Lese Corrigan and her gallery

Whenever I'm in Charleston and in the area of Queen Street, I like to stop by to visit my artist friend Lese Corrigan. I met Lese when she and I worked together as Artist and Writer in Residence at the Gibbes Museum of Art back in 2004-2005, and we've been friends ever since. From the beginning I liked her and admired her talents as an artist, so I was thrilled when she allowed her artwork Cultured Pomegranates, 2001, oil on linen, to be used as the cover art for my book Keep and Give Away, published by the University of South Carolina Press in 2006.

When I dropped by Lese's gallery a week or two ago, she showed me her new studio that she recently added to the back of the gallery. Such a wonderful space for her to work! And she needs it, as she prepares for a show this fall. Her gallery is at 62 Queen Street, just off Meeting Street.You can't miss the charm of its black-and-white striped awnings.

Congratulations, Lese for all your fine accomplishments--and this large new space to make more beautiful art!

Lese in her new studio

NC Writers Conference

This year the NC Writers Conference--a longstanding, loosely organized group of NC writers--met in Asheville for its annual gathering. I loved every minute of the time there, the last weekend in July. I remember when I first attended back in the early 1990s as a guest of my late friend Marie Gilbert, who later nominated me for membership. I was starry eyed at being among so many talented writers, and I loved the warm spirit, the casual fun of the group. I still do love the group's laid-back, yet friendly energy.

This year Margaret Bauer, Programs Chair, asked me to moderate the session on the James Applewhite Poetry Prize, which meant that I got to introduce James Applewhite before he announced the winner of this year's contest sponsored annually by North Carolina Literary Review. I also got to introduce the finalists and honorable mentions for this year. And we all got to hear readings by them--plus a reading by Jim Applewhite from his new book Cosmos. Did I mention that I had a great time? Yes, all weekend!

Next year our gathering will be in "Little" Washington--Washington, NC. Can't wait!

The Blanket Stories anthology has been released

Honored to be in this anthology,

just released by Ragged Sky Press in July.

 

Richard Jochum & Ruth Zamoyta, editors

 

Jun 22: NCPS McIntyre's Poetry Reading Series

What a delight to read with Barbara G.S. Hagerty and Deborah Miller at McIntyre's Books in Fearrington Village near Pittsboro, NC, on June 22. NC Poetry Society leader Sara Claytor is in charge of planning the monthly series and does a wonderful job of rounding up poets to read. Barbara is the author of the newly released Twinzilla; Deborah is the author of Remants of Strawberry Blonde; and I read from My Dear, Dear Stagger Grass. We were happy to read to a supportive audience, after which Sara offered a lively drawing from poems and art for those in attendance.

Thanks to the NC Poetry Society and to McIntyre's Books for offering this series.

Deborah, Susan, and Barbara

Fall Lines: Summer issue of Jasper magazine



Fall Lines reception, June 8, 2014
 

Fall Lines, the summer issue of Jasper: The Word on Columbia Arts, made its debut this summer. It offers a full issue of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction with a prize in poetry and prose. Mary Hutchens Harris won the Saluda Poetry Prize, and Nicola Waldron won the Broad River Prize for Prose. A reception was held on Sunday, June 8, to celebrate Fall Lines, along with its prize winners and contributors. Here are the contributors for Fall Lines 2014. Congratulations to all! I'm happy to be included, among so many talented poets and writers.

Dig and Delve – Nicola Waldron

April, 1965 – Betsy Breen

Soon – Jonathan Butler

Accidentals – Mary Hutchins Harris

Forgotten – Marjory Wentworth

Militants Ban School Bells in a Town in Somalia – Marjory Wentworth

Taste the Sound – Jennifer Bartell

Davy Crockett’s Last Stand – Nancy Brock

Like – Jo Angela Edwins

Island Time – Josephine Humphries

What I wish I had said to Billy Collins – Brandi Perry

Queens – Alexis Stratton

Almost – Angie Zealberg

Ghost Crabs – Hastings Hensel

Lap – Robert Petersen

Like a little bell he trembles III – Matthew Stark

Pilgrimage – Christopher Dickey

Want a ride? – Aïda Rogers

A Bike – Bob Blencowe

Cancer Voodoo II – Melissa Johnson

The Ache of Beekeeping – Tony Tallent

Ruts – Ray McManus

At Congaree Swamp – Nicola Waldron

My Father’s Chest – Jarred Coffin

Jumping into the Abyss of History, A Prologue – Megan Volpert

you burn me – Susan Laughter Meyers

The Gunpowder Craze – Doug Berg

One Quiet Morning – William Claxon

In May’s Blue Box – Linda Lee Harper

What Tassio Fulgrass Thinks of Life – Susan Levi Wallach

Letting You Die – Marlena Impisi

early November – Laura Rashley

Crazing – Lisa Hammond

Mission – Tara Powell

The Ride Back – Jo Ann Hoffman

Open Windows – Matt Mossman

Fishing for Bream – Ivan Young

Through a Glass Darkly – Debra Daniel