Friday and Saturday, full of fun for me

This weekend has been full and fun for me. Friday evening I had the great pleasure of being a featured reader at Writers’ Night Out, hostedby Karen Holmes, in Blairsville, GA. We had an enthusiastic crowd of people including some students from Young Harris College.

On the same program with me was Scott Owens, a favorite poetand teacher in our area. He has 12 or 13 books out now and all of them are big hits. His reading last night brought bursts of loud and long applause.

For my reading, I included a couple of poems at the beginning, one of which is in my poetry chapbook, Now Might as Well be Then, published by Finishing Line Press. Steve Harvey, essayist and memoirist, whom I admire, said he particularly like the poem about the tractor. In the book it is titled Clearing New Ground. I changed a few words for the reading, making the poem more powerful, I think.

The surprise of the evening was the short story I read. It is a humorous piece about a young man who came to work at the dairy barn early one morning hung over with a pounding headache. I have not submitted this story for publication, but many people suggested I should. I might send it out and see if it finds a home. The audience found it funny. I don’t think many people expect my writing to be humorous, but several of my short stories are funny.

This morning Scott taught poetry at Writers Studio. He gave us ideas of where we find poetry, how to find poetry and when to write. We had a few short writing exercises that were helpful. I think everyone who knows him loves Scott Owens. At least in my area they do. I hear nothing but compliments for him from those who attend his readings and his classes.

Scott told me he is trying to get his popular online journal, Wild Goose Poetry Review, running again, but he is extremely busy with Taste Full Beans Coffee Shop in Hickory and teaching three classes each day. I expect him and his wife to become even busier now that a post on Facebook about their generosity has been shared hundreds of times and the hits keep coming. We all want Wild Goose to continue to publish the great quality poetry it has in the past.

After the class today, I took a long nap to be ready for my night out with the girls. A dear writer friend treated me to dinner, and another friend joined us at the Copper Door, one of the finest restaurants anywhere. We three went over to the Peacock Playhouse later to see the Songwriters in Concert. I’ll save that for another post.

I could feel Fall in the air today although it was still humid. A crisp breeze swept over my deck and I wanted to sit outside and enjoy it. Sunny and Smokie  like the weather, running in and out.  They can make me smile every time I look at them.

I hope you had a good day wherever you are and thank you for reading this blog. If you aren’t a subscriber, please sign up on the sidebar. It is free, and you will receive in your Inbox each new post I write. I love reading  your comments, so please tell me what you think.

A Good Night's Sleep Bartered for Poetry?

I have been so pleased at the number of my friends in the writing community who have told me about gluten free products available here. Today Karen Holmes brought me some delicious crackers, that I can get at the grocery store. Maren Mitchell says a local health food store carries wonderful bread! I plan to go and pick up some today.

I am pleased to say that I feel much better this weekend and have been getting some things done around here. 

Will Wright, poet and editor, and a nice young man, is my house guest. He is teaching a class at my studio this morning. Like so many of my guests, Will exclaimed that he had never had such a good night's sleep as he did in my downstairs bedroom. Karen stayed here before and she agreed. She said it is comforting, like being in the womb. Now isn't that the words of a poet?

I think it is the darkness and the quiet. With no windows to let in the morning light, a person could forget to get up. Will asked permission to come and stay one night each month just to get a really good night's sleep. I told him we could barter, my favorite thing to do. He can help me with my poetry, and I'll provide him with a room where he can rest and sleep as long as he wants.  

I am the most fortunate person I know. I have work that I love, and through that work, I meet people I enjoy and admire. Each day brings me more joy and gratitude for what I have. 

Karen Holmes, poet and teacher

If you want to have a good time with a wonderful person and teacher, come to John Campbell Folk School January 30 to take this class with my friend and fellow poet, Karen Holmes. Below is her class description and if you live nearby, you will be able to get into this class for half the tuition price. Don't miss it.The class is an all-genre writing class and here are the details:

January 30- Feb 5, John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC "Sing and Paint with Words"

This is a writing class for poets and prose writers where we will look to the other arts for ideas and inspiration. In other words, we'll "call all muses" to help us write. We'll listen to music, look at art and share great lines of authors and poets. We'll have plenty of class time to write and prompts to get us started. You might decide, for example, to write about what you hear in a piece of music or how it made you feel.

You might even decide to create a character in a short story or poem who plays the violin or paints like Monet. Or you might simply get a burst of creativity to finish a project or start a new one. The week will include tips on editing to make your work the best it can be and one-on-one coaching sessions. (Karen is a terrific editor. GB)

What a great way to kick start your New Year's writing resolution. For more information and to register, call the Folk School today 1-800-FOLK-SCH or visit http://www.folkschool.org/

The class is wide open, so a "local resident" 50% discount on tuition ($276) will apply if you live in one of the qualifying "local" counties.

(Clay, Cherokee, Towns, Union, Fannin in NC and GA)

Karen also hosts Writers Night Out in Hiawassee, GA on the second Friday evening of each month.

January Writing Classes at JCCFS

I'd like to sign up for every single writing class at John C. Campbell Folk School in the month of January. Google these instructors and you will find out why I expect each class to be fun, fun, fun!


January 7-9 (Weekend $308)
What is Memoir Anyway?
Instructor: Dana Wildsmith
Ready to embark on writing the story of your life? Before you start, it’s
helpful to learn the difference between memoir, autobiography, and
family history. Our focus will be on memoir methods as we delve into
contemporary examples and classic memoirs for direction. Explore how to work parts of your life into very readable prose. All levels are welcome.


January 16-22 (Advanced Week $596)
Creating the World that Isn’t There
Instructor: Patricia Sprinkle
In good fiction, the imaginary world is so real that the readers feel
they’ve been there and know those people. Learn to create such
characters and settings. Bring the first chapter of a novel or one short
story on which you want to focus. Class consists of instruction, writing,
group critique, and revision, with pauses for laughter and learning
exercises. Designed for intermediate to advanced fiction writers, but
writers of memoirs, biography, and history can benefit.

January 30-February 5 ($546)
Sing and Paint with Words: A week of writing inspiration
Instructor: Karen Paul Holmes
Come get inspired. Through music and other arts, we’ll stir the creative
juices. We might listen to Beethoven or Elvis, look at paintings by Monet
or Finster, read literary masters or contemporary writers—all to generate
ideas for our poems, fiction, or essays. You’ll receive editing tips and
one-on-one critiques to make your work stronger and more readable.
Open to anyone who needs inspiration and help perfecting the art of
writing.

(Karen is volunteer editor and publisher of Netwest News. She has published in top literary journals and has a successful business.)

Reading at Poetry Hickory

Karen Holmes, poet and publisher of the Netwest News, and I had a great time at Taste Full Beans in Hickory, NC Tuesday evening. We arrived around five o’clock and parked our bags and our selves at a table near the back. The delicious aroman of flavored coffees permeated the downtown shop. Both of us commented on the extra-ordinary local paintings that covered many of the walls. A nice man behind the counter served a delicious quiche and told us Scott was treating us to dinner.

While we ate, poets and writers strolled in and took seats at the round tables. We knew no one personally, but many of them are on Facebook and on my friends list. Karen, who was one of the invited open mic readers, had not met Scott Owens but she had heard about him from other poets in our area. He facilitates Poetry Hickory and he had visited Hayesville, Murphy and Hiawassee a few months ago.

It was a pleasure to meet Richard Taylor, editor of Kakalak, 2009, Helen Losse, editor for Dead Mule, Jessie Carty, author of Paper House, Nancy Posey, and Anne Hicks who was a featured reader as I was. Anne is the editor of MoonShine Review.

Anne Hicks

Karen Holmes reading

Scott Owens at the podium

Glenda Beall reading at Poetry Hickory

SNOW DID NOT STOP OUR BOOK SIGNING

Phillips and Lloyd books on the square in Hayesville, NC hosted a book signing last Saturday. The light snow in the morning did not deter the customers looking for Christmas gifts in this delightful store. My friends and  family enjoyed shopping. Elizabeth and Joe filled a table with holiday cookies and we drank a pot of their good coffee.

Don K., Barry's good friend, came by to pick up a copy of Now Might as Well be Then. Don and Barry sang together in the Methodist Church Choir and also in the men's chorus, Singing Disciples. Don has inherited Barry's favorite hand carved wooden cane that he used for a short while.

From left: Janice Moore, author of Teaching the Robins, Karen Holmes, editor and publisher of the Netwest Newsletter, Award winning poet, Brenda Kay Ledford, Jo Carolyn Beebe, geneologist and writer, and Carole Thompson, poet and fiction writer all have work in the new anthology, CLOTHES LINES, edited by Celia Miles and Nancy Dillingham. They had fun and enjoyed signing both Christmas Presence, published last year by Catawba Publishing and Clothes Lines at Phillips and Lloyd books on Saturday, December 7.