Writers' Night May 12: Viva México and more...

"Diana's poems leap with the color and music of Mexico, where she spent most of her life."

A former resident of Mexico—Diana Anhalt’s parents moved there from New York in 1950 in order to escape possible persecution during the McCarthy era­—she now lives in Atlanta. 
 
Her poetry books are Because There is No Return (Passager), Second Skin (Future Cycle), and Lives of Straw (Finishing Line). Her work's been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in Nimrod,  The Comstock Review, Atlanta Review, and many other literary journals. She's also the author of the non-fiction book, A Gathering of Fugitives: American Political Expatriates in Mexico 1948-1965 (Archer Books), as well as essays and book reviews published in both English and Spanish. She says, "I'm waiting for my writing to acquire a southern accent." 

Why Should You Attend?

Why should I attend

A Day for Writers at the Jackson County Library, May 6?

• To learn more about my craft from experienced and highly rated authors
• To meet and talk with other writers in my field and increase my community of writer friends
• To sell and sign my books with City Lights Books
• To learn of other opportunities for me as an author
• To enhance my brand as a writer and author
• To learn more about publishing and marketing my books, my articles, my personal essays, my short stories and poetry
• To meet leaders and members of NCWN-West from all over the southwest mountain region
• To get answers to any questions I have about writing, publishing and marketing
• To enjoy a day with like-minded people in a beautiful venue near my home
• To attend, near me, a writing conference with unusually low fees provided by NCWN-West through hard work by volunteers who care about the literary community in the mountain area
• To get inspired to go home and write more

We write alone, but need a community and NCWN-West is providing that for writers and poets in the far western part of North Carolina, North Georgia and western South Carolina. Because of the cost and time it takes to travel long distances for writing conferences in large cities, our goal is to bring in highly qualified authors and writers who can share their experiences and knowledge with us.

Such writing events are necessary to all writers who want their names, their books, to be recognized. Introduce yourself to the presenters, write them a note when you get home and let them know what you liked about their sessions. You will be building a community of people who will recognize you and your work. As writers we need to help each other in any way we can.

Poet Joan M. Howard publishes her first book, Death and Empathy: My Sister Web

Teacher and poet Joan M. Howard began keeping a diary of poems in 1995, when her beloved sister, Susan Webster McAllister Swap, passed away. The poems were focused not only on her grief but also on the incredible gift of life itself, as well as the beauty of the lives of both her sister and Howard’s late husband, Jack.

Howard uses formal and free verse poetry to create a tribute to the holy gift of existence, which shows itself in many wonderful forms: through nature, animals, travel, and love. Her themes are universal and capture the humility, strength, courage, and resilience that live inside all of us—and all of which were essential parts of both her sister’s and her husband’s lives. Their genuine love of life and their ability to empathize were what Howard most admired about them, and they serve as the lifeline through all her poetry.

Joan M. Howard lives near the beautiful waters of Lake Chatuge in Georgia. The serenity of her surroundings inspires much of her poetry. Her interests include kayaking, birding and boating.

Joan M. Howard's poetry has appeared in the Aurorean, Lucid Rhythms, The Road Not Taken:The Journal of Formal Poetry, The Deronda Review, Victorian Violet Press, Wild Goose Poetry Review, The Reach of Song 2012 poetry anthology (Georgia Poetry Society), POEM, Miller's Pond, Eclectic Muse,The Lyric and other journals.

Here is the link for: Death and Empathy: My Sister Web