Big News from NCWN-West member, Bob Brooks

 Dear Writers:

With glee, I share the press release announcing the publication (actually the ebook only at the moment) of my espionage novel Clean Copy.  Many of you have participated in the honing of this work, a first novel I began over twenty years ago.  Some may recall that the bad guys were originally from Japan.  Time marches on.

Press Release Clean Copy

Local Author Releases Fourth Novel

Pisgah Forest, NC resident Bob Brooks has released his fourth novel Clean Copy on 15 June 2021.  Published by Next Chapter Publishing, London, U.K. as a digital book to be followed by print and audible versions, Clean Copy is a fiction work spanning several genres, including thriller, espionage, and science fiction. 

“This is a tale for the reader who likes action and adventure,” said Brooks.  “In my short promotion pitch for Clean Copy, I capture this notion: The science of brain-recording and modification sparks international espionage, kidnapping, and murder.  And salvation by a robot.

Clean Copy is highly topical, dealing with the theft of technology by China, a topic in the daily news.  In this fictional treatment, the technology leads to modification of human behavior, an achievement that could transform society and transform military capabilities. 

 “The challenge was to capture this cerebral threat in a personal tale of interest to my readers,” Brooks said.  “I made this a story of Peter Valois, who leads a comfortable life as a scientist on a hot project recording brains in a San Diego company.  Staying on the straight and narrow has given him a comfortable life until his druggie teenage son forces risk-taking.  Especially when a ruthless but alluring spy Antoinette Marino uses the son for blackmail.”

Brooks has been writing since college and seriously in retirement.  His short stories in the science fiction, fantasy, and mystery categories have appeared in printed and ezine formats, including Bewildering Stories, Aurora Wolf, Quantum Muse, and The Great Smokies Review. 

Leo Publishing published his first novel, a fantasy entitled Justi the Gifted, in 2015, and this was followed in 2017 by The Clown Forest Murders (Black Opal Books), a mystery co-authored with A.C. Brooks.  

The third novel The Gifted Spawn (Escarpment Press) appeared in 2021.  He is a member of The Appalachian Roundtable, The Blueridge Writers Group, and NC Writers Network.  He is a judge for the Eric M. Hoffer Awards for small and independent published books and served as judge for Brevard Little Theater’s play competition.  His website is www.brooks-authors.com.

Brooks’ novels are available in paperback and electronic versions from booksellers.  Paperbacks can be ordered from your local bookstore.

 

Take a look:

Digital book Amazon Clean Copy

http://mybook.to/cleancopy

Tennessee Member, Michael Cody

The NCWN-West program includes writers in eastern Tennessee. Michael Amos Cody, a native of North Carolina, is a member of NCWN and lives and works in Johnson City, TN. He contacted us about his membership. Michael has a new book out and it looks interesting published by Pisquah Press. 

He lives with his wife Leesa in Tennessee and teaches in the Department of Literature and Language at East Tennessee State University.
Email Michael and welcome him to NCWN-West.

My new collection of short fiction--A Twilight Reel: Stories--is coming out this week (scheduled to be featured on NCWN Book Buzz on June 21). The stories are all set in the historical-fictional town of Runion, NC. This community existed on the French Broad River between Marshall and Hot Springs back in the early 20th century. I've recreated it as the setting for most of my fiction.

Learn more about Michael Cody here.

Michael Amos Cody      PO Box 70279     Johnson City, TN 37614

(423) 747-3460

michaelamoscody@gmail.com

Poet, Maren Mitchell writes and publishes poetry

 Our Netwest Rep in Georgia, Maren Mitchell has been creating and publishing poetry. The following are published or going to be published soon. Congrats, Maren. 

POEM: "On reflection," and "Camouflage" in the May issue.

The Lake (UK): "Two is the ideal number" and "The problem I have with the present" currently online in the June issue.

 

Slant: A Journal of Poetry: "Daily we say goodbye" in the summer (annual) issue.

Twelve Mile Review: "Leftovers and Aging Vegetables" in the first issue of this new journal.

Cider Press Review: "Depression, Viewed Objectively" and "Fecundity" in the August issue (online).

Comstock Review: "My End Plan" in August in their 35th Anniversary Issue. 

Terrapin Books' The Strategic Poet: "In Praise of the Potato"

Chiron Review: "Lost and Found" in an upcoming issue. 

Tar River Poetry: "Bears, Ants and Avocados" in the Spring Issue.

Congratulations to Randy Mazie who has been busy during the pandemic

 NCWN-West member, Randy Mazie says, "I have several poems in the pipeline."

1.  Georgia Poetry Society, 2020 Member Excellence Contest, Honorable Mention, for Draining Lake Nottely.
2.  Georgia Poetry Society, The Non-Sense Poetry Award, Honorable Mention, for the discussion of nonce at the poetry roundtable 

Both poems will be included in the Georgia Poetry Society's Anthology, Reach of Song, to be published later this year.

        3. The Orchards Poetry Journal has accepted Chattahoochee Renewal: the Ordination of Spring for its 2021 summer issue.

        4. Gyroscope Review has accepted visions of potpourri dance in my head for its 2021 summer issue.

Writers' Night Out - Come ZOOM with us, June 11 at 7 pm

Please join us for 

P.C. Zick
a writer with a passion for sharing
& helping other writers

Writers' Night Out via Zoom

June 11, 7 pm
Reading & Discussion + Open Mic

P.C. Zick’s passion for sharing her stories and helping aspiring writers realize their dreams motivates all her projects. And that’s whether she’s serving as an editor to others or creating her own books that entertain and inform her readers.

 
Zick writes in a variety of genres, including romance, contemporary fiction, and creative nonfiction. She’s had works in each of these genres published and has won various awards for her essays, columns, editorials, articles, and novels.
 
Setting plays a significant role in her fiction, beginning with the three contemporary novels in her Florida fiction series, which explore the people and landscape of the Sunshine State. Her romances transport readers to some of her favorite places from Long Island to Chicago to Florida to the Smoky Mountains. Her four separate romance series explore various social issues as people of all ages navigate the complicated road to romance.
 
Zick has also written a variety of nonfiction books, which include a primer for beginning writers for drafting, writing, and publishing a book. Her book on vegetable gardening combines her husband’s passion for growing food and her love of cooking it. She has also published and annotated the journal of her great-grandfather based on his experiences as a Union soldier during the Civil War.
 
She and her husband split their time between Tallahassee and the Smoky Mountains near Murphy, where they enjoy gardening, kayaking, golfing, and hiking. To learn more, please visit www.pczick.com.
 

Open Mic Sign-up & Zoom Link 

to sign-up and/or get the link to the free event, 
please send an email to glendabeall@msn.com 

For open mic, include a sentence she can use to introduce you. 
3-4 minute maximum of poetry or prose (2 poems only, please)

Writers' Night Out is sponsored by NCWN-West
on the second Friday of every month

Brenda Kay Ledford Publishes Children's Picture Book

 

Brenda Kay Ledford's new children's picture book, The Singing Convention, was published by Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, Inc. in April, 2021.

This is a wonderful true story of a family of eight children set in the early century.  It is a story of how one child feels about being called to do most of the work and the lesson he learns.  This book also introduces readers to shape-note singing.  The beautiful illustrations by Doreyl Ammons Cain capture the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains with grace.

Ledford's book is available at:  Chinquapins, Hayesville, NC; Shelton House Museum, Waynesville, NC, and www.CSAbooks.com.

NCWN-West Jackson County Open Mic Friday Night, May 21

The virtual edition of the Jackson County branch's monthly Open Mic will take place this coming Friday, May 21st.  The link will open at 7:00 pm, and the event will begin at 7:30.  Participants are invited to read their work for a supportive and friendly audience; there may be a time limit on readings, but that depends largely on how many readers we have.  For the Zoom link, please contact City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, NC, or Jackson County rep Matt Nelson at mattnelson.poet01@gmail.com.  Come out and say hello!

John C. Campbell Folk School open again

 
The John C. Campbell Folk School is holding classes again and if you are looking for a great way to spend a weekend, you want to sign up for a writing class by Carol Crawford in August. It is not too early to register. Remember, if you live locally, your tuition is discounted.

https://classes.folkschool.org/class_details.aspx?pk=23676

We love the folk school here in western North Carolina and appreciate the writing program started years ago by the late Dr.  Gene Hirsch when Jan Davidson was director of John Campbell.

Nancy Simpson, popular poet and co-founder of NCWN-West was once Resident Writer there. Nancy brought many outstanding writers and poets here to teach weeklong classes. Those were some of my happiest times, taking classes and later teaching at JCCFS.

We look forward to more writing classes as our world gets back to normal again.

May 14th Writer's Night Out ZOOM: Tips for Improving Your Writing, Karen Paul Holmes

James Crews is unable to join us tonight as planned, so here is our new program. 

For the Zoom link and to sign up for open mic,

 please email Glenda Beall: pcncwnwest@gmail.com  

What Can Writers of
Poetry & Prose Learn From 

Song Lyrics?
Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and more, even Gilbert & Sullivan...

Karen Paul Holmes
Reading & Craft Talk
Open Mic 

A longtime lover of words and beautiful writing, Karen Paul Holmes will share favorite song lyrics and point out how we can use similar techniques to improve our writing --  whether fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry, or blog posts.  

Karen regularly teaches writing classes at the John C. Campbell Folk School. As a former Vice President-Marketing Communications at a global financial company, and now a freelance writer, Karen has also had articles published in business journals and has led writing workshops at international conferences.

Her poetry has  appeared in about 100 journals and anthologies, and her two books are No Such Thing as Distance (Terrapin Books) and Untying the Knot (Aldrich Press). Karen says a dream came true when Garrison Keillor read her poem "Rental Cottage, Maine" on The Writer's Almanac. 

She'd love to hear you read at Open Mic, so if you haven't signed up, there's still time. 

---

Open Mic
3-4 minute maximum of poetry or prose (2 poems only, please)

To sign up,  please send Glenda an email (with a sentence she can use to introduce you)  

pcncwnwest@gmail.com