GENERAL INFORMATION
WEST VIRGINIA WRITERS
29th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
JUNE 9-11, 2006
CEDAR LAKES CONFERENCE CENTER
RIPLEY, WV
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Letter from the President 2
General Information 3
About WV Writers 3
About Cedar Lakes 3
Activities 3
Reception 3
Business Meeting 3
Writers’ Wall 4
Silent Auction 4
Bookstore 4
People’s Choice Awards 4
Friday Night Entertainment 5
Awards Banquet 5
Saturday Night Entertainment 5
Emergency Information 5
Workshop Descriptions 6
Friday Schedule 12
Saturday Schedule 13
Sunday Schedule 14
Presenters’ Bios 15
Internships 19
Slate of Nominated Officers 20
Opportunities 22
Evaluation Form 23
Friday Schedule Inside Front Cover
Sunday Schedule Inside Back Cover Saturday Schedule Outside Back Cover
A Letter from the President . . .
Welcome to West Virginia Writers’ Twenty-Ninth Annual Writers Conference!
We have quite an eclectic mix of presenters representing genres from songwriting to romance to poetry to scriptwriting – and everything in between. We also have great entertainment planned for both Friday and Saturday nights, and, if you’re a night owl, a bonfire to gather around until the wee hours of morning. Meals are a great time to mingle, and I challenge you to sit with at least one person you’ve not yet met at every meal. This opens the door to new friendships and networking opportunities.
After all, isn’t that one of the purposes of a writers conference?
To get the most of your weekend, be sure to review the schedule and workshop descriptions as soon as you arrive. Mark the workshops you most want to attend. Some of the more popular workshops (as well as the People’s Choice readings) will be repeated, so if you have a conflict, look at other days to see if one or both workshops will be repeated. Although it is tempting to attend a workshop during every segment, plan some downtime—time between workshops when you can absorb what you’ve learned and apply your new skills. Those who report having the “best” weekend combine workshops, alone time, and making new friends.
Be sure to enter the door prize drawing by putting your name on the RED ticket and putting the name-half only in the RED box at the reception desk. Keep the other half of your ticket with the number. Drawings for door prizes will be held at the Awards Banquet.
Give some thought to becoming more involved in West Virginia Writers or our annual Conference. There are many jobs to be done in serving the writers of our beautiful state. Look for a sign-up sheet in Assembly Hall near the registration desk or ask any of the current officers.
I hope you have a wonderful time at this special place called Cedar Lakes. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. I’ll keep my cell phone with me at all times: 304-482-2572.
Oh, and one more thing. Don’t lose your meal ticket.
-- Sandy
WEST VIRGINIA WRITERS, INC.
West Virginia Writers, Inc. is the state’s largest writers’ organization. The nonprofit group was established in 1977 to expand and develop creative writing and professional opportunities for writers and to connect the state’s writers with others in the literary community and the public at large. The annual conference, held every June since 1978, has been recognized as being among the nation’s best for the least amount of money. WVW is self-supporting, and all fees are used to further the literary interests of its members. Officers are elected at Conference and work year-round to promote the state’s writers and the resources available to those writers. West Virginia Writers maintains a website with current contact information about all officers and regional representatives, news, membership application, contest winners, and much more at .
ABOUT CEDAR LAKES
Cedar Lakes Conference Center is a group of over thirty buildings surrounding a lake on 450 acres in the Appalachian foothills in rural Jackson County near Ripley, West Virginia. It is operated by the State of West Virginia Education Department and provides year-round facilities in a natural setting. The WVW Conference will have several of these buildings available for its activities, including Holt Lodge, Cedars Lodge, Lake Lodge, Mountaineer Lodge, Assembly Hall, Classrooms 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the Training Building. Each lodge has a lobby and/or conference room that can be used for informal meetings. Lakeview Dining Hall serves three reasonably-priced cafeteria-style meals each day. Activities available at Cedar Lakes at no charge include horseshoes, hiking, tennis, volleyball, badminton, basketball, softball, biking and fishing. A large outdoor swimming pool is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily for a fee of $1.50 per person, and miniature golf is available for $1.50 per person per game.
ACTIVITIES:
INKSLINGERS RECEPTION
The Inkslingers, a regional writing group located in southern West Virginia, with the assistance of members of the WVW Roundtable email group, is hosting the reception table, which is available for the enjoyment of all Conference-goers. Coffee will be available each morning, and soft drinks and bottled water will be available during registration and entertainment hours. Feel free to dig through the coolers and help yourself. Homemade baked goods will be provided on Friday, and refreshments will be provided both Friday night and Saturday night during the evening entertainment. There is no charge for refreshments, although donations will be accepted. The reception table will also have maps of Cedar Lakes, workshop schedules, a first aid kit, and friendly smiles.
BUSINESS MEETING
WVW’s Annual Business meeting will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, June 9, in Assembly Hall. The agenda includes:
❖ Welcome to the 2006 Annual Conference
❖ Reading of the secretary’s report
❖ Reading of the treasurer’s report
❖ Introduction of board members, workshop presenters, and others
❖ Election of officers for the 2006-2007 year (see page 19 for the nominating committee’s slate of nominations)
❖ Election of the 2007 Nominating Committee
The business meeting should conclude by 1:45 p.m.
WRITERS’ WALL
All writers are invited to post one or two poems or short pieces of prose (maximum of one page) on the Writers’ Wall. The author’s name MUST NOT appear on the piece. A table near the registration table in Assembly Hall will be set up for Writers’ Wall writers to sign up, and sign-up times will coincide with registration hours. The sign-up sheet will be pre-numbered with a place to enter the author’s name and the title of the piece. The number next to the writer’s name will be written on the manuscript and the manuscript will be thumb-tacked to the wall. In the registration packet, each attendee will receive a card to vote for his or her favorite poems and prose. No names may appear on the posted manuscript.
Voting Procedures: A ballot box will be available near the wall. Be sure to vote before 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Please note, that to prevent confusion, the prose wall, sign-up book, ballots and ballot box are lavender. The poetry wall, sign-up book, ballots and ballot box are blue. The youth wall (for those 18 and under), sign-up book, ballots and ballot box are yellow. Be sure to post your entry in the proper book and on the proper wall, and be sure to vote on the correct ballot and place your ballot in the correct box. Votes will be tallied before the Awards Banquet. First, second and third places in each category (poetry, prose and youth) receive a certificate of recognition.
SILENT AUCTION
The Silent Auction is a relatively new activity and gives attendees the opportunity to pick up bargains on such things as writing how-to books, writing magazines, editing services, and a myriad of other things that could include Tupperware, clothing, white elephants, gift certificates, signed books by renowned authors—anything! To participate, just stop by the auction display in Assembly Hall. Each item will have a sign-up sheet for you to list your bid. The highest bid as of 8:30 a.m. Sunday will be declared the winner. Winners should pay for items no later than 11 a.m. on Sunday. If you do not plan to be present on Sunday, you should include contact information so you may be contacted if you win. If contact information is not given or if shipping costs exceed the value of the item, the item will be sold to the second-high bidder. Those making a donation to the Silent Auction will be in a prize drawing. Be sure to get your ticket when you register your item(s). The drawing will take place at the Awards Banquet.
BOOKSTORE
The bookstore is located in Assembly Hall and has a vast array of books, many from West Virginia authors. The bookstore staff will be available during posted hours, and browsing will be allowed between hours. On Sunday, the bookstore will close, and all sellers should inventory books or other items sold and submit that inventory to the bookstore staff before noon. Within thirty days, WVW will send a check to the sellers. WVW retains 10% of the selling price of books sold by attendees to offset bookstore expenses.
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PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
The People’s Choice Awards give attendees the opportunity to read fiction, nonfiction or poetry aloud. One poetry and one prose session will be held on Friday, and another poetry and another prose session will be held on Saturday. Additionally, a youth session (with poetry and prose mixed) will be held on Saturday for those 18 and under.
Time Limits: The prose sessions include both fiction and nonfiction, and each reader will be allowed to read for up to four minutes. For the poetry sessions, each reader may read one poem, no more than 100 lines. The moderator will set a timer and time limits will be strictly enforced. A maximum number of readers may be set to ensure the readings end in the time limit. Sign-ups will be on a first-come, first-read basis, and the sign-up sheet will be in the room where the readings are held.
Reader Sign-Up: To read at one of the People’s Choice sessions, simply show up before the designated time and fill out a entry blank. At 3 minutes past the assigned beginning time, the moderator will begin the session and no additional entrants will be allowed. The moderator will draw names one at a time to determine the order in which entrants will read. After the last People’s Choice entrant has read, ballots will be distributed to all in attendance, and each attendee (whether he or she has read or not) will be allowed to vote for first, second and third places. Winners will be recognized at the Saturday Awards Banquet.
FRIDAY NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
“Joe’s Shorts” – Readings (and acting outs) of short plays by Joe McCabe.
Anyone wanting to get into Joe’s Shorts, contact Joe directly at the conference.
AWARDS BANQUET
The Awards Banquet will be Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. $6,650.00 in cash awards will be presented to the winners of the 2006 WVW Spring Competition. Banquet reservations must be made in advance directly through Cedar Lakes. The menu for the Saturday night Awards Banquet is a choice of stuffed boneless breast of chicken or baked steak, fresh vegetables with dip, cottage cheese with fruit or vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, French-style green beans with almonds, hot rolls, and chocolate sin or strawberry cheesecake for dessert. Beverages will include lemonade or coffee. Door prizes and other drawings will take place during the banquet.
SATURDAY NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
You won’t want to miss hearing musicians Paul Epstein and John Longwell perform in Assembly Hall immediately after the Awards Banquet. Feel free to kick off your shoes and dance to Paul’s original songs that range in style from country to folk, blues to rock, and cover topics from love to war, bingo to English class. Paul has performed in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio for over thirty years in bands and solo in clubs, for square and contradances, coffeehouses, and festivals. Refreshments will be available at the reception table. Weather permitting, a bonfire after the performance will finish the day.
EMERGENCY
The Ripley area is serviced by 9-1-1 emergency service. Be prepared to state your name, your location (Cedar Lakes, plus the name of the building or lodge), and your return telephone number (listed on the phone in the room). The Cedar Lakes staff is available at 304-372-7860. After hours, the staff phone is answered by the on-site security patrol. Conference Director Sandy Tritt will be accessible by cell phone 304-482-2572. A first aid kit containing Benadryl, ibuprofen, cold packs, bandages and other basic supplies will be available in the reception area of Assembly Hall.
WORKSHOPS
The workshop committee has worked hard to provide an eclectic mix of workshops covering many genres. Feel free to attend as many workshops as you’d like. Some of the more popular workshops will be repeated, so if you want to attend two workshops at the same time, check to see if one is repeated at a later time. Also challenge yourself to attend workshops outside your normal range of interest. You’ll be surprised at what you can learn—and how your writing skills can grow—by learning about other genres.
EVALUATION
Please be sure to sign the register at each workshop you attend and fill out (and return) the evaluation form. If you don’t want to submit the evaluation to the workshop presenter, you may drop it off at the reception table. If no one is working the desk, just leave it face-down on the table. It is through evaluations that we know which presenters were best received and which rooms were most comfortable and appropriate. This is your chance to affect future presentations. A conference overview evaluation form is included in this program. If you don’t want to tear out the page, pick up additional forms at the reception table. Please, do not be shy about stating what you like and what you don’t—it’s the only way we can give you a better conference next year.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
The following workshops descriptions are numbered to correspond with the numbers on the schedule that follows. Workshop Leader Bios will be presented after the schedule. Some of the workshops have been graded as being appropriate for beginner, intermediate or advanced level writers. This is simply a guide, and writers of all levels are welcome to participate. Those workshops not graded should apply to a wide range of experience levels.
1. Playwright in Search of Plot. Playwright Jean Battlo will lead this workshop that will discuss five areas to find plots and how to start a scene with emphasis on the necessities of opening play. Although geared toward playwriting, this workshop will also be valuable to writers of all genres. This workshop will repeat on Saturday.
2. The Prose Poem. What is a prose poem? Who wrote them? Why would you want to? Rob Merritt will look at some samples by James Wright, Borges, Bly, etc., and then the group will write its own. This genre makes you realize that poetry is more than sentences chopped up into lines. (Intermediate)
3. Stalking the Wild Semi-Colon. Jim Casto leads this light-hearted review of grammar woes and other problems that sometimes frustrate beginning writers. (Beginner)
4. Writing for Middle Grade and Young Adults. What is the difference between middle grade, young adult, and an adult novel with a young protagonist? Join Cheryl Ware as she shares her knowledge of the Middle Grade and Young Adult formats and for an overview of some of today’s most popular novels for older children and teens. (Beginner/Intermediate)
5. Pulsating with Emotion. George Lies leads this workshop that takes experienced writers who are dry on ideas and novice writers looking for ideas through a two-part process for coming up with new ideas for writing. There will be two ten-minute exercises and brainstorming with participants over new story ideas. Part one deals with techniques for identifying germs of stories, and part two addresses ways of assessing the types of characters, plots and needs of a story idea. Handouts will be given that also list a part three, explaining how writers can develop a draft plan for writing, developing and polishing an idea. After the workshop, George will meet with participants in small groups on an informal basis to ferret out story ideas. (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)
6. Elements of Play Writing. Playwright Jean Battlo will lead this workshop that will discuss both classical 1-2-3 play construction (Aristotle "Poetics") as well as alternate forms of theater, such as that used in her work-in-progress, "Voltaire's Confession," which will premier in Maryland in 2007.
7. Poetry Writing One. Irene McKinney will lead on-the-spot exercises to create new poems using step-by-step cues and share the resulting poems for response. Examples will be given to help writers get started. This workshop will be repeated on Saturday.
8. The Opportunity to Discover. This workshop will enable participants to write in a way that will empower the reader. Writing is more effective when readers are given the opportunity to discover, rather than simply be told, the nature and purpose of the characters. Through a series of examples and exercises led by Jimmy Carl Harris, participants will learn to write in a more evocative fashion. (Beginner/Intermediate)
9. Hauntings. See how Susan Sheppard has created books, ghost tours and television shows by drawing upon ghost and paranormal tales from her region of the state. (Beginner/Intermediate)
10. Short-Short Fiction: Short-short fiction—or sudden fiction—is relatively new, but writers have been writing their way toward the form for over 100 years. Geoff Fuller will discuss some of the ways that sudden fiction is different from short stories and prose poetry. He will also hand out examples of the form and talk about some of the common variants of the short-short form. (Beginner/Intermediate)
11. Small Publications. This workshop will be led by George Brosi, editor of Appalachian Heritage, a regional literary quarterly. He will lead a discussion aimed at thoroughly familiarizing the group with the nature of literary magazines and the best strategies for getting published in them.
12. I Never Told Anyone. Susan Sheppard leads this workshop that helps you draw upon some of your most powerful emotional experiences to create poems that are not only daring and bold, but unforgettable.
13. The Birth of a Column. Where do columns come from? How do you know if your idea is sound and workable? Karin Fuller can step you through the process of column creation, showing you how to distinguish good ideas from bad, missteps to avoid, and how to relate to your audience.
14. Websites for Writers. Much as writers may not need literary agents, they may also not need their own website. However, as with agents, websites can certainly be helpful in promoting one’s work. Websites for Writers by Eric Fritzius will explore the possibilities the world wide web has to offer writers, from promoting and selling your work to using it as a place to self-publish. Other topics include startup and maintenance costs as well as alternatives to doing it all yourself. (All levels)
15. Writing From Your Gut. Novelist Lee Maynard will share the four characteristics of writing that just might set your stuff apart from all that other stuff. This workshop will be repeated on Sunday. (Intermediate/Advanced)
16. People’s Choice Poetry. Bring a short poem (under 100 lines) to read aloud to the group. After everyone reads, the participants vote for the best poems. Awards will be given at the Saturday Awards Banquet for first, second and third places. This session is moderated by Rob Merritt.
17. People’s Choice Prose. Bring a short story, book excerpt, or nonfiction piece to read aloud to other participants. Each piece is limited to four minutes, and each person is limited to one piece. After everyone reads, the participants votes for their favorites. Awards will be given at the Saturday Awards Banquet for first, second and third places. This session is moderated by Terry McNemar.
18. Writing Lyrics: Is It Poetry? Paul Epstein will run through some of the basics of writing song lyrics and discuss their relationship to poetry. Come with lyrics to share, with a pencil to try your hand at a chorus or verse. Be prepared to listen to Paul sing a couple of his own songs as examples.
19. From Vampires to NASCAR: Trends in the Romance Market. This session, led by romance writer Pam Hanson, will shed some light on what’s happening in the world of romance plus offer tips on how to follow your own voice and still produce a marketable manuscript.
20. Building Blocks of a Selling Synopsis: What is a synopsis? How do you write one? To submit a proposal to an editor or agent, a writer must write a synopsis, a concise abstract of your manuscript. This workshop, led by Pam Hanson, will guide you through the steps necessary to produce a successful synopsis, including how to incorporate conflict, characterization and cohesiveness into your finished work.
21. My Baby, She Wrote Me a Letter. The letter poem. Some of the first poems were probably letters. Since then, Japanese poets, Richard Hugo and others have written some fine poems. Writing with a clear audience in mind can be very helpful to writers. Rob Merritt will look at some examples, including some by the workshop leader, then attendees will write some of their own. (Beginner).
22. Writing Books for Young Children. If you love picture books and easy readers, this workshop is the workshop for you. Children’s writer Cheryl Ware will discuss the format and some of the most popular picture books on the market today.
23. Fantasy: Not What It Seems. Austin Rempel leads this voyage into the fantastical, exploring such topics as: finding the name to fit the face; making your fantasy realistic—or not; building on the real world; and other tips for creating a fantastical world. (Beginner)
24. Jump Start Your Muse. Waiting for inspiration to strike can turn into a very long wait. Writers can take anything, however commonplace, and turn it into a starting point for a story, poem, play or song. Jimmy Carl Harris leads this workshop that guides writers through applying a creative process to random prompts provided by the workshop leader. Participants will use their imagination and creativity to write a short piece in the genre of their choosing (Beginner/Intermediate)
25. Playwright in Search of Plot. Playwright Jean Battlo will lead this workshop that will discuss five areas to find plots and how to start a scene with emphasis on the necessities of opening play. Although geared toward playwriting, this workshop will also be valuable to writers of all genres. This workshop is also presented on Friday.
26. Poetry Writing Two. Irene McKinney will lead this workshop. Attendees may bring a poem for critique and/or do the exercises provided in the workshop. There may be time for one-on-one conferences with the instructor.
27. Publishing Questions and Answers for Children’s Books. Publisher Cathy Teets will lead this workshop with the assistance of her new partners, Jeanie Williams and Margaret Farmer. They will answer questions about story themes, artwork, and balance in a children’s book.
28. Blogging For Writers. A staple of the Internet, weblogs (blogs) are gradually becoming a media branch of their own, turning average opinion-holders into real world political pundits. However, it’s not all politics, whining and unlocked diaries. Eric Fritzius leads this look into the huge creative avenues to be found in the blogging world, from non-fiction to fiction to points inbetween. This workshop will explore these possibilities. It will also attempt to answer such burning questions as “Should I have a blog in the first place?” and “Is there any money to be made in it?” (Writers of all levels; beginning bloggers)
29. Hammer It Together. Novelist Lee Maynard leads this informal discussion with the premise that a novel lurks in the collective minds of any who gather together. (Intermediate/Advanced)
30. Business of Writing. Whether you want to write for magazines, hire an agent, or secure a book contract, it helps to know something about the industry and basic business etiquette. Geoff Fuller will present an overview of the publishing industry, discuss cover letters, and show you how to build a career. If you are wondering about anything specific, have your questions ready!
31. Stalking the Wild Image. Use some of Susan Sheppard’s techniques to come up with truly original imagery in your poetry (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced).
32. Freelance Writing for Fun and (One Hopes) Profit. Jim Casto leads this roundup of practical tips aimed at those interested in trying their hand at freelancing. This workshop will be repeated on Sunday. (Beginner/Intermediate)
33. Modeling a Poem. Wilma Acree will lead this workshop geared toward younger writers. Participants will examine two poems and choose one to use as a model for an original poem. (Beginner)
34. Audiobook Opportunities. A fast-paced look at new opportunities for writers and poets in an up-to-date presentation on the Audiobook industry. Ross Ballard II, owner and creative force behind Audiobooks will give attendees the latest information on how to break into this growing market. Topics will include approaching studios, typical agreements, PodCasting, Self Publishing, and other issues of interest for those who are curious about breaking into audio. Questions and Answers are expected to be brisk. Come early. (All Interested)
35. Follow the Evidence. This workshop, led by nationally-honored police officer Dean Van Bibber, will consist of two parts. The first part will meet in VoTech Room Two, where Dean will present a power-point presentation dispelling the myths of crime scene investigation and outlining CSI procedures. The attendees will then break into small groups and go next door to VoTech Room One, where they will investigate a mock crime scene. Afterwards, the attendees will re-gather in VoTech Room Two for a question and answer period. This workshop will repeat at 2:30.
36. Publishing Questions and Answers For Fiction and Nonfiction. Publisher Cathy Teets will discuss target markets, book length, and subject matter, including family histories, sports, trail guides, self-help, education, fiction, etc. Questions will be welcomed.
37. Casting Your Line to Lure the Poem (with Ethan Fischer). Let’s begin with that title or single line you’ve been carrying around in your head or notebook—or with those mysterious words you wake with on your lips (something about sea waves and notes that bubble at the birth of starfish). Now it’s our duty to build a poem, a crystalline structure of stanzas, of words to frame our beginnings. Yeats said to build from a “mouthful of air” but we’ll use our hands and feet as well. Bring your inspirations, your fragments from the shore. All ages welcome.
38. Appalachian Literature. This workshop is intended to "brief" the audience on regional literature and provide an overview of who is out there, what they are doing, and whose footsteps they are trying to fill. The workshop leader, George Brosi, has been involved with regional books as a bookseller, teacher and book reviewer since the 1970s.
39. Youth Writing Prompts. Love to write, but have trouble thinking of what to write? Then this workshop is for you. Krista Holcomb will lead this workshop geared toward young writers that will explore many different strategies for coming up with story ideas and some tried and true prompts. Come ready to brainstorm and put your ideas on paper. Although geared toward youth, this workshop is appropriate for any beginning writer.
40. Nature of Narrative. Chuck Kinder leads this workshop that explores the nature of narrative, or, in other words, mastering those magical methods necessary to render the messy stuff of story into fictional narratives as literally true as the Bible. (Intermediate/Advanced).
41. Follow the Evidence. This workshop, led by nationally-honored police officer Dean Van Bibber, will consist of two parts. The first part will meet in VoTech Room Two, where Dean will present a power-point presentation dispelling the myths of crime scene investigation and outlining CSI procedures. The attendees will then break into small groups and go next door to VoTech Room One, where they will investigate a mock crime scene. Afterwards, the attendees will re-gather in VoTech Room Two for a question and answer period. This is a repeat of the 1 p.m. workshop.
42. Panel Discussion. George Lies will moderate this panel discussion comprising of four authors of various genres: Cheryl Ware, Geoff Fuller, Jimmy Carl Harris, and Susan Sheppard. The discussion will provide advice, realism, and encouragement for writers. Questions will be accepted from the audience.
43. People’s Choice Poetry. Bring a short poem (under 100 lines) to read aloud to the group. After everyone reads, the participants vote for the best poems. Awards will be given at the Saturday Awards Banquet for first, second and third places. This session is moderated by Kirk Judd.
44. People’s Choice Prose. Bring a short story, book excerpt, or nonfiction piece to read aloud to other participants. Each piece is limited to four minutes, and each person is limited to one piece. After everyone reads, the participants votes for their favorites. Awards will be given at the Saturday Awards Banquet for first, second and third places. This session is moderated by Lois Casto.
45. People’s Choice Youth. Bring a poem, short story, book excerpt, or nonfiction piece to read aloud to other participants. Each piece is limited to four minutes. After everyone reads, the participants votes for their favorites. Awards will be given at the Saturday Awards Banquet for first, second and third places. This session is reserved for young writers 18 years old and under, and will be moderated by Dr. Delilah O’Haynes.
46. Putting Words to Music: As Easy As A, B, C Flat. Ever wonder how a songwriter writes? Paul Epstein will demonstrate his process. Bring an instrument if you want and a song if you have one to share. Paul will offer advice, if desired, to budding songwriters as time allows.
47. Chuck Kinder Reading. Author Chuck Kinder will read a chapter from his latest novel. Novelist Lee Maynard will perform introductions.
48. Poetry Writing One. Irene McKinney will lead on-the-spot exercises to create new poems using step-by-step cues, and share the resulting poems for response. Examples will be given to help writers get started. This workshop is repeated from Friday.
49. Appalachian Literature. This workshop is intended to "brief" the audience on regional literature and provide an overview of who is out there, what they are doing, and whose footsteps they are trying to fill. The workshop leader, George Brosi, has been involved with regional books as a bookseller, teacher and book reviewer since the 1970s.
50. How Do You Publish for Children? Have questions about publishing children’s books? Cheryl Ware will share her experience of working with small and large publishers and entertain questions from WVW participants.
51. Column Maintenance. Writing a regular newspaper column year in and year out presents many challenges. Not only do you have to be able to conjure inspiration at will, you also need to be constantly aware of the pitfalls that await the unwary. Karin Fuller will share some of the many things she has learned in nine years of weekly columns.
52. From Quantity to Quality. This workshop will enable participants to edit their own work and the work of others. Through a series of examples and exercises, Jimmy Carl Harris will show how to take expansive writing and transform it into powerful expression. (Beginner/Intermediate)
53. Prose Poem/Flash Fiction: What’s the Difference? Rob Merritt and Geoff Fuller will engage in a discussion with the audience of the two genres. Participants can try their hands at both. Everyone will get a creative boost by trying something new (Intermediate/Advanced).
54. Writing and Illustrating Children’s Books—How, Why, and Why Not? Children’s authors Martin and Delia Wach will lead this workshop that will discuss: how to write and organize a children’s book; how to approach a publisher; and the sweat equity that goes into a successful children’s book.
55. Freelance Writing for Fun and (One Hopes) Profit. Jim Casto leads this roundup of practical tips aimed at those interested in trying their hand at freelancing. This workshop is repeated from Saturday. (Beginner/Intermediate)
56. Writing From Your Gut. Novelist Lee Maynard will share the four characteristics of writing that just might set your stuff apart from all that other stuff. This workshop is repeated from Friday. (Intermediate/Advanced)
PRESENTERS
Wilma Acree writes poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals including Appalachian Heritage, Algonquin and Pudding Magazine. She is the author of two chapbooks: Bee Robbing and Other Things and Wilma Acree: Great Hits 1985-2000. Wilma serves as executive director of the Ohio Valley Literary Group and as editor of Confluence literary magazine. In 2002 she was selected to attend the Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshop. She has presented numerous readings and workshops in Ohio and West Virginia. She will present a poetry workshop geared toward young writers.
Ross Ballard is a professor for the Johns Hopkins University’s Police Executive Leadership Program in Baltimore. A national award-winning producer, he had performed on many audio-books. A former miner and an outdoorsman, he spent his youth in the shadow of Blair Mountain. Remembering the great storytellers he knew while growing up on a small farm in Low Gap, West Virginia, Ross’s stories are told from the heart. Ross will be presenting a workshop discussing audio-books and how they are created.
Jean Battlo is an educator, poet and writer. Her poetry has been published nationally beginning with her first haiku in East West Journal in 1976. Battlo has also fiction and nonfiction published, including two histories of McDowell County. In 1990, Battlo’s play #8 was optioned by Stage Art, an Off-Off-Broadway company, and was a finalist in Eugene O’Neill’s Playwright’s Conference in Marin, CA. The play’s world premier was at Southern Appalachian Repertory Theater in August, 1994. SART, located in Mars Hill, NC, went on to select four more of Battlo’s plays for its new plays series. One of its selections was The Little Theater’s Production of “Hamlet” which then premiered at Tennessee Stage Company and was subsequently picked up by Samuel French.
George Brosi was honored by the Appalachian Writers Association a few years ago for his "Outstanding Service to Appalachian Literature." For the Appalachian Studies Association he serves as chair of the committee to select an annual winner of the Weatherford Award for fiction and poetry. For Berea College, he serves as Editor of the regional literary magazine, Appalachian Heritage. As a bookseller he serves academic and public libraries and various events as a provider of regional books. He is a sectional editor of The Encyclopedia of Appalachia and co-editor of two books, one about Don West, the poet who founded of the Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem, and the other about Jesse Stuart, a popular 20th Century Eastern Kentucky writer. He will present a workshop on Appalachian writing and one on Small Publications.
James E. Casto was a reporter and editor at The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington for more than forty years before he retired in 2004. In addition to his newspaper career, he’s long been an active freelancer, writing more than 150 articles for regional and national publications. Jim will present a workshop on freelancing writing and one on grammar.
Paul Epstein has written close to 200 songs and 50 or so fiddle tunes. His songs range in style from country to folk, blues to rock, and cover topics from love to war, bingo to English tests. He has performed in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio for over thirty years in bands and solo in clubs, for square and contradances, coffeehouses, and festivals. He is an accomplished guitar player and fiddler. He has three CDs of his original song and tunes, one of songs for children, “School Bus Coming,” one of songs for adults, “Lessons Life’s Taught Me,” and one of fiddle tunes, “Strawberry Lass.” Paul will give two workshops on songwriting, and, with the help of John Longwell, provide entertainment on Saturday night.
Ethan Fischer is an editor of Antietam Review and teaches English at Shepherd University. His book of poetry, Beached in the Hourglass, was recently published by Bunny & Crocodile Press. Ethan’s poems have been published in many literary journals, including Pembroke Magazine, Potomac Review, Tuscarora Review, Dickinsonian, and Mountain Pathways. His work was honored by inclusion in Wild Sweet Note: Fifty Years of West Virginia Poetry. Ethan performs spoken word with the band Tribal Jazz and with musicians Seth Austin and John Bardi, and performs his trademark Johnny Dime, Poet of Crime mystery series on the long-running Rumsey Radio Hour. Ethan will be presenting one poetry workshop.
Geoff Fuller’s fiction and nonfiction are widely published in periodicals and have appeared in several anthologies. The only person to have won WVCOA Fellowships in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir, he lives in Poca, West Virginia. Geoff will be presenting workshops on flash fiction and on the business of writing.
Karin Fuller, a lifestyle columnist for The Sunday-Gazette Mail, has been recognized annually as one of West Virginia’s top columnists by the West Virginia Press Association. In 2003, her columns were awarded first place (general interest) by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Karin will present workshops on writing columns.
Eric Fritzius is a freelance writer and occasional webpage designer whose work has appeared in the West Virginia Daily News, the Charleston Gazette, and Greenbrier Valley Quarterly magazine. He also happens to be a circulation desk jockey for the Greenbrier County Public Library in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and both secretary and webmaster for West Virginia Writers, Inc. Some of his fiction and nonfiction can be found at . Eric will present workshops on blogging and websites.
Pam Hanson is one half of the award-winning, mother-daughter writing team of Jennifer Drew. Together she and Barbara Andrews have had 20 romance novels published including 15 by Harlequin and Silhouette. These have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Currently Pam and her mother are writing for Guideposts ‘Grace Chapel Inn’ book series under their own names. In addition, Pam is Director of Advising for the P.I. Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University. A former reporter, Pam serves as internship coordinator and teaches beat reporting each semester in the J school.
Jimmy Carl Harris lives to write in Birmingham, Alabama. A retired Marine Corps Sergeant Major, he earned a doctorate at the University of Alabama. His short fiction has won a number of prizes, including four Hackney Literary Awards. His stories have been published in Confluence, Louisville Review, Appalachian Heritage, ByLine, and elsewhere in the US, Australia and Ireland. He has led writing workshops in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. He will present workshops on the craft of writing.
Krista Holcomb teaches English and Creative Writing at Nitro High School, and will soon be at Hurricane High School. She studied Education at Concord College, and recently earned her MA in English at Marshall University. Her poetry and memoir writing have earned awards from the WV
Writers, Marshall University's literary magazine, Et Cetera, and the Maier Foundation. She will also present workshops on "Writing as Therapy" and "Learning to Live Again" at the Healing Through Creativity Festival in Hurricane in July.
Chuck Kinder is the author of the novels Snakehunter, The Silver Ghost, Honeymooners, and the redneck noir, pulp romance meta-memoir, Last Mountain Dancer. Among his awards are an Edith Mirrielees Writing Fellowship to Stanford University, a Granville Hicks Fellowship from the Yaddo Foundation, an N.E.A. in Fiction, and an Appalachian Heritage Denny C. Plattner First Place Award for Excellence in Nonfiction. He has been a Jones Lecturer in Fiction at Stanford, the Writer-in-Residence at the University of California at Davis, and at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. He has been a Visiting Lecturer in Fiction at Casa delle Letterature, University of Roma, and the Scuola Holden in Turino, Italy. He is currently Professor and Director of the Writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh (he considers Pittsburgh to be the Paris of Appalachia). Chuck will present a workshop on the nature of narrative.
George Lies is recognized for his short-short fiction (Virtual Bobbie) and short stories (Trailer Dogs Barking and Keys to Heaven). Keys was translated for publication in Stenau, the oldest literary arts journal in Romania. Born a journalist, he wrote hundreds of articles for Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. news media. He worked with a Morgantown writer’s collective and was Director of the GoldenRod Writers Conference (1983-2001). He served two times as WVW President and held other Board offices, and now is President Emeritus. He is Grant Coordinator for WVU’s Office of International Programs. He has developed training manuals and educational TV scripts. He’s traveled in Mid-Atlantic and the Appalachians, and in Brazil, Italy, and Mexico. Like many writers, he has a work-in-progress, Santiago’s Journal, a novella set in contemporary Mexico about a American Civil War soldier.
Lee Maynard is a novelist, short story writer, screenwriter and editor. He published his first novel, Crum, in 1988. Since then, he has been published many times in periodicals, including Reader's Digest, The Saturday Review, and the Columbia Review of Literature. In 1995, he received a National Endowment for the Arts Literary Fellowship in Fiction for his then-unpublished novel Screaming with the Cannibals. Lee Maynard lives in New Mexico. He will be presenting “Writing From Your Gut” and “Hammer It Together.”
Irene McKinney is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry and a West Virginia Commission on the Arts Fellowship for Poetry. She was appointed Poet Laureate of West Virginia in 1994. She is the author of five books of poetry and is the editor of Backcountry: Contemporary Writing in West Virginia. Recent poems and forthcoming poems are in American Voice, Arts & Letters, Artful Dodge, Kenyon Review, Confluence, South Dakota Review, Kestrel, the Georgia Review and others. She will present three workshops on poetry.
Rob Merritt is chair of the Division of Language, Literature, and Communications at Bluefield College, where he has taught creative writing and modern literature since 1990. He received a B.A. and M.A. in English from the University of North Carolina and a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. He has taught poetry workshops and is the author of Early Music and the Aesthetics of Ezra Pound. He is the editor of The Nantahala Review, on online journal. He has published essays, poetry, and nonfiction in several literary journals including The Potomac Review, Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, Branches, Asheville Poetry Review, Wild Sweet Notes II: More West Virginia Poetry and The Village Rambler. He will be presenting three poetry workshops.
Austin Rempel enjoys writing fantasy, talking to himself, and taming dragons. He is currently a student at Parkersburg High School and, while he is yet unpublished, hopes that his friend Merlin and he will soon finish a novel. He has spent many years studying the art of fantasy, and through his travels in Atlantis and Avalon, has learned to write real good. He likes the “real good” part best. Austin will present a workshop on creating a fantastical world.
Susan Sheppard is one of the founding members of West Virginia Writers, having attended the very first conference. Susan is the author of a number of popular books including The Phoenix Cards, The Astrological Guide to Seduction & Romance, A Witch's Runes, Cry of the Banshee and The Gallows Tree: A Mothman's Tale, a novel. Her poetry has appeared in over 100 literary magazines and anthologies and she received a Poetry Fellowship from the West Virginia Arts & Humanities Council in 1998. In 2005, Susan won the Edgar Allan Poe Memorial Poetry Award for her poem "Black Swan." Recently, Susan Sheppard's ghost stories have been filmed and broadcast for the Creepy Canada television show in Canada. Susan also appeared last Halloween on the ABC Family Channel's "Scariest Places On Earth" at the Shawnee Amusement Park in Bluefield, West Virginia. She is due to appear on a documentary based on the West Virginia Mothman, which is scheduled to be released in late 2006.
Cathy Teets is president of Headline Books in Terra Alta, West Virginia, which publishes nonfiction. She is in the process of setting up a showcase for fiction, poetry, essays, etc., through a new website, . Cathy’s publishing company provides full service to her authors, including storage, marketing, wholesale and retail order fulfillment, book signings and much more. Most of her titles are sold through major distributors like Ingram, Waldenbooks, Borders, MidWest Library, New Leaf, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor, , and others. Cathy, with the help of her authors, will present three workshops.
Dean Van Bibber will lead “Follow the Evidence,” an exercise in crime scene investigation. Dean is a highly decorated and nationally recognized police officer, having earned a Silver Star for Bravery in the Police Hall of Fame and the Police Officer of the Year presented by the American Society for Industrial Security, among several others. He is currently an associate professor of Criminal Justice at Fairmont State College. He is the author of several articles on criminal justice and is a frequent speaker at seminars and academies.
Martin and Delia Wach have published two children’s books with a third to be released at Book Expo America next month in Washington, D.C. The Wachs have a wide experience in the world of children’s books. Martin lived with the Maroon Indians in South America, and his stories teach their battles, bravery, culture and social structure. Delia is highly acclaimed water color and mixed media artist who has fallen in love with painting teddy bears and their friends. Their experience with the Maroons is expressed through Delia’s imaginative artwork as she turns the Maroon Indian personalities into Teddy Bears, and together she and Martin weave the stories and paintings into a magical series of children’s books.
Cheryl Ware is the author of the spunky Venola Mae books: Flea Circus Summer, Catty-Cornered, and Venola in Love. Her educational picture book, Roberta Price Has Head Lice, is enjoyed by children and teachers alike. Currently, she is working as a writing consultant in many counties in West Virginia. Cheryl will present three workshops on writing and publishing children’s fiction.
Internships
WVW 2006 CONFERENCE INTERNS
Each year, WVW strives to make the conference available to university students by offering internship positions to students studying writing and literature. George Lies coordinates the internship process. This year, five interns from five different WV colleges and universities were nominated:
Laura Full of WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, is an English Writing Major. Capturing life in her hometown of Elizabeth, West Virginia inspires her writing. She hopes to pursue writing at the graduate level upon graduation from West Virginia Wesleyan. She has recently been published in the The Vandalia, the Wesleyan literary magazine.
Liz Wells of SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY served as a WVW college intern last year. She will be graduating from Shepherd University with a B.A. in English and Women's Studies in December. She is managing editor of Shepherd’s literary journal, Sans Merci this year, and is also this year's president of Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society). She’s involved with organizing readings and writers’ circles in Shepherdstown and Martinsburg.
Joshua James Wilson Mattern of MARSHALL UNIVERSITY, is a first-year graduate student at Marshall University with an emphasis in Creative Writing, Contemporary Literature and (perhaps) education. He is an editor of Et Cetera, Marshall's creative arts annual, and runs the university's online tutoring service. He writes short stories on whims and is in the midst of composing a noir novel dealing with a professional killer who wants out of his job. In 2005, he was a presenter of poetry at the Appalachian Studies Association Conference.
Kayla Ward of CONCORD UNIVERSITY refers to herself as “a depleted poet” and is currently working on a full-time double major in English at Concord University. Her areas of emphasis are in literature, writing, and journalism. She will be a senior next year. After graduation, she will seek attendance at a Graduate School where expression is boundless. She enjoys any form of provocative creativity, adding, !Life=Art!
Bernard Parsons of WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY has recently been writing creatively as part of the English Department’s creative writing track. He hails from Ripley, site of the conference, so he knows his way around downtown.
2006-2007 SLATE OF OFFICERS
The Nominating Committee recommends the following slate of candidates to stand for election as officers of West Virginia Writers, Incorporated, for fiscal year 2006-2007:
PRESIDENT: Eric Fritzius. The president presides at all membership and board meetings and oversees the activities of all committees and board members to ensure that programs, activities, and responsibilities are discharged in a proper and timely order. Eric Fritzius grew up in Starkville, Mississippi. After graduating from Mississippi State University, Eric worked as a radio on-air personality for several years before he and his wife, Ashley, relocated to West Virginia to pursue library servitude and medical school respectively. In addition to his trademark Horribly True Tales (found at ), Eric’s writing has also appeared in The West Virginia Daily News, The Charleston Gazette and Greenbrier Valley Quarterly magazine. For the past two years, Eric has served as both secretary and webmaster for WVW. Eric lives in Ronceverte, Greenbrier County.
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: Richard Lewis. The first vice president presides in the absence of the president and has overall responsibility for publications and ongoing communications, including submission of organizational news to ArtWorks. Dick Lewis retired in 1998 after a long career in Corporate Financial Management. He and his wife, Judie, moved to West Virginia in August 1998 and rehabilitated an old stone manse built in 1796. In January 2000 they opened a Bed & Breakfast and are now in the sixth year of operation. Dick received the Competent Toastmaster award in 1999, completed the Master Gardener’s program in 2005, is Secretary of Greenbrier River Trail Association, and is a member of Environmental Defense. Several of his short stories have been published in Mountain Echoes. Dick has served two terms as Parliamentarian of WVW. He lives in Caldwell in Greenbrier County.
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: Terry McNemar. The second vice president facilitates the coordination of the activities of regional and granted projects; performs other duties as assigned by the president; and serves as liaison between the board and the committee chairs, project directors, and regional representatives. T.W. (Terry) McNemar has been a WVW member for three-plus years, and is Regional Representative for Region 9. He attended the last three WVW conferences and received prizes for Humor and Peoples Choice. His work has been published by . and Johns Hopkins University Scribble Press. He lives near Stonewood in Harrison County where he owns a general construction firm.
SECRETARY: Rhonda White. The secretary keeps accurate minutes of all board and full membership meetings; maintains a register of attendance at each; and takes charge of all documents and correspondence belonging to the organization. Rhonda White is semi-retired and is seeking a degree in English with aspirations of achieving an MFA in Creative Writing. She has been published in The Seeker, Mountain Echoes: the Best of the First Year 2003, Bluestone Review, and Guilford Medical & Dental Managers Monthly. She is currently working on her first novel, a medical thriller. Rhonda lives in Princeton, West Virginia in Mercer County.
TREASURER: Patsy Evans Pittman. The Treasurer receives and banks all money belonging to the association, keeps accurate records, makes reports of all financial transactions, and ensures that audits occur. Patsy Evans Pittman is a native of Wood County. She attended WVU-Parkersburg and Marietta College, and studied creative writing with nationally and internationally published writers June Berkley, Anne Chamberlain Brown and Kristen Johnson Ingram. She was employed by GMAC, Marietta, Ohio, as Dealer Relations Supervisor, with responsibilities in credit and financial statement review, sales, accounting, employee supervision, and employee communications. She has been retired since 1986. She served as Treasurer for Vienna Baptist Church from 1989 to 2000, and in addition to her normal duties, she administered a $2.1 million budget for a new sanctuary. She has published in Confluence, Best of West Virginia Writers, Country Woman, Woman’s World, Ideals, Grab-a-Nickel, Grit, Christian Reader, FIRST for Women and Guideposts Books, has received numerous awards for both poetry and fiction from WV Writers, Writer’s Digest, Mid-West Writers and Barbour County Workshop and has served as Secretary and Board Member of the Ohio Valley Literary Group. Patsy has served two 2-year terms as Treasurer of WVW and has been the Administrator of the 2005 and 2006 WVW Writing Contests. Patsy lives in Vienna, Wood County.
PARLIAMENTARIAN: Renita Sue Loyd. The parliamentarian is familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order as well as the constitution of West Virginia Writers and shall settle any question of organization or procedure. Renita Sue Loyd has been a member of WV Writers for four years and served as the representative for Region 1 for more than three years. She won a First Honorable Mention in Poetry and the Writers Wall Poetry at the 2003 June Conference. She has been published in Mountain Echoes several times, once as the Featured Author. Recently she had a piece published in Decomposition Magazine. She chaired the Silent Auction at the 2004 WVW Conference. One of her greatest honors was having the words to a song she had written for an eleven-year-old dying of cancer placed on his cedar-carved grave marker. Renita Sue lives in Sutton, Braxton County.
The Nominating Committee:
Serving on the nominating committee for the 2006-2007 term are George Lies, Joe McCabe (chairman), John Mugaas, Teresa Newsome and Rhonda White.
Opportunities
WEST VIRGINIA WRITERS OPPORTUNITIES
WVW, Inc. continues to grow and prosper because we believe that the leadership of the organization must include fresh ideas and new faces while respecting the wisdom of those who have served before. We therefore welcome writers from throughout the state to learn more about the organization and leadership opportunities. The first place a writer may want to start is as a regional or county representative. These are the people who promote literary efforts within their communities and counties. For more information, contact any of the current officers or the current second vice president. There are also several committees encompassing a variety of projects. For information on how to serve on one of these committees, contact the current president.
CONFERENCE OPPORTUNITIES
It takes many people and many hours to make this conference work. Conference committees will be assigned and will begin work within weeks after the conclusion of this year’s conference. Committees will be created to:
❖ Secure and contract workshop leaders
❖ Organize activities such as the Writers Wall, People’s Choice, Bookstore, Silent Auction and so forth.
❖ Publicize the conference
❖ Secure and organize the conference site
❖ Plan the banquet
❖ Contract interns
❖ Secure entertainment
❖ Print badges
❖ Organize the goody bags
❖ Organize the Reception Table
❖ Organize Youth Activities
If you are interested in working on any of these committees, please let the current president know. Getting involved gives you the opportunity to meet other WVW members and put your individual mark on future conferences.
Current contact information for all officers and regional representatives is maintained on the West Virginia Writers’ website, , and is also printed in every edition of the WVW Newsletter, which is mailed quarterly to all members.
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2006 Conference Evaluation Form
Please rate each element of this conference on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being extremely dissatisfied, 2 being partially dissatisfied, 3 being neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, 4 being mostly satisfied, and 5 being extremely satisfied. Thank you.
_____ Variety of Workshops
_____ Quality of Workshops
_____ Comfort of workshop rooms
_____ Comfort of accommodations
_____ Food
_____ Variety of Activities
_____ Quality of Activities
_____ Entertainment
_____ Overall Satisfaction with this Conference
Comments: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Leave this evaluation form face down on the registration table. Please use the back for additional comments, and include you name and a method of contact (phone, email) if you’d like someone to respond to your comments or suggestions. Thank you. [pic]
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