LITERARY ARTS
JOIN A LOCAL WRITING GROUP
The Johnston County Writers Group meets the second Thursday of every month, from 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm at the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield, 305 E Market St, Smithfield. We are a diverse group of working writers ranging from beginner to advanced. We share information, critique each other’s work, host guest authors, and schedule meetups, write-ins and open mics in Selma, Four Oaks, Princeton and more. Open to the public.
The Clayton Writer’s Guild is a public group on MeetUp.com. The most recent meetup was held in downtown Clayton. “This group is about awakening creativity. We motivate and encourage writers' to strengthen their craft through feedback and prompts. Be prepared to show up with a working or finished piece to share
and a willingness to participate. No egos. All abilities welcome.”
WOW – World of Words is a writing initiative at Johnston Community College that brings authors on campus to talk with students and encourages students to grow in their writing skills.
Contact Dr. Tammy Bird, t_bird@johnstoncc.edu
The Clayton Writer’s Guild is a public group on MeetUp.com. The most recent meetup was held in downtown Clayton. “This group is about awakening creativity. We motivate and encourage writers' to strengthen their craft through feedback and prompts. Be prepared to show up with a working or finished piece to share
and a willingness to participate. No egos. All abilities welcome.”
WOW – World of Words is a writing initiative at Johnston Community College that brings authors on campus to talk with students and encourages students to grow in their writing skills.
Contact Dr. Tammy Bird, t_bird@johnstoncc.edu
For more information, find our group on Facebook and Meetup.com or contact jocowriters@gmail.com.
We encourage writers to master their craft through workshops and conferences offered by the Triangle Association of Freelancers (https://tafnc.com) and the North Carolina Writers Network (www.ncwriter.org). Sarah Spencer is the regional NCWN for Johnston, Sampson and Harnett Counties, and facilitates regional meetings for NCWN members and other writers once a month. For more information, contact Sarah at saspen0104@embarqmail.com.
If you haven’t joined our group on Facebook, please do! We will be closing out the Meetup.com group page at the end of the month (we used grant money to fund it last year, but have gotten better results through Facebook and connecting with other local writer groups like Clayton Writers Guild and FCAC Writers Guild). See you December 12!
Cindy Brookshire
Facilitator, Johnston County Writers Group
We encourage writers to master their craft through workshops and conferences offered by the Triangle Association of Freelancers (https://tafnc.com) and the North Carolina Writers Network (www.ncwriter.org). Sarah Spencer is the regional NCWN for Johnston, Sampson and Harnett Counties, and facilitates regional meetings for NCWN members and other writers once a month. For more information, contact Sarah at saspen0104@embarqmail.com.
If you haven’t joined our group on Facebook, please do! We will be closing out the Meetup.com group page at the end of the month (we used grant money to fund it last year, but have gotten better results through Facebook and connecting with other local writer groups like Clayton Writers Guild and FCAC Writers Guild). See you December 12!
Cindy Brookshire
Facilitator, Johnston County Writers Group
UPCOMING EVENTS
DECEMBER 12, 2019 |
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POT LUCK CHRISTMAS PARTY / 6:00-8:00 PM
LOCATION: SELMA PUBLIC LIBRARY, 301 N POLLOCK ST, SELMA
See the two attachments about our Pot Luck Christmas Party/December meeting, which is Thursday, Dec. 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Selma Public Library, 301 N Pollock St in Selma, NC. This replaces our regular December meeting at the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield. This meeting is open to the public. If you haven’t already signed up to bring food to share, email Dot La Motta at justadotintime@yahoo.com or call 919-553-7206
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DECEMBER 27, 2019 |
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FOURTH FRIDAY OPEN MIC / 6:30-7:30 PM
LOCATION: SELMA PUBLIC LIBRARY, 301 N POLLOCK ST, SELMA
Fourth Friday Open Mic in Selma is Friday, Dec. 27 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at Selma Public Library, 301 N Pollock St, Selma. Our November open mic had 13 participants including poet T.C. Carter of Four Oaks, humorist Ralph Wagner of Goldsboro, historian Ben Sanderford of Smithfield and memoirist Pat Hovorka of Selma. All are welcome, including musicians
MARCH 28, 2020 |
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2ND ANNUAL SPRING WRITERS / 6:30-7:30 PM
LOCATION: SELMA LIONS CLUB, 203 W. OAK ST, SELMA
To help you “Spring into Action,” USA Today best-selling author Susan Schild will lead a session on “Creating Memorable Characters: From the Darling to the Dastardly.” Susan lives in Clayton and has published six books. Her genre/niche is small town romance for women over 40. Also, Arlene S. Bice, author of “Ghosts Along the Border,” and a dozen+ non-fiction books, will lead “Writing Memoirs: Dos/Don’ts/Tips/Advice.” Arlene facilitates memoir writing workshops, leads three writing groups and hosts Poetry in Nature afternoons. She is an award-winning artist who lives in South Hill, Virginia with her psychic cat Mz Lizzie, and drives to Raleigh to attend regular meetings of the Triangle Association for Freelancers. Registration for the workshop will open in January 2020
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Literary Artist
- Dr. Stephanie Andrea Allen, Clayton. A Failure to Communicate, Solace (editor), Lez Talk (editor), BLF Press, www.blfpress.com
- Tammy Bird, Wendell. Novelist, Sandman. https://nitty-gritty-writer.com/author-page/
- Gabrielle Bryant, Cleveland area. YA Christian, Fantasy, Romance. Her Prince of Dreams, https://www.gabriellebryant.com
- T.C. Carter, Four Oaks. Poet. Southern Collective Experience. http://www.southerncollectiveexperience.com/t-c-carter/
- Cornell Woodall Cox, Smithfield. Memoirist, Promise of Better Days: A Farm Boy’s Odyssey through North Carolina’s Tobacco Way of Life. Available at The Heritage Center, 241 East Market Street, Smithfield or through their online store at www.johnstonnc.com/heritage2/hcshop.cfm.
- Hope Toler Dougherty, Smithfield. Inspirational romance novelist: Irish Encounter, Mars with Venus Rising, Rescued Hearts. www.hopetolerdougherty.com
- Margaret Maron, Willow Springs. NC Literary Hall of Fame, award-winning mystery novelist and author of more than 30 novels and collections, including the Deborah Knott series and the Sigrid Harald series. www.margaretmaron.com
- Lee Mims, Clayton. Author of Cleo Cooper mysteries, Saving Cecil, Trusting Viktor and Hiding Gladys. www.leemims.com
- Don Overby, Clayton. Just Ordinary Soldiers: Recollections of a Cold War Vet. http://www.chapelhillpress.com/product/just-ordinary-soldiers-recollections-of-a-cold-war-vet/
- Susan Schild, Clayton. Author of heart-warming small-town novels of love and adventure featuring heroines over age forty. Linny’s Sweet Dream List, Sweet Carolina Morning, Sweet Southern Hearts and Christmas at the Lakeside Resort, and Summer at the Lakeside Resort. www.susanschild.com
- David O. Stephens, Smithfield. The Plantation Mistress and Her Daughter, a memoir about Fannie Mitchener and Mary Hastings Lawrence. Available at The Heritage Center, 241 East Market Street, Smithfield. or through their online store at www.johnstonnc.com/heritage2/hcshop.cfm.
- Shelby Stephenson, Benson native, NC Poet Laureate (2014-2018), NC Literary Hall of Fame. Our World, Fiddledeedee, Family Matters: Homage to July, the Slave Girl. www.shelbystephenson.com
- .Sherry Storrs. Children’s book author, illustrator and photographer. Jelly – It’s Not Just for Toast and The Giraffe, the Sun and the Apricot. Full Sun Press, https://www.facebook.com/fullsunpress/
- Emily Wallace, Smithfield native, Road Sides, an Illustrated Companion to Dining and Driving in the American South. http://eewallace.com/
- Evelyn Wool, Pine Level. Children’s book author, illustrator and photographer. Mischievous Misty (book and activity book). https://www.facebook.com/StoriesFromTheWoolFamilyFarm/