Memory of Raven Chiong
Writers and poets in the far western mountain area of North Carolina and bordering counties of South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee post announcements, original work and articles on the craft of writing.
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Memory of Raven Chiong
Friday, December 8, 2023
Brenda Kay Ledford's Poetry Published
Brenda Kay Ledford's poetry has been published in the following journals:
"A Blue Ridge Snow," appeared in West End Poets Newsletter, December/January/February 2024
www.westendpoetsweekend.com
Created and issued by: Carrboro Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Department
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Her poem, "Unicorn License," was published in Tigershark Magazine, an international publication based in the United Kingdom; Issue 34, Autumn/Winter 2023
tigersharkpublishing@hotmail.co.uk
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Maren Mitchell, poet and facilitator for poetry group at Young Harris Library
Maren Mitchell, a member of NCWN-West for a long time, has had a busy year. Her poems have been widely published in literary journals, online publications, and most recently in a chapbook, In My Next Life I Plan by Dancing Girl Press.
Three of her poems have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes. She has received a 1st Place Award for Excellence in Poetry from the Georgia Poetry Society.
If you are a poet, you might want to check out these publications.
The Lake, (UK) November 2023 issue, "As They Go, So Go We" and
"The Theory of Everything."
POEM, #123, May 2023 issue, "Light Enough To See."
The Antigonish Review, (Canada) Spring 2023 issue, "I swear the most" and
"Nothing to Say, II." Silver Birch Press, September 8, 2023, the
"Spices & Seasonings" series, "Nasturtiums."
About Place Journal, The More-Than-Human World issue, Communion, "Dermodex Brevis;
Dermodex Folliculorum."
Twelve Mile Review, Winter 2023, "The gravity of our situation is
what we want to escape from and" and "Greeks favor red mullet."
Maren O. Mitchell, is a poet and author of a nonfiction book, Beat Chronic Pain, An Insider's Guide
In my next life I plan... (dancing girl press, 2023)
Sunday, November 12, 2023
Special Closing Program to Literary Hour at Campbell School
The Literary Hour at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, will close out its 2023 season with a special program. Instead of having a featured poet and writer, everyone who attends will have an opportunity to present and talk about a personal or favorite poem or prose piece. The program will start at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, in the Kieth House library on the Folk School campus.
Readers will have up to five minutes to present either an original piece they have written, or a piece by another author they especially love. Each reader should be prepared to briefly describe the piece after reading it and, if an original work, talk about what inspired it, what went into writing it or the intent behind writing it, etc. If it is a favorite piece by another author, then discuss why it is memorable or special.The program is intended as an open session where everybody has an opportunity to share and exchange motivations, inspirations, and ideas which led them to love and produce literature. I hope you will make plans to attend and present (if you want to) or just enjoy an evening listening to others read and talk about the meaning and love of literature.
The Literary Hour season for 2024 will start again in March and continue every third Thursday of the month through November bringing local writers to the campus to share their work with the community. The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to members of NCWN-West and Folk School students and faculty.
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/
Monday, November 6, 2023
Ken Chamlee Book Launch Set for Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.
Poet Kenneth Chamlee will launch his latest book, "The Best Material for the Artist in the World," (Stephen F. Austin State University Press) Thursday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. over Zoom.
"The Best Material for the Artist in the World" tracks the life and career of landscape artist Albert Bierstadt. Relaying the story primarily through his voice, these narrative, lyric, and ekphrastic poems touch the momentum of the developing west, the devastation of native tribes and great buffalo herds, and the resiliency of Bierstadt’s art in our time of environmental awareness and expansionist reappraisal.To get a link and join the Zoom presentation contact Ken at chamleek@gmail.com.
Bierstadt was born in Germany and came to America with his parents at age two. Growing up in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the young artist apprenticed in Europe, but the Rocky Mountains and Yosemite Valley became the subjects driving his expansive, often romanticized sense of nature. Though best known for large-scale paintings with atmospheric trees and ethereal lighting, Bierstadt was also a master of intimate detail and animal portraiture.
Chamlee’s biography-in-poems follows the arc of Bierstadt’s life and career, from youth to extraordinary success to eventual decline. Primarily in the artist’s voice, the poems also speak through other important characters, renderings of specific paintings, and the poet’s own sense of engagement. With realistic description and emotional embrace, this fine collection explores Bierstadt’s determination to depict a glorious post-war West while also revealing personal and historic loss.
Order from Stephen F. Austin
State University Press
Also available at
Highland Books, Brevard, NC
City Lights Bookstore, Sylva, NC
Malaprop's Bookstore, Asheville, NC
Main Street Books, Davidson, NC
Union Avenue Books, Knoxville , TN
Utah State Poetry Society Gifts Book to Bee City Poets, Announces Contest
Bee City Poets at its First Thursday" gathering in Hayesville yesterday received a "Book Of The Year" gifted from the Utah State Poetry Society of which NCWN-West member Raven Chiong is a member.
The Utah State Poetry Society also generously extended an invitation for NCWN-West members to enter in its upcoming 2024 annual poetry contest. There are 38 categories (18 categories for non-members of UTSPS) and cash prizes! "Personally, I have submitted poems to the contest the last 5 years, won a few dollars, and have sponsored Category #12," Raven said. "The process is a fun learning experience and can be extra motivation to pollinate the world with our words."
The submission window is December 1, 2023-February 1, 2024.
Here is a convenient link for direct access to all the details: (As you may already know, it's important to follow the guidelines to avoid disqualification of your entries)
UTAH-STATE-POETRY-SOCIETY-2024-CONTEST.pdf (utahpoets.com)
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Raven, who added: "I hope we surprise and overwhelm the good folks in Utah with our participation from the Great North State!"
Friday, October 13, 2023
Mary Jo Dyre featured guest reader at Oct. 26 Mountain Wordsmiths
Author Mary Jo Dyre will be the featured reader for this month’s gathering of Mountain Wordsmiths on Thursday, October 26, at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom. The monthly event is sponsored by North Carolina Writers’ Network-West.
Dyre, a talented author based in Western North Carolina, is a former educator, now working in insurance. She first finished and published her deceased brother Arnold Dyre’s half-completed manuscript of "Dark Spot," the fourth book in the Jake Baker series.
Mary Jo Dyre |
Dyre's novel takes readers on a journey through time and space, from Mississippi to Arizona, and even South America, as the protagonist, Sarah Baker Bryant, discovers herself through connections to land and water that cradle home and deep-running family roots. Vivid descriptions transport readers to the westernmost mountains of North Carolina and a special piece of river property that holds great power and significance. Sense of place becomes a compelling character in its own right.
Dyre says, "Dreams from real life inspired the writing of this particular book. These sequel dreams, so-called visions of the night, produced the creative, intriguing flow of tales mixed and connected through time in the plot of 'Springheads.' My characters revealed lives of their own making throughout the writing process, discovered only as I listened intently enough to bring them to the page through my words."
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 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. Mountain Wordsmiths is informal, and welcomes anyone 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 the group shares thoughts about writing.
Ken Chamlee and Annelle Beall to Read at Oct. 19 Literary Hour
North Carolina poet Ken Chamblee and Georgia novelist Annelle Beall will read from their works at the Literary Hour in the Keith House on the John C. Campbell Folk School campus at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19. The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to everyone.
Ken Chamlee |
He is Emeritus Professor of English at Brevard College in North Carolina and holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Chamlee teaches for the Great Smokies Writing Program of UNC-Asheville and was the first director of the Looking Glass Rock Writers’ Conference, held annually in Brevard.
Annelle Beall |
The Literary Hour at the folk school 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 www.folkschool.org.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Brenda Kay Ledford Wins NC State Senior Games Finals
Brenda Kay Ledford's essay, "Art Therapy," won Honorable Mention in the 2023 North Carolina State Senior Games Finals.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Mary RIcketson and Brenda Kay Ledford Appear on WJRB Radio
Mary Ricketson' new book, Stutters, a Book of Hope, has been published by Redhawk Publications.
Monday, September 25, 2023
Raven Chiong to be Featured Reader at Mountain Wordsmiths Sept. 28
Raven and Dulce |
Chiong is a member of the North Carolina Writers Network, North Carolina Poetry Society, Utah State Poetry Society, Florida State Poetry Association, and National Federation of State Poetry Societies. Her poetry and prose have been widely published from coast to coast. Chiong will share her lifelong writing process and read selections from her recently published book, "Ode to the Still Small Voice-A Memoir of Listening."
Her writing career began at five years of age when she became a loyal pen pal to her absent mother. She earned her Master of Arts in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Florida. She is a lifelong student, life coach, and educator. Career highlights include qualifying for the First Ever 1984 Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials and paying it forward with her 19-year cross country coaching career at DePauw University, Florida Atlantic University, Pine Crest Prep School, and Mills College. After a long competitive running and coaching career, she now runs her pen across the pages of this life.
She has been working with Best Friends Animal Society since 2008. Above all, she is the proud and devoted mama of four rescue dogs who found her wandering in the high desert of Southern Utah. They are her ongoing source of inspiration, a-muse-ment, and greatest teachers.
Email Carroll Taylor at vibiaperpetua@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Local Writers Karen Paul Holmes and Bob Grove Featured at Literary Hour
The Literary Hour will feature two well-known local writers Thursday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Poet Karen Paul Holmes and author Bob Grove will read from their works at the Open House on the school’s campus. The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to everyone.
Karen Paul Holmes
Holmes won the 2023 Lascaux Poetry Prize and has published two books of poetry: “No Such Thing as Distance” and “Untying the Knot.” Her poetry has also appeared in “The Writer's Almanac,” “The Slowdown,” “Verse Daily,” “Prairie Schooner,” and “Plume” among many other literary journals and anthologies.
Holmes also teaches writing at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Since 2010, she has hosted the Side Door Poets in Atlanta, and she is known locally as the founder and host for many years of Writers' Night Out in the Blue Ridge Mountains. More information about her work can be found on her website, www.karenpaulholmes.com.
Grove lives in Brasstown within five minutes of the folk school. He has published twenty books and hundreds of magazine articles and is also known for his dramatic reading at the Campbell School of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, which he performs in costume and in a British dialect.
Bob Groves |
Grove’s writing varies between genres from humor to drama. Prior to retiring he was a high school science and English teacher and for several years was an ABC-TV public affairs host. Additionally, he has appeared as a featured speaker at 14 national conventions and before one U.S. Congressional committee.
The Literary Hour at the folk school 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/.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Brenda Kay Ledford Gives Book Signing
Brenda Kay Ledford, Award-Winning Author, will give a Book Signing; Sunday, October 8, 2023; 1:00-3:00 PM; BSG Coffee and Cafe; 808 NC-69; Hayesville, NC; (Old Fred's Pharmacy Building)
She will sign copies of her books: Leatherwood Falls, Blue Ridge Mountains Poems published by Kelsay Books; Blanche, Blue Ridge Mountain Poems, published by Redhawk Publishing; and The Singing Convention, published by Catch the Spirit of Appalachia.
Monday, August 14, 2023
Dyre and Mitchell to Read at Literary Hour Aug. 17
Author Mary Jo Dyre of Murphy and Poet Maren Mitchell will read from their work at the Literary Hour Thursday, Aug. 17, at 7 pm in the Keith House Living Room of the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. The Literary Hour is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network-West and is free and open to everyone.
Mary Jo Dyre |
Her novel combines multiple genres of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure, and fantasy to create a compelling story mixing broad sweeps of history gleaned from the Appalachian mountains, rural Mississippi, the wild west days of Arizona, and the continent of South America. Dyre is also known in the area for founding a school serving families and students in Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties, and serving as its executive director from 2000-2021.
Maren O. Mitchell’s poems have appeared in regional, national, and international publications including “Appalachian Heritage,” “The South Carolina Review,” “Southern Humanities Review,” “Appalachian Journal,” and several anthologies. Three of her poems have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes and she received a 1st Place Award for Excellence in Poetry from the Georgia Poetry Society.
Maren O. Mitchell |
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/. Students and faculty of the school are welcome to attend the readings.
The Literary Hour at the folk school started in 1995 and is offered every third Thursday of the month through November, according to Glenda Beall, NCWN-West coordinator. “Our goals for the Literary Hour at the folk school are to bring local writers and any member of NCWN who is in the area to the campus to share their work,” she said.
Sunday, August 13, 2023
The passing of a wonderful writer and Netwest Member, Jo Carolyn Beebe
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Jo Carolyn Beebe, a member of NCWN-West for many years.
Jo Carolyn Beebe
September 23, 1937 — August 6, 2023
Hiawassee
Jo
Carolyn Beebe, age 85, of Hiawassee, Georgia, passed away on August 6, 2023, at
her home.
Jo Carolyn Beebe reading at the John C. Campbell Folk School |
I met Jo Carolyn in Nancy Simpson’s writing class when I first
came to NC in 1996. She was interested in Genealogy, and she wrote family
stories about growing up in Mississippi and stories about her ancestors. Her
readings were always entertaining.
Back in May, I received an email from her saying she
didn’t drive at night anymore and could not attend nighttime events. So many of
our members have reached an age when driving at night is difficult. Her dear
husband, John, who always accompanied her to Writers Night Out readings, is not well either.
The following is from 2017 when she and I and
Glenda Barrett were reading at the folk school for the Literary Hour.
“Jo Carolyn Beebe is a native of
Mississippi. Many of her poems and stories are based on her recollections
of conversations with her grandparents. Her Grandmother Anderson said,
"The Bartletts are kin to Daniel Boone. They came through the Cumberland
Gap with him." Great-grandfather Ricks showed her a greasy circle in his
front yard where no grass would grow. "This is where the Indians cooked
their food," he told her.
She also has her own memories of life in a small, rural
town. Her story, "The Way You Hypnotize a Chicken," really happened
when she and a friend hypnotized one of Grandmother's hens. And where else but
in a small town could two little girls play in the funeral home and pick out
their everyday casket and their Sunday casket?
Jo Carolyn has been published in Main Street
Rag, Clothes Lines, Women's Spaces Women's Places, Lonzie's Fried Chicken,
Lights in the Mountains, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, and by
Abingdon Press. She was most gratified with her family history
book The Beekeepers and Sons of Ander.
She is a graduate of Miami University, Oxford, and has
been a resident of Towns County for 21 years.”
Diana Smith said, "She was kind, funny, talented, supportive to everyone, and had a wonderful southern voice which was prominent in her writing. She was an expert in genealogy and taught classes in it. We lost a wonderful person too soon."
Her short story, "Boys Can Be Angels Too" was for children and was published as a Christmas play by Abington Press," Diana said, "and she has a book ready for publication now."
We will miss Jo Carolyn and send our heartfelt sympathy to John and all of her family and many friends.
Friday, August 11, 2023
Moss Memorial Library
Great things are happening at Moss Memorial Library in Hayesville, North Carolina. Branch Manager, Griff Anderson, has been so kind to allow the North Carolina Writer's Network-West to meet in the conference room for poetry readings and critique groups.
The first thing that amazed me about the updates at Moss Memorial Library, was the instillation of automatic sliding doors. How awesome! What a great thing for folks with disabilities.
Another improvement was the beautiful large windows to view the Tusquitte Mountains and the lovely scenery of our town.
But what excited me most was...
I could hardly believe it when I noticed Mr. Ben Love, the library assistant, today making an owl on the 3 D printer! We have really arrived in Hayesville to have a "Science Fiction" 3 D printer. I've seen those on documentaries, read about them, but we actually have one at Moss Memorial Library. Ben said the public may use it to print files if they will contact the library.
Great things are happening at Moss Memorial Library. As the clique goes, "We've come a long way, baby!" I recall years ago our small library was housed in the damp, musty, old red courthouse. It was a small collection of books, but served our community well. I recall Mama brought my siblings and me to town every Saturday to check out arm full of books. That's when I savored all the "Little House on the Prairie" books.
When you see the staff at Moss Memorial Library, you might want to thank them for doing such a splendid job serving our community and our writers.
Saturday, July 22, 2023
Festival on the Square was successful thanks to all of our writers and poets who volunteered
For several years NCWN-West has rented a booth at the festival on the square in the beautiful downtown area of Hayesville, NC.
The festival is sponsored by the Clay County Historical and Arts Council. Their volunteers led by Joan Joppie do a fabulous job and work hard during the weekend hosting around 80 vendors. We are the only booth where books are sold and we are fortunate to be included.
Thousands of people come each year from faraway places to spend the weekend in the mountains. We talked with people from Texas, South Carolina, Florida and other states. Local authors, Lorraine Bennett, Carroll Taylor, Marcia Barnes, Raven Chiong, Glenda Beall, Joan Howard, David Plunkett, Lynda Farrell, and Sandy Benson staffed the booth for the two days.
Kanute Rarey and David Plunkett set up the booth with a tent and tables on Friday afternoon and they took down the booth on Sunday afternoon.
When we work together we can do so much. Many books were sold, but we were there to explain who we are and what we do. Our banner caught the eyes of passersby who were curious and stopped to talk. Some of our best writers and volunteers found us at this festival, picked up a brochure, and joined NCWN.
Joan Howard, poet in pink, Carroll Taylor, novelist and poet sitting behind her. |
Lorraine Bennett and Marcia Barnes, Glenda Beall, waiting her turn at the table |