N C WRITERS NETWORK WEST - OUT IN FORCE AT THE BLUE RIDGE BOOKFEST

Members of NC Writer Network West were all over the place at BLUE RIDGE BOOKFEST 2011 held at Blue Ridge Community College in Hendersonville/Flat Rock, North Carolina on May 20 and 21.

(in photo Glenda Beall former Program Coordinator and now Netwest Rep for Clay County, Dwayne Drumheller Netwest Rep from Brevard County and our NCWN Board Representative, Jayne Jaudon Ferrer  SC Rep, Nancy Simpson, a co founder of NCWN West, Lana Hendershott Henderson County Rep, Nancy Purcell Transylvania County Rep. and J C Walkup Haywood County Rep.

Poet and Program NCWN West Coordinator Rosemary Royston and 

Poet, Editor and Publisher Scott Owen 

(Nancy Simpson shares the weekend:)

I opened the bookfest with a poetry writing workshop, free and open to the public. The workshop, "Writing Comtemporary American Free Verse Poetry," discussed rules and guidelines for writing in the free verse form today. I gave my definition of  "Lyric" as it applies today  and led the students in writing a lyric poem.

I was amazed to look up and see so many accomplished poets and was more than pleased at how they took my writing prompt and wrote such fine  poems. I was pleased with the specific questions students asked about  how to make a free verse pleasing to the ear?  I was happy to have the poet, editor  and publisher Scott Owens  there because he added much to the discussion.

(in photo above Glenda Beall, Nancy Simpson, Jayne Jaudon Ferrer, Lana Hendrshott, Rosemary Royston, Nancy Purcell and JC Walkup.)

On Saturday, free and open to the public, Glenda Beall, former Program Cordinator moderated a panel discussion on the publication of  ECHOES ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE:

Stories, Essays and Poems by Writers  Living in and Inspired by the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

  I am happy that I had the opportunity to discuss how I assembled this colletion of stories, essays and poems,  how in editing the book "a variation of individual voices began telling me the story of the wide mountains, the high summits, valley towns, farms, the deep woods, 

rivers, lakes, the critters  and the humans who dwell here." This I read straight from the front of the book.

Our panel had less than one hour to share information. One of my questions was how to assemble a chapbook poetry collection. I guarantee that topic would take weeks to cover, but I  gave my best tips as did other members on the panel.

Tom Hooker of Hendersonville, author of the short story "SHMILY" (in Echoes) signed my copy of the anthology, which I carry to all NCWN West events. During the day Poet Joan Thiel Blessing stopped by my book table and bought my book. I asked her to to sign her poem in my copy of the anthology.

I thank The Blue Ridge Bookfest for giving me my first opportunity to exhibit and sell my book  LIVING ABOVE THE FROST LINE New and Selected Poems, published by Carolina Wren Press.

 Poet Linda M. Smith of Hayesville ,  at my table. Also Rosemary Royston of Georgia  with Poet Ken Chamlee of Brevard who stopped by my table and  bought my book.  I happily signed it for him.

Short Story Writers: Lana Hendershott, Nancy Percell and J.C. Walkup welcome visitors at  the NCWN West table. (THANK YOU LADIES) Copies of the anthology sold like hot cakes. 

Poet Glenda Beall at her own table where sold copies of her chapbook NOW MIGHT AS WELL BE THEN published at Finishing Line Press.

Jayne Jaudon Ferrer at her own book table at the Blue Ridge Bookfest- books, books, books,

This was the 3rd Annual Blue Ridge Bookfest. It was financed by a large grant and offered free to the public.  Their purpose is "Celebrating authorship, creative writing, and the joy of reading." Another is being planned for next year. Plan to participate next year if you missed this year.