Netwest Member Janice Moore Honored

YHC Senior-Most Faculty Member Janice Moore Receives Special Honor  

Young Harris College's senior-most faculty member Associate Professor of English Janice Moore recently received a unique gift to commemorate her 50 years of dedicated service to the College. During a special ceremony in November 2012, YHC faculty unveiled a reserved parking spot in the Goolsby Center parking lot that names her "YHC Poet Laureate." 

Moore teaches creative writing and poetry at YHC, and her special areas of interest include contemporary poetry and Southern literature. In addition to her teaching duties, she was chair of the YHC Humanities Division for eight years and served 12 years as poetry editor for the Georgia Journal. Moore claimed first prize in the 2009 Press 53 Open Awards and was awarded first place in the Georgia Poetry Society's annual competition in 2011. Her work has appeared in more than 60 esteemed journals, anthologies and textbooks, including The Georgia Review, The Southern Poetry Anthology: Contemporary Appalachia, Contemporary Georgia Poets, Women Writing in Appalachia and the Southern Poetry Review.

DEADLINE MARCH 31 FOR PRESS 53 OPEN AWARDS

The Sixth Annual Press 53 Open Awards Accepting Entries Until March 31, 2013 5 Categories, 3 Winners in Each: Poetry, Flash Fiction, Short-Short Story, Short Story, Novella (Finalists and Winners Announced No Later Than June 28, 2013) 5 Industry-Professional Judges (see below) 5 Beautiful Etched-Glass Awards (Personalized award certificates for Second Prize and Honorable Mention) 13 Opportunities for Publication: First Prize, Second Prize, and Honorable Mention in Poetry, Flash Fiction, Short-Short Story, Short Story, and First Prize in Novella will be published in the 2013 Press 53 Open Awards Anthology Entering is now easier using Submittable, the free online submission manager! For complete details and entry guidelines, visit http://www.press53.com/OpenAwards_2013.html Meet Our Judges: Poetry, judged by Kelly Davio, author of the poetry collection Burn This House (Red Hen Press), and editor of LA Review: Three poems judged as a group. Flash Fiction, judged by Jane Ciabattari, former president of the National Book Critics Circle, author of the short story collection Stealing the Fire (Canios Editions): Fiction up to 750 words. Short-Short Story, judged by David James Poissant, multi-award-winning author with forthcoming story collection and novel from Simon & Schuster: Fiction of 751-2000 words. Short Story, judged by Robin Black, author of If I loved you, I would tell you this (Random House): Fiction of 2001-5000 words. Novella, judged by David Abrams, author of Fobbitt (Grove/Atlantic), and editor of The Quivering Pen: Fiction of 12,000-25,000 words. For complete judges’ bios and entry guidelines, visit http://www.press53.com/OpenAwards_2013.html Previous winners of the Press 53 Open Awards who have gone on to publish books with Press 53 include: ​ Malaika King Albrecht (What the Trapeze Artist Trusts): Second Prize, Poetry 2009 ​ Ryan Stone (Best Road Yet): First Prize, Short Story 2009 ​ Amy Willoughby-Burle (Out Across the Nowhere): First Prize, Flash Fiction 2010 ​ Kurt Rheinheimer (Finding Grace): Second Prize, Short Story 2010 ​ Ray Morrison (In a World of Small Truths): First Prize, Short Story 2011 ​ Nahal S. Jamir (In the Middle of Many Mountains, forthcoming Spring 2013): Second Prize, Flash Fiction 2012

HERE, WHERE I AM: A Sheaf of Christmas poems

HERE, WHERE I AM: A Sheaf of Christmas poems

My Christmas Poem

This morning I awoke to find our mountain blanketed with snow. The first snow right here I think, but we will have more. It reminded me of the Christmas poem I revisit each year. I wrote this poem years ago, but sadly the ending never changes. Children still live in fear - still live with war.


Snow at Christmas
by Glenda C. Beall

Silent December snow covers
grey mountain forests, clings
to thin bare branches of oaks,
poplar and ash.

It mounds on brown wide leaves
still hanging on to stubborn trees
that, until now, denied winter’s presence.
Holly bushes crowned with snow

create photo ops for Christmas cards.
Rooftops iced in white, frosted
gingerbread houses, await
Santa's footsteps.

Red ribbons on our mailbox
collect crystal flakes
within curving bows,
on bunched pine boughs.

Kayla hangs her stocking, dreams
of Barbie dolls, gift wrapped boxes
piled high beneath her brilliant
Christmas tree.

We light a candle in the snow.
Pray for children around the world,
who long for peace, a cup of soup,
an end to fear -- an end to
war.

Robert S. King's New Poetry Book Forthcoming

I am pleased to announce that just this month I signed a contract with Sweatshoppe Publications, a new and very hard-working publisher. They have scheduled my book of poetry, One Man’s Profit, for publication by the end of February 2013. More information is available at the publisher's website.  An order link is forthcoming.

One Man’s Profit is my sixth collection of poetry and contains poems written during the past two years. The manuscript went through many revisions and versions. I wish to thank several folks who read and/or commented on the book, helping me to get it into shape. My appeciation goes to Nancy Simpson, Diane Kistner, Scott Owens, David Chorlton, and Joanne Lowery for their input.

Obviously, a poet must promote his work, so I have already scheduled six reading events and will post those dates on my website's calendar in the near future.

When the book is available for sale, I hope you will support this new publisher and this old poet.

FutureCycle Press Calls for Submissions

FutureCycle Press is always open to submissions of books or chapbooks. Additionally, the press has ongoing needs for its thematic and general anthologies. For all types of submissions, please read the general guidelines first. The general guidelines contain links to more specific information for the genre of work submitted.

Books and Chapbooks

The press seeks both poetry and flash fiction collections. Please note that there is a $15 reading fee for each book you submit. For poetry, the press offers an annual cash award to the author selected for the FutureCycle Press Poetry Book Prize. The amount of the award varies from year to year and is based on a percentage of annual profits. The winner is chosen by the previous year’s winner and by the editors of FutureCycle Press.

Anthologies

FutureCycle Press publishes thematic anthologies as interest and demand dictate. The most recently published anthology is American Society: What Poets See, edited by Robert S. King and David Chorlton. Since 2007 the press has also released an annual, unthemed anthology whose title is based on the year released (e.g., FutureCycle 2011, FutureCycle 2012, etc.). This year, 2012, will be the last unthemed anthology published.

Following are anthology projects currently seeking submissions:

Malala. Edited by Joseph Hutchison and Andrea Watson. Honoring Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl who was shot because she wanted an education. Profits from sales of this anthology will be donated to an appropriate charity. Click here for guidelines or to submit.

FutureCycle 2012. Edited by David Chorlton and Robert S. King. A collection of individual poems and flash fiction pieces submitted to FutureCycle Press during the year 2012. This will be the last issue of this unthemed anthology. You still have time to submit. Deadline is December 31, 2012. Please read the general guidelines at the link shown above.

Free Books!

Even in this day when everything costs a lot, it’s still possible to find great poetry at a bargain. How does “free” sound?

Many publishers offer book giveaways now and then. In this post, I am using southeastern publisher FutureCycle Press as an example. Each month, the press features a book from its catalog as both a Goodreads Giveaway (to win the paperback) and a free Kindle ebook. (Each Saturday of that month, you can "buy" the ebook free.) While you're getting your Kindle freebie, please take a look at FutureCycle’s other books. And if you are so inclined, please leave an honest review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Goodreads

If you are not familiar with Goodreads, you should be. It’s a great resource for book reviews of all kinds. If you are an author, you should list your books there (I repeat, it’s free).

You can sign up with Goodreads for a chance to win any book offered monthly from the FutureCycle catalog. You can create a free Goodreads account directly at the link provided above, or you can go the FutureCycle website menus: Just click the link “Each month” (under “Free Promotions”) in the right column of the home page. Then follow the prompts to log in or create your free Goodreads account. Once logged in, you will see a list of all available titles that you can select to win.

Amazon Kindle

Kindle is the most popular ebook format. All FutureCycle titles are available in both print and Kindle formats. On December 29, 2012, you can get one or more selected Kindle books from the press catalog for free. The giveaway program will be extended into 2013, and each Saturday the press will offer free Kindle books.

Unlike the Goodreads Giveways, the Kindle titles are not won by chance. If you want it, you’ve got it but only on Saturdays. You simply purchase an ebook but are not charged.

If you are an Amazon Prime member (a paid service), you may borrow, without paying, one ebook at a time from the many titles offered by the press. In this case, Amazon Prime works like a library. Not all publishers participate in this program, but FutureCycle certainly does.

You do not have to own a Kindle reader. You can view the books on your PC by downloading free software. Click here to download it.

Please take advantage of the giveaway programs. It’s quality literature for the lowest price possible.

The Next Big Thing

Celia Miles who along with Nancy Dillingham has co-edited three anthologies of the work of women writers in Western North Carolina: Christmas Presence, Clothes Lines, and Women’s Spaces Women’s Places, has a new book coming out in 2013.
Celia is trying something new for her -- a blog tour, The Next Big Thing, with her latest post being a number of answers to interview questions on the subject of Sarranda's Heart.

I found it very interesting. I think you will also.
Visit Celia Miles at http://celiamiles.com/ to see the books she has authored and the anthologies she has published.


Sarranda's Heart is a sequel to this book that was published in 2006

Call for Submissions from Netwest Member

Per Wayne Drumheller:  I've been writing a book about cancer survivors and caretakers for last 3 years. Portraits in Courage and Commitment has 88 portraits and captions with 12 personal essays and narratives. 88 interviews so far and my goal is 100 to self publish. Would like to find the final 12 before December 31. Stories start at survival not diagnosis. The stories are unique because of life changes and promises made and kept. Main questions is how did cancer change your and what future legacy did you promise to fulfill. If you have a story that fits, email:mystory@comporium.net.

LEDFORD PUBLISHES POETRY CHAPBOOK

Finishing Line Press announces the publication of BECKONING by: Brenda Kay Ledford

According to Glenda Beall, director of Writer's Circle, "Brenda's collection sings with color and harmony.  She lets us take a peek into her world as she shares her Appalachian roots in verse.  We relate to the constancy of seasons in nature and in our lives.  Digging in the dirt as her mother does each spring preparing her garden, lifts the spirit, and decorating graves of loved ones on Memorial Day perpetuate the love of generations.  Throughout the snow, first greening of spring, summer's roses, autumn's harvest, and star-studded asters, the images in this book offer the reader the opportunity to feel, see, hear, and taste the beauty as well as the inevitable sadness of life."

You may preorder online at:  www.finishinglinepress.com.

Byron Herbert Reece Farm and Heritage Center Visit

For those who have not visited the Byron Herbert Reece Farm and Heritage Center outside Blairsville, GA, this is a wonderful time of year to spend an hour or more learning about life in these mountains as it was 100 years ago, and to learn about the interesting poet, Byron Herbert Reece. He grew up here and lived on the farm where the center has been built. He taught at Young Harris College. His story tells the story of this land, of Choestoe, where he was born in a cabin in 1917.

The anthology, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, is dedicated to Reece and several of his poems are in the book. I was fascinated to read Reece's actual letters and the newspaper articles I found at the center. The lost art of letter-writing is a window to the writer's heart. My appetite has been whetted and I want to read all of them.
On the day I visited the center, Mrs. John Kay was there and filled our heads with interesting facts about the noted poet.

My guests and I watched a video about Reece's life told by poets, Mildred Greear and Bettie Sellers, and other well-known people of this area. I hope to get back over to continue my tour and purchase some of the books on sale at the gift shop, but I must go soon. They will only be open a few more weekends.

(from the Reece website)
The remaining days of fall


We’re back to clear blue skies, and while the wind was hard on the leaves, it’s still lovely at the Reece Farm and Heritage Center. We’ll be open just a few more weekends, so be sure to stop by soon. The Gift Shop is full of unique items for gift giving, and Shelley will be glad to guide you through the selections. The Farm and Heritage Center is located south of Blairsville on the Gainesville Highway (Hwy 129), just north of Vogel State Park. Watch for the signs! We’re open the remaining weekends in November, including the weekend following Thanksgiving, on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 to 4:00.

Netwest Writer Releases New Book

Maren O. Mitchell’s non-fiction book, Beat Chronic Pain, An Insider’s Guide, has been released by Line of Sight Press.

 
It is available with Create eStore on Amazon and Amazon for the U.S. The UK and Continental Europe links are on the Line of Sight Press website.

 

Within this book is help for those with chronic pain who do not have information on drug-free alternatives. Often chronic pain sufferers search haphazardly for too long on their own to find the help they need.

While touching on a variety of methods, Beat Chronic Pain, An Insider’s Guide is intentionally brief, with short chapters, as the capacity to concentrate and retain information is greatly reduced in those with pain.

The “Introduction” offers reasons why chronic pain is not always recognized, described and treated. Chapters have personal examples of the author finding a tool, a method, and using it to rebuild her life. These tools can be used by anyone with chronic pain to improve chances of surviving the stress of constant pain, and reclaiming one’s life. Included are suggested readings and resource contacts.

Please share this information with anyone you know who may be interested in fighting chronic pain by means other than drugs. This is also an excellent resource for primary caregivers, and those who live with, or interact regularly with chronic pain sufferers.

Maren welcomes email comments and/or reviews online.

 

 

TOWN CREEK POETRY

North Carolina Writer's Network West members, Karen Paul Holmes and Brenda Kay Ledford,        
have poetry in TOWN CREEK POETRY, Fall, 2012 issue. 

Karen's poem, "Visitor," was included in this issue.

Brenda's poetry, "Aunt Reba," "Basket Maker," and "Devastation," also were printed in TOWN CREEK POETRY.

William Wright is the founding editor.
Dan Morris, senior editor.

www.towncreekpoetry.com

LIARS BENCH TO PRESENT "BIRDELL" BY GARY CARDEN

Gary Carden, winner of the Literature Award for North Carolina, reminds us of his unforgettable play, Birdell, to be performed on November 15.

Liars Bench To Present "Birdell" at Mountain Heritage Center
Bobbie Curtis as 'Birdell'

On Thursday November 15 at 7pm at the Mountain Heritage Center there will be a performance of the dramatic monologue "Birdell" starring Bobbie Curtis. It is the story of a defiant mountain woman forced off her land by the TVA caused rising waters of Fontana Lake. This show will be a benefit for the Liars Bench organization. Consequently there will be an admission charge of $10.00. Tickets are available at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva and at the door the night of the show.

Although "Birdell" has plenty of pathos it's not just a dark, unrelenting tragedy. There is humor all the way through the play and some of the things that Birdell Tolly does in her garden just might shock a Southern Baptist preacher.

Actress Bobbie Curtis portrays Birdell Tolly's life and her battle against the federal government. Ms. Curtis' grandparents were forced off their land by the construction of the Bridgewater Dam which formed Lake James.
Curtis says “I feel that I am really in her shoes and that I have been there.”
Some of Carden's other plays Curtis has performed in are “The Bright Forever” and Ketti Frings “Look Homeward Angel.”

Claw-hammer guitar player Paul Iarussi will play old-time Southern Appalachian music.

The Mountain Heritage Center at WCU: 828.227.7129 or City Lights Bookstore in Sylva 586.9499

***********************************************
The next presentation of The Liars Bench Show at WCUs Mountain Heritage Center will be Thursday December 13 at 7 pm with stories and songs of “An Old Time Appalachian Christmas.”

Contact for more information:
Gary Carden

gcarden498@aol.com

Congrats to Kay Byer and her recent induction to the NC Literary Hall of Fame!!

Gary Carden Recognized for Lifetime Achievement

On Friday, November 9, friends of Gary Neil Carden will honor the playwright with a gala event at the Jackson County Library. A reception begins at 6:00 pm in the library's atrium with a program of presentations, proclamations and speeches to follow at 7:00 pm in the Community Room of the old Jackson County Courthouse.

Dave Waldrop, local author and personal friend of Carden's said “Gary has worked hard for many years writing and producing plays, teaching Appalachian culture, and realistic portraying Appalachia and its people across multiple genres. He deserves recognition from his friends and community.”

Recognitions planned to be given to Carden include proclamations/awards from Commissioner Doug Cody of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, Town of Sylva Mayor Maurice Moody, and Cherrrie' Moses, Chair of the Jackson County Historical Commission. 

The Jackson County Friends of the Library will host the reception with food and beverages. Southern Appalachian music will be provided by Eric Young, Paul Iarussi, and Adam Bigelow. All are invited.

JUST FOR FUN

Let's have some fun. Choose one of the questions in red and in blue, below. In the comment box, answer it in fifty words or less. Your name will be included in a drawing and the winner of the drawing will receive a free gift. If you answer both questions, make two separate comments and your name will be included in the drawing two times.

We will check the blog each day and monitor the comments so they go up quickly. Remember, your comment will not show up on the blog until one of the administrators reads it and accepts it. We have to do that to keep down the Spam that comes in. Believe me -- you don't want to read those comments.

To make your comment easy to send, you can click on anonymous and not have to list a google address, etc. But we will have to contact you if you win the drawing so include an email address and your name in the box for your comment.

Here are the questions.

A. What author, living or dead, would you most like to have lunch with and why? Answer in 50 words or less. 

B. What is the first book you remember reading and why is it memorable?
Answer in 50 words or less.

Subscribe to this post, in the sidebar on the right, and each new post with comments will appear in your Email Inbox. If you have any problems, contact nightwriter0302@yahoo.com.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

In my files, I have pictures taken at NCWN West events and photos used in articles I've written about our members. I thought I'd share some of them today.

Remember?

Glenda Barrett on right with her guest

Glenda, Wayne, Jayne, Lana, Nancy S, Nancy P, JC Walkup

Jo Carolyn Beebe 

Janice Moore, Karen Holmes, Brenda Ledford, Jo Carolyn Beebe, Carole Thompson

Lana Hendershott 

Paul Donovan, Karen Holmes, Glenda Beall

Gary Carden

Ed Southern, Executive Director of NCWN, at City Lights Books in Sylva

Leave a comment if you remember when or where the picture was taken.

Katherine Scott Crawford Reads from New Novel

Katherine Scott Crawford will be reading from her debut historical novel, Keowee Valley (published in September by Bell Bridge Books) on Saturday, October 27th at 2 p.m. at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, N.C. She'll also be signing books. Crawford will also be speaking on a panel of Appalachian writers at the Dahlonega Literary Festival in Dahlonega, Georgia on Saturday, November 10 at 2 p.m., and will be working a book booth for Keowee Valley all day. She'd love to meet readers!

PAUL GREEN AWARD WINNERS

Brenda Kay Ledford and Blanche L. Ledford received this year's Paul Green Multimedia Awards from North Carolina Society of Historians.

An award's ceremony was held in the Hilton Garden Inn at Mooresville, NC on Saturday, October 20, 2012.

A distinguisted panel of judges selected Blanche' collection of poetry and prose, PLANTING BY THE SIGNS, for the award.

Brenda also won the Paul Green Award for her blog:  http://historicalhayesville.blogspot.com.

For more information, contact:  www.ncsocietyofhistorians.org.

Amazon's CreateSpace - cost effective self-publishing

Saturday afternoon
October 27, 1:00 - 4:00

Ronda Birtha –  

Self-publishing Using Amazon's CreateSpace

We will discuss how and why it may be useful, how it has benefited authors, and how cost-effective it may be, as it has a "built-in" advertising infrastructure. Discussion on E-books.

$25.00 registration fee

Now taking registrations for this class. Mail your check to Writers Circle, 581 Chatuge Lane, Hayesville, NC 28904

Ronda knows her stuff and is passionate about helping others learn.  She's practical, fun and nice too. … Karen Holmes

 I gained valuable social networking information through a class taught at Writer's Circle by Ronda Birtha, a teacher in best sense -- easy to learn from, informed and patient.        Maren O. Mitchell

Opening in Will Wright's Poetry Class

Attention Poets

We have a cancellation in Will Wright's class on poetry Saturday, October 13. One space is open. Contact Karen Holmes, 404 - 316-8466, or kpaulholmes@gmail.com

Call Glenda Beall - 828-389-4441. Leave your name and phone number on the voice mail and say Will Wright's class.

Don't let this opportunity pass you by.

William Wright, Ph.D., To Do Poetry Reading and Workshop

On October 12 at 7 pm, audiences can hear the well-known poet and editor, William Wright, read his poetry at Writers’ Night Out at Brother’s Willow Ranch Restaurant in Young Harris, GA. The following day, October 13, he will teach a poetry workshop at Writers Circle in Hayesville, NC from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

William Wright, editor of The Southern Poetry Anthology series, is author of five collections of poems: the full-length Night Field Anecdote (Louisiana Literature Press, 2011), Bledsoe (Texas Review Press, 2011), Dark Orchard (Texas Review Press, Winner of the Texas Review Breakthrough Poetry Prize, 2005), and the chapbooks The Ghost Narratives (Finishing Line Press, 2008) and Sleep Paralysis (Winner of the South Carolina Poetry Initiative Prize, 2011, forthcoming from Stepping Stones Press). Wright recently won the Porter Fleming Prize in Poetry. His work appears in Shenandoah, North American Review, Indiana Review, Colorado Review, Louisiana Literature, Beloit Poetry Journal, New Orleans Review, and Southern Poetry Review, among other literary journals. In addition to writing and editing, Wright translates German poetry. He holds a Ph.D. in Creative Writing (Poetry) & Literature from The University of Southern Mississippi and is Founding Editor of Town Creek Poetry (www.towncreekpoetry.com).

Writers’ Night Out takes place on the second Friday of each month. The event includes a featured reader and also an open microphone for local authors. For open microphone, readers of prose or poetry can sign up at the door, and each person has three minutes. Brother’s Willow Ranch Restaurant is located at 6223 Hwy 76 West across from Brasstown Valley Resort, phone 706-379-1272. The event is in the upstairs room, accessible via stairs inside the restaurant or the ramp (no stairs) from the upper parking lot. Food and beverages will be available for purchase; please come by 6:15 pm to order.

In Wright’s workshop “What Makes ‘Good Poetry’ Good?” on October 13, he will give poets specific tips on improving their work through sonic texture, imagistic richness, and the balance of sound with sense. Time will also be spent on critiquing students’ poems to help poets more carefully attune their voices so that they stand out from the crowd.

The workshop costs $30 and requires advance registration. Writers’ Circle is located at 581 Chatuge Lane in Hayesville. See the Writers’ Circle web site at http://glendacouncilbeall.blogspot.com/

For more information on either event, please contact Karen Holmes at (404) 316-8466or kpaulholmes@gmail.com.

ANOTHER POETRY BOOK FOR AWARD WINNING POET

David Manning doesn't live in the Netwest region. He lives in Cary, N.C. where the NCWN Fall Conference will be held in November. He is one of the most prolific poets around. He has been winning awards in poetry since 1996.

His new poetry chapbook, Genes, can be ordered now for shipping by Finishing Line Press around January 4, 2013. The number of copies ordered before November 9, 2012 will determine the size of the press run, so please reserve your copy now. 

"Throughout Genes David Manning traces his family through a generation. People and places vanish but memory leaves a long trail...Here, language is so well-crafted it lifts each family member's story off the page..."---Gail Peck, author of Counting the Lost

David Treadway Manning, a California native, lives in Cary, North Carolina and was winner of the North Carolina Poetry Society's Poet Laureate Award in 1996, 1998 and 2006. Twice a Pushcart nominee, his poems have appeared in New Orleans Review, Southern Poetry Review, RATTLE, 32 Poems Magazine, Slipstream, Tar River Poetry and other journals.

His seven chapbooks include Out After Dark (2003), Detained by the Authorities (2007), and Light Sweet Crude (2009), all from Pudding House; The Ice-Carver, winner of the Longleaf Chapbook Competition in 2004, and, most recently, Continents of Light (Finishing Line Press, 2010). His full-length collection, The Flower Sermon, was a finalist in Main Street Rag's poetry book competition  in 2007. Yodeling Fungus, an excursion in comedy,  was released in 2010 from Old Mountain Press  in North Carolina.


_

New Poetry book by Kathryn Stripling Byer

Kathryn Stripling Byer's new book of poetry, Descent,  is coming in  October.  Outstanding cover. Great poetry.
She will read from this book when she is inducted in the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame at Southern Pines. 
The book launch for the public will be at Malaprop's Bookstore, November 11.

Descent is Byer's sixth book of poetry, and it won rave reviews from the best poets. You can read about it on her new website.  www.kathrynstriplingbyer.com/

Congratulations, Kay! Your fellow NCWN West members are extremely happy for you.

  

Congratulations to Susan Snowden

Atlanta native, mountain writer, Susan Snowden's novel,  Southern Fried Lies is on shelves at your local bookstores.

Southern Fried Lies (a novel)

Author: Susan Snowden
Publisher: Archer Hill Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9853301-0-1
266 pages; soft cover
$16.95

Available in bookstores and from online booksellers


Told in the clear, strong voice of Sarah Claiborne, a precocious teenager who reads Kafka and Camus, Southern Fried Lies is the story of a well-to-do Atlanta family in crisis.
The Claibornes appear picture-perfect: Edward, a successful architect; Catherine, active in the church and community; four model children. But life at “Tara” is not what it seems. Catherine’s sole focus has always been her oldest son, Ben; it is as if her other offspring and husband are invisible. When Ben suddenly moves away and refuses to communicate with his mother, Sarah becomes the target of Catherine’s wrath. Her father is too busy to help, and when Catherine’s behavior threatens the safety of all her children, Sarah takes on the task of “fixing” her.
The novel is set in Atlanta and New Orleans in the early 1960s.

About Susan Snowden:
An Atlanta native, Susan Snowden has lived in the Asheville area since 1995. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies. A grant from the NC Arts Council
supported this project.

THE NATURE OF THINGS

"Nature never did betray the heart that loved her," wrote William Wordsworth.

Sixty four writers expressed their love of nature in THE NATURE OF THINGS.  Old Mountain Press just released this fabulous anthology as fall paints a masterpiece from the mountains to the foaming ocean waves.  It's a celebration of nature.

The cover photo was taken by Publisher Tom Davis from the front porch of the Old Mountain Press overlooking the Tuckasegee River in Webster, NC.  Anyone who loves nature will savor this collection of prose and poetry.

You'll find birds, flowers, insects, animals, plants, and a blackberry patch in this book.  Each piece forms a patchwork quilt about the splendor of nature.

Tom Davis describes "The Great Blue Heron":

glides with wings six feet tip to tip
along the winding Tuckasegee
flairs and lights on the bank
among the mountain rhododendrons...

Another poem by Celia Miles captures the splendor of "Owl":

Solitary, perched in twilight
watching, in the guise of
meditating, the world go by,
I am wise or indifferent
in my daytime Penseroso pose...

Barbara Ledford Wright tells about a hummingbird building a nest in her front door wreath in "Unrelenting Resident."  Other works about hummingbirds include Phyllis Jean Green's poem, "Birdsong"; Al Manning's, "Boss Bird," and Charlotte Wolf writes in "Imagine":

yourself perched
at the edge of a great precipice
feeling lighter than air, imagine

being not exactly weightless but spare
at barely three grams of bone and heart
beating 260 times a minute with wings folded
holding on with barely useful feet...

Poetry about flowers also were included in this collection.  Terri Kirby Erickson paints a painting with "Irises":

By the stone wall on top
of which my mother balanced as a child,

grow the purple irises
my grandmother planted still blooming...

Stuart Burroughs also describes beautiful flowers in "The Tulips":

On a damp and foggy morning
when my feelings slide inside
then I think about the tulips--
how they leaned into the air
and nodded with the wind--
and I smile within...

The splendor of springtime was also addressed in Blanche L. Ledford's poem, "Bluebird":

Early this morning a bluebird
cuts through the cobalt skies
and lands on the power lines.

Taste the moment:
strawberries ripen in the cove,
purple crocuses peep

through the verdant grass,
daffodils dot the pasture
like churned butter...

The theme of animals was also addressed in this anthology:  "Squirrels at Play," Thomas Gluzinski; "Bison," Claudette Cohen; "The Squirrel Proof Feeder," Ines Illgen; and Lynn Veach Sadler goes ANIMALISTIC in "Playing Possum."

Insects buzz in this collection, too.  The poetry ranges from "Learning From Bees," Marian Kaplun Shapiro; "Natures's Humble Bumblebee," Robert Hewett, Sr." and in Barbara H. Kenyon's poem, "Ants in the Kitchen," there were five hundred 'n' seven, five hundred 'n' eight that show up.

You'll also find poetry and prose about the seasons that writers like best.  Susan Sadowski writes a fabulous poem about "Courting Summer":

Impatiently, I have dreamed
Of your faithful return.
Hot for me, we are entwined
From dawn through dusk.

Growing in lusciousness, you flirt,
Until ripe with ruby skin, I taste you.
Entice me; beg for further freedom, Dearest,
Until you burst within my mouth,
Tomato-on-the-Vine...

But Jordon Rhodes addressed in his prose that the way of nature is hard to explain.  It's magnificent and breath taking, but without warning nature tears off the roof of a home or business.  Who can explain the mystery of nature?  "The Puzzlement of Nature" best concludes THE NATURE OF THINGS.

To order copies of this anthology, THE NATURE OF THINGS, contact:  www.OldMountainPress.com.

NCWN Fall Conference venue in Cary NC

The NCWN 2012 Fall Conference will be November 2 – 4 at the Embassy Suites on 201 Harrison Oaks Boulevard in Cary, NC

Members will soon receive the NCWN Newsletter with all the details about this annual conference. 

Charles Fiore checked for me and the Embassy Suites said we can request the room we reserve NOT be sprayed with "air freshener" if that bothers us.  If they have the chemical fragrance automatically spraying into the halls and elevators like the hotel in Asheville last year, people with multiple chemical sensitivities, and I am not the only writer with the problem, will still be in danger of becoming ill.

This conference lineup of speakers is certainly enticing, but Cary is a long way from south western NC. Many of the writers we hear about and read about will be on the schedule for this event. Once again I wish we had the technology to stream those sessions to some place near us. Wouldn't that be cool? 

Visit www.ncwriters.org for more information. 

Local Writers Read at Writers Night Out

Sept 14, 2012 –Writers’ Night Out features Clarence Newton and Linda Grayson Jones reading their poetry at 7 pm, September14 at Brother’s Willow Ranch Restaurant in Young Harris, GA. This free monthly event also includes an open microphone for local authors.

An Associate Professor of Biology and the Dean of Math and Sciences at Young Harris College,Jones has read and written poetry since childhood. She has a B.S. in Biology from Stetson University, an M.A. in Biology and a Ph.D. in Pathology from Vanderbilt University. Her career path has been primarily in academic biomedical research, but she has now returned to her first love—teaching. She remains a reader and writer of poetry and this past spring was published in    Appalachian Heritage.

Newton, who lives in Hiawassee, GA, puts both humor and wisdom into his writings. Once a guest writer for several newspapers, he has turned his love of writing toward poetry.He has studied under former Poet Laureate of Georgia Bettie Sellers and under poet Nancy Simpson. His poetry book, Short Glances Forward And A Long Look Back was recently published, and his work appears in Echoes Across the Blue Ridge.After a long career in aviation, Clarence now finds inspiration in the things of retirement, such as fishing, gardening, and birding.                             

Writers’ Night Outtakes place on the second Friday of each month. Open microphone prose or poetry readers can sign up at the door, and each person has three minutes. Brother’sWillow Ranch Restaurant is located at 6223 Hwy 76 West across from Brasstown Valley Resort, phone 706-379-1272. The event is in the upstairs room, accessible via stairs inside the restaurant or the ramp (no stairs) from the upper parking lot. Food and beverages will be available for purchase; please come by 6:15 pm to order.

For more information, please contact Karen Holmes at (404) 316-8466 or kpaulholmes@gmail.com.

Call for Submissions

Call for Submissions -- Unteachable:  An Anthology of Poets Outside the Academy

For the last fifty years teaching has become the default profession of poets in the United States. This anthology is to present the work of poets who do not teach.  It is for bankers, carpenters, lawyers, taxi drivers, machinists, clerks, waiters, flight attendants, surgeons, musicians and anyone else who reads, writes, and publishes outside of the academy.

Please submit 1-3 poems and a biographical statement to Mike James at williamdijames@aol.com.  In the subject line, please type Anthology Submission.  Poems may be on any subject and in any style.  All submissions should be included in the body of the email, not as an attachment.  Previously published are acceptable if the poet retains copyright. Payment will be one copy of the anthology. 

JOSEPH BATHANTI, NC'S NEW POET LAUREATE

Congratulations to Joseph Bathanti, our new NC Poet Laureate!   I've known Joseph for years and years, having discovered his first poems while I was poetry editor of The Arts Journal in Asheville. He's a productive poet and fiction witer, as well as a beloved teacher at App. State.   I will be doing a feature on him after the Labor Day holiday.

Joseph Bathanti was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. He came to North Carolina as a VISTA Volunteer in 1976 to work with prison inmates. Bathanti is the author of four books of poetry: Communion Partners; Anson County; The Feast of All Saints; and This Metal, which was nominated for The National Book Award. His first novel, East Liberty, winner of the Carolina Novel Award, was published in 2001. His latest novel, Coventry, won the 2006 Novello Literary Award. They Changed the State: The Legacy of North Carolina’s Visiting Artists, 1971-1995, his book of nonfiction, was published in early 2007. Most recently, his collection of short stories, The High Heart, winner of the 2006 Spokane Prize, was published by Eastern Washington University Press in 2007. He is the recipient of a Literature Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council; The Samuel Talmadge Ragan Award, presented annually for outstanding contributions to the Fine Arts of North Carolina over an extended period; the Linda Flowers Prize; the Sherwood Anderson Award, the 2007 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Prize; and others. He is Professor of Creative Writing at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. On August 30, 2012, Joseph was named Poet Laureate of North Carolina.

KAREN HOLMES WILL READ AT AJC DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL

Netwest member Karen Holmes will appear at the AJC Decatur Book Festival this weekend. Some of the most well known authors and poets will be there.

Congratulations, Karen.

Read more HERE.

HERE, WHERE I AM: COLD SPRING RISING: John Thomas York

HERE, WHERE I AM: COLD SPRING RISING: John Thomas York

NIEMAN CHATS WITH LOCAL POETS AND OTHERS

Valerie Nieman, author of Blood Clay, a novel Netwest member Joan Howard said she “can’t put down” inspired and informed those who came to the Author Chat and Tea at Moss Memorial Library on Friday afternoon. Nieman set the casual mood by forgoing a lectern and sitting in a chair with the group of mostly poets, reading from her new novel and her poetry book, Wake Wake Wake, asking questions and answering questions.

The author told us of her experience in all forms of writing, showing the large number of books she has published, including a book of short stories, Fidelities.
"I'm just an old journalist,” Nieman told us. She received her degree in journalism from West Virginia University.
She said her years of writing for newspapers taught her to tighten up her prose, use words sparingly, no fat, just lean sharp language.
That is what we all aim for in our fiction. During a break for refreshments, each member of the audience had an opportunity to speak with Nieman personally.

Poet Maren Mitchell, said, “An accomplished author of poetry, short stories and novels, she was a delight to listen to, and so comfortable and informative to talk with. I'm so glad I went to hear and meet Valerie Nieman.”

I am reading Blood Clay on my Nook, and it is a page turner. The book tells the story of Tracy, a teacher, who has moved to the North Carolina tobacco farming country and witnesses a brutal attack by dogs belonging to her neighbor. Like anyone new in a community Tracy’s actions are questioned by the local people.

“I so enjoyed Valerie Nieman's tea on Friday--her intelligent and friendly discussions and the high lyricism of her poetry. She is an author of wide knowledge and grace.” Joan Howard commented.

Thanks to Mary Fonda, librarian at Moss Library, for opening the doors for our Author Chat and Tea. It must have been the “tea” that turned our men writers away. A new resident of Murphy said she saw the article in the newspaper and knew she had to come. “I am pleased to meet so many interesting and intelligent women.” She said.

Writers Circle sponsored this event, free to the public, and we hope to do more programs like this if we have enough interest among writers and poets in the area. I like to take an opportunity to learn something new, and I do, every time I talk with or hear an author or poet speak.


Valerie Nieman is presently an assistant professor of English and Journalism at North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro, NC.  She is also an editor for Prime Numbers online literary journal. She teaches at John C. Council Folk School. 
















http://valerienieman.blogspot.com/

NC Poetry Society aware of health issues of members

The most heart-felt appreciation goes out to the editor and others in the North Carolina Poetry Society for their support of those of us who must deal with chemical fragrances in today’s society. In the most recent issue of Pine Whispers, the jam-packed informational newsletter of the poetry society, a small article titled  “Clearing the Air” requests those who attend meetings of NCPS refrain from using scented products.
Artificial scents in deodorant, aftershave, hair products, cologne, shampoo, laundry detergents or other personal care and cleaning products release chemicals into the air, causing breathing difficulty and other adverse reactions for some people. 

See www.ncpoetrysociety.org for more information on the contests sponsored by the North Carolina Poetry Society.

You don't want to miss this one!

We have the opportunity to take advantage of Rosemary Royston's years of study and her knowledge of where to submit our poems for publication. Don't be frightened if you haven't submitted your poetry. This is the time to learn all about it with others who need some of the same guidance you need.

Send it Out, Now!
Saturday, August 25, 10:00 – 1:00 PM, 2012

This class is for Intermediate to Advanced poets, or those who write poetry but have not had the courage to submit their work.

Purpose of the Class: You will leave with at least one new journal to which you can submit your finished poems, along with a resource list of journals and websites that are helpful to the publishing poet. The class facilitator will lead a discussion on how to ascertain what a particular journal is looking for, which contests are worthy of your time and money, and the in’s and out’s of good practice in submitting. This will be a discussion-based class, with time set aside to read at least one of your poems

What to Bring:

1) The print journal and/or a printout of your work in the online journal, web address included.

2) 3-5 poems that you are ready to submit.

3) Envelopes and stamps.

Instructor: Rosemary Royston

Fee: $25.00 

Contact Glenda Beall @ 828-389-4441 or E-mail nightwriter0302@yahoo.com 

Instructor bio: 

Royston holds an MFA in Writing from Spalding University. Her poetry chapbook Splitting the Soil is forthcoming in 2012 by Redneck Press, and she is currently seeking a publisher for her first full collection, Soulangenea. She has also had poetry published in journals such as The Comstock Review, Main Street Rag, Coal Hill Review, FutureCycle, and Alehouse. Her essays on writing poetry are included in Women and Poetry: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing by Successful Women Poets. Her poetry has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and she was the recipient of the 2010 Literal Latte Food Verse Award. Most recently, she received Honorable Mention in the George Scarbrough Poetry Contest, Mountain Heritage Literary Festival.  She currently serves as the Program Coordinator for the North Carolina Writers Network-West.  Her blog is http://theluxuryoftrees.wordpress.com/

August Events at City Lights Books in Sylva

Wendy Watkins Offers a Discussion on Sustaining Happiness
Friday, August 17th at 6:30 p.m.
Professional Certified Coach, Wendy Watkins will visit City Lights Bookstore on Friday, August 17th at 6:30 p.m. to discuss methods of sustaining happiness. She will also present her new book, The Joy Factor Recipe Book. As a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach she is perfect for those who desire to amplify their clarity, focus and positivity to increase their productivity, fulfillment and success. Wendy says of her book, "Because of my deep love for both personal development and food, I bring them together to share  this common sense approach to having more joy in your life. I use the word 'recipe' to describe the instructions and guidelines that lead to sustainable happiness. Some you can prepare in your kitchen, but most are prepared in your heart, soul and conscious mind."
Learn how to live a delicious life with Wendy as she shares her philosophy that our lives are like a cookbook and we choose what recipes we want to use to create a life we love each day. She'll share four ingredients you can weave into your recipe, as well as share a few of the recipes that others have contributed, including a recipe or two from Bernadette Peters, owner of City Lights Café.

Discussion on Appalachian Folk Magic
Friday, August 31st at 6:30 p.m.
On Friday, August 31st at 6:30 p.m. Byron Ballard will present her book, Staubs and Ditchwater. Part memoir, part instructional primer, Staubs and Ditchwater is an entertaining introduction to Appalachian folk magic. This knowledge encompasses planting by the signs, healing with herbs divination. Ballard leads local and regional workshops on these traditional practices and after much thought and many conversations decided to share fading aspect of traditional culture from the southern highlands. To reserve a copy of her book please call City Lights Bookstore at 828-586-9499.

John York Returns with New Poetry Collection
Saturday, September 1st at 6:30 p.m.
Poet and North Carolina resident, John York will return to City Lights Bookstore on Saturday, September 1st at 6:30 p.m. to present his latest collection of poetry, Cold Spring Rising. Of the book, Robert Morgan, author of Gap Creek and Boone says of the book, "John Thomas York has long been known as the Yadkin Bard. But he is also a poet of the vast reaches of the night sky, of deep memory, of wonder. His voice is distinctive, fresh, bringing to life a world long forgotten, of work, of struggle, of family bonds and community. I know of few poets who recreate so effectively the awe and aching immediacy and imaginative intensity of childhood. It is a pleasure to welcome the abundance, the full range of achievement, of Cold Spring Rising, which has both the sweetness and thrilling sting of the coldest and boldest spring water." York's work has appeared in many regional journals, as well as in anthologies such as Word and Witness: 100 Years of North Carolina Poetry and The Southern Poetry Anthology, Volume III: Contemporary Appalachia. He has previously published three chapbooks, Picking Out, Johnny's Cosmology, and, in 2010, Naming the Constellations, the last published by Spring Street Editions of Sylva, NC. In 2011, he received the first annual James Applewhite Poetry Prize from the North Carolina Literary Review. He lives with his family in Greensboro, NC. For more information or to reserve a copy of the book please call City Lights Bookstore at 828-586-9499.

Ed Southern Visits Netwest

Please join us in welcoming NCWN Executive Director, Ed Southern, to our area.  He will be visiting us on Thursday, August 16th.  His day will begin in Sylva at City Lights, following the 10:30 am Coffee with the Poets.  He then will travel to the Murphy area, meeting several of us for dinner (ALL are INVITED) at Blue Mountain Grill, 5:30 pm, Brasstown.  We will then head over to the John C Campbell Folk School to hear talented poets Janice Moore and Karen Paul Holmes read (7 pm, Keith House).

I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to speak with Ed and support readers and writers in the Jackson Co/Cherokee County areas. 

Wild Goose Poetry Review published Netwest Poets

Congratulations to Netwest member, Barbara Gabriel. Just a couple of years ago, she began studying the craft of writing with a serious bent toward accomplishment. See two of her poems in Wild Goose Poetry Review.
http://wildgoosepoetryreview.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/barbara-gabriel-mothballed/

While reading Wild Goose, you will find Robert S. King's poetry.
I love trees and I love this verse:

"Do leaves feel the weeping of wind and sky,
the pincers of insects, the saws cutting
through the nerves down to the roots?"
http://wildgoosepoetryreview.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/robert-s-king-the-language-of-trees/

Read another mountain poet, Michael Beadle. This poem sends a shiver up my spine.
http://wildgoosepoetryreview.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/michael-beadle-flesh-and-blood/
And congrats to Scott Owens, editor of Wild Goose, for another fine edition of the best online poetry journal.

Writers' Night Out, August 10th

Prize-winning poet Rosemary Royston, who is also a lecturer at Young Harris College, will entertain the audience as featured reader at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 10 at Brother’s Willow Ranch Restaurant in Young Harris, GA.  Writers’ Night Out is a free monthly event that also includes an open microphone for local authors.

Royston holds an MFA in Writing from Spalding University. Her poetry chapbook Splitting the Soil is forthcoming in 2012 by Redneck Press, and she is currently seeking a publisher for her first full collection, Soulangenea. She has also had poetry published in journals such as The Comstock Review, Main Street Rag, Coal Hill Review, FutureCycle, and Alehouse. Her essays on writing poetry are included in Women and Poetry: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing by Successful Women Poets. Her poetry has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and she was the recipient of the 2010 Literal Latte Food Verse Award. Most recently, she received Honorable Mention in the George Scarbrough Poetry Contest, Mountain Heritage Literary Festival.  She currently serves as the Program Coordinator for the North Carolina Writers Network-West.  Her blog is http://theluxuryoftrees.wordpress.com/

Writers’ Night Out takes place on the second Friday of each month. Open microphone readers can sign up at the door, and each person has three minutes to read poetry or prose. Brother’s Willow Ranch Restaurant is located at 6223 Hwy 76 West across from Brasstown Valley Resort, phone 706-379-1272. The event is in the upstairs room, accessible via stairs inside the restaurant or the ramp (no stairs) from the upper parking lot. Food and beverages will be available for purchase; please come early to order.

            

 For more information, please contact Karen Holmes at (404) 316-8466 or kpaulholmes@gmail.com.

Gary Carden, long time member of Netwest will receive award

Gary Carden, playwright, storyteller and writer of wonderful tales, sent his news a few days ago.

I have just been awarded the North Carolina Award in Literature. It is the highest award given by the state. The awards ceremony will be held in Raleigh on October 30th. 


Congratulations, Gary. You deserve this special award. Your friends and fellow writers in NCWN West are proud of you.

AUTHOR CHAT AND TEA AT MOSS LIBRARY IN HAYESVILLE, NC FRIDAY, AUGUST 24

Join Valerie Nieman at the library Friday, August 24, at 2:00 p.m. while she talks about her journey to publishing. This event is free and refreshments will be served. Valerie is the author of a novel, "Blood Clay"; a collection of short stories, "Fidelities"; and a poetry collection, "Wake Wake Wake." Her work has appeared in journals including "New Letters," "Poetry," the "North Carolina Literary Review," and the "Kenyon Review," and in several anthologies. She has received an NEA creative writing fellowship, two Elizabeth Simpson Smith awards in fiction, and the Greg Grummer Prize in poetry. Valerie graduated from West Virginia University and Queens Univ. of Charlotte. A longtime newspaper reporter and editor, she now teaches writing at North Carolina A&T State Univ. and serves as poetry editor of "Prime Number" magazine. This will be an informal event and Valerie will answer your questions.