The Read on WNC

Coalescence (part of Living Poem)Intro Don’t listen, children, and do not hear.(A monster is coming and there’s no escapeWithin this story, and no good way to tell it, Except to gaze at the horror as at a flower,A disaster streaming off extremes it breedsEverywhere and in our minds, disabling our power.) Distractions are good, puzzles that teaseAnd please and fill the main scene, whichIncludes…See More

Dec 11

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Rob Neufeld posted a discussion

The Sultan's Dream

The Sultan’s Dream (Part of Living Poem) When it comes to walking, the jig’s up.No more fit lad sitting at the pub.No more flim-flam smiling with a limp. See how the legs totter and the torso leans.Do you know what a lame sultan dreams?Of reclining on a divan wearing pantaloons, Comparing his plight to a mountaineer’sNegotiating an icy bluff in a fierce wind,And then lounging in a tent to unwind. Which…See More

Nov 15

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Rob Neufeld posted a discussion

The Tale of Ononis

The Tale of Ononis by Rob Neufeld Part 1: The Making of a Celebrity ❧ Hare Begins His Tale Ononis was my region’s name.People now call it Never-the-same.I’ll start with the day a delivery came. The package I got was a devil’s dare,Swaddled and knotted in Swamp Bloat hairAnd bearing, in red, one word: “Beware!” Bloats are creatures from the Land of Mud Pies,Wallowing in waste with tightly closed eyesUntil fears bring tears and the bleary bloats rise. ❧ Hare’s Colleagues I asked my boss,…See More

Nov 9

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Connie Regan-Blake posted an event

Drop Your Troubles: A Solo Storytelling Performance with Connie Regan-Blake at Black Mountain Center for the Arts

December 1, 2018 from 7:30pm to 9pm

Join this internationally renowned storyteller, Connie Regan-Blake, as she transforms a packed theater into an intimate circle of friends with old-timey charm, wisdom, and humor. We’ll also welcome the Singer of Stories, Donna Marie Todd, who will perform her original story, “The Amazing Zicafoose Sisters.” Connie’s last two shows at BMCA have sold…See More

Nov 6

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Connie Regan-Blake updated an event

Explore the Landscapes of Story and Telling at Lenoir-Rhyne Center for Graduate Studies

January 23, 2019 at 10am to February 27, 2019 at 12pm

A Storytelling Offering in Asheville, NCWednesday Mornings 10am-12pmJanuary 23 – February 27, 2019 This winter Connie is excited to offer a learning opportunity to warm-up your storytelling voice and creativity! Join her in Asheville, NC at Lenoir-Rhyne University for six story-work sessions with a weekly format that allows for skills to grow over time while encouraging a consistency in discovering, revisiting and refining your stories. During these weekly sessions participants are invited…See More

Nov 6

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Connie Regan-Blake posted an event

Explore the Landscapes of Story & Telling at Lenoir-Rhyne Center for Graduate Studies

January 23, 2019 at 10am to February 27, 2019 at 12pm

Oct 28

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Connie Regan-Blake updated an event

Connie Regan-Blake presents A Slice of Life: An Evening of Stories at Black Mountain Center for the Arts

April 6, 2019 from 7:30pm to 9pm

Join nationally celebrated storyteller, Connie Regan-Blake, as she hosts her workshop participants in an enchanting evening of storytelling in “A Slice of Life: An Evening of Stories.” The event will be hosted by the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, just a short drive from Asheville nestled in the picturesque mountains surrounding the area. Call the Center for advance tickets (828) 669-0930 or order…See More

Oct 28

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Connie Regan-Blake updated an event

Connie Regan-Blake's Taking Your Story to the Stage Workshop at StoryWindow Productions

April 5, 2019 to April 7, 2019

The focus of this “Taking Your Story to the Stage” 3-day workshop is on storytelling performance. Each participant is asked to come with a story that is almost “stage-ready.” Set in Connie’s home tucked in the beautiful mountains surrounding Asheville, NC, this workshop provides a supportive, affirming…See More

Oct 28

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Rob Neufeld posted a discussion

Let’s say every word is precious

Let’s say every word is precious (Part of Living Poem) Let’s say every word is precious.Say every word is precious.Every word is precious.Every word precious.Every word.Word.--Rob Neufeld, Oct. 16, 2018See More

Oct 17

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Rob Neufeld posted discussions

Oct 12

Nancy Sutton replied to Rob Neufeld's discussion Metamorphoses

"Poignant in so many ways! "

Oct 3

Rob Neufeld posted a discussion

Metamorphoses

Metamorphoses (Part of Living Poem)Hear audio: Metamorphoses%20181004_0192.MP3 So Apollo committed the first rape.He’d come back from exterminating Python,The Bane of Humanity, now his arrow-victim,And stopped to mock…See More

Oct 2

1 Comment

Joan Henehan replied to Joan Henehan's discussion on Reading Living Poem

"Fantastic, that will be very helpful."

Sep 22

Rob Neufeld posted a discussion

First Drumbeat

First Drumbeat(Part of Living Poem) The time has come.Call it a drum,Or a crumb,What’s left of life. I used to tell a jokeWhen my life was wide,And I was a stud,And not a dud—I knowI’m not a dud. I’m a dude,A dad. But everyone mustRebut the dud chargeAt summing up time. Oh yeah, the joke,A trademark one for meIn that it’s not funny. I used to say I’ll never retireFrom writingBecause if I’m ever…See More

Sep 22

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Rob Neufeld replied to Joan Henehan's discussion on Reading Living Poem

"Thanks for the prompt, Joan! I have attached the whole work in progress as a doc at the bottom of the table of contents page: http://thereadonwnc.ning.com/special/living-poem"

Sep 22

Joan Henehan replied to Joan Henehan's discussion on Reading Living Poem

"Is there a way from this website to print everything or might you send me such a document to bayjh@icloud.com?"

Sep 22

January 2010 Blog Posts (15)

Appalachian Writers

I'd like to introduce you to Peggy Poe Stern-have you ever heard of her? I've only known her a few months-I believe she may be one of the best kept secrets of Western NC.

I stumbled onto Peggy's website one day-and once I realized she was an Appalachian Writer I began to click around-all of my clicking landed me on an excerpt from one of her books. I could not stop… Continue

Added by Tipper on January 30, 2010 at 4:30pm — No Comments

Great Smokies fiction classes unlock your inner writer

Almost everyone has dreams of being a writer. But moving those dreams out of the clouds and onto paper can be a real struggle. Sometimes the solid ideas just won’t come. In other cases, the ideas are within reach, but knowing how to structure those ideas into language and a format that other people might enjoy remains elusive.

While writing is ultimately a solitary pursuit, some instruction and feedback can smooth the process, helping you to keep moving toward your dreams instead of… Continue

Added by Caralyn Davis on January 26, 2010 at 4:17pm — No Comments

Creative juices frozen? Great Smokies poetry class zaps them into life

The mere thought of writing poetry can stir up buried, primal fears of failure and inadequacy. Normally stalwart people, brows pale and sweaty with visions of being unable to produce even a decent ending to “Roses are red, violets are blue,” lament: “Write poetry? I don’t know how! I’m not a poet!”

But every human being on the planet has the potential to be a poet, and writing poetry isn’t scary. It’s actually a useful process for awakening both your creativity and your love of… Continue

Added by Caralyn Davis on January 26, 2010 at 3:30pm — No Comments

Hog Killing In Appalachia

All one has to do is to take a walk through the local grocery store's meat department to see the variety it holds. Back in the day-before meat was so readily available-pork was the staple meat for most mountain families.

In the very early days-before the chestnut blight-most folks in Appalachia let their hogs free range and forage for their own food. After the blight, and as the land became more populated-folks kept their hogs closer to… Continue

Added by Tipper on January 23, 2010 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Home Again

Picking you up from the airport;

jet airliner bringing you home once again.

Waiting for the plane in the cold wind,

while the sun brings glory to the West.

How long has it been since I’ve touched you?

Almost a million miles ago it seems.

Absence doesn’t get any easier,

when your face won’t leave my dreams.

Seeing your smile, hearing your laugh;

they fill every room that you’re in.

Eagerly searching for… Continue

Added by Chuck Connors on January 18, 2010 at 3:09pm — No Comments

Propositioning the Rich Italian

TITLE: Propositioning the Rich Italian

AUTHOR: Stephanie Morris

AUTHOR URL: http://www.stephaniemorris.webs.com

GENRE/THEME: Contemporary Interracial Romance

URL TO THE BUYING PAGE: http://www.bookstrand.com/node/805943

SERIES: Indulgence – Book 1 of… Continue

Added by Author Stephanie Morris on January 17, 2010 at 1:11pm — No Comments

Heartsick Over Haiti

The first news of the day was tough to take. Tragedy has once again come to the impoverished nation of Haiti. By now everyone following the news knows it is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and that 80% of its people live in poverty.

What might not be remembered are the news reports from 2008 when the Haitian people were making cookies with dirt and oil and water. As food prices around the world began to rise, those were the only ingredients some caregivers could obtain to mix… Continue

Added by Kathleen Buerer on January 13, 2010 at 12:00pm — No Comments

Poetry

Even though I am not a poet, every so often I'll spit out a poem. Two of them were recently published: one in The Nervous Breakdown and the other in OCEAN Magazine (where I also have a photograph that accompanies another writer's poem). Always good to have an acceptance to give us a boost,

Added by Kathryn Magendie on January 10, 2010 at 8:56pm — 2 Comments

Here We Go Again!

It's time to wait with held breath while the publishers' editors look at my book (Secret Graces) to see if they like it. Time to pick out covers. Time to go over galley proofs. Time to anticipate release date. A year after TG's release and here I go again. I hope the book will be well received. It's a whole other critter when you write for a deadline that is months in the making instead of "having all the time in the world" to write a novel... egads!

But, it's all exciting, right?… Continue

Added by Kathryn Magendie on January 10, 2010 at 8:48pm — No Comments

Halls of the Dying

Late at night, when only a few ghost-like workers are stirring

I enter the hallowed halls of the dying.

Like a crypt, everything dark, I feel my way from doorway to doorway

hearing the groans and the cries of the dying.

Ghastly sounds reverberate through these forbidden caverns;

lost souls forever grasping for salvation.

Creeping along, my senses alert for hidden dangers

I pause in front of one room and

the smell tells me where I am.

Stepping into… Continue

Added by Chuck Connors on January 9, 2010 at 10:44am — No Comments

Warren Wilson MFA lectures

I have been to two of the morning lectures offered by the Warren Wilson MFA this month (January 2010) and was blown away. This is exactly the kind of readings I have been looking for; rich and technical, with as much philosophy as craft. I have always wanted to be a part of this kind of dicsussion with other writers. It's very generous of the college to open these lectures to the public. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

Who among you in the Asheville area would like to… Continue

Added by Jennifer McLean on January 5, 2010 at 3:57pm — 1 Comment

author benefits

Authors are finding it an attractive option to self-publish. However, the need for Medical Insurance and retirement is a major consideration. I have looked into International Medical Insurance options to see how authors in other parts of the world are handling this issue. Are there networks for writers that could provide a discount on… Continue

Added by Cindy Fallsen on January 4, 2010 at 5:13pm — No Comments

White Crosses

White crosses alongside the road

honoring the memory of the recently slain.

How did it come that these people died

here—what were they like, while they still lived?

Cars and trucks speed past obliviously,

ignoring the ghosts of the freshly passed.

Each one of us hopes that we’ll still be remembered;

long after we’re gone to the other side.

But what if no one

visited us or mourned?

Left us for dead,

our faces forever forgotten in… Continue

Added by Chuck Connors on January 2, 2010 at 3:23pm — No Comments

Early Morning Departure

Driving you to the airport for an early morning departure,

Wind blowing the rain against the wipers of the truck.

Lifting your heavy bag it thumps on the pavement,

Wondering to myself just what you could have packed?

Ducking out of the storm, bursting into the check-in,

Runaway children caught in a moment of time.

Saying my farewells I look into your eyes;

Wishing you a safe journey, Godspeed to your kin.

Sharing one last long,… Continue

Added by Chuck Connors on January 2, 2010 at 3:19pm — No Comments

Happy New Year from the Blind Pig & The Acorn

As I look back over 2009 I'm happy with the progress made over on the Blind Pig & The Acorn site-mostly I'm thankful I have great readers who have made 2009 a banner year for the Blind Pig.

Each post I write in an effort to promote, preserve, and celebrate Appalachian culture and heritage is made better by the comments folks leave. Maybe they don't realize it-but each one is part…