Carole Thompson - Poem accepted for publication in November

Congratulations to Carole Thompson resident of Union County, Georgia who has been a member and supporter of NCWN-West for many years.  While grieving the passing of her husband, she wrote and submitted a poem. 

Carole Thompson

This is what Carole said, "I was so pleased to receive the good news that my poem, “Sounds of Life” has been accepted for publication in the November 2021 issue of POEM , the Literary Association’s Journal out of Huntsville, AL. They only print 2 journals a year, so I was surprised I heard back from them in only a month.  Just wrote this poem a couple of months ago." 

Carole's poems, fiction, and narrative nonfiction have been published in magazines, journals, and reviews. She also published Enough, a book of poems.

Ledford's Story Published

 Brenda Kay Ledford (left) and her mom, (Blanche L. Ledford).

Brenda Kay Ledford's story about her mother, "Pennies From Heaven," has been published  on the "Daily Inspired Life," website.

dailyinspiredlife.com/nothing-can-separate-us-by-brenda-kay-ledford

Jackson County Open Mic for November--save the date!

The Jackson County group of the North Carolina Writers' Network-West, supported by the splendid City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, will host its monthly Open Mic night via Zoom at 7:15 on Friday, November 19th.  If you'd like to attend, listen, and/or read, please e-mail Jackson County reps Matt Nelson (mattnelson.poet01@gmail.com) or Catherine Carter (ccarter@email.wcu.edu) to request it.  We were Zoom-bombed last time, and though Matt's quick work evicted the trolls in less than a minute, it wasn't pretty--so if you do request and receive the link from us, please don't give it to anyone whose identity you aren't sure or, or publish it online.  Thanks!  We hope to see you in the virtual world!

Ed Southern, Guest for Writers' Night Out November 12

 Ed Southern author of the highly praised book, Fight Songs, A Story of Love and Sports in a Complicated South.

This meeting will be on Zoom so all of our members will be able to attend. Get your questions ready for Ed. This is his fourth book.

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 

Lorraine Bennett, native of western North Carolina, writes a thriller

Lorraine Bennett

Congratulations to Lorraine Bennett who has written a psychological thriller titled Cat on a Black Moon. It is the story of an Atlanta television anchorwoman who is being stalked by a cult run by a sinister and deranged ex-flower child from the 1960s. For those who read thrillers, this fits the bill.

Lorraine signed a contract with New York publishing company, Austin Macauley (London, Cambridge, NY, United Arab Emirates and e-books) to publish her novel. This is a hybrid publishing company where many first-time authors have found success. 

Lorraine grew up in Murphy, NC, graduated with her high school class journalism medal and received a scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill. 

Her career began on the Atlanta Journal where she covered news and met her husband. His job took them west. She was hired by the Los Angeles Times and became the newspaper’s first woman to head a domestic bureau.

The Bennetts returned to Atlanta and she joined fledgling CNN as a news writer. She became copy editor, producer, and editorial manager before ending her career at CNN International.
She retired in 2006 and built a farmhouse on Martins Creek family land. She is writing a sequel to her first novel. 

We look forward to learning more about Lorraine's book and her publishing journey.

Brenda Kay Ledford's Poetry Published

 Brenda Kay Ledford's poetry, ""Ode to the Sunflower," and "Frozen," were published in Poets' Espresso Review, Summer 2021 issue.  This journal is a San Joaquin Delta College Writers' Guild Publication.

For more information:  www.poetsespressoreview.com

Patricia Ann Mayorga, editor-in-chief

Poets' Espresso Review

Jackson County Open Mic Friday, October 22nd, 7:15, on Zoom

 The Jackson County group of the North Carolina Writers' Network-West, supported by the splendid City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, will host its monthly Open Mic night via Zoom at 7:15 on Friday, October 22nd.  If you'd like to attend, listen, and/or read, please e-mail Jackson County reps Matt Nelson (mattnelson.poet01@gmail.com) or Catherine Carter (ccarter@email.wcu.edu) to request it.  We were Zoom-bombed last time, and though Matt's quick work evicted the trolls in less than a minute, it wasn't pretty--so if you do request and receive the link from us, please don't give it to anyone whose identity you aren't sure or, or publish it online.  Thanks!  We hope to see you in the virtual world!

Opportunity: Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poetry Series

 The North Carolina Poetry Society offers students (and one adult) in our area a semester of free one-on-one study with a respected poet through the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series, which provides mentors for emerging poets between January and May of 2022.

 

Distinguished Poet Dr. Kenneth Chamlee will work with four aspiring poets, ideally one from middle school, high school, and college, plus an adult selected from 32 counties in western North Carolina. This period of individual study and critique culminates in a reading with the Distinguished Poet and the other students, usually at Western Carolina University during the annual Spring Literary Festival. 

 

If you all know of a middle school, high school, or college student who's really interested in writing poetry, please encourage them to apply!  And if you're an adult poet who'd enjoy this opportunity, please apply yourself!  The deadline for  applications is November 15, 2021.  Find more information on the application process at https://www.ncpoetrysociety.org/gcdps/. Email applications to caleb.gcdps@gmail.com, or mail applications to:

 

Caleb Beissert

Attn: Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series

123 Forest Hill Drive

Asheville, NC 28803

 

Oct 8 Seattle Poet: Online Reading, Discussion, and Open Mic

Writers' Night Out - Oct 8, 7 p.m. Online Reading + Discussion... + Open Mic via ZOOM "What teaching poetry to children has taught me about writing." with Debby Bacharach, poet, editor, & teacher

Debby Bacharach is the author of Shake & Tremor (Grayson Books, 2021) and After I Stop Lying (Cherry Grove Collections, 2015).   Her poems and essays have been published in journals nationally and internationally, including Midwest Quarterly, Poetry Ireland Review, Vallum, Cimarron Review, New Letters, and Poet Lore, and she has received a Pushcart prize honorable mention.  Debby has been the featured reader at poetry readings in Boston, Oberlin, Seattle, South Bend, and Minneapolis. Educated at Swarthmore College and the University of Minnesota, Debby lives in Seattle with her family. She is a college writing instructor, editor, and tutor and teaches poetry workshops for children.  Find out more about her at DeborahBacharach.com. For Zoom link and Open Mic sign-up, email  Glenda: glendabeall@msn.com Writers' Night Out is a North Carolina Writers' Network-West event on the second Friday of every month. We will continue via Zoom for now.    Sometime we hope to continue in person at our new location: The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge  so please check your email.   But don't wait, join the fun and camaraderie on Zoom!  Upcoming guests: Nov 12: Ed Southern, NCWN Executive Director & Author Ed's new book is Fight Songs: A Story of Love & Sports in a Complicated South December, January, February: winter break