On Our Own - Widowhood for Smarties

Silver Boomer Books has published an anthology, On Our Own - Widowhood for Smarties, and I am proud to have two of my poems, Sleeping Alone and Solitude, published in it.

These editors have put together a book for everyone who is part of a couple. If you have a husband or a wife, a life-long partner, or if you have lost your love, read this book of essays, fiction and poems. . 

I have to be honest. I have been published in anthologies that I never read all the way through. But I love the work in On our Own, Widowhood for Smarties. 

From Silver Boomer website: "The writers of this collection express the range of emotions at the loss of a spouse but the overwhelming message is affirmation of the strength they find to create new lives after deep loss. Widows and widowers will read these stories and poems with knowing nods, sighs and smiles. Other readers will find insight into a common human condition and perhaps courage to face their own unsought new beginnings."

If you have lost your mate or know someone who has made this journey through grief, give them this book. They will know as they read the touching and heart warming writing of these men and women, they are not alone and the crazy things they feel are not crazy at all.


Solitude

I’ve always needed time alone
to gather meandering thoughts,
musings on life, mine and yours.
I snatched my moments
where I found them.
But now the stillness whispers to me.
Careful what you ask for.

Waking in our quiet house,
no one greets me with, “Hey, Hon,
Get me a cup of coffee, will ya?”
No one sits in your chair,
No one speaks but the dog.

Hours pass while I make
eggs and toast – no coffee-
not for one. Feed the dog
and cat, answer e-mail, fewer
now it seems.

Slowly I learn to use the quiet,
to ponder my future, to cry
when I am stabbed with memories
so precious I can’t bear the pain,
to face the hard reality that you
will not return.
I am alone inside the
silence that I craved.
               --- Glenda C. Beall

Order a signed copy  of On My Own, Widowhood for Smarties from me for $15.95.

 Email me for ordering information. nightwriter0302@yahoo.com 

Three Princes of Poetry - all in one place

Carole Thompson, Robert S. King, Mary Ricketson, Scott Owens, Glenda Beall

 It is late and I'm almost asleep, but I wanted to report that we had a great time in Sylva, NC tonight. We read and heard some terrific poetry.
Scott Owens has the most marvelous new poetry book, published by FutureCycle Press. One Who Knows How to Own Land. Isn't that the best title?
Many of us know what a terrific poet Scott is, tonight we had a surprise when Ron Rash dropped in to tell us how much he admires Scott Owens' poetry. Ron Rash was at Western University this week talking about his newest book. 

This is what he says on the back of One Who Knows How to Own Land,
“Landscape and memory are seamlessly merged in this excellent volume. Like all the best writers of place, Scott Owens finds the heart’s universal concerns in his vivid rendering of piedmont Carolina.” —Ron Rash, Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University

I felt like I was in the room with royalty - at least the princes of poetry - Ron, Scott and Robert King. I was almost embarrassed to read my poems, but I had the satisfaction of knowing that Robert had chosen two of my poems for his FutureCycle 2011 Anthology and Scott has published a couple of my poems in Wild Goose Poetry Review.

Mary Ricketson is always a pleasure to listen to when she reads her thoughtful verses and Carole Thompson read both humorous and serious poetry. One of her poems won second place in a National DAR contest. We all had a good time tonight.
 

a BOOK ON FASHION FROM WOMEN WHO WORE IT

Recently I acquired a copy of Celia Miles and Nancy Dillingham's new anthology, Clothes Lines, a book filled with stories and poems about, what else, clothes.
Among the writers I know in this book are Nancy Sales Cash, author of three novels and she is working on number four. Nancy is a native of Murphy, NC and spends much time in the Cherokee and Clay county areas. We met at the Daily Grind and Curiosity Shop Bookstore, had a cup of coffee and discussed readings of Clothes Lines and my poetry book Now Might As Well Be Then.
Some of the writers in the far southwest area of North Carolina and north Georgia who have work in Clothes Lines are Kathryn Stripling Byer, Joyce Foster, Nancy Sales Cash, Karen Paul Holmes, Carole R. Thompson, Glenda Barrett, Jo Carolyn Beebe, Janice Townley Moore, Blanche Ledford and Brenda Kay Ledford, and Peg Russell.
A number of our Netwest members throughout the region also appear in this interesting book by 75 western North Carolina Women.

Celia and Nancy published Christmas Presence last year through Catawba Press and used the same press for Clothes Lines. The book is made more interesting by the use of a few black and white pictures all done by Mary Alice Ramsey.

 Be on the lookout for readings from this anthology in your town.

A Poem from Now Might as Well be Then

Ballet in the Piney Woods

Little girl sunsuits littered the wiregrass.
Summer warmed small bronze bodies
that danced on the stage of a fallen oak,
to songbirds’ music from the mayhaw.

They felt, at five, the kiss of butterflies
upon their eyes, breathed honeysuckle air.
Like sylphs set free they twirled, arms open,
gathering the breeze against their bareness.

Chastised for their boldness by older girls
who barged into their glade,
the innocents saw themselves
and were ashamed.

By Glenda C. Beall

Published first by Silver Boomer Books in the anthology "Freckles to Wrinkles."

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge

I have to say tonight I am elated. Nancy Simpson sent out the acceptance letters today for the new NCWN West anthology, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge; Stories, Essays and Poems by Writers Living in or Inspired by the Southern Appalachians.

I love the title. The second part of it is the same as our first anthology, Lights in the Mountains. We have around 80 authors and poets in this book which will be larger than the first one.

Nancy worked hard, day and night she read, and lost sleep over what to include and what would not fit. She is proud of the final choices and I know this will be a fine book showcasing many of our Netwest members and non-members who live in this beautiful land of southern Appalachia.



I can't thank Nancy enough for her diligent work on this most important project for Netwest. Besides serving as a terrific venue for our writers to publish their best work, the sale of this book will insure that our writing organization will be able to hold workshops, conferences, pay writers who speak, pay expenses and keep registration fees for these events down to a reasonable price.



We have a number of volunteers who are helping to get this book together and we will recognize them in the book along with the many donors who helped raise the printing fees.



Now we need submissions from our Netwest area for the cover art.

If you live in the Netwest area of NC, SC or GA, send us a photo that you think will make a good cover. Our Cherokee County Representative Mary Ricketson submitted a photo for Lights in the Mountains and it was chosen. I hope to get some submissions in before long. Go to http://www.netwestwriters.blogspot.com/ for info on how to submit.