Scott Owens has a new book of poems

News from Scott Owens’ blog, Musings

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

New Book 

Shadows Trail Them Home, a continuation of the collaboration Pris Campbell and I undertook in The Nature of Attraction has just come out from Clemson University Press.

Read more here…

Bobbie Christmas provides good resources for writers

Bobbie Christmas sends a fine newsletter and I share it with my readers and friends -- not all of the newsletter, but a small part.

Go here to sign up and have it delivered to your Inbox.

Until we publish a book, we pay no attention to something like an ISBN. Learn more about it from Bobbie Christmas.

Terminology Writers Should Know
ISBN

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Be sure not to call it an ISBN number, because the word "number" would be redundant. An ISBN is a numeric book identifier that aids booksellers and buyers in finding a specific edition of a specific book. Since January 2007, ISBNs have contained thirteen digits, but up to that date, America used a 10-digit system.

Publishers and self-publishers in the United States buy their ISBNs
from R. R. Bowker.

In my endeavor to help writers reach their goals I often list sites or books I have found helpful to me and my students at Writers Circle.  I have found Bobbie Christmas' books and her newsletter to be among the best resources. Reach her at the addresses below::


Zebra Communications
230 Deerchase Drive
Woodstock, GA 30188
770/924-0528
http://zebraeditor.com/
Follow my "Write In Style" creative-writing blog at
http://bobbiechristmas.blogspot.com/ 

Joan Howard's Gift is accepted by the Aurorean

Friend and fellow poet, Joan Howard, of Athens and Hiawassee, Georgia, an active member of NCWN West, had a poem, Gifts, accepted by this prestigious New England journal for their spring 2013 issue. 

The Aurorean is a biannual poetry journal appearing in April and October each year. From 1995-2005, the journal was published quarterly and from Southeastern Massachusetts. They officially moved to Central Maine in 2005 and the expanded biannual format began in 2006. The Aurorean has been featured in Poet’s Market and several-times recommended as a “Pick” by the prestigious Small Press Review, most recently for its 10th Anniversary Issue (Fall/Winter 2010–2011). SPR has said of the Aurorean: “a journal that has both high production values and quality poetry ... perfect to elevate you from the dark night of the soul.” In January of 2011, NewPages reviewer Sima Rabinowitz said of their 15th Anniversary Issue: "This little journal will fill you up."

Congratulations, Joan. 

Three Bits of News from Deanna Klingel

Deanna Klingel and Robert S. King at Festival on the  Square 

NCWN West member, and my friend, Deanna Klingel, author of several outstanding books, announces a December 1 event with her publisher. Sounds like fun.

Three bits of news:

Tomorrow, December 1, visit my website for the first day of one month of Christmas spirit. Every day something new to inspire and infuse you with Christmas spirit. Bring your cup of coffee and start the morning with me. www.BooksByDeanna.com

Tomorrow, December 1, Write Integrity, the publisher of my latest novel, Cracks in the Ice, announces our collaborative e book, The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt. This book has been written by all the authors of Write Integrity Press, and every day one chapter will appear. You can read about it at www.WriteIntegrity.com. December 3 & 4 read Chapter One on http://joancampbell.co.za/category/blog. She will tell you where to find Chapter Two. My chapter will appear on my website December 6.

Tomorrow, December 1, YOU ARE INVITED to a virtual Christmas party. It's a come-as-you-are party, and yes, you can even come in your jammies. You can come whenever you want,party lasts all month, as often as you like, stay as long as you wish. The party host is Write Integrity Press. Your hostesses, the authors for WIP, each have a party room of Christmas fun, music, games, and recipes. In my party room you will find presents to open, and meet our new dog, Buddy. No RSVP's are necessary, but we all hope you'll come by, Dec 1-30. The address is:

www.virtualcelebration.com/magnificenthope. Hope you can make it.

 Merry Christmas. Deanna

Congratulations, Barbara!

Writers Circle student and Netwest member, Barbara Gabriel's poem Covenant has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Scott Owens, editor of Wild Goose Poetry Review.

I feel like a matchmaker. Barbara met Scott at one of his workshops at Writers Circle Studio. Her poetry impressed him, I believe. She submitted her work to Wild Goose and it was published. 

I am delighted Scott sees this outstanding poem and poet as worthy of nomination for a Pushcart Prize. Of course, both Scott and Barbara are winners in my book.

Book Party for Nadine Justice at Writers Circle

Writers Circle studio was filled with joy, encouragement and congratulations for Nadine Justice, author of I'm a Coal Miner's Daughter, But I Cain't Sang, her memoir on the theme of perseverance and belief in one's self. 

Nadine read a couple of excerpts from the book, answered questions, and talked about how she came to write the book. Friends from her writing group in Georgia as well as friends from her first class with me, at Tri-County Community College, were on hand to honor Nadine on her published book. Several Netwest members came and met the new author.  

Nadine Justice stands beside the cake with the photo cover of her book. It was too pretty to cut, but we finally made the first slice.

Linda Smith, Vicki Dumsford, Ash Rothlein, Liz Rothlein, Maren Mitchell

On left Ash Rothlein and on right, Idell Shook

Cake 

Glenda, Ash and Liz Rothlein, Ginny W

from left, Staci Bell, Linda Smith, Joan Howard and Ginny  Walsh

A very big thank you to Staci and Ginny for all there help, and to Joan Howard.

First Novel by a Mature Woman - Is it ever too late?

In September of this year, I attended the Table Rock Writers Workshop at Wildacres Retreat off the Parkway near Little Switzerland, NC. 

My favorite part of this type of writing experience is meeting other writers and hearing their stories. I am delighted to have met Anna Jean (A.J.) Mayhew at this workshop.

We talked a few minutes as we stood beside her car. I had claimed the handicap parking spot where her car had resided the first part of the week. Parking of any kind can be a challenge at Wildacres unless you have good legs and strong lungs to make the hike up and down the hills.

During the first few minutes of conversation A.J. confessed that she was on cloud nine. She had just received a call and learned her book, The Dry Grass of August, published in 2011, was in it’s ninth printing. No wonder her head was in the clouds. Mayhew’s first book was doing well and she had a contract for a second. 

I was impressed with this news. A.J. is a woman who has seen her seventieth birthday. We all know the publishing business is after the under 49 demographic. I could hardly believe the traditional publishing world would give a mature woman who was not already a successful writer, a two book contract. 

This novel is set in her hometown of Charlotte, NC back in the fifties. It was inspired by her memories of growing up in the segregated south of the United States. She hasn't lived in Charlotte since 1985, but discovered that all she wanted to write about was Charlotte.

I relate to her thinking. 

I now live in the beautiful mountains of NC, but I write from my memories of growing up and life in southwest Georgia. Even the best memories are not always complete, and we need to do research to get the feel of those days, to remind ourselves of how things were then. Whether writing fiction as A.J. Mayhew does, or writing memoir, we want our facts correct. See below how she researched her books.

This is a quote by A.J. from an interview on the Hambidge blog. 

Both for Dry Grass—set in 1954—and Tomorrow’s Bread—set in the mid 1960s—I’ve collected popular magazines of the time (Look, Life, Time, etc); browsing through them gives me a feel for life back then. I use many libraries, including the Carolina Room of the Charlotte Public Library, Perkins Library at Duke, Wilson at Carolina, etc. I’m leery of using the ’net, and I double-check everything I find there. However, the Internet has been incredibly valuable in leading me to sources.

We as writers should do as this author does and not depend on the Internet entirely, but use it to find sources we trust. 

Find A.J. Mayhew’s book, The Dry Grass of August, in your bookstores and online. I have seen nothing but good reviews. 

Maren O. Mitchell published a book on chronic pain relief.

Author, Maren O. Mitchell

Beat Chronic Pain, An Insider’s Guide, has been released by Line of Sight Press, http://www.lineofsightpress.com/ .

Maren Mitchell of Young Harris, GA has published her non-fiction book that will help anyone who lives with pain. 

Maren began her struggle with pain when  a tumor on her spine forced her to undergo surgery. Over the years she learned ways to cope with her pain without succumbing to prescription drugs. 

For those who depend completely on pain killers and often become addicted to them, this book by Maren Mitchell might be their salvation. Her common sense route to practices that can make life more bearable and return the quality of life for victims of unending pain, is offered in short easily read paragraphs. Mitchell says those suffering with chronic pain find it difficult to pore over long passages of research to find answers.

Visit Line of Sight Press to place your order.