Union County Writers Club Home Page

Events of 2007

Annual Literary Tea was held Sunday, June 3, 2007, at the Arts Council Building from 2 to 4 P.M.. Our guest this year was local writer Fred T. Morgan, author of Haunted Uwharries and Ghost Tales of the Uwharries.

March, 20, 2007 - Member Linda Evans spoke about query letters to agents and publishers. Ms. Evans is the author of novel Jobless Recovery.

Speaker at the April 17, 2007 meeting was member Diamond Crystal Hayes, who spoke about writing inspiration and motivation. Mr. Hayes is the author of poetry collection, The World I Always Knew.

Let us know what kind of workshops you would like during the year. So far we have had a request for a script writing workshop.

Events of 2002-2006

July 18th - Linda Evans, member of the Union County Writers’ Club and published author of short stories and essays, gave a mini workshop on marketing fiction to magazines. Linda has had her work published in such magazines as Horse Illustrated, Woman’s World, Ladies Circle, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, as well as in a variety of small magazines. She requests that each person attending bring a short work of fiction. As part of the evening’s activities, attendees learned submission strategies and how to find markets for their particular story. She is also the author of the novel, Jobless Recovery.

August 15th - Robert Fulton, Jr. was welcomed back to the Union County Writers Club to speak at the August 15th meeting. Robert has taught composition and creative writing at the high school, community college and university levels. He is now a freelance writer, editor, book reviewer and columnist. Robert will discuss the ups-and-downs of getting a book from the idea stage into print. He signed copies of his book, "BUT...YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!" and donated a signed copy as a doorprize. The public was invited.

September 19th, Scott Jagow, of WFAE in Charlotte, spoke about Writing for Radio...

Scott Jagow, host of Morning Edition on 90.7 WFAE, is a three-time North Carolina Radio Journalist of the Year and has more than a decade of experience in broadcast journalism as a reporter and producer. In 2001, he was a finalist for the Livingston Award, the nation’s most prestigious award for young journalists, for a series of reports on Germany. His other reporting honors include a National Headliner award, a Society of Professional Journalists award for public service and three regional Edward R. Murrow awards. Scott graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism and political science. Before coming to WFAE, he worked for NBC News. He frequently conducts writing workshops, writes fiction, and serves as a board member with the Novello Festival Press.

October 17th, M. Scott Douglass, publisher/editor of Main Street Rag, a Charlotte based literary journal, was our speaker. He was also the publisher/editor of Independence Boulevard. He spoke to us from an editor's point of view about submissions and other topics of interest.

November 21st, Jonathan Rice. Jonathan Rice has had his work published in over forty periodicals. He's also the editor/publisher of Iodine Poetry Journal. Mr. Rice received his B.A. in Religious Studies from U.N.C.C. He has also hosted the longest running poetry open mic in Charlotte (which is going into its 4th year) at Jackson's Java.

December 19th – Guest speakers Joyce and Jim Lavene have written and sold forty novels since 1999,(including the award winning Sharyn Howard mystery series) as well as a wide array of non-fiction articles and short stories. They are active in local and national writer's groups, where they lecture and give workshops on the craft of writing. They live in Midland, North Carolina with their three children, two grandchildren, and assorted cats, dogs, computers, and herbs.

Feb. 20th Judy Gerrish---Judy has a Master's Degree in Womens Studies from Trinity Theological Seminary. She taught English and Creative writing for several years. Her work has appeared in Mature Living, The Vision, The Standard, Helping Hand and Today's Christian Senior. At this time she is completing her first novel, with two others in process.

How to Get Your Work Published Workshop was sponsored by the Union County Writers' Club and taught by Joyce and Jim Lavene, on Saturday, February 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. The Lavenes are successful authors who have sold over forty novels since 1999 ( including the successful Sharyn Howard mystery series). The Lavenes will do one-on-one critiques with anyone who wants to bring in a few pages of their work for them to look at. The workshop will be held at the Arts Council Building, 120 N. Main Street, Monroe.

A Poetry Workshop was be sponsored by the Union County Writers' Club and taught by Diana Pinckney, on Saturday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ms. Pinckney teaches poetry classes at Queens College, is the author of several poetry books and the recipient of many awards in poetry. The workshop will be held at the Arts Council Building , 120 N. Main Street, Monroe.

Frye Gaillard, executive editor of Novello press, author of more than twenty books, former Charlotte Observer editor/writer and professor of writing at Queens University spoke to us at our Union County Writers' Club meeting May fifteenth.

Special guest for Union County Writers' Club July meeting was Helen Goodman, author of Jess, an historical novel. Goodman, former Anson resident, was instrumental in founding Anson County Writers' Club and has worked with production and script of their outdoor drama, "A Ripple in the River." The Helen Goodman Amphitheater, at South Piedmont Community College, L.L. Polk Campus, is so named in appreciation of Goodman's work toward the site purchase in addition to location, staging, and seating for the drama. Goodman, a registered nurse, writes award-winning poetry, short stories, and mysteries. She has contributed to North Carolina history textbook Our Words, Our Ways.