative writing class for Tri-County Community College. We met once at the college, but three of the classes I taught online using Google Classroom. The students enjoyed it so much, I decided to teach another six weeks, but at no charge. 

While we are home and looking for things to do, taking an online class is a way to keep motivated to write. It is good for me as well. I have learned a new skill and find that Zoom gives us a perfect way to stay connected. My students  enjoy sending in a writing piece each week that we all read and offer helpful comments. I critique each individual story and send back to the author.

So, although I am self-quarantined, I am using this time to help others as well as myself. 

On Friday evening, 7:00, May 8, we plan to hold another Writers' Night Out on Zoom. The April WNO was well-attended and enjoyed. I will host, and we will send out instructions on how to join us.

Rosemary Royston, our Netwest treasurer, wrote a post on her blog today that I want to share with you.  https://theluxuryoftrees.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/the-art-of-losing/

NCWN will hold an online course on May 20, 7:00 PM.
Topic: "Revealing Character Through Dialogue" with Xhenet Aliu

I have been teaching this subject, and I hope to learn some new tips to pass on to my students. I believe that dialogue is such an important part of writing and often the hardest part. It is a perfect way to reveal character. If you haven't received an email about this class, go to www.ncwriters.org and you can register.

What are you doing to help others while staying at home and being safe? 

Email me, pcncwnwest@gmail.com or leave a comment on this site.

How Can You Help Others?

From now until June 1, Estelle Rice and I are offering our proceeds from the sale of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins to the Clay County Food Pantry when you order from City Lights Books in Sylva, NC.  This volunteer organization feeds many people and the need is large right not.

City Lights is offering a reduced price for shipping as their way of donating.

Send a book to a friend who is staying home for protection from COVID-19.

Signing books last December - It is a great gift to have on hand for those random times you need one.

Remember a birthday coming up and send this delightful book of stories and poems about domestic pets, dogs, cats, horses and birds.

This is what author Lisa Turner said about our book:

 Evokes those special memories and relationships with our animal friends

"The emotional experiences with our beloved pets are captured in poetic detail and images in these wonderful stories in Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins. Our human lives are so enriched by the special relationships we have with all creatures large and small, and these stories capture this delicate and powerful drama so much that we will enjoy reading them again and again. Highly recommend."

Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2020

Delightful Reading, Nov. 9, Blairsville, GA, Writers' Night Out

Come hear Glenda & Estelle 

read these beloved stories. 

***

Sign-up for Open Mic at the door

***

It's the last Writers' Night Out of 2018. 

Great Opportunities for all at NCWN-West Bookfest

NCWN-West is holding a Bookfest

Where: Moss Memorial Library   26 Anderson St, Hayesville, NC 28904

When: Saturday, March 24, noon until 4:00 PM.

Who is invited: Everyone!!

ADMISSION: FREE TO ALL

Ten or more authors, members of NCWN-West, will be on hand to sign books, to talk with the public about publishing and marketing, and to give tips and advice based on their own experiences in the literary world.

Participating authors are eligible for drawing for one year's paid dues to North Carolina Writers' Network.

Drawings for door prizes will be held  throughout the afternoon including a free writing class at Writers Circle around the Table in Hayesville, NC and free editing by Carol Crawford of up to thirty pages of your writing.

Refreshments will be offered.

Speakers include:
 Deanna K. Klingel: author of  books for young and young-at-heart readers. Deanna’s first published book, Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog, 2010, was inspired by her own golden retriever therapy dogs and is a collection of moments that the dogs made a difference in other people’s lives.

Carol Crawford: Poet and author of Habits of Mercy, Poems about Daughters and Mothers. She is owner of Carol Crawford Editing,

 Polly Davis: Writer, author, college professor, mother of two, and world traveler. Her recent memoir is Stumbling Toward Enlightenment: A Wife's Thirty-year Journey with Her Green Beret

 Tom Davis: A writer, publisher of the Old Mountain Press, and 30 year military veteran. Tom’s memoir covers it all!.The Most Fun I Ever Had with My Clothes On.

Lisa Turner: Newspaper columnist and author of House Keys: Tips & Tricks from a Female Home Inspector. This book won Writers' Digest award for best self-published eBook.

Carol Crawford, editor and writer

Lisa Turner, award winning author

Polly Davis, author

Tom Davis, writer and publisher

Deanna Klingel, award winning author

Contact Glenda Beall, glendabeall@msn.com with any questions or for more information.

Estelle Rice and Glenda C. Beall To Read At JC Campbell Folk School

On Thursday, August 21, 2014 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 being held on the third Thursday of the month unless otherwise notified. The reading is free of charge and open to the public. Poets Estelle Rice and Glenda Council Beall will be the featured readers, both of whom are well established poets in the mountain area. 

ESTELLE RICE

Estelle Rice, author of Quiet Times, a book of poetry, is a well-published writer whose short stories have appeared in The Appalachian Heritage Journal, the 

Journal of Kentucky Studies, and in anthologies and magazines, including Lights in the Mountains and Echoes Across the Blue Ridge. 

She is a native North Carolinian, born in Rocky Mount and raised in Charlotte. She now lives in Marble, NC. Estelle received her BA in psychology from Queens University in Charlotte and a MA in counseling from the University of South Alabama. She is a retired Licensed Professional Counselor. Although she is a full-time caregiver for her husband now, she still attends writing workshops and continues to create poems and stories. Her poetry has been published in The Back Porch, the Freeing Jonah series and others. 

Estelle has been a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network West for many years and has endeared herself to her friends and co-writers alike.

GLENDA COUNCIL BEALL

Glenda C. Beall’s poems, essays and short stories have been published in numerous literary journals and magazines including Reunions Magazine, Main Street Rag, Appalachian Heritage, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, The Dead Mule, School of Southern Literature and Wild Goose Poetry Review. Her poems have been anthologized in 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.

Glenda enjoys writing articles for newspapers on subjects that are important to her such as indoor air pollution and spaying and neutering pets. She supports animal rescue shelters with her articles. She has taught memoir writing at John C. Campbell Folk School for several years. She also teaches writing at Tri-County Community College.

Glenda served as program director of North Carolina Writers’ Network-West in 2007 and 2008, and is now Clay County Representative for NCWN-West. Glenda 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 is Owner/Director of Writers Circle 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 the area. Find her online at: www.glendacouncilbeall.blogspot.com and www.profilesandpedigrees.blogspot.com

Coffee with the Poet and Writer, Estelle Rice

Estelle Rice, author of Quiet Times, a book of poetry, will be featured at Coffee with the Poets and Writers on Wednesday, June 11, 10:30 a.m. at Blue Mountain Coffee and Grill. 

Rice is a well-published writer whose short stories have appeared in The Appalachian Heritage Journal, the Journal of Kentucky Studies, and in anthologies and magazines, including Lights in the Mountains and Echoes Across the Blue Ridge.

She is a native North Carolinian, born in Rocky Mount and raised in Charlotte. She now lives in Marble, NC. Estelle received her BA in psychology from Queens University in Charlotte and a MA in counseling from the University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama. She is a retired Licensed Professional Counselor.

Although she is a full-time caregiver for her husband now, she still attends writing workshops and continues to create poems and stories. Her poetry has been published in The Back Porch, the Freeing Jonah series and others.

Estelle has been a member of Netwest for as long as I have known her, around twenty years. Her positive personality has always endeared her to those who know her and is reflected in her poems such as the one below from Quiet Times.

Silence

When I am silent,

thoughts surge onto the shore

of my consciousness.

There is no place to hide

or deny my fears.

Silence endures my frailties,

nudges me toward the paths

where I will meet myself.

Silence encourages me

to listen to the universe,

that I may hear

the songs of angels.

             ---Estelle Rice

Come out to Blue Mountain, on the corner of Hwy 141 and Hwy 64 near Murphy Medical Center, and hear Estelle’s reading as well as participate in our regular open mic session. Stay for lunch. We pull the tables together and enjoy a social hour. This event is sponsored by NCWN West and is open to the public. Contact Glenda Beall, 828-389-4441 or nightwriter0302@yahoo.com for further information. 

Photos from Coffee with the Poets in July

Carolyn Johnson and Estelle Rice, members of NCWN West, were featured poets this month. Compliments followed by those attending.

Barb Haynes, Mike Keller, Estelle Rice, Linda smith

Carolyn Johnson, poet and writer

Open Mic readers were Bob Grove who read a humorous essay, Linda Smith who read a poem. Barb Haynes, reading her work aloud for the first time, entertained us with a short essay. Mike Keller and Joan Howard also read poetry. Anyone who attends is invited to read a short prose piece or a poem.

Coffee with the Poets is held the second Wednesday of each month at Cafe Touche, Main Street, Hayesville, NC. The community is invited.
Contact Glenda Beall at 828-389-4441 or nightwriter0302@yahoo.com for more information.

WRITING CLASS IN HAYESVILLE

Estelle Rice

Writers in this area know Estelle Rice, a long time member of the North Carolina Writers Network West. She will teach Writing from the Spirit Within at Writers Circle in Hayesville, NC Wednesday, July 18, 10:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Rice says, "All of us have treasures stored within our memories that can jumpstart the writing process. Some of these memories are so deeply hidden we are surprised when they come to the surface. In this class we will investigate nature, people, places and things to discover their essence. This technique will bring depth to our writing whether poetry or prose."


Estelle Rice is a native Tar Heel, born in Rocky Mount, raised in Charlotte, and now lives in the mountains in Cherokee County. She received a BA degree in psychology from Queens University and an MA in counseling from the University of South Alabama. She studied writing at Faulkner Community College in Fairhope, Alabama and the University of South Alabama, Mobile.

She enjoys writing poetry, fiction and personal essays. She published a book of spiritual poetry, QUIET TIMES.  Her short stories have been published in Appalachian Heritage Journal, the Kentucky Journal, and anthologies, LIGHTS IN THE MOUNTAINS, and ECHOS ACROSS THE BLUERIDGE as well as other publications.
Contact Glenda Beall, 828-389-4441 or nightwriter0302@yahoo.com for registration information.

ANNUAL READING AT MOSS LIBRARY IN HAYESVILLE, NC

Glenda Barrett

Writers and Poets Reading Holiday Stories takes place Thursday evening, December 17, 7:00 p.m. at Moss Memorial Library in Hayesville, NC.
Featured writers for the evening are NCWN West members, Estelle Rice, Carole Thompson, and Glenda Barrett.

The mic is open to guests after a short break to partake of the delicious buffet of finger food served by the library staff.

Left:Estelle Rice

          Right:  Carole Thompson

The reading is an annual event begun by Nancy Simpson, and is sponsored by Friends of the Library.

         

                                                                         

Moss Library and NCWN West hold holiday readings

Photos made in December 2006. Carole Thompson, has a story in the anthology edited by Celia Miles, Clothes Lines. (Center)Nancy Gadsby, facilitor of Writing for Children group. Estelle Rice has published numerous short stories, essays and poems. She also has a poetry chapbook published.

Estelle Rice

Dorothea Spiegel

Carole Thompson, Georgia Representative for Netwest

This year, Thursday evening, December 17, at 7:00 p.m. our readers will be Glenda Barrett, Estelle Rice, and Carole Thompson. All stories must have a holiday theme. Open mic is held after the readings and refreshments are served.

Freeing Jonah V Includes Estelle Rice

Dr. Gene Hirsch, a resident of North Carolina and Pennsylvania, teaches poetry classes at John C. Campbell Folk School. He has published five volumes of Freeing Jonah. The anthologies are collections of poetry from students in workshops at the Folk School and from poets in the region.
Tonight I picked up my copy of Freeing Jonah V, published in 2007. Listed among the forty-five poets featured are a number of NCWN West members: Glenda Barrett, Janet Benway, Joyce Foster, who has a new poetry collection, Mary Michelle Keller, Brenda Kay Ledford, Mary Ricketson, Nancy Simpson, Linda Smith, Dorothea Spiegel and many more.
My good friend, writer and poet, Estelle Rice of Marble, NC will be reading at the John Campbell Folk School next week. See sidebar. The following poem touches me in a special way.

Goodbye

In my heart, there is a lingering scent
of Johnson’s wax
pickled peaches,
Evening in Paris perfume,
Mennen’s After Shave,
smoke from a Dutch Master’s Cigar.

I can almost taste the Brunswick stew,
Melton’s barbecue,
fruitcake and eggnog,
chocolate-peanut butter cookies,
and homemade peach ice cream.

Bookshelves are empty,
and there is no piano
in the sun parlor.
No voice or human sound,
I hear the echo of my footsteps
in halls and hollow rooms.

Lilacs Mother planted
are blooming.
I pick a flower
to press for safekeeping.

Cardinals have returned to their nest
in the Talisman rose.
Outside the breakfast room window
squirrels chatter in the oak tree
unaware of my tears.

I shut the door and turn the key.

Poets and Writers Reading Poems and Stories at JCCFS

Michelle Keller

Estelle Rice

Reading at the John C. Campbell Folk School on Thursday evening, October 16 at 7:00 PM are Michelle Keller and Estelle Rice. Michelle or Mary Mike as she is often called by her friends writes poetry, essays and short fiction. Her poem, Lace Shawl, was posted on this blog last week. She is also a painter and likes to think of her poetry as painting with words. Mary Mike is an active member of Netwest hosting Coffee with the Poets for the past year and keeping the public updated on Netwest events through local newspapers.

Estelle Rice is a native of Charlotte and lives in Marble, NC now with her husband, Nevin and a frisky pup, Bear. She recently taught a class, Writing from the Spirit Within, and donated her fees, $300, to Netwest for the new anthology. Her stories and essays have appeared in numerous journals and magazines. Her poetry chapbook, Quiet Times, published a few years ago is still selling well in local bookstores in Hayesville and Murphy, NC. Estelle also edits manuscripts and some of us who have known her for years won’t submit our work until she looks it over.

Michelle and Estelle will read after the meeting at 6:00 PM with Ed Southern in the living room of the Keith House. Plan to come and stay through the reading. These two friends and excellent writers will give the audience an entertaining and interesting hour.

Writing From The Spirit Within Workshop led by Estelle Rice

Estelle Darrow Rice, poet and writer, will teach Writing From the Spirit Within, at the Moss Memorial Library on Saturday, September 6, 9:30 - 3:30 PM.

Writing from the Spirit Within will stress the essence of our personalities which makes each of us a special individual designed by our Creator. Our goal will be to enrich our response to others and to the universe, thereby creating depth of meaning to our writing. We will use techniques to also enrich our imaginations, whether we are interested in poetry or prose. The workshop is appropriate for beginners as well as more seasoned writers.

Registration fees are $30.00 for members of NCWN West and $35 for non-members. We are not allowed to take money at the library so be sure you send a check made to NCWN West and mail to PO box 626 , Hayesville, NC 28904. For more information on the class, contact Estelle Rice at telnev@cabletvonline.net or Glenda Beall, glendabeall@msn.com.

Poets and Writers and Dreams

Some writers may not feel the need to talk and share with other writers, but the poets and writers I know absolutely love getting together to bounce ideas and information off each other. My closest friends are writers and we are so eager to share, we find ourselves interrupting each other or talking at the same time. I told Estelle Rice today that we would need an entire day for some of us to get everything said that we want to say. Estelle told me about her recent workshop on dreams. She enjoyed hearing the leader explain the spiritual psychology behind understanding our dreams. Richard Argo teaches a class on dreams at the John C. Campbell Folk School in January. It seems our dreams tell much about who we are. I need to pay more attention to my dreams, I guess.

Do you have any comments about dreams you'd like to share?