This weekend was good medicine for me.

Gay and I drove up to the mountains and I attended a poetry workshop lead by Rosemary Royston. After the class ended, some of us had lunch together at the Sundance Grill on Main Street in Hiawassee, GA.

In our NCWN-West local group, Murphy and Hayesville NC and in Young Harris and Hiawassee, GA we have two poetry critique groups, and three meetings for readings and Open Mic. I am told we have too many writers' events each month and some cannot attend them all. I understand, and no one is expected to attend them all. I couldn't when I lived there. We have a very active group of writers who have been successful in publishing, and we have many eager new writers who feel very welcome and happy to be a part of this mountain program.

You might notice our one man in the photo above. David Plunkett is our publicity coordinator and we held the workshop Saturday at his office in Hiawassee. He is a very important person who is always willing to volunteer and help when needed.

On the left in the photo is Carroll Taylor who is the Georgia Representative for NCWN-West, and she holds an online gathering each month for writers, Mountain Wordsmiths on Zoom. She is one of the people I depend on, who works well with me, and helps keep our program working. She welcomes writers and those who just want to listen to poems and stories. Contact her and she will send the link so you can join us.

In the back of the photo, in pink, is one of the original members, excellent poet, Janice Moore. She and Nancy Simpson, poet and teacher, led our early poetry critique groups in the 90s. 

Others in the photo are on the right, Lorraine Bennett, Rosemary Royston, and Mary Ricketson. On the left side, next to Carroll, is Donna Beal, who treated Gay and me to dinner, and Cynthia Francis. All of these folks write poetry or novels. 

Out of the photo, my sister, Gay sat beside me as I made the photos. Without my dear sister, I could not have been with my old friends at this time. She enjoyed them, she said, and I know they all think the world of her.

I am inspired to get my writing out of my computer and submitted to publishers in the coming weeks. Wish me luck.

Thanks for stopping by. Let me hear from you in the comments or elsewhere.

Stay safe in this hot, hot weather, and keep your pets safe, also. The heat and hot pavement is bad for our pups.

Glenda Beall, 

co-author of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins

Author of Now Might as Well be Then.

gcbmoountaingirl@gmail.com