Waking Up Your Brain, a free creativity workshop with Joan Ellen Gage, Saturday, September 24, 2016, Hayesville, NC

Excerpts from NCWN-West's Coffee with the Poets & Writers, July 20, 2016, featuring Joan Ellen Gage, reading from her books for women

Women's book writer, Joan Ellen Gage read at NCWN-West's event, Coffee with the Poets and Writers, Wednesday, July 20, 2016, at the Moss Memorial Library, Hayesville, NC. Gage has written 5 books, including 4 books for women, Water Running Downhill, Embracing Your Inner Cheerleader, A Redhead Looks at 60, and Water Running Downhill, the Rose Edition, dedicated to Rose Helena Macedo Kull.

Here are links to Gage's reading:

You can see some of Joan's other work on her blogs:

www.joanellengage.com/
https://joanszoneblogalicious.wordpress.com/

Women’s Writer Joan Ellen Gage to read at Coffee with the Poets and Writers, at the Moss Memorial Library, Hayesville, NC, July 20, 2016, 10:30 AM

On July 20th, 2016, at 10:30 AM, North Carolina Writers’ Network-West member, Joan Ellen Gage, will read from her books at the Moss Memorial Library at Coffee with the Poets and Writers. Gage writes specifically for women, her writing is humorous, inspiring, and geared to midlife experiences as a woman. She highlights her writing with her, often comedic, photo-creations.

Joan’s books include Water Running Downhill, Embracing Your Inner Cheerleader, Trinity’s Adventures in Imagination, and A Redhead Looks at 60. All Gage's books are available in paperback and in eBooks. 

For more information on this event, please contact the Moss Memorial Library at 828-389-8401.


Joan's blogs:

www.joanellengage.com
joanszoneblogalicious.wordpress.com
 

Photos from NCWN-West's booth at the Festival on the Square, Hayesville, NC, July 2016

North Carolina Writers' Network West's booth at the Festival on the Square, Hayesville, North Carolina hosted poet and writer attendees including: Tom and Polly Davis, Glenda Council Beall, Mary Ricketson, Rosemary Royston, Marcia Hawley Barnes, Joan M. Howard, Lucy Cole Gratton, Janice Townley Moore, Staci Lynn Bell,Bob Grove, and Joan Ellen Gage. Below are some photos of the event.

Rosemary Royston

Glenda Council Beall

Bob Grove and Lucy Cole Gratton

Glenda Council Beall, Bob Grove, Lucy Cole Gratton, Janice Townley Moore, and Lucy Rozier. Hidden is Joan M. Howard

Tom Davis and Janice Townley Moore

Marcia Hawley Barnes

Water Running Downhill, Words of Empowerment Rose Edition, by Joan Ellen Gage, dedicated to Rose Helena Macedo Kull

Rose

Joan Ellen Gage has published an edition of Water Running Downhill!, the Rose Edition,  which is dedicated to her friend Rose. She had wanted to feature her as one of her photo creations, but never got to do that. So, the next best thing was for her to honor Rose in this book.

Rose was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on her 60^th birthday. She was a fighter, and eventually was on a monthly chemo regimen. Rose was determined to be there for her family. They lost her much too early.

So here’s to Rose, one of Joan's heroes! Here is a poem from Water Running Downhill!, the Rose Edition:

ONE TRIBE

 Have you felt

With passing years

A more pressing

Need to connect

With other women

To share observations

And laughter

To offer advice

Or garner wisdom?

Do you feel drawn

As if by a magnetic force

To be with your own kind?

For these women

Are a tribe, your tribe.

No one else will ever

Understand your struggle

As they will.

Women are our people.

When we come together

We feel a oneness

A sisterhood united.

When we come together

We are at home.

Joan Ellen Gage is an author of humor and inspiration written from her own unique perspective. Her recipe for her writing focuses on staying upbeat and laughing at her own foibles. Joan’s photos are the spice in the mix that serve to punctuate the writing and add that special garnish to her creations. 

Bio:  

Joan has written and published five books, Water Running Downhill!, Embracing Your Inner Cheerleader!, A Redhead Looks At 60, Trinity's Adventures in Imagination, and a special edition of Water Running Downhill! the Rose Edition as a tribute to her friend Rose Helena Macedo Kull. All available as eBooks.

Joan has given several author talks, and had several radio interviews. She is a member of her area’s writing group, NC Writers’ Network-West, serving as an administrator for their blog. Additionally, Ms. Gage has two blogs, Traveling at the Speed of Now, www.joanellengage.com,and A Redhead Blogs at 60!, https://joanszoneblogalicious @wordpress.com.

Joan lives in Western North Carolina with her husband and their Belgian Tervuren dog, Magnolia.

New Administrator for the Netwest Writers Blog

Recently Joan Ellen Gage moved to Warne, NC which is in Clay County where I live. Joan is now an administrator for the Netwest Writers Blog. I asked Joan for an email interview and she was gracious enough to take time to answer a few questions.

I hope our readers will take note and let Joan know we appreciate her helping us with the website and blog.

GB: Joan, I appreciate your helping with the Netwest Writers Blog. I know you have been blogging for a long time. Tell us when you started.
Joan:  I started blogging in 2009. I met you at Coffee with the Poets in Hayesville, which was at Phillips and Lloyd Bookstore. We had a conversation and you suggested that I start a blog on Google Blogger. I started my first blog shortly after, and called it: Traveling at the Speed of Now.

GB: Give us the URL for your blogs, please.
Traveling at the Speed of Now: http://www.joanellengage.com/

A Redhead Blogs at 60: http://:joanszoneblogalicious@wordpress.com

GB: Before you moved here, what kind of work did you do?
Joan: I worked as a dental hygienist from 1991 until recently. Before that I managed dental offices.
So much of the inspiration for my writing came from working with my patients and listening to their stories. I have had the pleasure of getting to know many fine people over the years.


GB: I know you recently moved to Warne, NC in Clay County. But you were a member of NCWN before you built your beautiful home and moved here, weren’t you?
Joan: Yes, I have been a member of NCWN for a while, now. What a great organization!

GB: What has been your experience with the members you have met in Netwest?
Joan: Very positive! Everyone has been so helpful and kind, especially yourself and Nancy Simpson.

GB: It is always good to find a member who will volunteer to help enhance our writing community. Were you active in a writing group in Florida?
Joan: No, there were a couple of groups and I considered joining. I can be a bit of a hermit, sometimes. Once I came home from work, I stayed home.

GB: I think you have published a couple of books. Do you want to tell us about them?
Joan: Thank you, Glenda. I have two self published books, which are poetry and photography. I write predominately for women in midlife. My books are humorous and inspirational. The first book is, Water Running Downhill! Words of Empowerment for Women in Midlife.
The second book is Embracing Your Inner Cheerleader! I have a third book that I am ready to publish, called A Redhead Looks at 60. It is in the same vein as the first two books, although it has more photography.

GB: Thank you so much, Joan, for the interview and especially for helping with the Netwest blog.
Joan: My pleasure, Glenda! I’m glad to be of help.

We want our readers to continue to send articles, your good news, your publications and readings to us at glendabeall@msn.com
 Joan and I will see that your information is posted and shared. 

POETS DRINK COFFEE AND READ POEMS AT PHILLIPS AND LLOYD BOOK STORE

Poets gathered at Phillips and Lloyd Book Shop today in the town of Hayesville, North Carolina for COFFEE WITH THE POETS, held monthly and sponsored by NC Writers Network West. Linda M. Smith welcomed all.

Nancy Simpson, the featured poet, read from her new book LIVING ABOVE THE FROST LINE, 
( Carolina Wren Press) and she discussed the meaning of "frost line." She also spoke about the theme behind much of her poetry, that we live "many lives in one life time." Simpson read five poems: "Living Above the Frost Line", "On A Mountain In An Unfinished Cabin, " Lives in One Lifetime", "Green Place", and "Frederick at the Piano". Her book is for sale at Phillips and Lloyd Book Shop, The Book Nook, and John C. Campbell Folk School.

Poet Gene Hirsch, of Pittsburgh, PA and Murphy, NC, a long time Netwest member, attended with students from his John C. Campbell Folk School Poetry Writing class. He read two poems in the open mic session and some of his students read poems.  Bob Grove also read two newly written poems.

Appalachian poet Brenda Kay Ledford of Hayesville read.

 (Brenda Kay Ledford and Blanche Ledford)

Appalachian poet Glenda Barrett of Hiawassee, Georgia read two poems.











Joan Ellen Gage, another Netwest member at large, who lives most of the year in Florida was in the neighborhood and read two poems.

Poet Maren O. Mitchell shared her delicious Nasturtium poem and gave positive energy and encouragement to all.