Share button and how to delete it?

I'm sorry I have a large Share button on each post and another more recent smaller one at the bottom. I am in process of learning how to use such things on my blogs. I want to delete the large one because it never comes up at the bottom as I want. But I can't find anyplace to delete it. I'll keep trying, however.

Poets and Writers and Poets

This post was written after the weekend at Festival on the Square.

After a weekend of promoting Writers Circle, NCWN West and Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, I dragged myself home, took a shower and a nap. Hot weather saps my energy and yesterday was hot and humid, but we had a successful event.

In one of the anthologies on our table was my story, An Angel Named Amos. The theme is horses. That book was popular. So was the anthology, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge. 

Poetry was not popular with people at this festival. Does that mean that we didn't have a literary crowd? Or is it true that only poets buy poetry books? I did not buy one of Robert S. King's poetry books. I already have The Gravedigger's Roots and The Haunted River, both excellent collections.

Clarence Newton, poet and writer

I bought a book by my good friend, Clarence Newton. For years I have begged him to put together a book of his poems because I wanted to have them available to read often.

Like many who have lived a long life, this astute gentleman's words of wisdom in verse and his clever, tongue in cheek poems that make me laugh out loud will be cherished and kept on my book shelf.

He gave me permission to publish some poems from his book, Short Glances Forward and A Long Look Back.

Cycling

Nobody dies anymore.

Some pass on, others pass away.

Some go to heaven, others reincarnate.

Some go to hell.

A few spirits hang around as ghosts.

Some are convinced that this

matter of which we are made

is in a constant mode

of earth attachment and recycling.

Born of the cosmos, matter spun and whirled,

made to reason, wonder, laugh and cry,

guided by circumstances, seeds sown to wind,

we dance upon the crest of life's bell curve,

embrace hope, faith and serenity,

relishing fleeting moments of lust and love

thinking only of the present;

finally to metamorphose into particles of dust

and subatomic energy where goes body and soul

carried by whirlwinds of the ethereal universe,

from whence we came and so shall return.

A merry-go-round, this mysterious life

of consciousness, matter and will

where passions flare and time flies.

Clarence then writes this one:

Froggy

Three hopping friends

sat upon two logs

searching with buggy eyes

for a breakfast of flies

One had two and two had three.

then saluted with high fives

saying ain't life fun

when we're having flies? 

WE HAD FUN AT FESTIVAL ON THE SQUARE

Last weekend some of us, members of NCWN West, set up a booth at the Festival on the Square in Hayesville, NC. Saturday was busy but hot. This festival is sponsored each year by the Clay County Historical and Arts Council. Janice Padgett, president of the Council and Reba Beck, co-chairman of the festival committee,  were especially supportive of our being there.

Members of CCHAC at their booth in front of the historic courthouse

Besides Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, the anthology created by Netwest and edited by Nancy Simpson, we had poetry books by Nancy and Robert King. Clarence Newton brought his brand new poetry book, Short Glances Forward and A Long Look Back, and I finally got my hands on it. 

Deanna Klingle and Robert S. King at the NCWN West booth

Anthologies, such as my Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers, sold better than poetry, so next year, I hope members who have had their work in anthologies will bring copies to sign.

Clarence Newton author of Short Glances Forward and A Long Look Back

Deanna Klingel drove down from Brevard to sign her books. She writes for young people and had a very successful day introducing her characters to the children in Clay County.

Many thanks to Joan Howard, Janice Moore, Linda Smith and Beth and especially Robert King who was there all day both days. I was happy to introduce quite a few people to Netwest and to Writers Circle. 

We almost made it through the festival without rain, but about 20 minutes before closing, the downpour started and we all came home in wet clothes. It was fun and I hope next year we will have more members participate.

YA author Deanna Klingel is a very busy woman

I want to introduce you to my new friend and a busy author, Deanna Klingel. She writes novels for young adults and middle school children. She also writes non-fiction such as her book on therapy dogs.
Check her website. http://www.booksbydeanna.com/

I am going, Come along and enjoy with me.

For years  I have wanted to attend this workshop. I plan to go there in September. They have some places open. Register now.

POPULAR FALL WRITERS’ RETREATS NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION 

Writers of fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and music can now register for an annual workshop known for helping seasoned and beginning writers in one of North Carolina’s most glorious mountain settings.

Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for this year’s Table Rock Writers Workshop, to be held Sept. 17 -21 at Wildacres Retreat, near Little Switzerland on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

SOLATIDO, a southern singer/songwriters’ workshop that runs concurrently is also open for registration.

Table Rock, originally known as the Duke University Writers’ Workshop, was reorganized in 2010 and continues with the same leadership and philosophy of support for writers of all genres and levels of experience.

Georgann Eubanks, who has directed the popular literary workshops for more than 20 years, also developed Solatido for songwriters. She is the author of the guidebook series, Literary Trails of North Carolina, a project of the NC Arts Council. The third volume, Literary Trails of Eastern North Carolina, comes out next spring from UNC Press. The books are all about the state’s many accomplished writers.

“Writing is a solitary occupation,” says Eubanks. “It helps once in a while to gather in the company of other writers and receive feedback and encouragement. The Table Rock and Solatido workshops avoid competition and focus on creativity and craft.” 

Eubanks says some registrants are returnees, but newcomers always infuse the weeklong sessions with fresh energy and ideas.

The instructors at Table Rock this year are North Carolina writers Abigail DeWitt, Darnell Arnoult, Anna Jean Mayhew and Scott Huler.  Participants can also choose to take advantage of a first-time Reader-in Residence, Dawn Shamp. Writers can submit parts of a manuscript in progress and Shamp will provide a detailed critique including structural and technical advice. 

Music producer and composer Richard Putnam leads this year’s Solatido workshop. The keyboardist and arranger is comfortable with all musical styles and has been a session player in the Southeast for 30 years.

For more information: http://tablerockwriters.com 

 http://solatido-workshop.net

Contact Cindy Campbell, 919.923.8857, cincam02@gmail.com

Mothers and Daughters, Daughters and Mothers

Carol Crawford, writer, poet, teacher and coordinator of the Blue Ridge Writers Conference held annually for over a decade, has published a poetry collection. The title is The Habit of Mercy, Poems about Daughters and Mothers. Those of us who have known Carol for a long time, have waited for this book. It is so like Carol to publish and say nothing about it. She is Hope Clark's example of "The Shy Writer." 

Although her poetry and essays have been widely published, Carol only mentions it in her bio. She was facilitator for NCWN West Poetry Critique group in 1995 when I came to this area. She drove from Fannin County, Georgia to Tri-County College in Murphy NC the first Thursday night of each month to meet with our group. At the time, her county had no literary events or writing organizations. Like many in our area, she heard of NCWN West and joined. In her acknowledgements, Carol mentions Nancy Simpson, Janice Moore, Gene Hirsch and me, all members of NCWN West. 

After a while, Carol began organizing groups in her county and with the help of Robert Kimsey, another poet, writing in Blue Ridge, GA found a home. Carol, with the backing of the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association, held the first Blue Ridge Writers' Conference in an elementary school in Blue Ridge. The conference brought in excellent instructors. Soon the elementary school was too small and Carol moved the event to North Georgia Tech, a community college in Blairsville. It was a perfect venue -- plenty of room for classes, for all attendees to gather for the key note speaker, and room for book sales. Circumstances caused the conference to move back to Blue Ridge, and now it is held in the building that houses the Arts Association.

It takes many volunteer hours to hold a quality conference like this every year. Carol and her committee pull it off without a hitch, or at least without anyone knowing if there is a glitch.  April 5 and 6 are dates for the 2013 Conference.

As soon as I received my copy of The Habit of Mercy by Carol Crawford, I knew I wanted to write about it and share it with others. If you are a mother or had a mother, you will enjoy Carol's poetry about the joys and challenges of mothering two daughters, and about being a daughter, remembering her mother. 

Read more about the book HERE.

Order a copy of Carol's book for only ten dollars. Contact her at: Carol.Crawford@gmail.com