Poet Mary Ricketson to Read at Cherokee County Arts Council Oct. 10

    Cherokee County Arts Council presents Mary Ricketson, acclaimed local poet and author of 8 books, for a poetry reading at Cherokee County Arts Council, 33 Valley River Avenue, Murphy, October 10, at 5:30 pm.

Mary Ricketson

    Featured will be poems from her latest book, "Stutters, A Book of Hope," and other selections.  Discussion time will be available immediately following the reading.  Everyone is invited.

    "Stutters" is the personal collection of poems Mary thought she would never write but she’s glad she did.  

    Julia Nunnally Duncan of the North Carolina Literary Review said of the collection,  "So, as I read Ricketson’s poetic account of her lifelong struggle to understand and overcome stuttering, I vicariously experienced this struggle with her…. I think Ricketson has accomplished her goal in Stutters, it is a book of hope, a stirring and enlightening book of hope."

Zoom Poetry Workshop Oct 3: Inspiration & Prompts

 One Art Journal of Poetry Presents 

From Personal to Universal: Using Emotion to Craft Deeper Writing

with Karen Paul Holmes, NCWN-West member 

Thursday, October 3, 7:00-9:00pm (Eastern) 

Duration: 2 hours 

Price: $25 

Workshop Description: 

Writing the personal can make your poems more expansive, more capable of striking a true chord in others. In this workshop, we’ll explore ways to “go inward to go outward”— to draw from emotionally resonant personal experiences and observations to find deeper connection with readers. We’ll discuss a range of poems that effectively navigate concepts of joy, anger, grief and other emotional states. Join us for a two-hour session focused on giving you the freedom to express emotions and the tools to craft the poems you want and need to write. You’ll leave with prompts and a healthy dose of inspiration. 

About The Instructor:

Karen Paul Holmes won the 2023 Lascaux Poetry Prize and received a Special Mention in The Pushcart Prize Anthology. Her books are No Such Thing as Distance (Terrapin) and Untying the Knot (Aldrich). Her poems have been widely published in journals such as Plume, Diode, Glass, and Prairie Schooner and have also been featured on The Slowdown and The Writer's Almanac. After a long career in Corporate America, which included leading workshops at international conferences, Holmes became a freelance writer and has taught creative writing to adults at various conferences and venues, including John C. Campbell Folk School. She’s a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. 

To register: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/oneartajournalofpoetry/1393439

Novelist and Poet Andrew K. Clark to be Featured Reader for Sept. 26 Mountain Wordsmiths

         Novelist and poet Andrew K. Clark will be the featured reader at Mountain Wordsmiths' gathering on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, from 10:30 a.m. until noon via Zoom. The event is sponsored by North Carolina Writers’ Network-West.

Andrew K. Clark

        Clark is a writer from Western North Carolina where his people settled before the Revolutionary War. His poetry collection, "Jesus in the Trailer," was published by Main Street Rag Press and was shortlisted for the Able Muse Book Award. His debut novel, "Where Dark Things Grow," is forthcoming from Cowboy Jamboree Press in September 2024. His work has appeared in The American Journal of Poetry, UCLA’s Out of Anonymity, Appalachian Review, Rappahannock Review, and The Wrath Bearing Tree. He received his MFA from Converse College. Connect with him at andrewkclark.com.

       "Where Dark Things Grow," is Southern Gothic horror set in 1930s Southern Appalachia. Fifteen-year-old Leo is watching the world crumble. His father is missing and his mother is slipping into madness as she cares for Leo, his sick sister Goldfish, and two useless brothers. Relatives are no help, and the church folk have turned their backs. 

        When he discovers an enchanted wulver that has stepped out of ancient folklore that will do his bidding, he decides to settle old scores. Revenge is sweet, but Leo soon learns he can’t control what he’s unleashed. It takes his spitfire best friend Lilyfax to help Leo overcome his anger and try to escape the wulver’s evil. As they search for his father, Leo, Lilyfax, and friends are pursued by dark forces and pulled into a rescue effort to find and save trafficked girls rumored to have been taken by the mysterious Blue Man.

        Featuring elements of folklore and magical realism, "Where Dark Things Grow" is a dark bildungsroman set squarely in the place and culture of the mountains.

        Mountain Wordsmiths’ gatherings take place each month on Zoom. NCWN-West is continuing to stay in touch by using technology to share our writing. We offer writing events and writing classes both online and in person. Writers are enjoying the convenience and flexibility of Zoom meetings because they can join our gatherings from distant locations. Attendees are welcome to bring a poem or short prose piece to read during Open Mic. Please limit the reading to 3-5 minutes.

        Those wishing to attend Mountain Wordsmiths may contact Carroll Taylor at vibiaperpetua@gmail.com or ncwngeorgiarep@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link. Our group is informal, and we welcome those who would simply like to listen to the beauty of wordsmithing. All who attend are encouraged to enjoy their morning cup of coffee or tea as we share our thoughts about writing.

Owens and Beal to Read at Literary Hour Sept. 19

  Poet Scott Owens and Author Donna Beal will be the featured readers at the next Literary Hour Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Open House on the John C. Campbell Folk School campus. The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to everyone.

Scott Owens

        Scott Owens is the author of 22 collections of poetry and recipient of awards from the Academy of American Poets, the Pushcart Prize Anthology, the Next Generation/Indie Lit Awards, the NC Writers Network, the NC Poetry Society, and the Poetry Society of SC. His poems have been featured in The Writer’s Almanac eight times, and his articles about writing poetry have been used in Poet’s Market four times. He has twice been nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award and to be North Carolina Poet Laureate. Owens holds degrees from Ohio University, UNC Charlotte, and UNC Greensboro.  He is Professor of Poetry at Lenoir Rhyne University, and former editor of Wild Goose Poetry Review and Southern Poetry Review. He owns and operates Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse and Gallery and coordinates Poetry Hickory in Hickory, NC.

Western North Carolina writer, Donna Beal, was raised in Greensboro, NC, and has lived in various towns in the eastern states. She moved in June of 2023 to her husband’s hometown of Hayesville, NC, where they live the good life with their two Chinese Crested dogs Honey Bear and Gracie Bear, an unnamed visiting bear and a gang of turkeys.

Donna Beal

        Beal is a graduate of Winthrop University with a double major in philosophy and religion and concentrations in both technical and creative writing. After college she began working in a large financial institution where she became a senior vice president and director. After retiring she pursued her interest in writing.  She has been published in numerous journals and is a member of The North Carolina Writer’s Network-West and the sistaWRITE group founded by North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green. She’s even been known to preach a few sermons.

Well known local author Mary Jo Dyre (“Springheads,” Redhawk Publications, 2023) will host the event.

The Literary Hour at the folk school is offered every third Thursday of the month through October and brings local writers to the campus to share their work with the community.  Students and faculty of the school are welcome to attend the readings.

The John C. Campbell Folk School offers classes in folk arts and crafts and storytelling.  For information about the school, you can find its webpage and contact information at https://www.folkschool.org/.

Carroll Taylor and Marcia Barnes to speak at the John C. Campbell Folk School

 Carroll S. Taylor, and Marcia Barnes, published writers, will appear at the John C. Campbell Folk School, 7:00 PM, August 15

Thursday evening, August 15, at the Literary Hour, Carroll S. Taylor, author of a new book, Facing Toward the East, will present her work at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Appearing with Taylor will be Marcia Hawley Barnes, author of Tobijah, chosen for Georgia's top literary award. A delightful children’s book which emphasizes that even though many of us are different, we are not alone.

Taylor's literary journey is a testament to her talent and dedication. With a remarkable portfolio that includes novels Chinaberry Summer (2013) and Chinaberry Summer: On the Other Side (2017), as well as the children’s books Ella’s Quilt (2023) and Feannag the Crow (2020), Taylor has firmly established herself as a prominent figure in contemporary Southern literature.

Renowned for her vivid storytelling and poignant reflections on Southern life, Carroll Taylor’s latest work, with its distinct themes of rebirth, redemption, and the enduring human spirit, is sure to captivate readers of all ages.

A retired educator with over forty years of experience teaching students from kindergarten through high school, Taylor continued to inspire young minds as a part-time instructor at Columbus State University, GA, where she taught essay writing, Freshman Seminar, and French. Now entirely devoted to her writing, Taylor channels her life experiences into her creative work, providing readers with a deeply personal and authentic literary journey.

Drawing inspiration from her upbringing in rural Georgia and her life in the Northeast Georgia mountains, Taylor weaves a rich tapestry of stories and emotions. The collection, her first venture into publishing a book of poetry, is a testament to her literary evolution and dedication to her craft.

"Many older cemeteries bury the dead facing toward the East for the Resurrection, but for the living, morning light represents a new day, a time for rebirth or redemption," says Taylor. "Who among the living will face the rising sun with fierce determination?"

Her poems resonate universally, appealing to readers young and old, especially those who cherish Southern literature.

Carroll Taylor serves as one of the NCWN-West Representative for the Georgia Counties that border North Carolina. She and her husband Hugh live in Hiawassee, GA. You can find her online at www.chinaberrysummer.com

 

Carroll S. Taylor

Writer, poet, and journalist Marcia Barnes stepped into the circle of writing in 2004 while living in Middle Georgia and never looked back. Her published books include “The Little Book of Secret Family Recipes” and two children’s books, “Tobijah” and “A Day with Tobijah.”  She also published a collection of poems, “Blackberry Winter.”

Marcia Barnes

Although research and writing occupied most of the day, moving to the mountains in the spring of 2009, to live on an isolated ridge opened up an opportunity to try new things like growing strawberries and an herb garden with a view.

     “And then there were the animals, the mountain lion I didn’t see, and the bears that were in view. It was always a gift to see deer, rabbits, a fox, groundhogs and many birds, even a resident whip-poor-will,” Barnes said.

     A member of North Carolina Writers’ Network-West, Barnes became intrigued when attending local poetry readings and began writing poetry. She has been published in Negative Capability Press, POEM, Slant, and Old Mountain Press.

     In 2016, Barnes began writing as a journalist for the Clay County Progress in Hayesville, North Carolina. Her columns include feature articles and reporting on local news.

     “Writing for the newspaper is never dull, never the same story twice. The best parts are the people I work with and writing for a publisher who considers integrity sacred,” she said.

     Barnes is co-host of Coffee with Poets and Writers, a monthly North Carolina Writers’ Network-West event. She lives in Clay County, North Carolina with her cat Celeste.

 

 

What do you think about the Good Old Days?

Many of our local poets are published in the latest anthology by Old Mountain Press, The Good Old Days. This book includes 69 poets and prose writers with the theme of anything about memories/events from the past good, bad, sad, or a funny take on the good old days, or of Summertime.

Cover photo by Carolyn York

Available in Kindle Format  for $2.99

FREE if you participate in the Kindle Unlimited and/or the Kindle Owners' Lending Library: NOTE Amazon Prime members who own a Kindle can choose one book from each month with no due dates.

One of my poems, If, is in this edition along with poems by some of my students, Donna Beal (with one L) and Alan Frutchey. This is Alan's first publication although he has been writing poetry for a long time. I am happy for both of them.  

When I send a poem to an anthology, I usually submit something I have already published in a literary magazine or a publication with a larger readership. But Tom Davis, publisher of Old Mountain Press, has a very wide audience. 

"The OMP Anthology Series consists of 55 volumes with contributions from 287 writers and poets from North America, Europe, and Africa and has sold 6812 copies. I assume that someone has read all or parts of the 6812 copies as the contributors read and gift copies to individuals who read at least parts of the anthologies. Gotta be some kind of a record," Tom tells me.

"Of note is that one person (me:-) does ALL the work (cover design---front, back, spine, interior formatting, author corrections, website design, advertising, sales, distribution of copies, I'm sure I've forgotten something...) except the printing." Tom adds, "Only those who have taken part in putting together an anthology project will appreciate this." :-)

I do appreciate this. A massive job well done by Tom Davis. I helped publish Echoes Across the Blue Ridge an anthology of work by mountain writers, with many NCWN-West members, but I did not do the technical parts as Tom does. My job was organizing sales, creating a marketing plan, and distributing the books to all Netwest county representatives and to retail outlets that sold books in my area. 

Some of our best NC poets publish in OMP anthologies, including former poet laureate, Shelby Stephenson. I know it is likely their way to support Old Mountain Press and many beginning poets, but Brenda Kay Ledford of Clay County, NC is widely published in poetry and other genres. Her work is included in every anthology Tom has published. If you like to read poetry, you will love poems by Carroll S. Taylor, YA novelist, and author of two children's books. She recently published her first poetry book, Facing Toward the East. 

I also enjoy the short prose pieces both fiction and nonfiction such as those by Celia Miles prolific mystery novelist from Asheville, NC.  Sandy Benson journalist is also the author of a memoir My Mother’s Keeper: One Family’s Journey Through Dementia. She submitted a short piece that I liked. 

Poetry by NCWN-West members, Mary Ricketson and David Plunkett, grace the pages of The Good Old Days. Many other excellent writers from our western North Carolina and north Georgia region can be found between the covers of this book. 

Only past contributors or someone recommended by a past contributor will be published in the Old Mountain Press. Beware, your work is not edited before it is published. Be sure you have had it edited or have had several pairs of eyes, knowledgeable eyes, on it before you send it to Tom. That is another reason to send something that was accepted elsewhere.

Be generous: If you read a poem or short prose piece that you think is extra good, that you relate to, or feel deserves recognition, take a minute and email or better, write a note to the author. 

It will make their day. We can do so much with so little effort. 

BOOK REVIEW: "Facing Toward the East, Poems of Redemption"

 

BOOK REVIEW:  Facing Toward the East

Taylor, Carroll S.  Facing Toward the East, Poems of Redemption, Redhawk Publications, 2024.  107 Pages.  Trade paperback.  $16.00.  redhawkpublications.com.

Author Carroll S. Taylor unflinchingly describes "death" in her new poetry book, Facing Toward the East, poems of Redemption.  Redhawk Publications, The Catawba Valley Community College Press, recently released this page-turning collection.

An underlying theme of Taylor's book is redemption. The poems resound with the hope of resurrection:

    Facing toward the East: 

    For the dead, hope for the resurrection.
    For the living, hope for a new beginning,
    rising each day with the morning sun.

Her book is character driven.  She gives rounded sketches of friends and family who have gone to glory.  The imagery is not morbid, but refreshing.  New beginnings.  Taylor describes loved ones who influenced her growing up in rural Georgia.  Black-and-white photographs sprinkled throughout the pages beg the reader to learn more about these people.

Taylor's poem, "Mama," is universal.  A reminder to everyone there / once she was young and beautiful /  with a smile that lit up a room / not with a lost look / her eyes filled with confusion.  Ella's Quilt was passed down to the poet's son Zach in 2013 and is now ninety years old.  Warp and Weft weaves the threads of Taylor's life.  When I am gone / what will be left of me? / What will I leave behind for my family?

You'll find poems about unique women in this collection.  "Miss Dorothy" had an air of being sad and out of place /like an old tinsel Christmas wreath / left hanging on a porch in March. "Miss Rose" buzzed down the dirt road / kicking up a  cloud of red dust. ...Was she marrying men  for love / or looking to fix the world /  one old drunk at a time?

Baby boomers who attended public schools will relate to "The Shot Lady."  Children lined up with fear to receive inoculations.  Clinical, almost soulless, / with a mission to complete / for the county health department / she must vaccinate them all.

As a retired educator, the poem, "Miss Blanche," intrigued me.  I could just see the teacher in her third grade classroom.  She spoke with a soft voice / yet raised it to a firmer pitch if need be. / Always positive, never degrading.  At her funeral, almost everyone taught by Miss Blanche stood.  She never married, or had children of her own.  It seems Miss Blanche had children after all.

Additionally, Taylor included poems about the men who crossed her path.  She describes in "Virgil's Hand" the painful abuse of his children and slapping his wife.  He raised his hand / to affirm his dominance / in a  house filled with rage.

Her prose poem gives an vivid description of her grandfather in "Conversations with a Storyteller."  You can see him rolling the Prince Albert cigarette, plowing the cotton field after the war, settling into marriage.  How many stories you reckon you've forgot?  Never could read much / Never wrote 'em down. / That's a shame, aint' it? / I would've liked to hear 'em. / Tell me one you remember, Grandpa. 

Southern writers often include religion in their work.  Taylor's poem, "The Preacher" portrays  a fiery evangelist pounding his hands on / the pulpit like he was / driving out the devil.  I've attended many revivals with the fire and brimstone messages.  

The author writes with knowledge about her Southern culture.  Taylor  grew up on a dirt road in rural Georgia.  A graduate of Tift College, she is a writer, poet, and playwright.  She is the author of two young adult novels, Chinaberry Summer and Chinaberry Summer:  On the Other Side as well as two children's books, Feannag the Crow and Ella's Quilt. Her poems and stories have appeared  in anthologies and online.  Her plays have been performed onstage at the Peacock Performing Arts Center in Hayesville, North Carolina.

A retired educator, Taylor is a member of North Carolina Writer's Network and the Georgia Poetry Society.  Snakes, turtles, lizards, and frogs often find their way into her writing.  She and her husband,  Hugh, live in Hiawassee, Georgia, where she feeds a visiting crow family whose antics inspire her to write every day.

Finally, despite the pain and death present in this patchwork of Southern memories, this book ends with redemption.  The stories of remarkable people still live in the heart of the author.  This poetry collection cries out to face the rising sun with fierce determination!

Facing Toward the East, Poems of Redemption, by:  Carroll S. Taylor is available at: redhawkpublications.com.

Book reviewed by:  Brenda Kay Ledford 

Local Writers Calby and Jackson to Read at Campbell School

The next Literary Hour at the John C. Campbell Folk School will feature two talented North Carolina writers Kathleen Calby and Karen Luke Jackson.  The Literary Hour, sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West, meets on campus in the Keith House at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 18.

Kathleen Calby

Poet Kathleen Calby lives in Hendersonville and hosts bi-weekly events for the North Carolina Writers Network.  Kelsay Books published her chapbook “Flirting with Owls” in 2023. A Rash Poetry Award Finalist in 2022, she has been published in Connecticut Review, New Plains Review, Heimat Review and other journals and is finishing a full-length poetry collection about a journey to Egypt.  Calby says she enjoys fried chicken and biscuits a bit too much and strenuous hikes not enough.

Karen Jackson

Karen Luke Jackson's stories, essays, and poems have appeared in numerous journals including the Atlanta Review, Susurrus, Reckon Review, Braided Way, and Nobody’s Home.  She has also authored three poetry collections.  A member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network and the North Carolina Poetry Society, Jackson draws inspiration from contemplative practices, clowning, family lore and the goats grazing beside her cottage in Flat Rock, NC.

The Literary Hour is free and open to everyone.  It is offered every third Thursday of the month through November and brings local writers to the campus to share their work with the community.  Students and faculty of the school are welcome to attend the readings.

The John C. Campbell Folk School offers classes in folk arts and crafts and storytelling.  For information about the school, you can find its webpage and contact information at https://www.folkschool.org/.

Literary Hour to Feature Poet Ledford and Novelist Lucas Thursday, June 13

The Literary Hour will feature readings from two award winning authors in June, poet and storyteller Brenda Kay Ledford, and crime and mystery novelist Meagan Lucas.  The readings will start at 7 p.m. in the Kieth House on the J.C. Campbell Folk School campus Thursday, June 13.  The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to everyone.

Brenda Ledford

Well known author, poet, storyteller, and blogger Brenda Kay Ledford has won the Award of Excellence 13 times from North Carolina Society of Historians for her books, blogs, and collection of oral histories on Southern Appalachia.  She received the 2019 Marquis Who’s Who in America Lifetime Achievement Award for writing and received silver medals for her essay and short story writing, and a bronze medal for her poetry in this year’s Clay/Cherokee Senior Games Silver Arts Literary division.
Ledford’s work has appeared in many journals including “Asheville Poetry Review,” “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” “Guidepost Magazine,” and “Women’s World Magazine.”  Her new children’s picture book, “Christmas in the Matheson Cove,” was published this year by Catch the Spirit of Appalachia and is available at sharingspokenstories.com.

Meagan Lucas

Meagan Lucas is the author of the Anthony nominated collection, “Here in the Dark,” and has published over 40 short stories and been nominated for the Pushcart, Best of the Net, Derringer, and Canadian Crime Writer’s Award of Excellence multiple times.  Her short story “The Monster Beneath” was listed as Distinguished in “The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2023.”

Her novel “Songbirds and Stray Dogs” was chosen to represent North Carolina in the Library of Congress 2022 Route 1 Reads program and won Best Debut at the 2020 Indie Book Awards.  A creative writing teacher at Robert Morris University and the Great Smokies Writing Program at UNC Asheville, she is also editor in chief of Reckon Review.

Local novelist Mary Jo Dyre, author of “Springheads,” published in 2023 by Redhawk Publications, will host the event.

The Literary Hour features local writers each month who share their work with the community.

The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, offers classes in folk arts and crafts and storytelling.  For information about the school, you can find its webpage and contact information at www.folkschool.org.

Ricketson to Read from "Stutters: A Book of Hope" Thursday, June 13

    Mary Ricketson will be reading from Stutters: A Book of Hope at Narrative Books and Records Records in Murphy Thursday, June 13, at 4:30 pm.

Mary Ricketson

   The North Carolina Literary Review calls Stutters "a poetry collection about struggle. It is a book about people’s cruelty to someone who is different. And yet it is ultimately a celebration of endurance, growth, and the ability to look beyond oneself to help others. 

    The poems flow from Ricketson's life.  From childhood teasing and shame to finding peace and success as a mental health counselor and poet.

    Speech and language pathologist Emory Prescott says, "Hearing Mary speak and recite her poetry is a time-stand-still kind of experience. Her canter draws you in, and though there is an occasional stutter or repetition, she has a bravery that elevates her through the moment and onto further words and prose."

    Ricketson has been writing poetry for over 25 years.  Her poems have been published in numerous poetry reviews, six other full-length poetry collections, and two chapbooks.  She won first place in the 2011 Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest 75th anniversary national poetry contest.  Inspired by nature and her role as a mental health counselor, her poems reflect the healing powers of nature, a path she follows from Appalachian tradition, with the surrounding mountains as midwife for her words.

Ricketson and Westwood to Read at May 16 Literary Hour

  Poet Mary Ricketson of Murphy, and writer David Andrew Westwood of Hayesville will be featured at the Thursday, May 16, Literary Hour at 7 p.m. in the Keith House library on the John C. Campbell Folk School campus in Brasstown, NC.  The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to everyone.

Mary Ricketson

Ricketson has been writing poetry for over twenty-five years.  Her poems have been published in numerous poetry reviews and in her recent collection, “Stutters, A Book of Hope,” as well as five other full-length poetry collections and two chapbooks.  She won first place in the 2011 Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest 75th anniversary national poetry contest.  Inspired by nature and her role as a mental health counselor, her poems reflect the healing powers of nature, a path she follows from Appalachian tradition, with the surrounding mountains as midwife for her words.

David Andrew Westwood

Westwood was brought up in 1960s London, got stuck in Los Angeles for far too long, and is now happily settled in Hayesville.  He writes mostly historical fiction — 17 novels so far — but also the occasional short story and essay.  His novels have won three awards from the Military Writers Society of America, and a recent short story was a finalist for North Carolina’s Doris Betts Prize.  His latest novel, “Bitternut Creek,” will be released in August.

The Literary Hour at the folk school is offered every third Thursday of the month through October and brings local poets and writers to the campus to share their work with the community.  The public, and students and faculty of the school are welcome to attend the readings.

The John C. Campbell Folk School offers classes in folk arts and crafts and storytelling.  For information about the school, you can find its webpage and contact information at https://www.folkschool.org/.

NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green Featured in WNC

 North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and North Carolina Writer's Network-West member, Brenda Kay Ledford, at the Multicultural Women's Development Conference; Hinton Rural Life Center; Hayesville, NC; April 19, 2024.

Jaki was the keynote speaker at the MWDC on Friday, April 19th.  Her presentation was very impressive and we enjoyed her poetry.  It was an honor for our NC Poet Laureate to share her beautiful work with us here in Western North Carolina.  

Senior Games, Silver Arts Literary Division Winners

 Our NCWN-West members and Ridgeline Alliance writers, won several medals in the 2024 Clay/Cherokee County Senior Games; Silver Arts Literary Division:

Life Experience:

Sandy Benson                Silver     "Honoring and Honored at the Rosebud Wacipi

Shelia Queen                  Bronze   "Remembering Johnny"

Poem

Mary Ricketson              Gold         "Gone"

Brenda Kay Ledford      Bronze       "Counting my Blessings"

Short Story

Sandy Benson                Gold           "Mad Max"

Brenda Kay Ledford      Silver         "The Soldier"

Essay

Brenda Kay Ledford       Silver        "The Healing Power of Pets"

Congratulations to the writers who placed in the Silver Arts Literary Division!  😃

Owens and Beall to be Featured at April 18 Literary Hour

Poet Scott Owens of Hickory, NC, and writer Glenda Beall of Hayesville will be featured at the Thursday, April 18, Literary Hour at 7 p.m. in the Keith House library on the John C. Campbell Folk School campus in Brasstown.  The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to everyone.

Scott Owens

Scott Owens is the author of 20 collections of poetry and recipient of numerous awards for his poetry.  His poems have been featured in national publications and he has twice been nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award and to be North Carolina Poet Laureate.

Owens is Professor of Poetry at Lenoir Rhyne University, and former editor of Wild Goose Poetry Review and Southern Poetry Review. He also owns and operates Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse and Gallery and coordinates Poetry Hickory in Hickory, NC. His 21st book, "An Augury of Birds," a collaboration with photographer, Clayton Joe Young, will be out in August. And his collection of haiku, illustrated by Missy Cleveland, will be out in December.

Glenda Beall

Glenda Council Beall has taught memoir writing at the folk school, Tri-County Community College and at the Institute of Continuing Learning (ICL) for many years. She became interested in Genealogy in the early 1990s and compiled a family history book, “Profiles and Pedigrees, Thomas C. Council, and his Descendants,” which chronicles the lives of her grandfather and his 10 children born in the late 19th century.

Beall’s short stories and personal essays have been published in online journals including “Muscadine Lines,” “A Southern Journal” and “Dead Mule School of Southern Literature.” Several of her poems and essays have appeared in “Living with Loss” magazine, “Breath and Shadow,” and “Reunions Magazine.”

She is currently the North Carolina Writers’ Network -West program director.  “Now Might as Well be Then,” her poetry chapbook was published in 2009.

The Literary Hour at the folk school is offered every third Thursday of the month through October and brings local poets and writers to the campus to share their work with the community.  The public, and students and faculty of the school are welcome to attend the readings.

The John C. Campbell Folk School offers classes in folk arts and crafts and storytelling.  For information about the school, you can find its webpage and contact information at https://www.folkschool.org/.

Brenda Kay Ledford' Story Published in "When Love Wags a Tail"

 

Brenda Kay Ledford's Feature in Grit Magazine

 Brenda Kay Ledford's feature, "Planting by the Signs," appeared in Grit Magazine, (March/April, 2024).

www.Grit.com

Chamblee Receives Western Heritage Poetry Book Award for Bierstadt Biography

NCWN-West member Kenneth Chamblee's biography in poems "The Best Material for the Artist in the World" has won the Western Heritage Poetry Book Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

Ken Chamblee

The book is a collection of poems which follow the life of Albert Bierstadt, a 19th-century landscape painter of the American West.  The poems "celebrate the timeless spledor of Bierstadt's work through the witness of many voices and points of view... bringing us into intimate contact with the art," according to
New York Times bestselling author Robert Morgan.

"A work of brilliance and depth," Bob Ross, author of "Billy Above the Roofs" said of Chamblee's work, adding, the poems are sober, evocative, and respectful, and they overflow with their own penetrating light."

Bob Joly, director of St. Johnsbury Athenaeum says the poems bring Bierstadt, his contemporaries, the West, and our notions of the painter and his work to full illumination.

The Western Heritage Awards honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Western heritage through creative works in literature, music, television and film that share the great stories of the American West.  Honorees will be presented with a Wrangler award during the 63rd Western Heritage Awards dinner held at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum on April 13, 2024.

Ricketson and Dyre collaborate in powerful presentation of their original writing.

Poet Mary Ricketson and novelist Mary Jo Dyre will be the featured readers at Cherokee Cellars Winery's authors night Thursday, March 28.  Doors will open at 5 p.m. with the presentation begining at 6 p.m.   The address for the event is 45 Valley River Ave., Murphy, NC.

Mary Ricketson will read selections from her poetry collection, "Mississippi, The Story of Luke and Marian," about life with her parents, their belief that all people are equal, while Mississippi's time of segregation and the civil rights movement stirred pain and conflict.  Additionally, she read will from her newest collection, "Stutters, A Book of Hope," which delves into her lifelong struggle with stuttering.  The poems speak to the experience of many people- feeling different, challenged, and finding a way.

Mary Jo Dyre will read from "Dark Spot," a mystery novel started by her brother Arnold who died midway through the writing.  Dyre picked up his manuscript and found her own words to finish the "tangled, complex web of humanity that often results when man gives over to evil."  She will also read from "Springheads," which will take you to another time and still keep you wrapped in your own heart.  She weaves truth and tweaks it with what might be, ingrained with vibrant characters set in a world where all returns to two springheads.

 

Christmas in Matheson Cove

 Brenda Kay Ledford's new children's picture book, Christmas in Matheson Cove,  is upcoming with Catch the Spirit of Appalachia.

This is a heart-warming story how faith, love, and family made a meager holiday during the Great Depression in the Appalachian Mountains, to be a joyful Christmas.

Ordering information will be released soon!

Jeff Stewart Featured Reader at Mountain Wordsmiths Feb. 22

 Award-winning writer Jeff Stewart will be the featured reader at Mountain Wordsmiths’ gathering on Thursday, February 22, at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom. The monthly event is sponsored by North Carolina Writers’ Network-West.

Jeff Stewart

Stewart is a man of many gifts. He is a healthcare consultant, scientist, inventor, author, playwright, and father of seven. He was a Jeopardy! College Champion and runner-up in the Tournament of Champions. Stewart lives in Cary, NC..

Stewart’s book, "Living: Inspiration from a Father with Cancer," was named the best cancer book of 2023 at the 20th annual American BookFest awards. Their review states, “'Living' tells the story of a molecular biologist, Jeopardy! champion, and cancer patient. Cancer patients and their caregivers will find valuable insider advice… 'Living' is more than a book about cancer. 'Living' is a book about life.”

"Living" also received a “get it” rating from Kirkus Reviews, which called Stewart’s book “Complex and thoughtful, with a refreshingly upbeat attitude.” BookLife from Publisher's Weekly called "Living" a "remarkable memoir" and "a final and powerful act of love."

“So many cancer books are downers,” says Stewart. “I wanted my cancer book to be funny and helpful. I’m excited by the award and positive reviews, but it’s when someone tells me, ‘Your book helped me understand what my mother was going through’ that it all feels worth it.”

Ken Jennings—yes that Ken Jennings—blurbed Stewart’s book, calling it “a moving message-in-a-bottle from a great Jeopardy! champion—who also turns out to be a writer with a rare gift for aphorism and insight.”

To learn more about Jeff Stewart, you can watch his interviews on youtube.com.

Mountain Wordsmiths gatherings will always take place on Zoom. NCWN-West is also continuing to stay in touch by using technology to share our writing. We offer writing events and writing classes both online and in person. Writers are enjoying the convenience and flexibility of Zoom meetings because they can join our gatherings from other locations across America. Attendees are welcome to bring a poem or short prose piece to read during Open Mic. Please limit the reading to 3-5 minutes.

Those wishing to attend Mountain Wordsmiths may contact Carroll Taylor at vibiaperpetua@gmail.com or ncwngeorgiarep@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link. Our group is informal, and we We welcome those who would simply like to listen to the beauty of wordsmithing. All who attend are encouraged to enjoy their morning cup of coffee or tea as we share our thoughts about writing.