Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Free eBook by Daleen Berry
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Friday, May 25, 2012
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Friday Night Entertainment at the 2012 Summer Conference
On Friday night, comedian and WVW member Steve Goff presents "The West Virginia Writers Rough Draft Radio Show". Sit back a let your fellow WV Writers entertain you as we draw from our membership to put together a rollicking evening of comedy, music and good vibes.
We will close the evening with the triumphant return of Doug and Telisha Williams. D&T made their conference debut last year and were such a smash, we're bringing them back. Lucky us. They will also be teaching songwriting workshops during the day!
If you plan to attend the conference, and would like to be a part of the show please contact Steve Goff at the address below. We've got a limited amount of time and can't insure everyone will get a slot. I'm looking for variety, so tune up the old saw, or dust off that comic monologue you wrote in high school. Steve Goff. WV Writers Rough Draft Radio Show sgoff53@hotmail.com .
We will close the evening with the triumphant return of Doug and Telisha Williams. D&T made their conference debut last year and were such a smash, we're bringing them back. Lucky us. They will also be teaching songwriting workshops during the day!
If you plan to attend the conference, and would like to be a part of the show please contact Steve Goff at the address below. We've got a limited amount of time and can't insure everyone will get a slot. I'm looking for variety, so tune up the old saw, or dust off that comic monologue you wrote in high school. Steve Goff. WV Writers Rough Draft Radio Show sgoff53@hotmail.com .
Monday, May 07, 2012
Conference First Timers Guidelines 2012
We recommend that you register in advance by completing the forms on our web site at www.wvwriters.org/conference.html.
If you plan to stay overnight, be sure to fill out the separate Cedar Lakes form, as well. You'll also need to fill it out if you plan to eat meals there, which I recommend, because it's hard to get out and back without missing a workshop or two.
On the weekend of the conference, stop at the Cedar Lakes office when you enter the grounds. The office is the first building on your right as you enter. You'll get your meal tickets (more like a typed sheet of paper) and your room keys. DO NOT LOSE YOUR MEAL TICKET.
Ask the Cedar Lakes staff to point out the Assembly Hall building for you (they'll give you a map, too, but you can see the building from the office). Come there next and register. If you have pre-registered and prepaid in full, there is usually a "quick line" you can jump to and simply check your name off the list, grab your name tag and goody bag (we always have the best goody bags of any writers conference), and head to step three. If you still need to register, that's fine too. We accept cash, checks, and can now accept credit cards via Square Up at the registration desk. (Cedar Lakes can accept credit cards for room and meals).
Stop by the reception table for a cold (or hot) drink and a snack.
The Assembly Hall is also where the Writer's Wall competition is located. For the Writer's Wall, participants can bring in a one page piece of poetry and/or prose to anonymously post to the wall (which means, naturally, that your name must not appear on it). There will be a sign up book and an intern to help with the process, assigning each entry a number which conference attendees will be able to vote for using the ballot slip in their goodie bags. The winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet on Saturday night.
Similarly, there will be five total sessions of People's Choice, with prose and poetry sessions on Friday evening and prose, poetry and youth sessions on Saturday. During People's Choice, attendees are invited to read a piece of their own work that must come in at under 5 minutes in length. After all the pieces are read, ballots will be passed out for fellow readers and other attendees to vote on their favorite pieces. Winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet on Saturday night.
You don't have to register for the individual workshops in advance. Just pick them as you go. Some people find that it's easier to print out the schedule (or use the one given to you at registration, which will be the most accurate) and then highlight two classes each session that you're interested in. Then, when the time arrives, you can pick between the two. Some people like to have a "back up class" in case one is overcrowded, or in case you find yourself enjoying a particular track so much that you want to stick with it (poetry vs. non-fiction, for example). We would recommend that you take at least one class outside of your chosen genre; not just for the broadened experience, but because you might find inspiration or a particular nugget of writing wisdom that you can apply to what you're working on. For example, if you write fiction, take a poetry workshop or a nonfiction editing workshop, which can help with your craft.
Be sure to dress light but bring a sweater and an umbrella. It’s an annual tradition that it rains very hard on at least one of the conference days. The classrooms can also be hot. And wear shoes that are comfortable for walking, not only for walking to and from the dining hall but for taking strolls around the grounds of Cedar Lakes. Oh, and open toed shoes can be sort of iffy, for there is a great deal of goose poo to be found in certain parts near the big lake.
We also hope you're planning to attend the banquet and stick around for entertainment, as we'll have some nice surprises in store!
If you plan to stay overnight, be sure to fill out the separate Cedar Lakes form, as well. You'll also need to fill it out if you plan to eat meals there, which I recommend, because it's hard to get out and back without missing a workshop or two.
On the weekend of the conference, stop at the Cedar Lakes office when you enter the grounds. The office is the first building on your right as you enter. You'll get your meal tickets (more like a typed sheet of paper) and your room keys. DO NOT LOSE YOUR MEAL TICKET.
Ask the Cedar Lakes staff to point out the Assembly Hall building for you (they'll give you a map, too, but you can see the building from the office). Come there next and register. If you have pre-registered and prepaid in full, there is usually a "quick line" you can jump to and simply check your name off the list, grab your name tag and goody bag (we always have the best goody bags of any writers conference), and head to step three. If you still need to register, that's fine too. We accept cash, checks, and can now accept credit cards via Square Up at the registration desk. (Cedar Lakes can accept credit cards for room and meals).
Stop by the reception table for a cold (or hot) drink and a snack.
The Assembly Hall is also where the Writer's Wall competition is located. For the Writer's Wall, participants can bring in a one page piece of poetry and/or prose to anonymously post to the wall (which means, naturally, that your name must not appear on it). There will be a sign up book and an intern to help with the process, assigning each entry a number which conference attendees will be able to vote for using the ballot slip in their goodie bags. The winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet on Saturday night.
Similarly, there will be five total sessions of People's Choice, with prose and poetry sessions on Friday evening and prose, poetry and youth sessions on Saturday. During People's Choice, attendees are invited to read a piece of their own work that must come in at under 5 minutes in length. After all the pieces are read, ballots will be passed out for fellow readers and other attendees to vote on their favorite pieces. Winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet on Saturday night.
You don't have to register for the individual workshops in advance. Just pick them as you go. Some people find that it's easier to print out the schedule (or use the one given to you at registration, which will be the most accurate) and then highlight two classes each session that you're interested in. Then, when the time arrives, you can pick between the two. Some people like to have a "back up class" in case one is overcrowded, or in case you find yourself enjoying a particular track so much that you want to stick with it (poetry vs. non-fiction, for example). We would recommend that you take at least one class outside of your chosen genre; not just for the broadened experience, but because you might find inspiration or a particular nugget of writing wisdom that you can apply to what you're working on. For example, if you write fiction, take a poetry workshop or a nonfiction editing workshop, which can help with your craft.
Be sure to dress light but bring a sweater and an umbrella. It’s an annual tradition that it rains very hard on at least one of the conference days. The classrooms can also be hot. And wear shoes that are comfortable for walking, not only for walking to and from the dining hall but for taking strolls around the grounds of Cedar Lakes. Oh, and open toed shoes can be sort of iffy, for there is a great deal of goose poo to be found in certain parts near the big lake.
We also hope you're planning to attend the banquet and stick around for entertainment, as we'll have some nice surprises in store!
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Manuscript critiques at the WV Writers Summer Conference
WVW is pleased to announce that manuscript critiques will be available for
the 2012 conference. You may have up to 8 pages of your manuscript and a
one-page synopsis or up to 8 pages of poetry critiqued for a cost of $25.00. This includes a 15-minute, individual session with the critiquing author
during the conference. The number of critiques is limited, so they will be taken on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Here's a list of the award-winning authors who will be offering critiques:
1) Lee Maynard – Appalachian, memoir, humor, adventure, etc. (wear your thick skin and be ready for Lee's honest, tough, evaluation of your work.);
2) Sandy Tritt – Short story, inspirational, how-to-books, etc. (www.inspirationforwriters.com);
3) Michael Knost – Sci/Fi, horror, supernatural, fantasy, etc. (www.michaelknost.com);
4) Geoff Fuller – Anything - except poetry (www.wvwriters.org, conference presenters' bios)
5) Wilma Acree – Poetry only (www.inspirationforwriters.com);
6) Karin Fuller – Memoir, humor, children's books, inspirational, romance, etc. (www.wvwriters.org, conference presenters' bios)
If you would like a critique, here's what you do:
1) Select a writer from the list that you feel best matches your work;
2) Email Teresa Newsome at wvwcontest@gmail.com) or call her at 304-601-2460 to reserve your slot.
3) Mail your manuscript and $25.00 check or money order (payable to WV Writers, Inc.) to Teresa Newsome, 5245 Pond Fork Road, Madison, WV 25130, no later than May 21. Please do not send a manuscript if you have not reserved a time slot.
Hurry! This is an opportunity too good to miss.
during the conference. The number of critiques is limited, so they will be taken on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Here's a list of the award-winning authors who will be offering critiques:
1) Lee Maynard – Appalachian, memoir, humor, adventure, etc. (wear your thick skin and be ready for Lee's honest, tough, evaluation of your work.);
2) Sandy Tritt – Short story, inspirational, how-to-books, etc. (www.inspirationforwriters.com);
3) Michael Knost – Sci/Fi, horror, supernatural, fantasy, etc. (www.michaelknost.com);
4) Geoff Fuller – Anything - except poetry (www.wvwriters.org, conference presenters' bios)
5) Wilma Acree – Poetry only (www.inspirationforwriters.com);
6) Karin Fuller – Memoir, humor, children's books, inspirational, romance, etc. (www.wvwriters.org, conference presenters' bios)
If you would like a critique, here's what you do:
1) Select a writer from the list that you feel best matches your work;
2) Email Teresa Newsome at wvwcontest@gmail.com) or call her at 304-601-2460 to reserve your slot.
3) Mail your manuscript and $25.00 check or money order (payable to WV Writers, Inc.) to Teresa Newsome, 5245 Pond Fork Road, Madison, WV 25130, no later than May 21. Please do not send a manuscript if you have not reserved a time slot.
Hurry! This is an opportunity too good to miss.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Call for Papers: Appalachian Visions of China
(This courtesy of Cat Pleska)
Call for Papers
SAMLA Convention
November 9-11, 2012
Durham, North Carolina 27709
http://samla.gsu.edu/index.html
Session: Appalachian Visions of China
Appalachian literature is known for its strong sense of place, emphasizing the local. However, the influence of Chinese poetry and philosophy on contemporary Appalachian writing is surprisingly strong. Chinese images, ideas, and styles appear in numerous poems and stories by contemporary Appalachian authors, for example, in the works of George Scarbrough, Jeff Daniel Marion, and Charles Wright. This session will explore how twentieth- and twenty-first century Appalachian poetry and prose uses images, ideas, and styles associated with ancient and modern China. Also welcome are presentations on how American authors—such as the Nobel-Prize winning author, Pearl Buck, and Beat-generation poets Gary Snyder and Kenneth Rexroth—have influenced Appalachian writers' concepts of China and its culture. In brief, this session seeks papers that discuss and illustrate the "China" of Appalachian imagination, both in terms of theme and technique.
(Session Chair, Rob Merritt; Session Secretary, Eddy Pendarvis)
Please submit a 250-word abstract no later than May 15, 2012 to Rob at the email address below.
Rob Merritt, PhD
Professor of English
Chair, Division of Language, Literature and Communications
Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA 24605
276-326-4270 (office)
304-920-1860 (cell)
robmerritt202@gmail.com
Call for Papers
SAMLA Convention
November 9-11, 2012
Durham, North Carolina 27709
http://samla.gsu.edu/index.html
Session: Appalachian Visions of China
Appalachian literature is known for its strong sense of place, emphasizing the local. However, the influence of Chinese poetry and philosophy on contemporary Appalachian writing is surprisingly strong. Chinese images, ideas, and styles appear in numerous poems and stories by contemporary Appalachian authors, for example, in the works of George Scarbrough, Jeff Daniel Marion, and Charles Wright. This session will explore how twentieth- and twenty-first century Appalachian poetry and prose uses images, ideas, and styles associated with ancient and modern China. Also welcome are presentations on how American authors—such as the Nobel-Prize winning author, Pearl Buck, and Beat-generation poets Gary Snyder and Kenneth Rexroth—have influenced Appalachian writers' concepts of China and its culture. In brief, this session seeks papers that discuss and illustrate the "China" of Appalachian imagination, both in terms of theme and technique.
(Session Chair, Rob Merritt; Session Secretary, Eddy Pendarvis)
Please submit a 250-word abstract no later than May 15, 2012 to Rob at the email address below.
Rob Merritt, PhD
Professor of English
Chair, Division of Language, Literature and Communications
Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA 24605
276-326-4270 (office)
304-920-1860 (cell)
robmerritt202@gmail.com
 | South Atlantic Modern Language Association
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Free Improv/Creativity Workshop!
West Virginia Writers' own Steve Goff will host a Free Improv/Creativity Workshop!
"Improv Your Creativity, Improv Your Life!"
This will take place at the Bridgeport Public Library - Sat. May 12, 2012 from 1:30 pm - 4 pm.
Utilizing the techniques of comedy improvisation, participants will learn how to jump start and maintain their creativity. Comedy improv requires getting out of your own way, being in the moment, and quieting your inner critic. Recharge your muse. Focus your creative efforts. Challenge that
cranky critic.
Space is limited, pre-registration required. Call 304-842-8248 to register.
"Improv Your Creativity, Improv Your Life!"
This will take place at the Bridgeport Public Library - Sat. May 12, 2012 from 1:30 pm - 4 pm.
Utilizing the techniques of comedy improvisation, participants will learn how to jump start and maintain their creativity. Comedy improv requires getting out of your own way, being in the moment, and quieting your inner critic. Recharge your muse. Focus your creative efforts. Challenge that
cranky critic.
Space is limited, pre-registration required. Call 304-842-8248 to register.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Cheryl Denise Poetry Reading in Morgantown
(This news courtesy Kirk Judd)
On Friday, May 18, 2012 at 7:30pm, Cheryl Denise and Kirk Judd will present a poetry reading at the Blue Moose Cafe, 248 Walnut Street, Morgantown, WV.
This reading will be to celebrate the publication of Cheryl's new collection "What's in the Blood". Please join us to hear this unique blend of two of West Virginia's finest poetic voices.
On Friday, May 18, 2012 at 7:30pm, Cheryl Denise and Kirk Judd will present a poetry reading at the Blue Moose Cafe, 248 Walnut Street, Morgantown, WV.
This reading will be to celebrate the publication of Cheryl's new collection "What's in the Blood". Please join us to hear this unique blend of two of West Virginia's finest poetic voices.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Morgantown Poets featured writer: Susanna Holstein (aka Granny Sue) is the featured...
(This news courtesy of Diane Tarantini)
Susanna Holstein (aka Granny Sue) is the featured writer at Morgantown
Poets this Thursday night at the MAC in Morgantown at 7:00 p.m.. If
you're within an hour's drive, I hope you'll come out and make her
(and Larry) feel at home.
Susanna Holstein (aka Granny Sue) is the featured writer at Morgantown
Poets this Thursday night at the MAC in Morgantown at 7:00 p.m.. If
you're within an hour's drive, I hope you'll come out and make her
(and Larry) feel at home.
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