Sunday, November 27, 2011

Sat., Dec. 10: Writers Paradise, Summerville, SC, Library

Friends of the Summerville Library present a special literary event
Writers Paradise: A Six Pack of Authors
Saturday, December 10, 2011
2 - 4 pm
Summerville Library
76 Old Trolley Road, Summerville, SC

This is a perfect opportunity to meet six authors who will describe their works, conduct readings, and sign books. The authors cover a wide range of genres:

Cleo Scott Brown (author of Witness to the Truth, My Struggle for Human Rights in Louisiana)
Susan Hudson Chellis (author of The Kitchen Table)
Henry Hixon (author of The Adventures of Thomas Pilgrim and Barney High Tail)
Harriet McLeod (author of Good Morning, Lowcountry!)
Susan Laughter Meyers (poet/author of Keep and Give Away)
Valerie Perry (author of Upper King Street)

A reception will be held at 3 p.m. during the book signing. Open to the public. Contact information: 873-6624, rmfosl@sc.rr.com

Poems published in Australian journal Rabbit

Two of my poems--"Dear Broccoli Battered by Hail" and "Dear Bearded Carrot"--have been published in an Australian journal called Rabbit. You can visit Rabbit's blog here.

Book review published in Pirene's Fountain

My review of poet Tim Peeler's Checking Out, published in 2010 by Hub City Press, is in the current issue of the online journal Pirene's Fountain. You can read the review here

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Monday, Nov. 21: Reading at Monday Night Poetry & Music

Monday, November 21, 2011
Monday Night Poetry & Music (formerly Monday Night Blues)
East Bay Meeting House
160 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
8 p.m.
Featured poet: Susan Laughter Meyers
Open mic to follow

I'm especially excited about reading at East Bay Meeting House next Monday, because I've got lots of new poems I haven't had a chance to read before an audience yet. After taking a month-long poetry workshop course at the College of Charleston with Carol Ann Davis last June and then spending two weeks in August at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts--doing nothing but writing--I've completed more poems than I usually manage over the course of a busy summer and fall. So I'm gathering up a bunch of them and heading into Charleston on Monday night for the whole evening. This time I'll have a chance to stay till the very end--to sit back and enjoy all the open-mic readers. Yes!

Poetry Out Loud at Charleston County School of the Arts (SOA)

On Thursday, November 10, 2011, eighteen students of Charleston County School of the Arts (SOA) participated in the Lowcountry's individual-school level of Poetry Out Loud (POL), a nationally sponsored recitation competition. The winners from each competing high school in the Lowcountry will vie for the regional title, and that winner will go to the state level. Next spring at the national competition, winners from each state will compete to determine the national champion.

I happily served as one of three judges for last Thursday's event, along with Beth Webb Hart and James Lundy. What a difficult task, determining the top competitors among such talent. After two rounds of recitations, we chose a winner, a second-place finalist, and tied finalists for third place. Creative writing instructor Rene Miles was the director of the competition. I'll hold off announcing the SOA winners, in case the school has not released that information to the public yet. Thanks to SOA and all its dedicated, talented POL participants for making this such a truly stunning afternoon of poetry!