West Virginia Writers Podcast

WV Writers Podcast Episode 27 is now online featuring an interview with 2009 WV Writers Summer Conference success story Sheila "S.G." Redling. Sheila is a morning radio show cohost at WKEE in Huntington and the author of a book called Storyteller that is currently making the rounds of publishers via her literary agent. The details of how she came to be in this position are illuminated in this podcast.  (We'll give you a hint: it has something to do with the 2009 WV Writers Summer Conference, not to mention a healthy dose of talent.) DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Podcast Episode 27 LINKS FOR THIS PODCAST Sheila's "I Don't Believe In Reality" blog Book Cents Literary Agency Sourcebooks, Inc.

Part 2 of the WV Writers ConferenceCast 2010 (a.k.a. Episode 26) is now online. In it we reveal the second 1/3 of the list of presenters for the 2010 Summer Conference.   We'll also have information on the guest editors who will be there as well as on the pitch sessions and one on one critique sessions they are offering. We also run down important registration details and reveal the Saturday Entertainment for the Conference. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers ConferenceCast (a.k.a Episode 26) Part 2 LINKS FOR THIS PODCAST Our 2010 Summer Conference Page

Part 1 of the WV Writers ConferenceCast 2010 (a.k.a. Episode 26) is now online. In it we reveal the first 2/3 of the list of presenters for the 2010 Summer Conference.   We'll also reveal the exact date we will begin pre-registration for the conference, (as well as when Cedar Lakes will begin accepting pre-registration forms for rooms and meals). A hint: it's VERY soon. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers ConferenceCast (a.k.a Episode 26) Part 1 LINKS FOR THIS PODCAST Our 2010 Summer Conference Page

Now that we're a wee bit past the mid-way point for the 2010 WV Writers Annual Writing Contest, we thought it would be prudent to check in with our contest coordinator, Steve Goff, to find out how things are going and answer some more of your frequently asked questions, discuss the list of contest judges and reveal some of the categories in which your odds are better for winning this year. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Contestcast 2 (a.k.a Episode 25) LINKS FOR THIS PODCAST     *Contest Judges List     * Patsy Pittman's BLOOD KIN AND OTHER STRANGERS Download Contest Entry Forms WVW 2010 Contest Entry Form (.doc) Entry Form (.pdf) Student Entry Form (.doc) Student Entry Form (.pdf)

Our 8th bonus show is extry short, but is important if you're going to be in the Charleston area on February 13 and if you're interested in improving your writing. The Writer's Toolkit event will be taking place at the cultural center, featuring free writing workshops for fiction, nonfiction, poetry and nonfiction research. The event is brought to you by the WV Division of Culture and History in collaboration with the WV Library Commission. You can find specific details about it at our BLOG, but get an overview by listening to the bonus show. PLEASE NOTE: According to the Charleston Gazette, State Poet Laureate Irene McKinney will not be able to attend the annual Writers' Toolkit as originally scheduled due to weather concerns, but the program will still continue with the authors below and poet and essayist Doug Van Gundy will step in to take the workshop spaces left by McKinney. As an added bonus to the bonus, you also get to hear the host of the show play his brand new cigar box guitar and the cohosts

Our 7th bonus show is an extry-long entry into our Recorded Live Reading series. (Q: "But if it's recorded, how can it be live?" A: "Ahhhh, mind your Ps and Qs, Mack.") This live reading was recorded at a poetry reading given by Salvatore Buttaci at the Princeton Public Library on December 3, 2009. Sal is the author of A Dusting of Star Fall: Love Poems, Boy on a Swing and Other Poems, Sun Sparks The Day and Sal Buttaci's Greatest Hits 1970 - 2000 published in the Pudding House books Greatest Hits series. He is also the author of Painless Poetry, which is a workshop for educators teaching poetry appreciation and creative writing. His most recent book is called A Family of Sicilians: Stories and Poems. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Podcast Bonus Show 7 LINKS Salvatore Buttaci's website A Family of Sicilians

"It’s with a heavy heart that I write to you today, for we have lost a great friend and performer, Keith Pitzer. Keith passed on this morning after a courageous fight with cancer. His wife Joan, and his four grown sons mourn the loss of their loved one, as do I, Bobbi, and anyone who knew Keith." -- Pops Walker This is the opening paragraph from a letter written by Keith's friend and our podcast composer, Pops Walker. Written on December 22, the day Keith passed, it is how many of us first learned the news. Keith was not only a friend of this podcast, but he was a friend of our organization as well. I thought for today’s special double-sized podcast it would be nice to speak with Pops in tribute to Keith. I wanted to get Pops' perspective on Keith the man and hear about his tireless work with Friends of the Cheat, and also hear of his skill as a musician. We'll also hear some of the outtakes from my interview with him last June, including some of the amazing music he made alongside his wife Joan. DOWNLOAD

Part 2 of our gargantu-sized two-part episode called THE CONTESTCAST, serving as a primer for all things related to the WV Writers Annual Writing Contest, which began accepting entries mere days ago. Joining us for the podcast are WV Writers President Terry McNemar and Adult Contest Coordinator Steve Goff. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Contestcast (a.k.a Episode 23 Part 2)

For our first new episode of 2010, we're doing a gargantu-sized two-part episode called THE CONTESTCAST. That's right, this is your primer for all things related to the WV Writers Annual Writing Contest, which began accepting entries mere days ago. Joining us for the podcast are WV Writers President Terry McNemar and Adult Contest Coordinator Steve Goff. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Contestcast (a.k.a Episode 23 Part 1)

Episode 9, the first of our two, count `em, TWO work-week bookending podcasts we're releasing this week. In this episode we talk to Keith Pitzer of the singing duo Keith & Joan Pitzer. Keith is not only leading a workshop on songwriting at the conference this year, he and Joan are returning to the Saturday night entertainment stage. Attendees last year remember them for their concert with our podcast's music provider, Pops Walker.

Our 6th WVW Podcast Bonus Show features a recorded live reading from Lee Maynard's appearance at the WV Book Festival, in October. Mr. Maynard reads the first chapter of his new novel-in-memoir-form The Pale Light of Sunset: Scattershots and Hallucinations in an Imagined Life, published by West Virginia University Press. Be sure to check out Episodes 21 and 22 for our podcast of the conversation between Lee and Cat Pleska. DOWNLOAD PODCAST (Right click and Save Link Target As) WVW Podcast Bonus Show 6 Links mentioned in Podcast: The Pale Light of Sunset: Scattershots and Hallucinations in an Imagined Life CatPleska.com

Episode 22 of the WVW Podcast continues with Part 2 of the conversation between WV Writers 1st Vice President Cat Pleska and Lee Maynard. Lee is best known as the author of the book Crum, and its followup Screaming with the Cannibals. He has a new novel-in-memoir-form called The Pale Light of Sunset: Scattershots and Hallucinations in an Imagined Life, published by West Virginia University Press. This week some of the topics covered include the truth layered in a fictional memoir; the true threat of retirement; fictional violence in service to story; influences; and the answer to the question "What two things do you know for sure?" DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Podcast Episode 22 Links mentioned in Podcast: # LeeMaynard.com # Cat Pleska.com # The Pale Light of Sunset: Scattershots and Hallucinations in an Imagined Life # Lee Maynard Video Podcast Live Readings on YouTube # Cat Pleska heard in Podcast Episode 4 # Podcast Bonus Show 3

Episode 21 of the WVW Podcast features a conversation between WV Writers 1st Vice President Cat Pleska and Lee Maynard, author of the book Crum, its followup Screaming with the Cannibals and his new novel-in-memoir-form The Pale Light of Sunset: Scattershots and Hallucinations in an Imagined Life, published by West Virginia University Press. As those of you who've attended Lee's workshops at previous WV Writers Summer Conferences well know, he's an extremely talented writer who specializes in gut-level writing.  This week's part of the conversation explores some of that as well as his writing discipline, his philosophy on truth in memoir vs. storytelling and his feelings about West Virginia. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Podcast Episode 21 Links mentioned in Podcast: LeeMaynard.com The Pale Light of Sunset: Scattershots and Hallucinations in an Imagined Life Chuck Kinder

Our 5th WVW Podcast Bonus Show features a recorded live reading from the October Literary Tea series at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in Lewisburg.  The reader in question is Tim Armentrout, WV Writers Region 3 Representative.  Tim reads from his book-length work in progress poem entitled Someone Screaming Out. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) WVW Podcast Bonus Show 5 LINKS TO TOPICS MENTIONED IN PODCAST Tim's Blog, Breath Made Visible Tim's Blogger Profile Tim's CD, Pilgrim of the Neo-Dark Ages The Livestock Barnyard MacBeth Curse Info

Episode 20 of the WVW Podcast in which we speak with poet Cheryl Denise, author of the collection I Saw God Dancing. We talk to Cheryl about her upbringing in Canada as well as the origins behind some of her poetry. And, of course, we hear her recite some of that poetry. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Podcast Episode 20 Links mentioned in Podcast: I Saw God Dancing Garrison Keillor Read's Cheryl's Poem "They'll" on the Writer's Almanac More of Cheryl's poetry courtesy of the Hamilton Stone Review More of Cheryl's poetry courtesy of Mennonite Life.

Episode 19 of the WVW Podcast in which we air the fourth of our patented recorded live readings. (Q: "But if it's recorded, how can it be live?" A: "One of us is asking too many questions.") This recorded live reading comes from the October 8th session of the Greenbrier Valley Theatre's October Literary Tea series and features Willa Izzo reading from her honorable mention win in the humor category of the 2009 WV Writers Writing Competition. (I'd like to thank Belinda Anderson for recording this session while I was out of state stuffing my face in Austin.) The Literary Tea series for 2009 continues with a special Kids Tea on October 29 and a community poetry Tea on November 5. These take place at 5:30 p at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in downtown Lewisburg. If you're a member or extended friend of WV Writers, Inc. we invite you to submit your own live readings to wvwpodcast@gmail.com. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Podcast Episode 19 Links mentioned in Podcast: WV Wr

Our 4th WVW Podcast Bonus Show features trimmings from our Episode 12 interview with Pops Walker. We also pass along the results of the Shenandoah Valley Acoustic Roots Fest and Songwriting Contest, which we talked to Pops about in Episode 12. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) WVW Podcast Bonus Show 4

Episode 18 of the WVW Podcast in which we air the third of our patented recorded live readings. (Q: "But if it's recorded, how can it be live?" A: "Hey, I don't come to your house and question you about your podcast, so cut me some slack.") This recorded live reading comes from last week's session of the Greenbrier Valley Theatre's October Literary Tea series and features Belinda Anderson reading from her two prize-winning children's book manuscripts, "Fly Away Story" and "Jackson vs. Double W Making Kid Soup." These won second and third place, respectively, in WVW's 2009 Annual Writing Contest. The Literary Tea series for 2009 continues this month on October 15, 22 with a special Kids Tea on October 29 and a community poetry Tea on November 5. These take place at 5:30 p at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in downtown Lewisburg. If you're a member or extended friend of WV Writers, Inc. we invite you to submit your own live readings to wvwpodcast@gmail.com. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West

Our third WVW Podcast Bonus Show features trimmings from our Episode 4 interview with Cat Pleska. Naturally, my usual bonus show co-host has something to say about it. We speak about the late Joe McCabe, Cat's work on an upcoming documentary and we also play one of Cat's radio essays that we weren't able to fit into Episode 4. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) WVW Podcast Bonus Show 3

Episode 17 of the WVW Podcast in which we air the second of our patented recorded live readings. (Q: "But if it's recorded, how can it be live?" A: "Mind your own Ps and Qs.") This recorded live reading comes from a session of the Greenbrier Valley Theatre's October Literary Tea series, from 2007 and features the story "Faux Fangs" from Beverly Pauley's collection Gothic Bedtime Stories. This story is the first appearance of Bev's reoccurring character, elderly West Virginia vampire Rutherford Zucks. The Literary Tea series for 2009 will run October 1, 8, 15, 22 with a special Kids Tea on October 29 and a community poetry Tea on November 5. These take place at 5:30 p at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in downtown Lewisburg. If you're a member or extended friend of WV Writers, Inc. we invite you to submit your own live readings to wvwpodcast@gmail.com. DOWNLOAD (Right click and Save Link Target As) West Virginia Writers Podcast Episode 17 Links mentioned in Podcast: Gothic Bedtime Stories Greenbrier Valley