MOUNTAIN WOMAN: MY FIRST MEMORY

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: MY FIRST MEMORY

Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel submission deadline

Pauletta Hansel

Folks, this is a literary magazine, not a construction site, though I guess we could call writing "construction", couldn't we. Pauletta Hansel, a fine mountain poet with a new book out from Wind Publications, is editor.  She asked me to help spread the word.  I hope some members will submit work.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Volume 15: The Mountains Have Come Closer
In 1980, Jim Wayne Miller’s “The Mountains Have Come Closer,” gave voice to one of Appalachian poetry’s lasting personas, “The Brier,” who pondered and preached and opined, much as Jim did, on the tension inherent in being of and from Appalachia in the late twentieth century. As we mark the 15th anniversary of his passing, we invite you to ponder and preach and offer your literary opinion on the ways in which the mountains have come closer, even as, perhaps, we have moved farther, or further, away. Possible permutations might include reflections on ancestry, migration, mountaintop removal, images of Appalachia in pop culture… You also might take this as an opportunity to read or re-read any of Jim Wayne’s books. But we aren't asking for new Brier poems. We ask only for your own exploration of Jim Wayne’s resonating metaphor: maybe, like the Brier, you'll find something you didn't even know you had lost. (Southern Appalachian Writers' Cooperative ------Visit the SAWC Web Site  www.sawc.us)

What to send:
Send a cover letter with your name, address, phone, email address, a short bio (50 words or less), and a list of the titles submitted. Poets, please limit submissions to 5 poems or 10 pages. Prose writers, limit submissions to 5,000 words. Artists, send any 2D art, including black and white drawings, photos, comics, etc., that can be scaled effectively to a digest-sized page. Series formats are welcome. Submissions will not be returned.

Where to send it:
Send electronic submissions to: pmsg.journal@gmail.com
We prefer electronic submissions, but please only send your work pasted directly into the email message or as a Word or PDF attachment. No funky formats, please.

Send regular submissions (include SASE for reply) to:
Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel
c/o Pauletta Hansel
1266 Avon Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45229

Deadline: November 1, 2011

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: PEPPER POT SOUP

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: PEPPER POT SOUP

PAUL GREEN AWARD

Brenda Kay Ledford and Blanche L. Ledford received the 2011 Paul Green Award from North Carolina Society of Historians for their book, SIMPLICITY. The Award's Ceremony was held on Saturday, October 22, 2011, at the Hilton Garden Inn located in Mooresville, NC.

This is the fifth time Brenda Kay Ledford has received the Paul Green Award for her work. She won it for her poetry books: PATCHWORK MEMORIES, SHEWBIRD MOUNTAIN, SACRED FIRE, and for collecting oral history on Velma Beam Moore. www.brendakayledford.com and http://blueridgepoet.blogspot.com.

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: ROOTED

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: ROOTED

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: BLACK LUNG, by R. T. Smith

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: BLACK LUNG, by R. T. Smith

City Lights Coffee with the Poet, October 20th

City Lights Bookstore's ColorFest Artist is Terry Michelsen. Hear her read her poetry at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, October 20th when she'll be featured at our monthly Coffee with the Poet. See her (along with many other visual artists, throughout downtown Sylva) demonstrate her pastel technique on Saturday, Oct. 22nd, 2011, the third annual ColorFest.

The monthly event gathers every third Thursday and is co-sponsored by NetWest.

NCWN-W PICNIC

North Carolina Writers' Network-West held an annual picnic and celebrated their 20th anniversary on Sunday afternoon, October 16, at the Clay County Recreational Park on the banks of beautiful Lake Chatuge in Hayesville, North Carolina. It was indeed a splendid fall day.

Scott Owens signs a copy of his poetry book. He was the featured poet this year at the picnic. Everyone enjoyed his outstanding poetry reading.

Rosemary Royston, program coordinator for NCWN-W, did a great job organizing the picnic. She also introduced the writers who read their work.

Susan Anderson looked super wearing her lovely scarf to the picnic. She shared her excellent poem with those who attended the picnic.

Shirley Uphouse read a heart-warming story about a dog.

Paul Donovan listens to the poetry readings at the picnic.

Nancy Simpson purchased a copy of Scott Owens's poetry book.

Maren Mitchell and her husband attended the picnic. She shared her wonderful work with us.

Linda Smith dressed in fall colors read a great poem at the picnic.

Karen Paul Holmes looked lovely wearing her hat to the picnic. She shared a poem about being in the moment when she attended college.

Judy and Bob Grove. He read a humorous story about his high school teacher.

Janice Moore, English professor at Young Harris College, read an image-filled poem about snow.

Carole Thompson and her husband, Norm. She read a beautiful poem about fall.

Brenda Kay Ledford read her poem, "Art Quilting," at the NCWN-W picnic. She wrote the poem after taking Scott Owens's workshop at the Writers' Circle on October 15.

Dedication of Bay Leaves now online

The Poetry Council of North Carolina dedicated its annual anthology Bay Leaves to Nancy Simpson, co-founder of NCWN West and editor of Echoes Across the Blue Ridge. Read the dedication on the site of the Poetry Council.
http://poetrycouncilofnc.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/bay-leaves-2011-p_1_15.pdf

Congratulations, Nancy, for an honor well-deserved.

Coffee with the Poets October Photos

On October 12th, Coffee with the Poets at Cafe Touche in Hayesville featured Carole Richard Thompson. She offered a selection of poems filled with humor, insight and beauty. At open mic we heard several newcomers, Dot James and Ralph Wethli, along with regular readers. A sizeable group of fifteen thoroughly enjoyed the morning.



Carole Thompson, poet and writer with her ever-loving Norm




Part of the group at Coffee with the Poets on Wednesday 10/12/11

Text and photo by Maren Mitchell who hosted this month's reading

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Netwest Celebrates 20 Years!

On Sunday, October 16, 2011, 2 pm, NC Writers Network-West or Netwest will celebrate its 20th anniversary! All members and anyone interested in learning more about Netwest are invited. The picnic will be in Hayesville, NC, at the Clay County Park (pavilion by the water). The featured reader/speaker is NC poet, Scott Owens. All those attending should bring a covered dish, chair, and drink (plates, napkins, and silverware will be provided). The meal will be followed by brief remarks from Program Coordinator Rosemary Royston, a reading from Scott Owens, and then open mike. Readings for the open mike session should consist of ONE PAGE of prose or two short poems per person. Time limit is 2.5 minutes. In order to accommodate as many readers as possible, please time your piece before reading. Please join us -- and encourage anyone you know that may be interested in Netwest to attend, also.

Award Winning Poet at Writers' Night Out

Scott Owens of Hickory, NC, will be the featured reader on October 14 at Mountain Perk Coffee House in Hiawassee. The free event begins at 7 p.m. and also includes an open microphone for those who’d like to share their own poetry or prose.

Owens is the recipient of awards from the Academy of American Poets and the Pushcart Prize Anthology. He has authored eight collections of poetry and over 900 poems published in journals including Georgia Review, North American Review, Chattahoochee Review, Southern Poetry Review, and Poetry East among others. He is the founder of Poetry Hickory, editor of Wild Goose Poetry Review and 234, and vice president of the Poetry Council of NC. Born and raised in Greenwood, SC, Owens teaches at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, NC.

Each open microphone reader has two minutes and can sign up at the door to read. The evening also includes music provided by a local musician.

Writers’ Night Out takes place on the second Friday of each month and is open to the public. The event draws approximately 30 people from four counties. Mountain Perk Coffee House is located at 1390 Highway 76 East in Chatuge Harbor Plaza across from Towns County High School. Food, gourmet coffees and other refreshments are available for purchase.

Photo from Indian Summer Festival

Joan Howard, right, sent this photo taken at the Indian Summer Festival in Suches recently. You can tell the weather was cold and windy. See a brochure on the ground.

Others in photo are Glenda Beall standing left behind Robert S. King.

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: RESOURCES

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MOUNTAIN WOMAN: Guest Blogger: Julie Brooks Barbour

MOUNTAIN WOMAN: Guest Blogger: Julie Brooks Barbour

THE ANTHOLOGY, ECHOES ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE FLEW OFF THE BOOK TABLE INTO HANDS OF READERS at the Indian Summer Festival in SUCHES, GEORGIA, According to a Report From NCWN West Georgia Representative Carole Richard Thompson.

Hello, Everyone:  Thanks to each of you for your great help this weekend at the Festival in Suches.  Norm and I could not have done it without you.  It may not be a record, but we did sell 9 Echoes on Saturday, which was like a sunny blizzard, if you can understand what that means, and on Sunday, which was a little warmer, but still windy, we actually sold 5 more, totalling 14, which adds up to $196 at our Festival Reduction Price of $14.  I just sent the money off to Newt Smith with a little note.  I told him if I won the Lotto, I'd buy a very sturdy tent for Netwest to use at Festivals, because just being there can be so much fun. 

     Despite the cold and wind, Norm and I got the biggest kick out of looking at people and their kids and dogs going by, tents turning over, especially when, on Sunday, the nice guy selling lemonade caught the brunt of a mini tornado and his umbrella, stuck in the ground to add ambiance, pulled out of the ground and flew over to my tent, the steel pole side-glancing my head.  This, after just hearing on TV that one should be very careful to protect one's head, as studies have now shown that it might be a factor in onset of Alzheimer's somewhere along the line.  He had just brought me over lemonade that morning to show his appreciation to me for bandaging up his finger, which was cut somehow Saturday when his tent blew over the first time.  I had, also, along with several other people, set about picking up several dozens of his scattered lemons. 

    One of our poets, Judy Burch, was there with her husband, serving up lots of delicious barbeque to the hungry crowd.  Judy said it was a bit colder and windier than usual, but, some years it was just perfect.  Judy's farm was just over the hill, so she should know.They do have perfect fried pies, hot off the fire, and undescribably delicious funnel cakes. (Well, Robert and Norm minded the store and let Maren and me walk around some.  Maren found a basket that we both wanted, but that will have to wait til another day and another Indian Summer Festival in Suches.

 Kudos to the fine folks who live there and work hard every year to raise money for their brave little Woody Gap School, which turns out some some fine High School graduates every year.  Union County is very proud of Woody Gap School, located in Suches, elv. about 3,400 ft in a beautiful "Valley Above the Clouds."  Suches is the only town in Union County, other than Blairsville.

    Thanks for hanging in there with this long email.  I just enjoyed the whole experience so much.  Love, Carole Thompson

POETS - MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR GEORGIA POETRY SOCIETY, Register For Lunch

Rosemary Royston, Janice Moore, Nancy Simpson

GEORGIA POETRY SOCIETY COMING TO YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE 

FOR THEIR ANNUAL MEETING

Georgia Poetry Society will sponsor a Poetry Writing Workshop and Poetry Reading by poet Nancy Simpson at their all day annual meeting at Young Harris College October 29, 2011. Also scheduled to read that day is GPS member Janice Townley Moore. 

This event is especially important event for our poets living and writing in Georgia.

Georgia Poetry Society offers workshops, contests and opportunities to publish.

Carole Richard Thompson will Read Wednesday at Coffee with the Poets



Carole Thompson, writer and poet, Netwest Rep for GA

 Coffee with the Poets and Writers meets Wednesday, October 12, 10:30 a.m. at Café Touché in Hayesville, NC. Featured this month is poet and writer, Carole Richard Thompson.
Twenty-one years ago Carole and her husband moved to Blairsville, in the North Georgia mountains. After many years as a portrait painter, she began to study writing, and joined the North Carolina Writers' Network. She credits her love for writing to her friend and mentor, Nancy Simpson, whose classes in creative writing and poetry have been her greatest source of inspiration.

Her first short story, "A Bag of Sugar for Paula," was published in The Liquorian Magazine, and also the anthology, Christmas Presence, published by Catawba Press. Her story, "The Uniform" appeared in the anthology, Clotheslines, published by Catawba Press.

Carole's poems have been anthologized in A Sense of Place, published by Southeast Writers Association, Echoes across the Blue Ridge, published by Winding Path Publishing and Women's Places, Women's Spaces by Stone Ivy Press. Poems, "The Party's Over," and "36 Hours" were published in Wild Goose Poetry Review.

The public is invited to come and meet Carole, and read their original poems or short prose at open mike.

Café Touche, 82 Main Street, serves the best coffee in town and no one wants to leave without having a delicious muffin.

Contact Glenda Beall 828-389-4441 for information.

This event is free and is sponsored by NCWN West also known as Netwest, a chapter of the North Carolina Writers' Network.