"This mark is like a mirror held up in front of the viewer. It reflects where inspiration, thoughts, ideas, and stories originate—in the mind."
Designer, Gordon Smith.
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April 2021 Volume 28 Issue 7 |
Our mission: to support local writers and promote their development through education, recognition, and community.
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A Message from the President:
This month I'm squirrel gazing like my pandemic pooch Guinness, a quick glance back before we fix our eyes on the future. A year ago, that future was on hold. In September, CWC took a leap of faith when we moved online to keep the club meeting, learning and writing and connecting until it is safe to meet again in person.
Despite, or is it inspite of? maybe even to spite these virus times—uncertain, unprecedented times, historic—pick any or all, of these overused descriptors for the the last 12 months—we have welcomed 60 new, and returning members (see the list below). But we have 100 lapsed members—If that describes you please reup!
A big thank you to generous members: Jan Notzon, Mary Alice Dixon, Steven Underwood, Justin Hunt, Paul Kurzeja and to our January speaker Kevin Winchester who donated a portion of his honorarium to the club, for your contributions for a scholarship fund.
In April, our Centennial Committee will begin putting together celebration plans—it feels so good to write that—to have hope and vaccines in time for our 100th birthday party. Stay tuned for how festivities will look and your chance to pitch in to make them happen.
Our centennial stretches across two program years and two presidents. I’ll start things off. Whether we’ll be online or return to meeting in person or have some combination both is yet to be determined. When my term ends in June of 2022, David Collins will be the next president. Our club’s future is in good hands!
Stay Healthy & Keep Writing!
Caroline
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Join Us on Tuesday, April 20,2021 6:30-8:30 pm via Zoom for our next general meeting.
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Slam on!
Useful Performance Poetry Techniques
Boris "Bluz" Rogers, the bard of Charlotte and an Emmy Award winning performance poet will show us how to create and present powerful slam and spoken word poetry as we celebrate National Poetry Month.
When Rogers sits down to write, he sets out “to take words, shape them, and put them in places where they don’t necessarily belong” in order to create visuals that will allow his audience to see the world in new ways. The long list of awards and recognitions he has garnered provides ample evidence of how thoroughly he has succeeded: four Emmys, six Poetry in Motion Awards, three time National Poetry Slam Champion as well as Southern Slam Grand Champion.
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Club Stuff, Opportunities to Write & Submit |
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2021-2022 Leadership Team |
Executive Board
President : Caroline Kane Kenna
President/Elect: David Collins
VP of Membership: Axel Dahlberg
Secretary: Tiffany Grantham
Treasurer: John McGillicuddy
Immediate Past President: Debra S. Wallin
Advisory Board
Programs:
Angela Haigler & David Collins
Contests:
Darrell Horwitz & Adrian Calabrese
Critique Groups Coordinator:
Barbara Kidd Lawing
Membership Co-Chair: Blair Peery
Newsletter Editor: Teresa Taylor
Workshop Coordinator:
Anshu Gupta &TBD
Webmaster: Debra S. Wallin
Assistant Webmasters:
Keira Mayock & Blair Peery
CWC North: Sandra Phillips
Open Mic Coordinators:
Hope Smyth & Debra S. Wallin
Social Media & Publicity: TBD
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Openings on the Advisory Board
Marketing and Publicity Team
The leadership team needs you on the Advisory Board to create, implement and maintain a branding/marketing plan to raise our club profile and to promote our 100th birthday.
If you have big picture experience like public relations/advertising and/or have been involved with promoting a big event or a series of big events we need you; and if you know social media, have an Instagram account or post on Facebook, please consider sharing that expertise.
Ideally we'd like to have two or more persons to spread the work. By the way, these are new positions so you'll get to help write job descriptions too. Contact Caroline Kenna
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Co-Coordinator for Workshops
Partner with Anshu Gupta. She has brought many quality presenters to us this year. If you see yourself in this role, have ideas and/or presenters you would like to bring via Zoom or to Charlotte (at some point in the future) please contact Anshu for more about this important post.
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CWC Contest Results:
Coming at April & May Meetings
Join us in April as our Poetry Contest winners are announced and and the top poets read their verses. Ashley Lumpkin was the judge.
In May, The Elizabeth Simpson Smith Short Story Contest winners will be unveiled. Abigail DeWitt, the judge for our most prestigious fiction contest, is reviewing the entries now.
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Virtual Writing Salon & Social Time
On Monday, April 12 at 7 pm, take 75 minutes to write and share. We'll start with a little face time and catch-up time, bring your imagination; Tiffany provides the prompts. No pressure, no angst, just writing fun! Be our guest by clicking on this link to sign up.
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Coming in May!
CWC North & Main Street Books
Present:
Celiac Mom by Ann Campanella:
A Virtual Book Launch and Q&A
on Thursday May 6, 2021 at 7 pm
What does it mean to go gluten-free? Is it even possible? Why would someone do it?
Ann Campanella and her husband were wedded to wheat until their daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of five. A non-cook, Ann became determined to keep Sydney safe from gluten, a substance that was literally poisoning her young daughter. In her new memoir, Celiac Mom, Ann reveals the benefits and challenges of upending a wheat-filled life.
Ann will read short selections from her book and answer questions about her family’s transition to a gluten-free lifestyle. She will share the health benefits they have seen and how Sydney has adapted to life without wheat. Learn more about Ann and sign up for the Zoom link at the CWC North Calendar of Events page.
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Sign Up for the next Open Mic Night on:
April 16, 2021.
You will receive the Zoom link in the event announcement. You must be a member and register ahead of time
You do not need to register to come to listen and support your fellow writers. Save the announcement email and use the Zoom link to join the event. Please leave the 12 registrations spots open for those who are reading.
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"If you don't see the book you want on the shelves,write it!"
--Beverly Cleary
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CWC offers sincere condolences to the family of American author Beverly Atlee Cleary,
who passed on Thursday, March 25, 2021 at the young age of 104.
Her writing will be missed, but she's left a legacy of great youth and young adult novels to be read and loved for years to come.
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Meet-a-Member:
Melissa Welch
BIO:
I was born in Vermont and raised in Western C. I love exploring and traveling all over the world; I love the beach and cooking large family style meals for my family and friends. I am currently enrolled in various online writing courses, but I do not have any other formal writing “training”.
When and where do I write the best?
It fascinates me that I write best mid-morning and late afternoon – when I should be doing my day job.
Favorite writing tool?
My preferred writing tool is my laptop; I can take it with me wherever I fancy. But my newly found love is a pen and notebook. I did not think I’d ever revert back to handwritten notes, but that pen knows its way around a sheet of notebook paper, so I let the mystery and craft flow. Seeing a beautifully scripted word in purple ink is very satisfying.
A favorite writing resource
When I take a break from my own stories, I find that reading is a great writing resource. I read what I love by authors whose cadence and storytelling inspire me.
Best Writing advice you’ve received and actually taken?
The absolute best writing advice I have ever embraced is one I resisted for so long. But one day I decided to take that advice: write every day, by hand, even if it is just for ten minutes. EVERY DAY. And sometimes I do not feel any words coming so instead, I doodle. Creative doodling (I like swirls and circles) gets the juices going and so if words do not present themselves, at least I have those works of art scattered about in the margins of my notebooks.
One thing I would like help with?
I am looking for advice with drafting. Sometimes I am too invested in the story to believe it needs an edit or a deep revision. I do not know how to walk away and come back with fresh eyes.
To start a conversation with Melissa send her a message through the Member Directory
If you'd like to participate in Meet-a-Member please contact the newsletter editor,
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Celebrate those prose and poetry projects you've labored over.
Welcome New Members
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Melissa Welch
Tanya Graves
Richard Loftus
Kathy Gruhn
Erika Ruckert
Gerrit Overeem
Grace Goff
Diana Pickney
Morgan Jackson
Justin Jans
Hughes Crisp
Lori Sugarman
David Rynne
Jeneva Rose
Liam Shannon
Leslie Chehade
Amy Crumley
Barbara Eckroad
Gary DePaul
Worth Keeter
Micahel Banks
Beth Badour
Dee James
Henri Nkuepo
Keira Maycock
Danielle Pasqua
David Strauss
Robyn Benjamin
Mary Yorke Oates
Lisa Wolfe
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Elizabeth Hilborn
Gary Edginton
Elizabeth Ouzts
Sandra Cimadori
Colin Pillay
Suyan Liu
Karen Smith
Elizabeth Bennett
Bob Margies
Steve Mowery
George Harris
Patricia Joslin
Caroline Vincent
Dia S
Bob Ritchie
Erin Brighton
Brooke Reynolds
David Radavich
Faye Cobb
Michél Claudio
Hillary Vaillancourt
Katherine Ricks-Anthony
Chris Adler Moore
Bess Kercher
Nathan Nicolau
Lisa Dudzik
Steven Williams Jr.
Jenni Dickens
Frank Saraco
Brian McDevitt
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Tell us about the podcast?
Charlotte Readers Podcast is a 30 minute podcast where local, regional, national and international authors give voice to their written words in an interview format with a short reading in the middle. Each episode is accompanied by a listener supported Patreon interview with a deeper dive into the craft or business of writing. Click on the 200th episode image to learn about the authors coming in April.
What spark or sparks helped your podcast move from idea to reality?
The realization that Landis Wade wasn’t the first novice ever to start a podcast. I didn’t know the difference between a mixing board and a mixing bowl. My wife Janet says I still don’t know how to use a mixing bowl.
What is your favorite episode or episodes?
That’s like asking which relative you like best, but I pick the authors for the 100th and 200th episodes. The 100th episode featured bestselling Longmire author Craig Johnson who writes engaging novels and tells great stories on the side. The upcoming 200th features John Hart, a six time New York Times bestselling author who was a good sport when we joked about how he was “finally” able to get on Charlotte Readers Podcast.
Tell us something you know now that you wish you had known when you started this venture?
Everything doesn’t need to be perfect, you will get better and don’t worry about the number of downloads. Be grateful for your guests and those who choose to listen.
How do you keep coming up with ideas?
Fortunately, the authors come up with the ideas. I just help them tell their stories and the stories behind their stories in an audio format
What keeps you going after 200 episodes?
The excitement of meeting another interesting author, reading another good book and learning something else to help my own writing.
What does the future look like for CRP?
More episodes, more great authors, plus more tweaks, like the Community Blog we added where any writer can submit.
Best piece of advice you can offer someone who wants to create their own podcast?
Don’t listen to people who say all you need is a microphone and the ability to talk. Substitute patience and perseverance instead.
Charlotte Readers Podcast is available for free wherever you like to get your podcasts. Any author can submit to be on the podcast HERE.
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April is National Poetry Month
April Rain Song-Langston Hughes
Let the rain kiss you
Let the the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleepy song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.
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Celebrate Online!
Kick Off the month with CMLibrary on Thursday, April 1, 5:15-6pm
The Harvey B. Gantt center is hosting its first ever virtual Spoken Word Poetry Competition, Poetry Dreams, on 4.22.21. More information here. Entries due by April 6th.
Poetry Beyond the Page on Friday, April 16, 2pm
Panelists Bluz, Kathie Collins, Kia Flow and Shane Manier will talk about what to do with
a poem after you've written it. To learn more and to register visit CMLibrary Events.
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Randell Jones Seeks Your
Personal Stories for a
Fall Collection
The next Personal Story Publishing Project theme is “Trouble"
Submit your 750-800 word on "Trouble—causing, avoiding, getting in, and getting out—Trouble with you in the middle.” No fiction. You may share a story of someone close to you or an ancestor whose story you know well.
Deadline to submit is June 30, 2021.
His Spring collection of personal stories Luck and Opportunity includes stories from five CWC members. Learn more that anthology at Randell Jones.com.
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If you're you looking to get more involved or have an idea share it
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Tech Squad Update
Debra Wallin's team of tech minded volunteers has come together. Keira Mayock and Blair Perry are our first volunteers Thanks to you both!
We have several software systems, therefore, two more volunteers would be ideal to spread the work.
Volunteers will need intermediate technical skills necessary to edit, save and upload pictures to the website file manager. Debra will teach you the rest and work with the team.
If you are interested, send Debra a message through the Member Directory. Once you have logged in you can select Member Directory, then click on her name and the Send Message button can be selected.
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Hindsight Wants Your 2020 Stories for
an Anthology
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Hindsight is a collection of stories about 2020, written by people just like you. We’re seeking nonfiction stories from people around the world that capture what it was like to wake up every day to a new normal — whether that means navigating emergencies as a first responder or tying the knot over Zoom.
Hindsight is an independent, one-time publication. The very best submissions will be compiled into a print anthology, which will be published in 2021.
Submission fee: None
Length: Up to 2,000 words
Deadline: Rolling
Compensation: Writers whose work is selected for the print anthology will receive a complimentary hard copy of the book, as well as a digital file.
To learn more, please visit the website: HINDSIGHT
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"Writers must be readers."
Kimmery Martin, Author
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Poets and Playwrights Publishing Opportunities: |
Attention Poets & Artists:
The submission period for Kakalak 2021 is open from Now to May 23, 2021.
Guidelines and more are posted at: Kakalak2021. Anne Kaylor, MoonShine Review Press, is now the publisher. Learn more about the anthology born in 2005 and how Kaylor's role has evolved at moonshinereviewpress.
NC 10by10 Play Festival:
Seeking 10-minute plays from North Carolina writers. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2021.
Playwrights must be currently living in North Carolina. Students attending a NC college full-time, and military personnel stationed in NC qualify. Learn more about this call for 10-Minute Plays and Submit Here.
Ten short plays will be selected for full production at the 2021 “NC 10by10”. The festival runs September 17-19 and 24-26 at The ArtsCenter in downtown Carrboro, NC, as well as via livestream. NC 10by10 has grown to be the most-attended short-play festival in the region, with shows regularly selling out.
Austin Film Festival
Screenwriters are you interested in submitting to this feature competition? It’s a great opportunity to catapult your screenwriting career to the next level.
The process to submit your feature is quick and easy. More details can be found by contacting them at (512) 478-4795 or email at Austin Film Fest; https://austinfilmfestival.com/submit.
Regular Deadline: April 16 ($60)
Late Deadline: May 21 ($70)
The Enderby Award is open to all genres with a unique concept and distinctive voice that can be produced under $10 million. The winner will get to meet with Enderby Entertainment executives to discuss their script.
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Presents a book talk with
author, Michelle Icard on her book, Fourteen Talks by age Fourteen,
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. EST via Zoom.
To preorder the book, or for more information and to register for this FREE event go to: read more on Charlotte's favorite bookstore-
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CWC Members Teaching Spring Classes @ Charlotte Lit
Landis Wade, Building an Author Platform on Tuesday, May 4th, 6-7:30 pm. A single Zoom session See more here
In February, Charlotte Lit celebrated FIVE years
of "Spreading the Words" Congratulations!
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Guerilla Poets are offering Free, virtual poetry, music and art workshops. Check out the list Here.
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Resources, grants and places to submit your work at NCArts.org.
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North Carolina Poetry Society emuse at NCPS.
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Click the RPL logo to learn more about the
2nd Saturday Bookshop and Here for the April 10th Virtual Author Talk with Ann B. Ross.
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NEW INITIATIVE
The first Matthews Playhouse BIPOC Playwright's Festival in partnership with the African American Playwrights Group (AAPG) will host the five semi finalists' Staged Readings
on April 10, at 2 pm, at the Fullwood Theater,100 W. McDowell St., Matthews, NC.
Tickets are FREE and limited; they may be reserved using either of the links below:
Face masks must be worn while in the theatre. There will also be a live stream as well.
CWC Congratulates
the semi-finalists!
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Central Piedmont Community College's annual celebration of literature, music and art.
April 9 to 16, 2021
Washington Post Reporter and recent Georgetown Institute of Politics Fellow Eugene Scott, is this year's Irene Blair Honeycutt Distinguished Lecturer, and Charlotte's own
Gail Peck, author of nine books of poetry is the winner of the Irene Blair Honeycutt Lifetime Achievement award.
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Curl Up With a Good Novel
The Lost Apothecary:
A Novel by Sarah Penner
Her Final Hour-(Mystery)
By Carla Kovach
Youth Novel-The Stars Beneath Our Feet
By David Barclay Moore
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- 1944's "Absent in Spring" is one of the non-mystery novels she wrote under the name Mary West Macott. Who is she?
- A nonfiction classic by Rabbi Harold Kushner is "When" these "Happen to Good People."
- "Pebble in the Sky" was his first novel, the "Foundation" of a long prolific career writing science fiction. Who is he?
- Baseball writer Tyler Kepner took an in-depth look at 10 types of pitches in a book with this single letter as its title.
Look for answers in lower right column in the newsletter.
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Barnes and Noble
Click Here to see what's coming and learn more about the virtual events below:
On Saturday, April 3rd at 3PM ET
**Ticketed Event**
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April Facts
- April is named for Aphrodite
- National Sexual Awareness Month
- Child Abuse Awareness Month
- Taxes Due
- Easter
Literary Facts
- Poet Williams Wadsworth born-7
- Snow White author, Donald Barthelme born-7
- Noah Webster copyrighted the first edition of his dictionary-14
Historical Literary Facts
- President Lincoln Assassination-15, 1865
- Sinking of the Titanic-15, 1912
- American Revolution Began-19, 1775
Annually
- Earth Day-22
- Independent Book Store Day-24
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A LITERARY ROADTRIP
Mid-May- The South Carolina Book Festival begins around then every year in Columbia.
The University of South Carolina’s Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections in particular features the most extensive collection of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work and associated documentation, including manuscripts, screenplays, paintings, contracts – even work by Zelda Fitzgerald.
Check dates for the South Carolina Shakespeare Company plays in downtown’s Finlay Park
Charleston Library Society has rare books. Like first editions of Charles Dickens’ novels, an extensive collection of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poetry.
Savannah, Georgia, the home of Flannery O’Connor.
In Savannah take the walking tour based on John Berendt’s bestselling novel
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Visit Eatonton Alice Walker’s birthplace
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Click the Main Street Books Davidson image to browse and click Here to learn more and register for The Monday Night Spotlight. In April the light shines on T he Power of Stories.
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Encouragement Quote
"Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on."
Joseph Joubert
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Davidson Poetry Reading and Workshop, Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Join guest writer and poet, Maurice Norman, as he reads some of his own works of poetry and then leads a workshop on writing poetry. Writers of all levels are encouraged to join. Please register here.
Sign Up for on-going events in cyberspace like these:
The 1st Tuesday of the month at 12pm is WBL Book Club! Visit the website for details andto sign up.
Write Like You Mean It, Thursdays 10:00 – 11:30 am Join from the comfort of your space to write and share our work. Contact Pam Turner.
Prolific Pens Writing Group 11:00 am– 1:00 pm
The first and third Saturdays of the month with the exception of holidays to learn more contact Sally Deason.
North County Regional Wordsmiths, Thursdays, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Writers of poetry and prose, all experience and skill levels are invited to meet every Thursday Group contact Darcey Mesaris.
Chapter Three Book Club
to sign up.
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More Contests
The Winning Writers 29th annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Submit published or unpublished work
now through
April 30, 2021.
For more information:
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Literary Dishes Inspired by a Good Novel
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café
by Fannie Flagg
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons + 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
Vegetable oil
Directions:
Step 1: Mix together egg and buttermilk; set aside. Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
Step 2: Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375° Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.
Bon Appetite!
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Trivia Answers:
- Agatha Christie
- Bad Things
- Asimov
- K
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Support CWC Members & Community Partners
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FEATURED LIT EVENT: PEN TO PAPER. |
Join on Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. for a mini-lesson, writing prompt, writing time, and sharing. Free
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Pay What You Can!
NCWN 2021 Spring Conference Saturday April 24th, is Online
Pay what you can for a full day of classes, workshops, and conversations on the craft and business of writing fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction—Faculty Readings & the Open Mic Readings and more entirely online.
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MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Charlotte Writers Club entitles you to participate in workshops, critique groups, contests, and guest speaker programs. The cost is a modest $35 per year for individuals and $20 for students.
We welcome all writers in all genres and forms to join our Charlotte-area literary community. Your membership in the Charlotte Writers' Club helps support writers, readers, and literacy at a critical time in our nation's and our city's history.
To Join or Renew click this Membership Link and follow the instructions.
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Charlotte Writers' Club PO Box 220954, Charlotte NC 28222
Please "LIKE" our Facebook page to encourage discussion among fellow
writers and keep up with the club offerings.
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