A Poem by Scott Owens

Reclamation

Having seen the transformation of one
rundown furniture plant into expensive
restaurant, brewery, boutique shops
for clothes and frozen yogurt, and noticing
the ongoing cleaning out of another,
and knowing it had already happened with my life,
education and divorce and writing
redeeming what had once been worthless,
I couldn’t help but wonder how much
could be achieved with any body
nearly worn out, teeth straightened
with invisalign, eyes fixed by laser,
gut restored with probiotics,
foot pain eliminated by the Strassburg Sock,

but then even after rejuvenation,
even among the young, it’s not always
pretty, not always full of grace,
the crude, oil-stained nuts and bolts
of life, the unphotogenic face,
a bad day that keeps getting worse,
walls that don’t line up, some bricks
uneven, some not quite the right size,
and that’s what the mortar’s for,
the gray areas of tolerance,
forgiveness, understanding,
empathetic appreciation of things
being left imperfect, only as good
as we can stand to make them be.

THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT BIG BANG

IN A GALAXY AT THE EDGE OF TOWN

poems by  Scott Owens

Published by Main Street Rag

ISBN: 978-1-59948-548-5, 76 pages, cover price: $14

Projected Release date: December, 2015 

OUR NCWN FALL WRITERS' CONFERENCE - MORE INFO

Are you going to the Writers' Conference in Asheville in the fall? Read about some of the activities and the sponsors of those activities to be held at the  Conference in Asheville, NC on November 20-22.

Check out this article on the website of the North Carolina Writers' Network.


See the NCWN-West members who will be participating in this conference.

Registration opens on August 31.

Highlights of the John C. Campbell Folk School Reading from August 20, 2015

Maren O. Mitchell and Joan Howard read their poetry to a nice-sized audience that included Folk School students, local poets, and friends of poets. Highlighting Joan’s reading were two poems honoring two of her neighbors, and the neighbors were in attendance.

After reading a few poems, Maren turned her presentation into an “audience participation” by explaining she had written 26 poems, one for each letter of the alphabet and asking the group to call out a letter. She then read a poem for each of the several letters called out.

Lucy Cole Gratton ably hosted the program by introducing the featured poets with thoughtful, personal observances about the poet and her work.


Karen Paul Holmes

Tara Lynne Groth, to teach Book Publishing and Marketing class in Hayesville, NC, on Sat., August 22, 2015

In this class, Tara Lynne Groth, will explore different publishing services, basics of a writer's platform, and how to spread awareness of your writing without having to 'sell, sell, sell,' your book.  The class will be offered at the Hayesville Library, Saturday, August 22nd, 2015, at 10:00 AM. Tara Lynne Groth is the founder of Asheville Writers and is a full-time freelance writer. She recently finished instructing a 10-week course on Book Marketing for Duke University's OLLI continuing education program. Before starting her writing business she worked as a marketing manager and director of public relations. She speaks at events around the country on publicity and digital marketing. She is the force behind the popular blog Write Naked, at: www.writenaked.net. Please contact Glenda Council Beall for further information at : http://www.glendacouncilbeall.blogspot.com/

HENDERSONVILLE
OPEN MIC NIGHT
When: Third Monday of the month, 6:00-7:45 pm
Where: Henderson County Public Library, 301 N. Washington
Register: opmiclit1@gmail.com or Pat Vestal, 828-435-1053

The North Carolina Writers' Network invites writers to share their literary works at Open Mic Night. "Meet and Greet" begins at 5:30. Lidded beverages and non-messy snacks are allowed by the library. The event is free. Poets, fiction writers, playwrights, essayists, and memoirists are welcomed. If writers want to read at the event, they must register (see above). Time limits of 3 minutes for poets and 5 minutes for prose writers are enforced. Sponsored by the North Carolina Writers' Network and hosted by the Henderson County Public Library.

Come Hear a Big Name Poet on Aug 14

Ronald Moran: Widely published award winner from South Carolina to read

 at Writers' Night Out

Dr. Ronald Moran is a retired Clemson University professor and dean.  He has published 12 collections of poetry, the most recent being The Tree in the Mind (Clemson University Press, 2014); two books of criticism (one coauthored); and more than 500 poems, essays, and reviews in many journals, including Connecticut Poetry Review, Emrys Journal, Evening Street Review, Louisiana Review, Northwest Review, South Carolina Review,  Southern Poetry Review, Tar River Poetry, Thomas Wolfe Review, and The Wallace Stevens Journal.  Moran has won several awards and was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize.  His writings and memorabilia about them are archived in Special Collections of the James B. Duke Library at Furman University.  

 

Please note this change:  

Dinner and refreshments will be available for purchase at The View Grill, next to the ballroom where we normally meet. Due to difficulties in food service in our room, we feel it's best to go back to doing it this way. It is the same reasonably priced menu, and you can bring food or drink into the ballroom or eat at the restaurant. The View Grill has a lovely deck with a great view of the golf course. Please arrive by 6 pm in order to get served before the reading starts in the ballroom at 7 pm. As usual, open mic will follow the reading (limit 3 minutes per poetry or prose reader).

 Here's a map to the Union County Community Center in the heart of Blairsville, GA (Please note that the Holiday Inn on the map is now a Comfort Suites): Map to Writers' Night Out

 

NCWN West member Joan Howard has poem accepted for the November 2015 edition of POEM: Huntsville Literary Association

Joan Howard, NCWN West member, has a poem accepted entitled "Winter Approaches" which has been accepted for the November 2015 edition of POEM: Huntsville Literary Association.

Her 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: the 2012 poetry anthology (Georgia Poetry Society) among other journals and anthologies.

Brenda Kay Ledford's Poetry Published in "Poetry Church Magazine"

Brenda Kay Ledford's poetry, "The Messenger," "Altar in the Woods," and "Peace," were published in the Poetry Church Magazine.


This international magazine is published in Yorkshire, England.


For guidelines, contact:  reavill@globalnet.co.uk

JANICE TOWNLEY MOORE TO READ AT COFFEE WITH THE POETS AND WRITERS IN HAYESVILLE, NC, AUGUST 12, 2015 10:30 AM

This month we are happy to have Janice Townley Moore as featured reader at Coffee with the Poets and Writers at Joe’s Coffee House, 82 Main Street, Hayesville, NC. We meet at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 12.

Janice facilitates the NCWN-West Poetry Critique group that meets monthly at Tri-County College in Murphy, NC. An Atlanta native, Janice recently retired from Young Harris College in Georgia where she was a professor of English for many years. Moore taught 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.

Janice Moore is author of Teaching the Robins, a poetry chapbook, published by Finishing Line Press in 2005. She is co-author of Like a Summer Peach, a great little book of recipes and poems.

Coffee with the Poets and Writers includes an Open Mic session. This is open to the public and anyone with an original poem or short prose piece is welcome to share it. We ask that prose pieces be no longer than 1500 – 1800 words.

Joe’s Coffee House is known for various kinds of coffee and tea. Water, soft drinks and bagels are available as well. Plan to stay for lunch with us at Angelo’s across the street. We want to get to know you.

Call Glenda Beall 828-389-4441 or glendabeall@msn.com for more information

Glenda Council Beall

Clay County Representative for NCWN West

Mountain resident, Bill Ramsey, selected for NCWN Board of Trustees

We congratulate NCWN West member Bill Ramsey of Hendersonville who has been selected to serve on the NCWN  Board of Trustees.

The North Carolina Writers' Network welcomes three new members to its Board of Trustees: Margaret D. Bauer, Bill Ramsey, and Ward Brian Zimmerman.

"New voices are essential for an effective board," said NCWN Executive Director Ed Southern. "Our new trustees bring with them a wealth of experience and talent, and hail from parts of the state—the coast and the mountains—that too often have been under-represented."

Bill Ramsey is an active supporter of literacy and literature. He serves on the Board of Trustees of Blue Ridge Community College and as an advocate for Blue Ridge Literacy Council and the Henderson County Public Library. In 2008, he helped to organize the Blue Ridge Bookfest and has remained on the leadership team.

In his youth, Bill wrote sports columns for the local newspaper. During his forty-year professional career he wrote technical manuals, magazine articles, and business newsletters. In retirement, writing about real-life issues became his passion. He is the author of four books and maintains a blog. He also writes op-ed columns and book reviews.

A proud and active member of the North Carolina Writers' Network, he lives the happy life of a retiree with his wife of fifty years, Donna.

To read more visit: www.ncwriters.org