West Virginia Writers, Inc. Blog

WV poet laureate Irene McKinney passes

2012-02-04T23:21:00.000-05:00

Irene McKinney, poet laureate of West Virginia, passed away this morning. The Charleston Gazette has an article about her life and her passing.

Kick Starts for Young Creative Writers - a 6-week course in Lewisburg

2012-01-08T17:03:00.000-05:00

Creative Writing
Kick Starts for Young Creative Writers - a 6-week course
Instructor: Brittney Cassity
When: Wednesday afternoons: March 7, 14, 21, 28 and April 4 and 18, 2012 from 4-5pm
Class Size: min 3; max 15
Cost: members $65, non-members $70 for the 6-week course
Ages: 9 and older

This course is designed for upper elementary and middle school students, but students of other ages are welcome. This course will help reluctant writers learn how to use everyday objects as characters or plot builders, how to use music to help you get a feel for your character or scene, how to use history or current events to write fiction, and many other helpful tips. Ms. Cassity is the author/illustrator of the children's bedtime story book, Fiddlebug, and Clyde the Undead Dust Bunny, a middle grade chapter book. Ms. Cassity recently won the Best of Show award in the Monroe Arts Alliance Writing contest for her essay entitled, "The Year We Loved the Pear Tree."

2012 Artists in Residence Program at I-Park

2011-12-15T18:43:00.000-05:00

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 .

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

2011-12-14T10:45:00.001-05:00

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.

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

2011-12-13T10:46:00.004-05:00

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

A video conversation with Jaimy Gordon

2011-12-03T09:36:00.002-05:00

Uncle Terry's Gift Ideas from WV Authors List 2011

2011-12-02T08:48:00.013-05:00

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

Seeking the Swan by West Virginia Writers, Inc.
Catching the Crow by West Virginia Writers, Inc.
And Now the Magpie by West Virginia Writers, Inc.
Beyond the Magpie by West Virginia Writers, Inc.
Best of WV Writers by West Virginia Writers, Inc.
Mountain Voices by the members of the WV Writers Roundtable
Naked Man's Rock by Richard A. Lewis
Beached in the Hourglass illustrated by the author, Ethan Fischer and available from: The Bunny & the Crocodile Press, shops near Shepherdstown)
Lord of Misrule and Jaimy Gordon
Pocket Change and Blood Kin and Other Strangers by Patsy Evans Pittman
Still Life With Plums by Marie Manilla
Full Bone Moon by G. Cameron Fuller
Serendipity Hollow, Gap Hollow, Sandlick Hollow, (the Hollow Trilogy) and Concrete Girl by David Brown
amo, amas, amat...: An Unconventional Love Story by Carter Taylor Seaton
Arms Wide Open: A Midwife's Journey by Patricia Harman
Blood Clay, Fidelities, and Wake Wake Wake by Valerie G. Nieman
Kathleen Coffee (CD) by Kathleen Coffee
Frontier Surgeon and House Calls in the Hills by Jay Banks, M.D.
Eyes in the Attic by Nadine McKinney Gathering Stones (CD) by Keith and Joan Pitzer
Pilgrim of the Neo-Dark Ages (CD) by Tim Armentrout
The Choice was Gray by Robert Ours
Livvie Owen Lived Here and Body of Water by Sarah Dooley
Death Comes to Redhawk, Long Ride to Yesterday, and Death Rides the Rail by R.G. Yoho
Shades of Gray Documentary about WV UFO investigator Gray Barker
Everything I Know and Tips and Techniques Workbook by Sandy Tritt
Return to Io by Henry Palek
Ragdoll Angel by T.W. McNemar
The Well Ain't Dry Yet, The Bingo Cheaters, and Buckle Up, Buttercup by Belinda Anderson
Writers Workshop of Horror, Dark Tales of Terror, Mountain Magic, The Mothman Files, and Specters in Coal Dust, published by Woodland Press
Tyler's Mountain Magic by Malcolm Ater
Beyond the Grave, Ghost Stories from the Mountains (CD) of stories by Granny Sue Holstein
In the Heart of the Hills: A Novel in Stories and Witness at Hawk's Nest by Dwight Harshbarger
More than Penny Candy and other books by Dolly Withrow
Disequilibrium and the Multi-Faceted Crystal Ball by Teresa Flerx
Clyde the Undead Dust Bunny by Brittney Cassity
Love Leaves No One Behind by Claudia Pemberton
A Spiritual Life: Perspectives from Poets, Prophets, and Preachers featuring an essay from Elizabeth Gaucher
Out of the Mountains: Appalachian Stories (Race, Ethnicity and Gender in Appalachia), Ten Strategies to Write Your Novel and Re-visions: Stories from Stories by Meredith Sue Willis
The West Virginia Encyclopedia, Ken Sullivan, editor
The Pale Light of Sunset, Crum, and Screamin’ with the Cannibals by Lee Maynard
Journey of the Snow Goose and No Name Harbor by Barbery Chaapel
I Saw God Dancing by Cheryl Denise
If You Remember Metal Skates by Nancy Williams
Lake Effect by Laura Treacy Bentley (poetry)
Family Spirit by Jill Decker
It Started with Dracula: The Count, My Mother, and Me by Jane Congdon
The I in Me by Cynthia Cox
Death Falcon vs. The Zombie Slug Lords by William Bitner and Daniel Boyd
M is For Monster by William Bitner
Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, Dream Factory, and Jars of Glass by Brad Barkley
Jewels in Our Crown: the State Parks of West Virginia by Maureen Crockett
Hometown Reunion by Pam Andrews (a.k.a. Pam Hanson)
PSI Blue and Titanic 2012 by Robert Walker
The Tree of the Nevee: A Kabbalistic Story of Elijah the Wizard by Jerry Blair
Chick Flicks by Barbara Smith’
Arrivederci, Recipes and Customs Every Italian Girl Takes From Home by Rosalyn Queen Alonso
Italians in West Virginia (Images of America) by Victor A. Basile and Judy Prozzillo Byers
Feast of the Seven Fishes by Robert Tinnell
The Rock and the Pebble by Mark Defoe
Black Days, Black Dust by Armstead and S.L. Gardner
Surviving Mae West' by Priscilla Rodd
Wild Sweet Notes I &II by ……everyone
To Keep The South Manitou Light, Golden Delicious: A Cinderella Apple Story and The Life of St. Brigid by Anna Egan Smucker
Legends: Profiles of West Virginia University Basketball by Norman Julian
Clarksburg by Robert Stealey Clarksburg' by Robert Stealey
Risk, Return, and the Indigo Autumn by Tim McGhee
The Green Rolling Hills: Writings from West Virginia edited by V.J. Banis (anthology, various authors, included) or from Amazon.
Echoes of a Woman’s Soul by Dianna Doles Petry
Bit and Pieces and Peripheral Visions by Robert Flanagan
Alzheimer's Care with Dignity by Frank Fuerst
The Transparent Feather by Barbara June Appelgren
Creighten’s Crossroads and Howard Hill by Betty Larosa
Silent No More by Krista Fink
Bequest for Nathan and Azariah's Legacy by Lois Casto
the Almost Christmas Pony by Ruth Lynn Kirk
Short and Simple Annals: Poems About Appalachia' and Llewellyn McKernan's Greatest Hits by Llewellyn McKernan

Counting down to the deadline for the WV Writers Ink anthology

2011-11-30T09:08:00.004-05:00

Poetry Reading & Open mic in Bluefield

2011-11-28T13:34:00.000-05:00

(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

Author signing in Morgantown

2011-11-09T22:25:00.001-05:00

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.

Haunted Panhandle Ghost Story contest honors winners

2011-11-08T18:39:00.000-05:00

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.

GVT Community Poetry Reading in Lewisburg

2011-11-07T17:07:00.000-05:00

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

2011-11-07T17:05:00.000-05:00

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.

River City Youth Ballet features WV Poetry

2011-11-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

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

The passing of a friend

2011-11-04T14:52:00.000-04:00

(From Terry McNemar)

The Passing of a Dear Friend

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.

Richard Lewis Memorial Service

2011-11-03T12:15:00.002-04:00

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:

(304) 645-2060
102 N Jefferson St, Lewisburg, WV
Click here: Wallace and Wallace, Inc - Funeral Homes

Member passing

2011-11-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

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.

NANOWRIMO 2011 begins

2011-11-01T10:41:00.000-04:00

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/

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

2011-10-21T16:49:00.001-04:00

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

2011-10-21T16:20:00.000-04:00

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.

A Quest for Humor, West Virginia Style

2011-10-16T08:40:00.000-04:00

(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.

WV Writers Newsletter Guidelines

2011-10-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

(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

Valerie Nieman Appearances (UPDATED)

2011-10-14T08:41:00.003-04:00

(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.

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

2011-10-13T10:11:00.000-04:00

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.

Carter Taylor Seaton signings

2011-10-11T08:35:00.000-04:00

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."