THIS BLOG IS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL. PLEASE ENJOY WHAT IS HERE, AND DO LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU WISH. NORTH CAROLINA'S NEW POET LAUREATE IS CATHY SMITH BOWERS. SHE WILL SOON HAVE HER OWN WEBSITE THROUGH THE NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL SITE. I WILL BE SHIFTING MY ATTENTION TO HERE, WHERE I AM, (SEE SIDEBAR)USING IT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO WRITERS WHOSE WORK DESERVES ATTENTION. I INVITE YOU TO VISIT ME THERE.

For a video of the installation ceremony, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xAk6fOzaNE.

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Go to http://www.yourdailypoem.com/, managed with finesse by Jayne Jaudon Ferrer, who says, "Our intent is to make visitors to Your Daily Poem aware of the joy and diversity of poetry."

Friday, July 25, 2008

Netwest Celebrates Nancy Simpson

One of the reasons this blog exists is to celebrate writers' groups that have helped make our North Carolina literary community more cohesive and vibrant, and I invite responses telling me about writers groups that make a difference in your community. Simply leave a comment for me at the end of this post.
Right now I would like to tell you about Netwest, organized under the umbrella of the North Carolina Writers Network. This group was begun in large part through the energy and vision of Nancy Simpson, who lives in Hayesville. Nancy is one of our finest poets, having been "discovered" by Richard Hugo years ago when she took a workshop with him at the Callandwolde Arts Center in Atlanta. She received her MFA from the Warren Wilson Writing Program, working with Heather McHugh, and was awarded a NC Arts Fellowship shortly thereafter. I don't know anyone whose passion for poetry burns with more determination than Nancy's, so it was especially exciting to be at the Netwest party last week where she was honored for her contributions to this organization. If you want to read some of Nancy's poetry, please go to our ncarts.org archive and to my personal blog, kathrynstriplingbyer.blogspot.com. Glenda Beall, the current Program Director of Netwest, maintains the organization's blog, netwestwriters.blogspot.com.




Nancy Simpson shows her surprise at being honored by the Netwest membership at the annual summer celebration. North Carolina Arts Council's Literature Director Debbie McGill is seated at the table with her.



Former Program Director Shirley Uphouse presents Nancy Simpson with a token of Netwest's appreciation.



Netwest member Brenda Kay Ledford thanks Nancy for giving so much of her time and talent to writers in the far western region of the state.



Glenda Beall, Director of Netwest

3 comments:

Nancy Simpson said...

Hello. Hello, Kay,
I will never forget sharing the day and the evening
at the garden party with you, with Debbie McGill,
and with my dear ones --the members of NCWN West. (Sept 17, 2008) Thank you. Thank you for these words and the pictures. I will never forget, but just in case, I saved, printed, stapled, and I shall keep this message forever tucked inside my book.

Nancy Simpson

Glenda Council Beall said...

It was a special date for all of us who have known Nancy for so long. Thank you, Kay, for being there that evening.
The photos are great, too.
Netwest members are special and from Henderson County to Cherokee County and the bordering counties of South Carolina and Georgia, we support each other.
Glenda
www.netwestwriters.blogspot.com

Kathryn Stripling Byer said...

Nancy and Glenda, you've done so much for WNC writers. Thank you again for your energy and dedication.
K.