Learning to Live with the Cows

by Janice Townley Moore

I did not want them to come here,
afraid of their large square heads
some with horns,

their soft eyes no recompense.

So I keep my distance,
glimpse them from the kitchen window
as they saunter to the watering tub.

I watch them at the fence
and for the first time see
what the grass is greener really means.

I learn that all those painted cows
in distant fields
were moving their mouths.

I learn that trees are for
scratching up against.

And on dull winter afternoons
I imagine that the cows rise
from what is left of the grass,
dance to a music I do not hear,

something basso and sprightly
seeping from their udders,
sailing out of their horns.

Learning to Live with the Cows is in Janice's chapbook, Teaching the Robins, published by Finishing Line Press, 2005.

New Anthology Showcases Fourteen Women Writers of Henderson County

New Book Showcases Talent of
Fourteen Henderson County Women

A new Christmas anthology from Catawba Publishing features stories, poems and artwork from 14 Henderson County residents.
Titled Christmas Presence: from 45 western North Carolina women writers, the book includes holiday reflections, short fiction and poems. Edited by Celia Miles and Nancy Dillingham, both of Asheville, the material in the collection is set in a range of locations—from Appalachia to wartime Britain.
Cover art for the book (front and back) is from original watercolors by long-time Hendersonville resident Nancy Elliott Irving. Henderson County authors and poets whose work appears in the book are Sherry Austin, Joan Blessing, Dare Ford, Marian Gowan, Lana Hendershott, Exie Henson, Jessica Heriot, Karen Jackson, Polly Kent, Martha O’Quinn, Susan Snowden, Tonya Staufer and Cecily Wells.
Women writers from Buncombe, Haywood and Transylvania counties also contributed to the anthology.
Christmas Presence may be purchased at area book stores or by ordering from Catawba Publishing in Charlotte (http://www.catawbapublishing.com/; 704-717-8452). 221 pages; $18; ISBN 978-1-59712-259-7. For more information contact the editors at celiamiles@fastmail.fm or nandilly@earthlink.net.

submitted by: Susan Snowden ssnowden1@juno.com

Coffee With the Poets in Hayesville

The monthly gathering of poets and those who enjoy poetry and socializing will not be held in November, December or January. We will have our first CWP on the Second Wednesday of February, 2009.

Watch for a surprise guest to be announced later.

contests for fiction writers

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS/NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL FICTION CONTESThttp://www.tennesseewilliams.net/contest ---$20 ENTRY FEE Grand Prize $1,500
VIP Festival Pass ($500 value), March 25-29, 2009
Publication in the New Orleans Review
Domestic Airfare and Accommodations to attend
Public Reading
Second Prize: $200, a Public Reading, and Festival Pass.Third Prize: $100, a Public Reading, and Festival Pass.
Short stories, written in English, up to 7,000 words.Deadline: November 15, 2008 (postmark). Only open to writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Stories must be previously unpublished.
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HACKNEY SHORT STORY AND POETRY AWARDShttp://www.bsc.edu/events/writing-today/hackney.htm---$10 ENTRY FEE
The winners will be announced at the conference on March 13-14, 2009. Length not to exceed 5,000 words per story.
Poetry not to exceed 50 lines per entry. Deadline December 31, 2008. Awards $5,000 in annual prizes for poetry and short fiction, ($2,500 national and $2,500 state level; 1st place, $600; 2nd place, $400; and 3rd place, $250).

WNC Women Writers featured in "Christmas Presence" an anthology of stories that come from places as varied as Great Britain to the Appalachains.

10-12:00, Nov. 8, Curiosity Shop, 48 Valley River Ave., Murphy (835-7433)---with Nancy Sales Cash; Carole, Barbara, Brenda, others in the area, please come and join us; also 1:00-3:00 in Andrews, Curiosity Shop.

This book will make a wonderful Christmas Gift.

Christmas Anthology of WNC Women writers

Thanks to editors Celia Miles and Nancy Dillingham, forty-five western North Carolina women writers have had their Christmas stories, poetry, essays, or memoirs, published in an anthology titled "Christmas Presence." It is a beautifully bound book "filled with the unique voices of women writers who have roots in and connections to western North Carolina. These works add seasoning to the cultural landscape of a region already rich in custom and lore. Most of the writers are members of the NCWN and include Glenda Barrett, Celia Miles, Nancy Dillingham, Dee Dee Parker, Nancy Purcell, Susan Snowden, Barbara Ledford Wright, Lana Hendershott, to name a few. The book, "Christmas Presence," can be ordered from Catawba Publishing Company at (704) 717-8452 or http://www.catawbapublishing.com/. It will be available in local book stores and if not, they can get it for you. ISBN #: 978-1-59712-259-7. The stories will bring back fond holiday memories and the book would make a fine gift for a reading friend.

The signings are listed below--jus ignore the first two. We're hoping for an Osondu signing in Waynesville and one in Marshall.


AUTHOR EVENTS
10-12:00, Oct. 25, Highland Books, 277 N. Broad St., Brevard, NC ( 884-2424)---in conjunction with the college's homecoming, Celia with Nancy Purcell (and Lana Hendershott read) and former dean/author E. Roberts (sold 12 books and the store kept 8, plus sold 10 of my two novels)
10-3:00, Nov. 1, Sanctuary of Stuff, Farm N Art, Woodfin, NC---a first time, long-day event; come and see us

11-1:00, Nov. 7, AB Tech, Holly Library (254-1921)--refreshments

10-12:00, Nov. 8, Curiosity Shop, 48 Valley River Ave., Murphy (835-7433)---with Nancy Sales Cash; Carole, Barbara, Brenda, others in the area, please come and join us; also 1:00-3:00 in Andrews, Curiosity Shop.

6:00, Nov. 19, Accent on Books, 854 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, (252-6255)--Byron Ballard arranged this; all who wish to read, please let us know
1-5:00, Nov. 29, Mountain Made, Grove Arcade, downtown Asheville (350-0307)--come by and visit; we'll be outside the store--and at Mountain Lore in Hendersonville 10:00-11:30)

2-4:00, Dec. 2, Hendersonville Library--Sherry Austin will be moderating this event; refreshments offered; all you H'ville writers, let us know if you wish to read; a two-hour slot but an hour or so of readings should be sufficient. Susan Snowden is doing publicity in Henderson County.

12-3:00, Dec. 6, Book Fair, McDowell Public Library, Old Fort--this event was formerly held in the historic Carson House; Julia N. Duncan will read; others welcome

10:45, Dec. 10, Givens Estates, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road (274-4800)--Mary Lou Welther arranged this event; we're hoping those authors/storytellers nearby will participate

Authors' bios reveal they have more than 45 published books among them.




This article by Nancy Purcell, Netwest Rep from Transylvania County, Brevard, NC

Red Hills of Georgia

Today on a trip south toward Atlanta, I marveled at the fresh crisp color on the foot hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our color in southwestern North Carolina has peaked in most places. The mountains north of my home are colored like a can of ten penny nails left out a week in the rain. But as I drove on this exquisite fall day through Young Harris, Blairsville, Blue Ridge and Elijay, my vistas of rolling hills and peaks reminded me of bright cranberries spilled on a blue plate of sky. Very little yellow or gold, but rounded humps of red bordered the highway curling and twinning through small towns, and quiet pastures.

New member of Netwest

Emilee Hines, Author

Though she is a native Virginian, Emilee Hines finds she is always learning new and interesting things about the history of her home state. She is a graduate of Lynchburg College and has a master's degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has taught in Virginia and Kenya. She enjoys writing, traveling, and exploring western North Carolina in her Mustang.
Her books are available via Amazon.com and
PublishAmerica

Contact author at emilee@emileehines.com
http://www.emileehines.com/
Member of North carolina Writers Network

Common Cup features Brenda Kay Ledford

Poet, Brenda Kay Ledford of Hayesville, NC, is being featured on Channel 4, cable TV from Windstream in north Georgia. On this program, she is interviewed by Jim Geer, host of the program, Common Cup, a show that highlights community events and local people of interest.



Brenda discusses her mountain heritage and how Nancy Simpson started her on the road to writing her award winning poetry. The cover design of Brenda Kay's collection, Sacred Fire, published by Finishing Line Press, comes from her own photograph of the historical courthouse on the square located in Hayesville.



This show on Common Cup will be shown several times each day for a week. Readers in north Georgia mountains and in Clay County can see it if they subscribe to Windstream Cable TV.

Sacred Fire on sale at Phillips and Lloyd books in Hayesville, NC and the John C. Campbell Folk School gift shop. Order online from Finishing Line Press.

Where I'm From

I am from patchwork quilts,
from Lava soap and lavender.
I am from the red plank house,
clay dirt baking in the sun.
I am from the jonquils,
the queen pippin,
fried apple pies.
I'm from storytelling,
from Granddaddy Bob and Uncle Bill.
I'm from farmers
plowing cornfields with mules,
hard-working, Appalachian folks.

I'm from a chapel in the woods,
shape-note music,
a circut-riding Methodist preacher,
the King James Bible.

I'm from Hyatt Mill Creek,
cornbread and buttermilk.
From Great-Granddaddy Dallas Matheson
planting a peach orchard
on Shewbird Mountain.

In my closet is a shoebox
spilling old pictures,
Scots-Irish ancestors,
my Cherokee Indian grandmother.
I am from the Blue Ridge Mountains
of western North Carolina,
scraps of history pieced
into a Lone Star quilt.
--Brenda Kay Ledford

Blog Class

Kay Lake (center standing) teaches computer classes to Netwest members in Hayesville, NC

Netwest hosted a free class on building a blog and eleven attendees are bloggers tonight. The group met with instructor Kay Lake at the Moss Library in Hayesville, NC today. They varied in range of experience from some who had never seen a blog to one who helps friends with websites. Within in a short time energy filled the room, and once the initial fear of the process passed, the new bloggers took to the keyboards like chickens pecking corn. Brenda Kay Ledford was the first to post to the Netwest blog. I'm sure we will see more from her in the near future.

As the internet grows in importance in the life of writers, and all people around the world, we must keep up with technology, no matter our age. Younger generations have set the pace and it is a fast one.

I heard more than one "damn" and "I can't, I just can't" today, but the frustration soon gave way to feelings of accomplishment and pride. As Kay Lake told us today, learning new things builds dendrites which connect cells in our brains. Stroke victims are often prescribed computer lessons to heal and rehab the brain

What better way than to build a blog and write every day? More senior adults use computers on a regular basis than younger folk. Of course the younger ones have gone on to more sophisticated technology than email and google research.

Today I was told I should subscribe to Skype. Guess that is the next project I'll try in order to increase my dendrites.

Silas House, a lover of language

If you don't know of Silas House, click on his blog, A Country Boy Can Surmise, and read his most recent post. Go to Wikipedia to learn more about House and his award winning novels.

I not only plan to order his book, Clay's Quilt, as soon as possible, but I have to read Gilead, Home and Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson because House writes so beautifully about each one.

Book Signing

Brenda Kay Ledford will sign copies of her poetry chapbook, SACRED FIRE, on November 1 at Mountain Regional Library in Young Harris, 10:00AM--12:00 PM. Refreshments will be served.

A National Treasure , Gary Carden

The following letter is from Elizabeth Hay of Andrews, NC

Gary Carden appeared Friday, October 17, at the Valleytown Cultural Arts Center in Andrews NC as the centerpiece for their annual week long Chautauqua event. He had the audience completely entranced with his presentation of "Blow the Tannery Whistle," a series of short stories of his childhood experiences and memories.
No one can capture and/or portray the Appalachian character like Gary can. The man should be declared a national treasure. He had the audience totally captivated, but more to the point, the man is authentic. He understands and conveys mountain ways without making fun or getting a cheap laugh.
We have had our Chautauqua for seven years now, and have had one of Gary's plays every year.He was kind enough to come in person this year. I don't know how we are going to top that one. We are honored that he would come, and he walked away with our hearts, as he always does.

To get your own DVD of Gary's stories, contact him at:gcarden@aol.com or click here

Ed Southern North Carolina Writers Network Director Visits Netwest

Ed Southern, Executive Director for the North Carolina Writers’ Network, parent organization of Netwest, made a quick but effective visit to the western part of North Carolina to meet with writers in Sylva at City Lights Books and in Brasstown at the John C. Campbell Folk School on Thursday, October 16. We asked those attending what Netwest and NCWN can do for them as writers and heard from some who had questions about publishing and some who want to know how to find markets outside their local areas. In attendance were bloggers, playwrights, haiku poets, novelists, Appalachian historians and beginning writers at the meeting in Sylva. It was agreed that social activities among writers is important and a possible breakfast group is on the horizon in Jackson County.

At the Folk School, a number of Netwest members held a casual question and answer session with Ed. Topics ranged from teleconferencing possibilities in the future to the history of Netwest. Ed brought the face of NCWN to the far southwestern part of the state. He met members who are well-published, active and enthusiastic about writing and about Netwest. His visit encouraged members to continue with the fine literary organization that has been ongoing for years and he assured us that funding from NCWN is forthcoming. Members were delighted to hear him say that he’d like to see chapters like Netwest all across North Carolina. It was obvious that Netwest likes Ed Southern and Ed Southern respects Netwest.