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

Poetry Class with Rosemary Royston

Rosemary Royston

NCWN-West is holding a poetry workshop with outstanding poet, Rosemary Royston, author of several books. She teaches annually at the John C. Campbell Folk School in their writing program. To learn more about Rosemary, Google Rosemary Royston poet. She holds an MFA in Writing from Spalding University. Read some of her poetry here.

Rosemary’s chapbook, Splitting the Soil, is available through Finishing Line Press and Amazon.

I have known Rosemary for many years. 

She was a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network. She served as Program Coordinator for NCWN-West. 

Visit her new website: https://www.stitchandstories.com/general-1

We always had a full class when Rosemary taught at Writers Circle around the Table, my studio in Hayesville. 

I like this description of Rosemary's book, Second Sight:

Rosemary Royston’s poems speak in the tongues of rural folks in a way that only a linguistical conjurer could have managed. She takes her readers on a tour through Appalachia and its cultures—showing the reader creek bottoms, retold Garden of Eden stories, and her grandmother’s medicine cabinet. Royston is an eloquent wordsmith who tenderly crafts each word, each line, and each stanza. This collection of Royston’s is honest, timely, and beautiful. It is a love letter to Appalachia and rural people everywhere who often don’t get their stories told in such a powerful and compassionate manner.

If you write poetry, no matter what level, you will enjoy and learn from taking this class. 

Location: 355 Main St. N, Suite C, Hiawassee, GA 30582

Date and time: July 26, 2025  - 10:00 AM- 12:00 

Registration: Fee: $40  For registration information contact gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com 

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Last WNO for 2019 November 8

I missed Writers' Night Out for October, but I surely hope to attend on November 8 when Rosemary Royston and Diana Anhalt will be featured. Check out their online information.

After the planned program, the floor is open to writers who want to share a poem or short prose piece. Those reading at Open Mic sign up when they arrive and this is always an interesting part of WNO.

This is the last one of this year. From December through March, we take a break due to the weather here in the mountains. 

I hope all our local friends will come out on Friday night, November 8, 7:00 PM.  If our sponsored events are not well attended, we might lose them for good.

Poets, Send It Out Now! Royston Class

August 
Rosemary Royston


Send it Out, Now!
Saturday, August 25, 10:00 – 1:00 PM,  2012

This class is for Intermediate to Advanced poets, or those who write poetry but have not had the courage to submit their work. 

What to Bring:

1) The print journal and/or a printout of your work in the online journal, web address included.

2) 3-5 poems that you are ready to submit.

3) Envelopes and stamps.

Purpose of the Class: You will leave with at least one new journal to which you can submit your finished poems, along with a resource list of journals and websites that are helpful to the publishing poet. The class facilitator will lead a discussion on how to ascertain what a particular journal is looking for, which contests are worthy of your time and money, and the in’s and out’s of good practice in submitting. This will be a discussion-based class, with time set aside to read at least one of your poems

Registration fee: $25.00

Contact Glenda: nightwriter0302@yahoo.com or call 828-389-4441 for mailing information.

Blue Ridge Bookfest

We will be participating in the Blue Ridge Bookfest this year. Click to see last year's news and come back soon to see the 2011 update.
Ron Rash will be a presenter at this event for authors. Don't miss it.
Blue Ridge Bookfest at Flatrock Community College in Henderson County, NC. Dates: May 21 and 22, 2011.

Nancy Simpson whose latest book is Living Above the Frost Line, will teach a poetry workshop on Friday afternoon.
A group of writers whose work is published in Echoes Across the Blue Ridge will participate in a panel discussion at the Bookfest on Saturday. Among those participating will be Rosemary Royston, poet and Program Coordinator for Netwest, Karen Holmes, published poet and editor of the Netwest News, Nancy Simpson, poet and teacher. Also on the panel will be Nancy Purcell, well-published writer and teacher and Netwest Rep for Transylvania County, NC, Lana Hendershott, Netwest Rep for Henderson County, NC who writes and publishes short stories, and JC Walkup, publisher of Fresh, a literary magazine. I will moderate the panel which will share their expertise on writing and publishing. Echoes Across the Blue Ridge will be on sale at the bookfest and a number of the authors will be present to sign copies.

See the Website or contact Bill Ramsey for more information.

2011 Looks Good at Writers Circle

WRITERS CIRCLE IN SPRING

Writers Circle will start classes in March of 2011. I am happy to note that instructors from last year will be back. Estelle Rice, Rosemary Royston, Michelle Keller, Paul Donovan, Karen Holmes and I will teach from March through September.

Rosemary Royston, Poet, teacher, and Program Coordinator for NCWN West.

Add to those talented writers and teachers, Scott Owens, Maureen Ryan Griffin and Joann Dropp who are from Hickory NC, Charlotte NC, and Kennesaw, GA.

We promise you some great writing classes.

Estelle Rice kicks off the season on Saturday March 12 with Polish Your Prose and Poetry. Register now. Call 828-389-4441 or email glendabeall@msn.com

The three hour class fee is $30. Coffee, tea and pastries will be served.