Carden's plays premiered Highlands Performing Arts Center

Congratulations to Gary Carden!

His new plays premiered at the Highlands Performing Arts Center this past weekend. "It was an incredibly successful event," according to Gary and we all knew it would be. He just won a Fleming Award for short story ($500). He was unable to attend the awards ceremony in Augusta, GA because he was in rehearsals for his newest play"Signs and Wonders."

The performance in Highlands included another of Carden's plays, The Bright Forever. This is a story about Shelby Jean and a young evangelical preacher in rural Georgia. "The Bright Forever" is a true story of Fanny Crosby, a blind woman who wrote 8000 hymns, including Blessed Assurance. The two theatrical pieces present a contrasting view on how religion affects people’s lives and were directed by Ronnie Spilton.

Gary Carden has been described as a storyteller with the "ability to blend humor with poignancy, a blend that allows him to bring to the reader the great themes of human existence -- love, death, bravery, fear, desire, success, failure -- without having to beat the reader over the head with these themes" by the Smoky Mountain News. Gary is also a folklorist and a storyteller. He was raised by his grandparents in Jackson County in a house filled with the past.

He says, “I grew up listening to a great deal of foolishness about 'bad blood' (mine), black Irish curses (my grandfather's) and the evils of being 'left handed' (I couldn't play a musical instrument.) I grew up with the cows, June apple trees, comic books, the Farmers' Federation and Saturday movies. My first stories I told to my grandfather's chickens in a dark chicken-house when I was six years old. My audience wasn't attentive and tended to get hysterical during the dramatic parts.”

He graduated from Western Carolina University and taught literature and drama for 15 years, worked for the Cherokee Indians for 15 years and has spent the last 15 years as a lecturer and storyteller. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from Western Carolina University in August 2008. Carden said in his commencement speech, "I couldn't get out of Appalachia quick enough" after his 1958 graduation from what was then known as Western Carolina College. "I wanted to be near theaters, book stores and nice restaurants. I wanted some culture," he said.

For 15 years, Carden worked as a teacher in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh, but as the years passed he said he became less and less happy.

Eventually, Carden came back to Sylva, NC for a visit and stopped at WCU's Mountain Heritage Center to hear a program by Southern Appalachian poet Jim Wayne Miller. Through the poems in his collection, "The Mountains Have Come Closer," Miller exhorts his readers to "come home."

"I took him literally, and I came home," Carden said. "I moved in my grandfather's house in Rhodes Cove, and for the past 40 years I've been trying - striving - to remember where I came from."

Other Carden plays and stories include "The Raindrop Waltz," "The Tannery Whistle," and "The Prince of Dark Corners."

NCWN West is grateful to Gary for the generous gift of his play, Birdell, which was presented in Murphy, NC in 2008. The ticket sales for this play were donated to NCWN West for the printing and publishing of Echoes Across the Blue Ridge. This is a good example of different forms of the arts community working together for the good of all.

Thank you, Gary, for your donation of the excellent play, Birdell.

 

 

Mitchell and Newton read poetry October 8

WRITERS’ NIGHT OUT FEATURES TWO POETS, OCTOBER 8

Writers’ Night Out will feature poets Maren O. Mitchell and Clarence Newton followed by an Open Microphone for those who’d like to share their own poetry or fiction.

The event takes place October 8 at 7:00 p.m. in Wilson Lecture Hall at Young Harris College, Young Harris, Georgia.

Maren O. Mitchell has worked as a proofreader, managed a group home, taught poetry at Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, NC, and catalogued at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. A North Carolina native, she now lives in Towns County, GA with her husband and two cats. Her poetry publishing credits include Red Clay Reader, The Richmond Broom, The Arts Journal, Appalachian Journal, The Journal of Kentucky Studies, Wild Goose Poetry Review, Southern Humanities Review and the anthology, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge.

Clarence Newton, who lives in Hiawassee, GA, puts both humor and wisdom into his writings. Once a guest writer for several newspapers, he has turned his love of writing toward poetry. He has studied under former Poet Laureate of Georgia Bettie Sellers and under poet and resident writer at John C. Campbell Folk School, Nancy Simpson. His work appears in Echoes Across the Blue Ridge. After a long career in aviation, Clarence now finds inspiration in the things of retirement, such as fishing, gardening, and birding.

Writers’ Night Out takes place the second Friday evening of every month from 7-8:30 p.m. Formerly at Mountain Perk Coffee House in Hiawassee, the event now takes place at Young Harris College in Wilson Lecture Hall, which is located in the Goolsby Center on the campus. Parking is free.

Those interested in reading at the Open Mic may sign up at the event. Each writer will have three minutes to read fiction or poetry. The evening is free and open to the public.
For more information, please contact Writers’ Night Out coordinator, Karen Holmes at (404) 316-8466 or kpaulholmes@gmail.com.

TWO LAUREATES ON THE LAM

An Evening of Southern Poetry 
Monday, October 4, 2010 at 7 PM
Wesleyan College, Benson Room
4760 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA 31210
Former North Carolina Poet Laureate and Wesleyan Alumna Kathryn Stripling Byer and current North Carolina Poet Laureate Cathy Smith Bowers, plus Macon native Robert Perry Ivey, will recite original work. This event is sponsored by the Eugenia Dorothy Blount Lamar Lecture Series, dedicated to celebrating Southern culture and recognized as the most important lecture series on Southern history and literature in the United States. Free and open to the public. 478-757-5228

Two Laureates on the Lam
Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 11:15 AM
Wesleyan College, Porter Auditorium
4760 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA 31210
Enjoy poetry readings by Former North Carolina Poet Laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer and current North Carolina Poet Laureate Cathy Smith Bowers. This event is sponsored by the Eugenia Dorothy Blount Lamar Lecture Series, dedicated to celebrating Southern culture and recognized as the most important lecture series on Southern history and literature in the United States. Free and open to the public. 478-757-5228

Poetry in Music
Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Wesleyan College, Benson Room
4760 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA 31210
Hear the beautiful poetry of Former North Carolina Poet Laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer set to music. This event is sponsored by the Eugenia Dorothy Blount Lamar Lecture Series, dedicated to celebrating Southern culture and recognized as the most important lecture series on Southern history and literature in the United States. Free and open to the public. 478-757-5228

Writing as Art in Brevard

"Writing As Art" Workshop At Quotations Cafe Conference Room, Brevard,NC
Creating and Writing Your Story Book using StoryBook Creator Plus 3


Tuesday, September 28, 1:30 PM-3:00 PM
Wireless connection for computers

This Workshop is designed for users of Creative Memories digital software or those who might be interested in seeing a demonstration of how this software works to create personal digital books of poetry, memoir writings, children and family books, art prints, photographic designs, etc.

No cost----just a cup of coffee or tea
Please confirm your attendance

Wayne Drumheller, Writer, Photographers, Self-Publishing
260 Frank's Cove Road
Brevard, NC 28712
Phone 704-287-9806 cell Phone 828-877-5133

NETWEST PICNIC AT WCU

Our annual picnic which took place on Sept. 12 on the picnic grounds at Western Carolina University, brought out some good food and even better words shared by our members and guests. Special guest Cathy Smith Bowers, our current Poet Laureate, read work from her most recent collections. She came with friend Jeff Davis, a poet from Asheville, who was in graduate school with me years ago. His blog is Natures (www.naturespoetry.blogspot.com). Give it a look. Cathy herself is learning her way around cyberspace. She now has a facebook page and is working on a website. Her New and Selected Poems will be out in November from Press 53 in Winston-Salem.

(Cathy and Jeff)



An old friend, George Ellison (www.georgeellison.com), came to visit, along with his wife, the painter Elizabeth Ellison, and treated us to some of the new work in his ongoing Permanent Camp manuscript, including a sonnet by his dog Zeke. George hopes to bring out this manuscript under his Unaka Range imprint soon. Some of you may remember the journal Unaka Range from several decades ago, its attempt to give voice to WNC poets. If so, you can see how George's new work has special resonance.

Here is Zeke's sonnet.

“If there was a dog heaven … a simulated sonnet,”

There would be mountains and valleys like these.

There would be a swift creek to drink from and wade in.

There would be bear brutes and wild hogs from hell to fight.

There would be lesser critters galore: coons weasels coyotes et al.

There would be a pinkish-white horse and a black barn cat to chase.

There would be a woman to walk with me feed me and fuss at me.

There would be a man who talks with me and writes poems about me.

There would be better company dog-wise than is presently the case.

There would be a dog like Maggie, now dead, who (or whom) I still miss.

There would be a house like this to sleep in and a deck to lie on.

There would be a tree-lined meadow across the swift creek and

a trail alongside the creek that leads into a

dark forest of smells and sounds … if there

was a dog heaven it would be like this.

Joyce and Allen Moore listen to George as he reads Zeke's sonnet.


After several readings by Nancy Simpson, Brenda Kay Ledford, Linda Smith, and others, we broke for food! Need I say more?

Dick Michener mans the book table. He looks happy!

After supper Angela Dove read from her recently published book.

Followed by Jayne Jaudon Ferrer, who drove up from South Carolina.



JC Walkup was on hand to share her fiction.



Even Lord Byron was there, charming Netwest member Deanna Klingel. I didn't want to leave him in the house on such a beautiful September afternoon. I am wondering when, or if, he will ever write a sonnet!

Thanks to all who came to this event. We hope you will continue to support Netwest in the months to come.

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge now on Amazon

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge is now available on Amazon.com thanks to William Reynolds one of the authors in the anthology and owner of the publishing company, Double Eagle Enterprises. One very positive review has been writton on Amazon. More reviews would be appreciated.
Plans are to have Echoes Across the Blue Ridge on Kindle very soon.
Click here.

Remember, the anthology can be ordered from local Independent bookstores.
City Lights Books in Sylva will take orders online.

In Brasstown, NC, Carolina Crafting carries Echoes Across the Blue Ridge.
If you live in the area or if you are attending John C. Campbell Folk School, drop by and pick up copies for gifts or for yourself. This popular gift and craft shop is located in the shops of Brasstown.

BOOK NOOK BOOK SIGNING

Bettie M. Sellers, Blanche L. Ledford, Brenda Kay Ledford, Linda M. Smith, Maren O. Mitchell, Nancy Simpson, Carole Richard Thompson, and Jo Carolyn Beebe, signed copies of ECHOES ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE on Saturday, September 18, at the Book Nook in Blairsville, GA. North Carolina Writers' Network West published the anthology and Nancy Simpson edited it. The book is available at local book stores.

THE LAST LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

I long to hold onto the last, lazy days of summer. One event that lets me do that is the Annual N.C. Writers Network West Picnic, which is held somewhere in the western North Carolina Mountains each second Sunday in September. This year the

19th annual picnic was held on the picnic grounds at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee on September 12, 2010.

The picnic was hosted by NCWN West's Program Coordinator Kathryn Stripling Byer and the Jackson County members. The food was the best ever and showed someone did some serious planning. Kathryn Stripling Byer is NC Poet Laureate Emerita. Her many books of published poetry can be bought at Louisiana State University Press and on Amazon.Com, including Black Shawl, Coming to Rest and Catching Light.

Each year the writers' network invites a special guest to read from their newly published writing or someone who has something to celebrate. This year's special guest was N.C.'s newly named Poet Laureate, Cathy Smith Bowers.

A native of South Carolina, Cathy Smith Bowers has enjoyed a long poetry career. In 1990 she received General Electric's Award for younger poets. She was named the N.C. Poet Laureate by Governor Bev Purdue and was crowned with laurels on Feb. 10, 2010 in Raleigh. NC Writers living in the Netwest area said they were honored to have her come to the far western part of the state to read and share her writing with them.

During the Open Mic session several members read a brief sample of their work: Dorothea Spiegel probably traveled the fartherest, coming from her new home in Tennessee. She read three poems, one which was included in the newly published anthology ECHOES ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE (Winding Path Publishing) . Poet Clarence Newton came from Young Harris, Georgia. Jayne Joudon Ferrer also traveled a long way from South Carolina. She read two poems, one from the new anthology, and Linda M. Smith of Hayesville read one poem from ECHOES .... Nancy Simpson read three poems from her newly published collection, LIVING ABOVE THE FROST LINE (Carolina Wren Press.) Brenda Kay Ledford of Hayesville read her title poem from her chapbook SACRED FIRE ( Finishing Line Press).

Writer Dick Michener from Waynesville manned the Members' BOOKS FOR SALE table.

It was a special day. All who were there wished for more summer days.

Glenda Barrett and Nancy Simpson will Read at the John C. Campbell Folk School

Poets and Writers Reading Poems and Stories

copy of announcement

by John C. Campbell Folk School

September 16, 2010

Reading begins at 7:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Location: Library, Keith House

Once each month, Poets and Writers Reading Poems and Stories is held at the Folk School in the Keith House Living Room. Two members of North Carolina Writers Network West read their original work for an audience of Folk School students and the community. These writers and poets come from all over the southwestern mountain area of North Carolina, north Georgia and South Carolina. The featured readers for this month's meeting are:

Glenda Barrett

Glenda Barrett, a native of Hiawassee, Georgia is an artist, poet and writer. Her paintings are on display at Fine Art America. Glenda’s writing has appeared in Woman’s World, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Farm & Ranch Living, Rural Heritage, Psychology for Living, Nostalgia, Journal of Kentucky Studies and many others. Her poetry chapbook titled, When the Sap Rises, is for sale on Amazon.com

Nancy Simpson

Nancy Simpson is one of the practicing poets who lives among us. She is the author of three collections of poetry:Across Water, Night Student, and a new book, Living Above the Frost line - Selected and New Poems (Carolina Wren Press, 2010). Nancy earned an M.F.A. in Writing from Warren Wilson College and is Resident Writer at John C. Campbell Folk School. She is a longtime member of NCWN and cofounder of NCWN West. She co-edited Lights in the Mountains and edited Echoes Across the Blue Ridge. Nancy Simpson’s poems have been published in The Georgia Review, Prairie Schooner, and in anthologies such as 100 Years of N.C. Poetry, The Poets Guide to the Birds, and Southern Poetry Review’s 50th Anniversary Anthology, Don’t Leave Hungry. Seven of her poems were reprinted in the textbook Southern Appalachian Poetry, McFarland Press.

SEE YOU AT THE BOOK NOOK

(News Article Written by Glenda Beall)

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, Stories, Essays and Poems by Writers Living in and Inspired by the Southern Appalachians, is now available at local book stores in the area. The Book Nook in Blairsville, GA will hold a book signing on Saturday, September 18, 2010, 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M

The store is located one block south of the Blairsville Square on Hwy. 19/129. Jeff Hansen, owner of the Book Nook recommends calling the store at 706-745-7076 to reserve copies of this popular book.

The anthology, edited by Nancy Simpson, author of the poetry collections, Living above the Frost Line, Night Student and Across Water, follows the theme of life in the Appalachians past and present. Many of the best writers south of Asheville and from surrounding counties in Georgia were selected for this book. Robert Morgan, educator and author of the recently published Boone and author of Gap Creek, an Oprah Book Club pick, wrote the introduction. North Carolina fiction writers Lee Smith and Ron Rash wrote tributes for the book.

Bettie Sellers, former Poet Laureate of Georgia,

Carole Thompson, published author and poet, from Blairsville

and Jo Carolyn Beebe of Hiawassee, Georgia, will be there.

Nancy Simpson, who is well-known for her years of teaching poetry and mentoring writers, and Brenda Kay Ledford award-winning poet from Hayesville, NC will be there.

Many people are purchasing the book to leave in their vacation cabin or condo for guests to enjoy. Others like the price of only $16.00 and they buy several for Christmas gifts.

A photo by Philip Sampson of Blairsville was chosen for the cover from a large number of submissions by artists and photographers throughout the southern Appalachians. Inside pictures are by Tipper Pressley of Brasstown and Seth Russell, formerly of Murphy.

Echoes across the Blue Ridge has something for every reader from short stories or non-fiction and poetry with subjects as varied as hunting dogs to reclaiming and restoring rivers.

Other well known writers with work in Echoes across the Blue Ridge are Steven Harvey, essayist and professor at Young Harris College, Kathryn Stripling Byer, former Poet Laureate of North Carolina, Gary Carden, storyteller and legendary playwright, and Thomas Rain Crow who has written and published more than twenty of his own works, including Zorro’s Field.

Come celebrate this southern Appalachian anthology at the Book Nook on Saturday, September 18th in Blairsville, Georgia.

Coffee with the Poets in Hayesville

Visitors listen to Poets at Coffee with the Poets

Poet, Maren Mitchell and Lorraine Mitchell who read for the first time.

Karen Holmes brings a smile to Clarence Newton's face.

Wednesday was Coffee with the Poets day in Hayesville at Phillips and Lloyd bookstore on the square. We had a wonderful turnout for Karen Holmes' reading. As usual she gave a stellar performance with a combination of touching and humorous poetry. Karen plans to hold a class at Writers Circle in the late fall or next spring on How to Present Your Writing Before an Audience. She has been getting lots of practice reading her poetry in Atlanta and in Asheville and Hickory, NC recently. Karen facilitates the Writers Night Out program held on the second Friday of each month in Towns County, Georgia.

Among the open mic readers this time at CWP were Carole Thompson, Netwest Rep for Georgia, Brenda Kay Ledford, Glenda Barrett, Paul Donovan, Barbara Groce, Clarence Newton, Maren Mitchell, Linda Smith, Glenda Beall and Lorraine Newton. We were pleased to have a visitor, Bob Grove from Murphy read a short piece on Charles Dickens.

Several visitors came just to listen. Glenda Beall was back as the moderator for the event.

SPIRITUAL WRITING COURSE BY PAUL DONOVAN

Paul Donovan of Murphy, NC author of a poetry book Ramblings of an Idiot, and author of other poems and stories published in anthologies and journals, is also a Reiki Master and teaches energy healing. He will hold a class at Glenda Beall's studio, Writers Circle, in Hayesville, NC on Saturday, September 25, 10 AM - 1:00 PM. on Spiritual Writing. This is the first session of his two part series and is for those who have not taken the class before.

On Saturday, October 2, he will teach the second part of the course at Writers Circle. To register for this class or to receive more information, contact Glenda Beall, glendabeall@msn.com or Paul Donovan, tarmachan_de@hughes.com.

Class fee is $30.

BOOK SIGNING

Brenda Kay Ledford attended Mary Lou McKillips' book signing Saturday, Sept. 4 at Phillips & Lloyd Book Shop in Hayesville, NC.

Mary Lou McKillip signed copies of her latest book, HARMONY AND TRUE GRIT, Saturday, September 4, at Phillips & Lloyd Book Shop in Hayesville, NC.

Blanche L. Ledford chats with Mary Lou at her book signing.

SEPTEMBER DATES FOR NCWN WEST MEMBERS - MAKE YOUR PLANS

UP TO DATE INFO for Netwest Writers and Friends:

Sept. 8, 2010 at 10:30 am. COFFEE WITH THE POETS will feature poet Karen Holmes. An open mic reading will follow. Phillips and Lloyd Bookstore on the square in Hayesville, NC Contact Glenda Beall for details.

Sept. 9, 2010 , 7:00 pm. NCWN West's monthly prose group will meet at Tri County Community College, 7:00 Enloe Building, Room 109. This is free and open to all Netwest members within driving distance. Observers are welcome.Contact Peg Russell, the workshop leader for details.

Sept. 12, 2010 at 3:00. NCWN West's 19th Annual Picnic and Open Mic Reading will be held at

Western Carolina University Picnic Grounds. The featured guest reader is N.C. Poet Laureate Cathy Smith Bowers. Contact Kathryn Stripling Byer for details.

September 16, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Poets and Writers Reading Poems and Stories (co sponsored by NCWN West and John C Campbell Folk School). Featured readers will be Glenda Barrett, author of When the Sap Rises and Nancy Simpson, author of Living Above the Frost Line.

Contact Linda Smith for details.

NEWS OF FREE FOLK SCHOOL POETRY CLASS: JCCFS has offered two free classes to the first two NCWN West members to call, someone who has not had a fee promotional class during the past year. 1800 FOLK-SCH or (828) 837-2775 $25.00 fee to register.

Robin Behn’s Class Description: “You’ve heard of a sonnet or haiku, but what about ghazal, pantoum, or renku? In this poetry class we will explore poetry forms from around the world and learn to write using these patterns, letting fresh approaches lead us to new ways of speaking and new things to say in poems. New and experienced writers welcome.”

Robin Behn is Professor of English and teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing.Her books of poetry are Paper Bird (Texas Tech University Press), winner of the Associated Writing Programs Award Series in Poetry; The Red Hour (HarperCollins), Horizon Note (University of Wisconsin Press), winner of the Brittingham Prize, Naked Writing (DoubleCross Press), and The Yellow House (Spuyten Duyvil). She is also co-editor of The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises from Poets Who Teach (HarperCollins). A recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the state arts councils of Illinois and Alabama, and the New England Review narrative poetry prize, her work appears in the Pushcart Prize anthology, Best American Poetry, and many literary journals.

Writing from Lists

Find some time to write this long Labor Day weekend. Find a quiet place even if you have to write inside a closet like Po Bronson.

If you can't think of anything to write, make a list. Make a list of anything you want - a grocery list, chore list, things you hate, things you love, words that begin with P, places you'd like to visit, names of all the trees you know. List all the houses where you have lived. Choose one and list ten things you remember about it.

Choose one item and expand on it.



Remember:

Write and don't let your hand stop or your pen lift off the paper.

Don't edit yourself. Write what you are thinking and don't stop to judge.

Give yourself permission to write an awful piece knowing you can always go back and revise it at a later date.

Read your work aloud when you are alone.

Now, wasn't this fun?


Written by Glenda C. Beall, writer, poet and teacher, owner/director of Writers Circle.