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Thursday, December 15, 2011

2012 Artists in Residence Program at I-Park

Application Deadline: January 30, 2012

The I-Park Foundation, Inc., a 450-acre natural woodland retreat in East Haddam, CT (U.S), announces its twelfth season hosting its multi-disciplinary residency program. Self-directed artists’ residencies will be offered from May through November 2012, with off-seasonsessions in April and December. Most residencies are four weeks in duration. Residencies are offered to creative individuals working in the following disciplines: Visual (including Environmental) Art, Music Composition/Sound Sculpture/Design, Moving Image, Creative Writing and Landscape/Garden Design. Work samples are evaluated through a competitive, juried process.

A $30 application fee helps defray the cost of the independent jury panels. Accepted artists are responsible for their own work materials as well as transportation to and from the area. The program is otherwise offered at no cost to accepted artists, including a basic meal program where most of, though not all, the food is provided.

Accommodations at I-Park include comfortable private living quarters in an 1850’s era farmhouse and a private studio space. An abundance of tools, equipment, musical instruments and peripherals, site materials, an electric kiln, wireless internet and library facilities are provided.

International applicants are welcome. To defray the cost of travel, four $750.00 grants will be awarded to international artists whose work is held in particularly high regard by the Grant Committee.

Application materials are available online at http://www.i-park.org/residency.html.

For more information, contact Brad Tuggle, Residency Program Director, by e-mail: applications@i-park.org or by phone: 860-873-2468 .

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Geoff Fuller Online and In-Person Writing Classes to begin soon

THERE’S STILL TIME (but not much!)

The GIFT that keeps on giving, right through the winter months—and beyond!

For the WRITER IN YOUR LIFE or for YOU

ONLINE WRITING CLASSES or IN-PERSON WRITING CLASSES at the S. Charleston Rec Center

COMPLETE Course on the Novel

Six classes PLUS. . .

Free project consultation during the class and for subsequent six months

Writing exercises and practice techniques

List of helpful books and other resources for writers

Discount rates for one year on editing, copyediting, proofing, book evaluation and diagnosis, and publishing consultation

(All services and most information in the classes apply to all forms of prose fiction: novels, novellas, short stories, flash fictions.)

SIX CLASSES, WEEKLY, STARTING TUESDAY, JANUARY 17.

1. Plot—situation v. story, stakes and jeopardy, profluence

2. Characters and Setting—creating characters your readers care about and root for

3. Dialogue—the engine of your novel; how to make it vivid, memorable, and realistic

4. Critiques and Common Mistakes—how to recognize and avoid

5. Editing Your Work—Need for editing, stages of editing

6. Market—on seeking, finding, and hiring an agent or publisher (including free book on the process)

Complete course: $175

At least 50% ($87.50) needed to reserve a spot.

Paypal at fuller.geoffrey@gmail.com or message me to make other arrangements.

Class size is limited and slots are filling fast.

Message me here or email me at fuller.geoffrey@gmail.com.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Time running out for the deadline for the WV Writers Ink anthology

NEW ANTHOLOGY FROM WOODLAND PRESS!

Editors: Cat Pleska and Michael Knost
Title: West Virginia Writers Inked (working title)
Submission period begins: September 1, 2011
Submission period ends: December 31, 2011

Please do not check on submission status until March 1, 2012

Publishing Date: Spring 2012

Word count: Up to 3,000 words

Payment: Five-cents per word

Email submissions as an RTF (Rich Text Format) attachment to: jbarker159@aol.com

Or snail mail your printed submission to:

WVW, Inc. submissions
c/o L. Barker
104 Silverwood Lane
Charleston, WV 25320.

Note: this anthology is open to West Virginia Writers, Inc. members only. Annual membership cost is $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for students, and $5 to anyone under the age of 18. Learn more at our MEMBERSHIP PAGE.

This will be a multi-genre* anthology. Accepted are general and literary fiction, literary nonfiction, and narrative poetry.

*(Multi-genre also includes mystery, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, horror, etc.).

Please keep the story clean of profanity and/or adult content.

No reprints or simultaneous submissions.

Please make sure your name, address, phone number, and email are listed on a cover page of the manuscript. Do not include your name or other identifying info on the rest of the manuscript.

Questions? Email: catsanthology@gmail.com

Friday, December 02, 2011

Uncle Terry's Gift Ideas from WV Authors List 2011

While you’re finishing up your holiday shopping, don’t forget to support these WV Writer, Inc. authors. And don’t forget to stop at your local bookstores: Tamarack, James and Law, Borders, B&N, Frog Creek Books, the Open Book in Lewisburg, McClain’s Printing, Vandalia Press, Main Line Books, …to name just a few. This is where you might find these books! You may also send links if you have a website as a sales tool. Be happy to post it. Thanks.

UPDATED 12/14/11

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Counting down to the deadline for the WV Writers Ink anthology

NEW ANTHOLOGY FROM WOODLAND PRESS!

Editors: Cat Pleska and Michael Knost
Title: West Virginia Writers Inked (working title)
Submission period begins: September 1, 2011
Submission period ends: December 31, 2011

Please do not check on submission status until March 1, 2012

Publishing Date: Spring 2012

Word count: Up to 3,000 words

Payment: Five-cents per word

Email submissions as an RTF (Rich Text Format) attachment to: jbarker159@aol.com

Or snail mail your printed submission to:

WVW, Inc. submissions
c/o L. Barker
104 Silverwood Lane
Charleston, WV 25320.

Note: this anthology is open to West Virginia Writers, Inc. members only. Annual membership cost is $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for students, and $5 to anyone under the age of 18. Learn more at our MEMBERSHIP PAGE.

This will be a multi-genre* anthology. Accepted are general and literary fiction, literary nonfiction, and narrative poetry.

*(Multi-genre also includes mystery, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, horror, etc.).

Please keep the story clean of profanity and/or adult content.

No reprints or simultaneous submissions.

Please make sure your name, address, phone number, and email are listed on a cover page of the manuscript. Do not include your name or other identifying info on the rest of the manuscript.

Questions? Email: catsanthology@gmail.com

Monday, November 28, 2011

Poetry Reading & Open mic in Bluefield

(News courtesy of Rob Merritt)

Share your art.  Connect with other writers and readers. Come to the WindHorse Healing Arts Center Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 7 PM.

WindHorse Healing Arts Center
422 North Street
Bluefield, WV
(Coming from Bluefield College, turn left at Community Center flashing light, follow road curving to right. Building is on the left just past a parking lot.)

Refreshments available
For more information or Directions
contact Rob Merritt: 304-920-1860
rmerritt@bluefield.edu

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Author signing in Morgantown

WV Writers member R.G.Yoho will be among the authors signing books at Barnes & Noble in Morgantown, West Virginia, on November 12th, from 1-4 PM.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Haunted Panhandle Ghost Story contest honors winners

Great article about the Haunted Panhandle Ghost story contest, co-sponsored by WV Writers.  Thanks to regional representative Jay Tabor for organizing the event and the contest.  You can read it HERE.

Monday, November 07, 2011

GVT Community Poetry Reading in Lewisburg

Tuesday, November 8 at 7:30pm

Whether you like to listen to or recite poetry, GVT’s Community Poetry Reading offers an opportunity for young and seasoned poets. The Poetry Reading begins at 7:30pm on November 8th, complete with tea, coffee, and tasty treats provided by GVT.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  Admission is free and no reservations are required.

    The Poetry Reading is designed to give everyone a chance to read and/or listen to great poetry.  Anyone may sign up to read poetry they’ve written or poetry they love as part of the event.  Guest readers from the West Virginia Writers are invited to participate as well. 

The Poetry Reading is in partnership with the West Virginia Writers. 

2012 Greenbrier Valley Theatre New Voices Festival of Plays now accepting submissions

Now accepting one-act play submissions for GVT's 2012 NEW VOICES FESTIVAL OF PLAYS!
GVT is now accepting submissions for the2012 New Voices Festival of Plays.  GVT is seeking one-act plays approximately 15-30 minutes in length.

Please mail all submissions to:
 Laurie Riffe, Education Director
Greenbrier Valley Theatre
113 East Washington Street, Lewisburg WV  24901.

Please note that all submissions must be received by Thursday December 1.  Submissions will not be returned.  Playwrights will be notified of acceptance in the festival by Friday December 23th.

Saturday, November 05, 2011

River City Youth Ballet features WV Poetry

Several  West Virginia poets, some youth--some not, will be featured in "Poetry in Motion" an original production of the River City Youth Ballet of Charleston. The ballet opens at  7:00 pm on Friday, November 18, 2010, at the WV Culture Center, Charleston, West Virginia. Choreographed by Artistic Director, Michelle Raider, and Margaret Lieberman, Heather Looney, and Rob Roycey, the ballet features poetry by West Virginia students and by selected West Virginia poets. Anthony Braxton, state winner of the "Poetry Out Loud" competition sponsored by Arts in Education, will be one of the guest readers.


Members of West Virginia Writers, Inc., will recognize many of the feature poets as current or former members and some JUG Award winners. Tickets are available at the door or  may be obtained by. calling the
studio 304-925-3262. Ticket prices are Adults $12.00 Youth 12 and under, $8.00

Poetry incorporated into the ballet:
  • "Appalachia" by Muriel Miller Dressler formerly of St. Albans
  • "Bob Thompson" by Colleen Anderson of Charleston
  • "Faldang" by  Louise McNeill formerly of  Buckey (past West Virginia poet laureate)
  • "Flowing Waters" by Father Everett Francis Briggs (formerly of Monongah)
  • "Incantation" by Barbara Wilkie Tedford of Elkins
  • "It Was the Wind" by Don West formerly of Pipestem
  • "On the Eighth Day" by Phyllis Wilson Moore of Clarksburg
  • "Three Women on a Porch" by Gail Galloway Adams formerly of Morgantown
  • "Touching the Stars" by Vera Andrews Harvey formerly of Huntington (past state poet laureate)
  • "Twilight" by Lee Mays formerly of Ripley
For more information contact River City Youth Ballet office at 304-925-3262

Friday, November 04, 2011

The passing of a friend

 (From Terry McNemar)


The Passing of a Dear Friend


Dick Lewis
It is with the heartfelt regret that we inform you of the passing of one of West Virginia Writers finest. Richard A. “Dick” Lewis died on a Tuesday, November 1. He was seventy-five. He leaves his wife Judie, daughters Nancy and Marcy, sons Michael, Scott, and John, eleven grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Quite a living legacy, and there’s more.

Dick was a retired Accountant, a U. S. Army veteran, Vice President of the Master Gardeners, a board member of the WV Writers, Inc. serving as Treasurer and 1st VP, and a member of the Toastmasters Club. In his retirement Dick and Judie hosted many at their Bed and Breakfast, The Stone Manse Inn.

Dick was one of us. He was a writer. His stories are compelling and well crafted - a fascinating storyteller and living proof is his collection, Naked Man’s Rock.

I guess it was Dick’s nature to give back and he gave back to this organization ten-fold. As a regional rep, I sat in on board meetings and when Dick offered his two cents on an issue, it was solid gold. As treasurer his wisdom kept the executive board on the straight and narrow, even past his term. Unless you are an executive board member and witness firsthand what these members give of themselves to the group, you will have to take it from us who the real heroes of West Virginia Writers are. Dick Lewis was such a man.

Dick was awarded the J.U.G. – Just Uncommonly Good! Jug Award at the 2010 Awards Banquet for what he’d given of himself to West Virginia Writers.

And you know, he’s giving still.

In Lieu of Flowers the family suggests memorial contributions be made to West Virginia Writers, Inc.; 906 18th St., Vienna, WV 26105 (www.wvwriters.org)

T.M.



You may list your condolences and learn of funeral arrangements at Wallace and Wallace, Inc - Funeral Homes

To get a copy of Dick's book, Naked Man's Rock, click here.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Richard Lewis Memorial Service

Wallace and Wallace Inc. is handling the funeral arrangements for Dick Lewis.
According to the web site,
<<In Lieu of Flowers the family suggests memorial contributions be made to West Virginia Writers, Inc.; 906 18th St., Vienna, WV 26105 (www.wvwriters.org)>>
Isn't it touching that out of all the worthy causes that could have been named, WVW was chosen?
Here's the contact info for the funeral home:
  1. (304) 645-2060
    102 N Jefferson St, Lewisburg, WV

      Wednesday, November 02, 2011

      Member passing

      It is with great regret that I inform you that WV Writers member Richard A. Lewis has passed away.  During his time with WV Writers, Richard served as parliamentarian, 1st vice president and treasurer.  He was always a soul given to providing wise counsel with an eye toward the health of the organization.  He was also a friend who I knew from writing workshops I took with him for several years in the Lewisburg area.  

      In 2010 he published a collection of his short fiction entitled Naked Man's Rock.

      Richard battled cancer over the past year and had been in remission until the last week.

      Tuesday, November 01, 2011

      NANOWRIMO 2011 begins

      National Novel Writing Month is traditionally the month of November.  It's the month writers are encouraged to pound out that book they've been threatening to write for years.  Or start a new one with no idea where it will go.  Find out info and tips at the official NANOWRIMO site, linked below...

      http://www.nanowrimo.org/

      Friday, October 21, 2011

      WV Writers 2011 Annual Writing Contest forms to premiere at WV Book Festival

      Please join us this weekend for the 2011 West Virginia Book Festival at the Civic Center in Charleston. Authors such as Jaimy Gordon, Dave Pelzer, Gerald Blaine, Jerry West and Lee Child will be present.

      While you're there, come by the West Virginia Writers table and say hi to us. The Book Festival is our traditional day to debut the new contest entry form for the WV Writers Annual Writing Contest as well as the WVW New Mountain Voices Student Writing Contest, so come by and pick yours up! (Alternately, they'll be available at our website on Monday.)

      Admission is free.

      FULL BONE MOON

      Writer, editor, teacher and WV Writers member, G. Cameron Fuller has a new novel out through Woodland Press.  Full Bone Moon is a thriller based on the real 1970 decapitation-murders of two West Virginia University coeds.

      Fuller grew up in Morgantown, and the disappearance of Mared Malarik and Karen Ferrell haunted him.  In 1976, Eugene Paul Clawson confessed to the crimes, but many believed he did not commit the murders. Absent a discovery of any credible leads by the police, the public rumor mill went crazy. The crime was committed by Satanists! The real murderer was the son of a prominent Morgantown family! The police knew who did it and were covering up the truth! These and many other rumors cropped up.


      Full Bone Moon is a fictional thriller, what might have happened, part crime tale and part paranormal chiller, based on the rumors and the fears that gripped Morgantown: The WVU Coed Murders. As an article in the Charleston Gazette recently said, "What [Fuller's] come up with, he hopes, is a good scare with the flavor of a local urban legend."

      "G. Cameron Fuller demonstrates an adroitness with language rarely seen in suspense and mystery novels and sets the bar higher for us all. Crafted by a terrific new voice in fiction, Full bone Moon's pacing, characterization, and settings are all wonderfully well wrought. In fact, Fuller's terrifying tale sneaks up on you and reveals itself as the best fiction I've read in years. Extremely talented work."

      -- Robert W. Walker, author of City for Ransom, Children of Salem, and Titanic 2012


      "Full Bone Moon is a bona fide gut-wrencher. Dark, smart, and quite honestly impossible to put down at three o'clock in the morning! G. Cameron Fuller shows us this gritty tale through the light of a full bone moon . . . and dares us to blink."

      – Michael Knost, Bram Stoker Award-Winner and editor of Writers Workshop of Horror, Legends of the Mountain State, Specters in Coal Dust, and The Mothman Files



      Order your copy now through Woodland Press or come see Geoff at the Charleston Book Festival, October 22 and 23, where he'll be signing copies of the book.

      Sunday, October 16, 2011

      A Quest for Humor, West Virginia Style

      (This release courtesy of Keith Davis of Woodland Press)

      Author Karin Fuller, whose work appears in two of Woodland Press's new releases, The Mothman Files and Stories from the Hearth, will be on a panel at the WV Book Festival entitled "A Quest for Humor, West Virginia Style." Karin's column, "Smell the Coffee," is published in the Lifestyle section in every Sunday's Charleston Gazette-Mail (and her work has appeared in Family Circle, Woman's World, Appalachian Heritage, Atalanta Parent, Cup of Coffee for Dog Lovers, and many other publications). The panel will take place from 2:30-4:00 on Sat., Oct. 22. The panel will be moderated by humorist and stand-up comedian Steve Goff, and other panelists include long-time Gazette columnist Rick Steelhammer and humorists Terry McNemar and Diane Tarantini.

      Saturday, October 15, 2011

      WV Writers Newsletter Guidelines

      (FROM WV WRITERS NEWSLETTER EDITOR CHRISTINE ROTH)

      1. All manuscripts can be submitted either electronically or by mail. If they are submitted electronically, the file should be saved as a .docx, .rtf, or .doc and should be attached to an e-mail. Please use Times New Roman 12 pt font for all manuscripts.

      2. I am encouraging submissions of photographs and possible art to incorporate into the newsletter and relevant to the organization. If you submit an art or photograph, it needs to be submitted electronically and be in .jpg format, attached to an e-mail and must be 8 1/2x11 or smaller. All submissions will be printed in black and white. You must include a title and names of those included in your photograph.

      3. We reserve the right to not publish any submitted material. All works submitted must be original and unpublished. Please refrain from profanity and adult overtones. Submissions will not be returned.

      4. WV Writers, Inc. reserves the right to format or prepare submitted materials for publication while maintaining the context of the piece. When possible, we will get permission before publishing any edited work.

      5. Word count should be as followed: Poetry, 20 lines or less. Short Prose, 600-700 words or less. Articles, 500-700 words or less.

      6. Please include the following information with submissions: Name and address, contact phone number, or e-mail address. Bios are not always needed but welcomed.

      7. All articles/submissions will not necessarily be used at the time of submission; however, they may be saved for future newsletters.



      Submit all submissions to either addresses provided. All art and photographs are to be submitted electronically.

      Electronic Submissions: wvweditor@gmail.com

      Mail Submissions: Christine Roth, 254 Kenna Drive, South Charleston, WV 25309

      Friday, October 14, 2011

      Valerie Nieman Appearances (UPDATED)

      (This news courtesy of Carol Henry Del Col)

      Novelist Valerie Nieman will present a reading and conduct a writing workshop at Alderson-Broaddus College on Monday, October 17, 2011. The workshop will be held from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and the reading from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Both events will be held in the Humanities Division Lounge, 206 Withers-Brandon, on the Alderson-Broaddus campus. The workshop and the reading are free and open to the public. Valerie Nieman's appearance is sponsored by the Alderson-Broaddus College Humanities Division and the student editorial board of InFlux, the campus literary magazine. For more information about the workshop and reading, contact Carol Del Col at delcolcs@ab.edu.

      UPDATE
      For folks in the Northern Panhandle - Val is doing a free writing workshop for poetry and fiction, 10 a.m.-12 Saturday at the Mary H. Weir Public Library in Weirton, with a reading, reception and book signing for Blood Clay from 1-3. Stop by if you're in the area! And Sunday evening she'll be at the beautiful Stonewall Jackson Resort for a reading at 7:30 p.m.

      Thursday, October 13, 2011

      New Collection of Fictional Stories Takes Readers for a Walk into the Dark

      Greenbrier County native Ben E. Campbell has compiled a collection of short stories now available for the reading public. Published through Outskirts Press, "A Welcome Walk into the Dark" contains twelve fictional stories spanning 170 pages, all set in the Appalachian region. Like fellow West Virginia author Breece D'J Pancake, Mr. Campbell's writing explores Appalachian culture through a realist's lens. The sometimes taboo topics of poverty, drug abuse and fatalism are a few of the linking themes addressed in the stories' pages. "But in the end," says the author. "These stories are about people making choices, and the beauty one can find in the darkest of circumstances."

      In an era when daunting schedules and shorter attention spans often prevent readers from engaging in longer works, the short story form continues to provide manageable increments of literature for a time-starved audience. For this reason Campbell believes the short story is making a comeback, revitalizing the tradition of American authors like Edgar Allen Poe who made the art form so popular in years past.



      Amy Greene, author of the best-selling novel "Bloodroot" and recipient of the regional Weatherford Award, says of the collection "In 'A Welcome Walk into the Dark', Ben E. Campbell has woven a collection of brutal yet beautifully-written tales populated with a cast of characters every bit as gritty and complex as the Appalachian landscape that shapes the courses of their lives."


      "A Welcome Walk into the Dark" is now available through online retailers Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com for $13.95 per copy, as well as in local book stores throughout the state.



      About the Author

      Ben E. Campbell was born and raised in southeast West Virginia. A graduate of Marshall University and Bowling Green State's MFA program, his stories and essays have appeared in a variety of literary publications. His writing has also received First Place awards from the West Virginia Writers, Inc. competition and the Appalachian Heritage Writers Symposium, as well as a Devine Fellowship and a Pushcart Prize nomination. He currently serves as Associate Professor of English at New River Community College in Dublin, VA.


      For more information about the author, please visit the Ben E. Campbell Fan Page on Facebook.

      Tuesday, October 11, 2011

      Carter Taylor Seaton signings

      Author Carter Taylor Seaton has three upcoming book signings this week: Wednesday, Oct 12 at Taylor Books in Charleston from 12-2pm; Friday, Oct 13 from 2-5pm at Stadium Bookstore and Saturday from 11-1:30 at the Marshall University Bookstore.

      Come by, bring friends, get your personalized copy of "amo, amas, amat...an unconventional love story."

      Monday, October 10, 2011

      Pittsburgh Author Timons Esaias featured October 20 at MAC

      Timons Esaias is a satirist, poet and writer of short fiction. His work has appeared in fifteen languages. He won an Asimov's Readers Award; and was a finalist for the British Science Fiction Award. He has had over a hundred poems in print, including Spanish, Swedish and Chinese translations, in markets ranging from Asimov’s Science Fiction to 5AM and Elysian Fields Quarterly: The Literary Journal of Baseball. His poetry chapbook, The Influence of Pigeons on Architecture, sold out two editions. News Nots, a faux news column, confused readers of seven different papers, as well as an online audience, for a decade. He is Adjunct Faculty at Seton Hill University, in the Writing Popular Fiction M.F.A. Program.

      Monday, October 03, 2011

      Lee Maynard To Speak At FSU

      (FROM THE WV WRITERS eNewsLetter)

      West Virginia native and Crum author, Lee Maynard, will be giving a lecture at Fairmont State University. Don't miss this opportunity to meet an author of such caliber and character. It will be an enlightening lecture.

      Mr. Maynard will be speaking October 5, at 7 pm in Colebank Hall Gym. Admission is free and open to the public for all of the events in the lecture series. Tickets are not required. For more information, call the Student Affairs Office at (304) 367-4215 .

      Sunday, October 02, 2011

      Holler Fall 2011 Deadline

      The deadline for the fall issue of Holler is Saturday, 10/15/11. Send your submissions to their website (http://www.princetonpoetryproject.org) or as a reply to this email.

      Friday, August 12, 2011

      A Live (Virtual) Book Reading

      On Sunday, August 14, join Writers Barbara Ehrentreu (YA-fiction), Jesse Douglas Allen Taylor (Literary/Historical Fiction), Todd Fluhr (Fantasy/Horror Fiction) & Host Talitha K. McEachin (Adult sci-fi/fantasy) as they share excerpts from their works to a virtual audience.

      Please visit theelementstrilogy.wee​bly.com & click on events for more information & to register for this FREE event. Any writers interested in sharing their work in this forum please send a brief bio & an excerpt of your work to theelementsbook1@yahoo.com​ This is the start of a new series for writers of fiction. Since it is online/on the telephone, you don't even have to leave your house! All are welcome!

      There are two conference lines the 1st one will be emailed to you upon registration & the second one is (218)936-4141 & the passcode is 2655793

      Registration URL:
      http://www.anymeeting.com/​PIID=E952DC898448

      Tuesday, August 09, 2011

      WV Writers/Woodland Press Anthology Guidelines

      NEW ANTHOLOGY FROM WOODLAND PRESS!

      Editors: Cat Pleska and Michael Knost
      Title: West Virginia Writers Inked (working title)
      Submission period begins: September 1, 2011
      Submission period ends: December 31, 2011
      Please do not check on submission status until March 1, 2012
      Publishing Date: Spring 2012
      Word count: Up to 3,000 words
      Payment: Five-cents per word

      Send submissions as an RTF (Rich Text Format) attachment to: jbarker159@aol.com

      Or snail mail your printed submission to:
      WVW, Inc. submissions
      c/o L. Barker
      104 Silverwood Lane
      Charleston, WV 25320.

      Note: this anthology is open to West Virginia Writers, Inc. members only. Annual membership cost is $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for students, and $5 to anyone under the age of 18. Learn more at our MEMBERSHIP PAGE.

      This will be a multi-genre* anthology. Accepted are general and literary fiction, literary nonfiction, and narrative poetry.

      *(Multi-genre also includes mystery, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, horror, etc.).

      Please keep the story clean of profanity and/or adult content.

      No reprints or simultaneous submissions.

      Please make sure your name, address, phone number, and email are listed on a cover page of the manuscript. Do not include your name or other identifying info on the rest of the manuscript.

      Questions? Email: catsanthology@gmail.com

      http://www.wvwriters.org/join.html

      Friday, August 05, 2011

      Bottle Tree Productions One Act Play Competition for Writers

      Bottle Tree Productions One Act Play Competition for Writers 2011

      www.bottletreeinc.com/script_contest.html


      First Prize $1,000

      Second Prize $250

      Third Prize $100

      One Act Plays of up to 70 minutes may be submitted

      to Bottle Tree Productions at 445 Southwood Drive, Kingston, Ontario K7M-5P8

      Please have your copy bound and if you wish it returned, please include a manuscript-sized SASE. For foriegn writers the return stamps have to be Canadian stamps.

      Please do not attach your name or contact name to the script but have that information on a separate sheet of paper.

      For further information

      Phone 613-384-8433 or email info@bottletreeinc.com or contest@bottletreeinc.com

      or go online at www.bottletreeinc.com/script_contest.html for email submissions, Paypal options and further details. For environmental and storage reasons email submissions are preferred.

      The entry fee for each submission is $25. Please make cheque payable to Bottle Tree Productions.

      Multiple submissions accepted

      Plays can have previously been produced but not professionally.

      Plays may also have been entered in other competitions.

      The competition runs until November 30th 2011.

      Winners will be announced in January of 2012.

      If you want a critical analysis of your work please enclose a cheque for $50 made payable to Bottle Tree Productions.

      Break a leg!

      Cheers

      Charles Robertson

      --

      Musical Theatre Classes
      Acting Classes
      Saturday September 17th
      Bottle Tree Productions
      Wellington Street Theatre Project
      One Act Playwriting Competition

      Saturday, July 16, 2011

      Conference 2011 Video: "Whose Lie is it Anyway" Friday Night Improv

      You can watch the entirety of the Friday Night Entertainment from the 2011 Summer Conference via the WV Writers YouTube channel.

      "Whose LIE is it Anyway?" was a combo evening of storytelling by members of WV Writers, followed by a series of improvisation games by the 5th Village Players, in the style of the classic show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" The show also features musicians Doug and Telisha Williams.

      Watch the first part streaming below.

      Thursday, July 07, 2011

      MadHat Press Chapbook Competition

      MadHat Press is the non-profit imprint arm of the multimedia e-zine, Mad Hatters' Review and a production of MadHat Arts Inc. MadHat Press seeks to foster the work of writers and poets: explosive, lyrical, passionate, deeply wrought voices that stretch the boundaries of language, narrative and image, vital and enduring literary voices that sing on the page as well as in the mind.

      Formerly based out of New York City, now at home in Asheville, North Carolina, and with our Managing Editor currently situated in Reykjavik, Iceland, MadHat Press is open to authors of all creeds and distinctions, from the emerging to the emergent, from the multicultural to the insolent. For a list of some of our contributors over the years, click on the Mad Hatters' Review tab.

      To inaugurate the official birth of MadHat Press, CAConrad, Philly poet extraordinaire and author of the gripping collection, The Book of Frank (Wave 2010), will be judging the first poetry chapbook competition. Future MadHat Press chapbook competitions will include flash-fiction, short story, and novella categories.

      MadHat Press places great emphasis on the aesthetics of design, typography and the printed word. It is MadHat Press's vision to connect the reader with the physicality of the book in its creative unraveling. The Press will also publish aesthetically pleasing e-books.

      As a non-profit organization promoting the literary arts, MadHat Press welcomes all donations. They are fully tax-deductible for US residents.

      Please note guidelines for the "Wild and Wyrd" poetry chapbook competition below. We look forward to receiving your submissions.

      MadHat Press
      2011
      "Wild and Wyrd" Inaugural Poetry Chapbook Competition
      June 15 – August 31

      MadHat Press, an offspring of the non-profit innovative and collaborative arts organization MadHat, Inc., invites submissions of poetry manuscripts for its first chapbook contest. The genre "poetry" is broad and includes prose and conceptual poetry. There are no restrictions regarding form, style, or content.

      This inaugural contest will be judged by CAConrad.

      CAConrad is the author of The Book of Frank (Wave Books, 2010), Advanced Elvis Course (Soft Skull Press, 2009), Deviant Propulsion (Soft Skull Press, 2006), and a collaboration with Frank Sherlock, The City Real & Imagined (Factory School Press, 2010). He has a new book of poetry forthcoming, A Beautiful Marsupial Afternoon (Wave Books, 2012). He lives in Philadelphia and writes with his friends at PhillySound, and he is a co-founder of PACE: Poet-Activist Community Extension. Look for him at http://CAConrad.blogspot.com.


      WINNERS

      FIRST PRIZE
      
$US500.00 and five copies of the perfectly bound chapbook will be awarded to the first prize winner. If the book is co-authored, each of the two authors will be awarded $250.00 and three copies. The winning manuscript will be issued as a professionally designed, typeset and printed chapbook with a color cover, and cataloged with an ISBN number and copyright information. Additional copies will be available to the author at cost plus postage. Three to five poems from the book, selected by the author/s, will be published in Issue 13 of Mad Hatters' Review. The book will be available for purchase on amazon.com and possibly, other popular venues. Depending on the geographical situation of the winning author, the editors will arrange a book launch in a venue in the U.S.; should this not prove feasible, an online book launch will be arranged, including a podcast with audio excerpts of the winning work.

      SECOND PRIZE

      The manuscript of the second prize winner will be published as a MadHat Press e-book, downloadable via Mad Hatters' Review.

      FINALISTS

      Poems by two finalists will be published in Issue 13 of Mad Hatters' Review. CAConrad will select three to five poems from each winning author's manuscript.

      ENTRY GUIDELINES 

      Each manuscript must consist of 26 – 36 pages in single-spaced 12 Point Roman font, page-numbered, but otherwise no identifying information, and sent as PDF file or in Word (.doc) format to: http://madhatter.submishmash.com/Submit

      Individual pieces may have been published elsewhere, but the manuscript should not have been published previously as a whole, either in a chapbook or a full-length work. Your submission of previously published poems includes an acknowledgment that you hold the copyright. Please provide us with acknowledgments of these pieces in your cover letter.
      You may make multiple submissions; however, an $18 fee paid through Submishmash must accompany each entry. We accept simultaneous submissions, but ask that you withdraw your submission through the Submishmash system if your work is accepted elsewhere. No refunds will be provided for partial or full withdrawals.

      When preparing submissions, please make sure that in your substantive (manuscript) attachment, your work does not include any identifying information within the title or body of your entry. Please provide a list of the proposed book title, along with a table of contents, including all poem titles in your manuscript. Manuscripts will be read "blind."

      Note that any manuscript containing the author's name or other identifying information will not be considered and the entry fee will not be returned.

      In your separate cover letter, provide relevant contact information including full name, mailing address, email address, telephone number and a short bio.

      
CONTEST READING PERIOD: 

Contest entries will be accepted from June 15, 2011, 12:00 a.m. US EST through August 31, 2011, 11:59 p.m. US EST. Any contest submissions received outside of this submission period will not be considered. Winners will be announced no later than November 1, 2011, 12:59 p.m. 

ELIGIBILITY: 

In accord with MadHat Press's mission and vision, English-language submissions from non-U.S. residents and/or citizens are welcome.


      For queries or otherwise, please email the editors at: press@madhatarts.com

      Wednesday, July 06, 2011

      Summer Nightsun Writers Conference in Maryland

      Summer Nightsun Writers Conference

      In Historic Downtown Frostburg

      July 28-July 31, 2011

      Registration Deadline July 10, 2011!

      NightsunThe Frostburg Center for Creative Writing is happy to announce the fourth annual Nightsun Writers Conference scheduled to be held Thursday, July 28, through Sunday, July 31, in downtown Frostburg, MD. The conference will feature workshops with Kim Kupperman, (creative nonfiction), Jim Daniels, (poetry) and Brad Barkley (fiction). The weekend will also include readings by participants and workshop faculty and special guests.

      The program will provide participants with workshop opportunities, individualized attention and feedback to their work, as well as to initiate a larger writing community and craft session. The workshop is designed to generate new material and publications, and to hone the craft of creative writing.

      The cost for participation is $265.00 plus accommodations and some meals. There will be an opportunity for a one-on-one faculty conference for an additional cost of $25.00.

      Click on the registration form for information about area hotels, and to apply! Registration deadline is July 10!

      Monday, July 04, 2011

      Boing Boing article on POD DIY

      Cory Doctorow over at BoingBoing.net has a nice article on a POD business model. Check it out HERE.

      Friday, July 01, 2011

      StoFest 2011 Play Festival Submissions Sought

      The Independent Theatre Collective in Wheeling is currently accepting play submissions for StoFest 2011: A New, One-Act Play Festival. This season marks ITC's third year producing the event that features new plays by emerging writers and scripts from Wheeling's own, Tom Stobart. Information available on itcgreenroom.org

      2011 Submission Guidelines:

      - Submissions open on January 24, 2011 and close on August 1, 2011.

      - Plays must be received by 8:00pm EST on August 1, 2011.

      - Only electronic submissions will be accepted: plays@itcgreenroom.org

      - At this time, only writers from WV and its surrounding states (OH, PA, KY, MD & VA) are eligible to submit.

      - ITC has no restrictions on content or casting, but asks that you take into consideration their performance space (25ft wide x 14ft deep) w/ very little wing space and no rigging capabilities

      - The following props/furniture pieces will be available: two (2) door units, six (6) chairs, two (2) tables and one (1) bench.

      - Only two (2) scripts per playwright will be accepted for consideration

      - Please include a cover page with all contact information (email preferred) with your submission

      - Selected scripts will be notified by September 1, 2011.

      - Production dates: October 13 - 16, 2011

      - Selected playwrights are invited to attend and participate throughout the production process as much as possible. A small royalty is being arranged for the selected plays; further details will be posted as we obtain funding

      __._,_.___
      Recent Activity:
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      --
      ============================
      Eric Fritzius
      http://www.misterherman.com
      http://www.facebook.com/efritzius
      http://twitter.com/ThingsYouForgot
      http://www.youtube.com/user/efritzius

      West Virginia Writers, Inc.

      http://www.wvwriters.org
      http://blog.wvwriters.org
      http://podcast.wvwriters.org
      http://twitter.com/wvwriters

      Thursday, June 30, 2011

      West Virginia writers, Write Here, Write Now Add a Line

      As part of the FestivALL activities, West Virginia Writers set up a booth in front of Taylor Books and invited all and sundry to participate in our Add a Line to the story activity. Lots of people stopped by to add a line to one we had posted to begin a story and the stories grew and grew. Eventually, people came up with their own lines and the stories lasted all day. We've transcribed the stories below: look for your line! And thanks for participating.

      West Virginia Writers Write Here, Write Now Add a Line Story

      Story One

      Someone parked the car on the mailbox last night, but I’d swear it wasn’t me. I passed this car and saw a drunk postal clerk taking revenge on the U.S. Postal authorities. I should have just kept walking, but I decided to lend a helping hand to the authorities. That’s when things got dicey; they ended up coming after me! The can of Bud Light in my purse didn’t help my credibility when I tried to explain I was the drunk that ran over it! But since the authorities knew me by my first name from our re-occurring accounts, it did no good. I’m elected, selected, and highly protected. I must maintain my image. Are they photographing my good side? I suppose I could try sleezing up to the policeman. Maybe they’ll let me out for “good behavior.” Although my “good behavior” would still be considered bad by most; the west side in me, I guess. That’s when it started raining. My thin tee shirt got wet and the girls were standing at attention. Could this help me? It maybe could help? But I realized: would I want to be remembered that way? I decided I had to go out with a bang. Turning around, I sprinted down the street, mustering all the speed I could. I tackled the person who parked on my mailbox with all of the strength I could muster.

      “Paw Paw?” I said. “Get out of the bath tub and take off them socks!”

      That’s a Kodak moment! Then I went into the kitchen and baked some West Virginia Cornbread! Eating it with a spoon. It was a dreamy state to be in.

      Story Two
      He thought back and wished he could remember all their names, but even more, he wished he could remember where he buried them. He was looking for his money, rubies, and gold. He went into the haunted shack to search for them. Someone snuck behind him and hit him with an axe. When he awoke he realized it was a dream—a very bad dream. Probably something he remembered from a late night movie. Edgar decided a nice cup of chamomile tea would soothe his frazzled nerves. He goes back to bed in his rabbit slippers and WV pants with his pink shirt. As he gets back into bed, his alarm goes off. It was time for him to get up and go to breakfast with his friend John! John and Edgar had been friends since their senior year of high school; they shared a common interest in scary movies. They went to the midnight premier of all the box office sensations, getting the same popcorn deal: a #7 with cherry coke. Little did they suspect that the coke had been spiked with an experimental drug designed to make folks who take it compelled to reveal secrets. So Edgar ended up telling John where the bodies were. What would John do with this information? He had to think about it, so they went into the dark theater and sat in the last row of seats. He then walk away calmly and picked up a phone and disappeared.

      Story Three
      Going to the zoo had been the biggest mistake Liese and Levi had ever made. Liese had forced Levi to let her drive, because that’s how it works, and on the way there, she accidentally totaled Levi’s FAB bike. She was dead when they got back, but Levi was unaware of the forces of ferrets that would result in this tragedy at first Levi was extremely sad but then he thought, “Think how powerful I would be if I could harness the power of the almighty narwhal horn!” They discovered some exploding, enchanted goats that ate multicolored bricks. And then a narwhal named Feliciano gave her his magical horn. The magical horn was also multicolored, just like a double rainbow! And then I woke up! What does it mean?

      It means I need to travel back to the maritime 5. Halifax is lovely in the summer. Mussels at the waterfront warehouse will be great for my lack fresh seafood in my diet. But for now, COFFEE! If I don’t get moving I will be late to my job at the circus making balloon animals. Then my pet unicorn will starve to death because I’m not making money. Coming home makes me miss all the small town joys of Charleston, like the Salmon patty display on the river every night at midnight. As my days go by, I lift my head to the sky, reality sits in and I realize God is in charge at my life I can’t focus because of the belly dancing . . .

      Story Four
      She was as Appalachian as a West Virginia Paw Paw. She liked to wear a sundress and sun glasses.

      One day while baking bread, a bird flew in the house.

      While trying to catch the bird she covered it with flour.

      With caked wings fluttered about the ceiling, landing on top of the curtain rod where it looked all around the room before saying, “Who’s here? Who’s here?”

      There was no answer.

      There was no question.

      The question was answered!

      The floured bird chirped and fluttered around and dusted the cake.

      It was flying south to Puerto Rico. The bird had friends in old San Juan. A great wintering place except for the local street cats who love to eat birds.



      Story Five
      With just a flutter of hope and a flicker of anticipation, she opened the box.

      As she looked in with anticipation, she saw a glowing light. With trembling fingers, she reached inside to pluck the source of light.

      She drew her hand back as with a hiss. A small dragon hissed at her hand.

      The dragon stopped for a moment and noticed she was afraid, so he said, “Don’t be a nerd, because people in this day and age don’t have to fear either dragons or their mothers-in-laws!


      Story Six
      He stared at the paper with pen in hand. Sadly, the air conditioning was broken and she was walking out the door. Sabrina stared after her; she was a blonde poodle and needed to be outdoors even more than her human. She decided, “Well, guess I’ll put down the pen, take Sabrina for a walk downtown, see what’s going on at FestivALL Charleston.” The humanity hit him in the face like a bad, bad cumquat.


      Story Seven
      FestivALL seemed the same as last year until . . . I saw how much MaKenna loved Ellen’s ice cream. She ate a ½ scoop of vanilla and then sang till the balloons popped. She cried so loud that her voice shattered the windows of the ice cream shop. Suddenly, children from all over crawled through the open windows and ate all the raspberry chocolate chip! Then they all went across the streets to Taylor Books to not read, but to steal the pottery so they got away. They disguised themselves as belly dancers and jumped on the river boat. Hot and Sweaty they leaned over the stern and enjoyed the cool, refreshing water. Life is what happens when you’re making other plans. The man who dares. Then a sea monster came from the depths of the Kanawha River and took one of the belly dancers hostage. And as she slowly slid into her ascending colon, she cried, “But who’ll take the mail to Redrock?” Spock arrived. Spock then knows he has to fight the mighty Elmo. The almighty Spock doesn’t care; the mail must be delivered. So with the help of Major John, troop 164 came to the rescue. They then secured the beast with knots they learned from the Boy Scout training. Then the triumphant dancers did a victory dance on the monster’s head. They sliced off his nose. From the hole that was his nose sprang Michael Jackson. Just eat it! Once he ate it . . . he then began to dance around: he he!!
      Singing “Jaya Jagadambe Ma Durga! Victory to the Mother Goddess!

      May we all live as Free Amazing Fulfilled beings. And may the Earth be blessed forever!

      And then she woke up and realized it was all just a sugar induced dream.

      Wednesday, June 29, 2011

      ASSEMBLY ON THE LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF APPALACHIA Seeks Submissions

      ASSEMBLY ON THE LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF APPALACHIA
      (An Affiliate of NCTE)

      Call for Submissions

      • Articles
      • Conference Papers
      • Essays
      • Fiction
      • News of Recent or Future Events
      • Original Graphics (Drawings or Photos)
      • Poetry
      • Reviews of Books, Films, or Conferences
      • Stories of Learning from Students & Teachers
      • Teaching Ideas

      Deadline: July 20, 2011

      Please send your submissions or inquiries to:
      Dana Stoker Cochran and Katherine Combiths, Co-Editors
      Appalachian Regional Studies Center
      Radford University
      Phone: 540-831-5366

      E-mail: dana2008@vt.edu or combiths@vt.edu

      Word Processing: SINGLE-SPACE all text, including headings and subheadings using TIMES NEW ROMAN with a 12 pt. font. Use TABS to space text across a page rather than the SPACE BAR.

      Form of Submission: Send the manuscript to the editors electronically using Microsoft Word to attach your document to an e-mail. Photos should be submitted in jpeg format.

      Submission should include the following: Date, name, e-mail address, postal mailing address and a biographical sketch.

      Sunday, June 26, 2011

      Interview of James N. Frey, author of HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL

      WVW members and your blog readers might find today's Bo's Cafe Life interview of James N. Frey, author of HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL, funny and informative.

      Friday, June 24, 2011

      Robert Yoho signing

      WV Writers member and author Robert Yoho will have a book signing on Saturday, June 25th, at the Framing Gallery in Grand Central Mall, in Vienna, West Virginia, from 1-4 PM. All four of his Western novels currently in print will be available there.

      Tuesday, June 21, 2011

      WV Writers loses F. Ethan Fischer


      (Thanks to Terry McNemar and Ed Zahniser for their contributions to this article.)

      West Virginia Writers and the world lost one of its brightest stars Friday when Ethan Fischer succumbed after a long battle with cancer. He wrote mysteries for radio and poems for posterity. He produced The Rumsey Radio Hour where Ethan made famous his "Johnny Dime the Poet of Crime" routines. His work has appeared in the following places among others: Potomac Review; Dickinsonian; WPFW Anthology (next to Ferlinghetti); Antietam Review; A Public Hanging; POETRY; Free State; WV Magazine; Works on Walls; Virginia Country; The Muse Apprentice; The Pembroke Magazine; Mountain Pathways; Tuscarora Review; Ruby.

      In 2009 when Grace Cavalieri hosted the series, "The Poet and The Poem" from the Library of Congress featuring U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan and several other noted poets, F. Ethan Fischer was included and aptly so. The radio series is available to all public radio stations via the Public Radio Satellite System's ContentDepot.

      His book Beached in the Hourglass was published by The Bunny and Crocodile Press and his work may also be found in "Wild Sweet Notes: 50 Years of West Virginia Poetry. He was senior editor of Antietam Review and he broadcast news over WRNR. He taught English & Creative Writing at Shepherd University where he found among his students, stars of the fertile void, but there was so much more to this man.

      Ethan Fischer was a lawyer, a writer, an actor, a poet and a broadcast journalist. Topping his personal joy list, however, is his life, and work, as a teacher.

      As an adjunct professor at Shepherd University, Ethan taught English literature, creative writing and poetry.

      "It's such a privilege," he said. "I love my students. They're a scrappy bunch with a good attitude."

      His work also took him to Frederick Community College where he taught on the graduate level; and to the parks in the summer where he taught "Young Poets in the Park" for years. As Ed Zahniser said, "He taught them from 8 or 9 to 80 or 90."

      "I get to work with true genius before it gets stepped on. It's perfect," said Ethan.

      He also established an ongoing independent poetry program for Shepherdstown students.

      Ethan was a contributing senior editor for the Antietam Review for years. He was the visiting poet/teacher/editor to Bluefield College, and conducted writing lecture-workshops for the West Virginia Writers, Inc. - of which he was elected vice president - the Sotto Voce Poetry Festival, the Arts & Humanities Alliance, Veterans Administration Hospital programs, Antietam Review, Hagerstown Community College Writer's Day and the Arts Centre.

      He chaired the annual New Writers Fiction Award, as the faculty adviser to Sans Merci and writes for the famous, infamous and widely broadcast Rumsey Radio Hour. His work has been published in the Potomac Review, Dickinsonian: WV Magazine; Virginia Country; WPFW Anthology; Antietam Review and the list goes on.

      Ethan is married to Ursula Nottnagel and they have made their home in Harpers Ferry for years with their three children.

      He might live in Harpers Ferry but finding Shepherdstown he recalls, "You love finding the community you've been looking for." He loves the fact that this town supports so many arts events.

      Seems like when you arrived in Shepherdstown you could find him at his favorite venue. He loved the Blue Moon for giving poets and musicians, young and old, ongoing opportunities to perform. To quote the devoted patron, "This is where it's at."

      Ethan Fisher was a writer and a poet but above all else, he was a teacher.

      Among his students are, as he says, "stars of the fertile void to come if we are not careful. Yet poetry forever stays 'a night train ticket out of time.'"

      A memorial service for Ethan Fischer will be held Saturday, July 9, 2:00 p.m. at Presbyterian Meeting House Washington and King streets in Shepherdstown.

      Reception to follow at the home of Carlos Niederhauser and Liz Wheeler, North Princess Street, next to Jefferson Security Bank, Shepherdstown.

      Service will feature remembrances (5-6 different aspects of his life--father, teacher, mentor of youth, poet, editor, entertainer) plus the reading of six of his poems presented by different voices. Readers and poems to be selected. Laura First and Don Oehser will present music, as will Dianne Holliman.


      Each Day Living

      These are living days,

      Being gods of unreason

      But reason for being ways

      Of tuning as keys turning in

      Locks of the body or the face to fall in with grace,

      to walk at my own pace,

      to speak daily in praise

      ~ Ethan Fischer

      January 2009

      Sunday, June 12, 2011

      WV Writers 2011 Annual Writing Contest Winners

      (The winners listed in the document below are only from the 2011 Annual Writing Contest and does not include the People's Choice or Writers Wall winners. They will be posted post haste.)

      Friday, June 10, 2011

      2011 Conference Under Way

      The WV Writers 2011 Summer Conference is now officially in progress. If you're still on the fence about coming, just know that we accept walk in attendees so it is not too late. And if that wasn't enough, allow us to sweeten the deal by pointing out that all attendees receive a conference goody bag which is absolutely packed with amazing things this year. From literary magazines, to novels, to regional magazines, to national writing magazines, this goody bag is well worth the drive. (And on that note, allow us to say a huge thanks to our goodie bag organizer Debbie Crim for doing a tremendous amount of work contacting organizations to donate to those bags, as well as publishers and authors who donated autographed copies of their books which are available on our silent auction table. She did an amazing job.)

      It's not too late. Just head to Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, WV.



      Tuesday, June 07, 2011

      New issue of HOLLER accepting final submissions

      The publication of the Summer issue of HOLLER is just around the corner and still accepting poems or short prose through June 15.

      Holler is now available in Princeton, Bluefield, Hinton, Lewisburg and Charleston.

      Check out their website for more details (www.princetonpoetryproject.org).


      Conference Attendee Checklist

      A handy checklist for attendees of this weekend's 2011 WV Writers Summer Conference.

      1. If you've never been to the conference, check out the Conference First Timers Guide for some handy tips.
      2. Remember to bring material to pin to the Writers Wall, be it poetry or prose. Remember not to put your name on the Writers Wall material.
      3. Remember to bring material to read in the People's Choice competitions on Friday or Saturday, be it poetry or prose.
      4. Remember that name badges are required in order to attend workshops, so that will help in knowing who people are in all the activities. This year we've chosen the much-requested hanging badges instead of the pin-style so they won't snag clothes, so this will make them easier to wear.
      5. Remember to bring something to donate to the silent auction. People have brought books, crafts, jewelry, art, sculpture and many other kinds of things. If it looks interesting, chances are it will do well. If you don't have something already, maybe ask a local business to donate something. WV Writers can send them a tax receipt.
      6. Remember to bring a food item or drink item for the Reception Table in the Main Hall. This can be something home baked or store bought, like cookies, candy bar minis, doughnuts, or, God help us, something healthy like fruit. Chips, not so good. Likewise for drinks, a 12 pack of canned soft drinks or water is greatly appreciated. We'll have coffee and fruit/veggie trays on hand, but if you have healthy food you'd like to bring, that's always appreciated too. We like to have enough food and drinks on hand so there are refreshments throughout the weekend, so if everyone brings a food item and a drink item, we'll be good to go.
      7. If you have a cooler and ice you can loan us for the weekend please do bring it. We use them to keep the refreshment drinks cold.
      8. If you're doing a Pitch Session with Ben LeRoy or Katharine Sands, you might stop by the following address for some Pitch Session How To suggestions. (http://jenniferlawler.com/wordpress/?p=133)
      9. If you've registered for your room and meals with Cedar Lakes, be sure they have your meal choice for the Saturday evening banquet (baked steak or stuffed chicken). Every year Cedar Lakes has to spend countless hours calling people to get their choice.
      10. Check out the finalized schedule online for the latest changes, so you can plan your days accordingly.
      11. Remember to bring a hoodie, sweater or something warm to pull on, as it does get nippy at night. Similarly, a rain coat or umbrella would be good, as traditionally there is an annual torrential downpour at some point.

      Sunday, June 05, 2011

      Poetry Reading and Open Mic in Bluefield

      Poetry Reading & Open Mic

      Share your art.

      Experience connection.

      Come to the WindHorse Healing Arts Center

      Tuesday, June 14, 2011

      7 PM

      WindHorse Healing Arts Center

      422 North Street

      Bluefield, WV

      (Coming from Bluefield College, turn left at Community Center flashing light, follow road curving to right. Building is on the left just past a parking lot.)

      Please bring $2 to help cover costs

      Refreshments available

      For more information, contact Rob Merritt: 304-920-1860

      rmerritt@bluefield.edu