Delta Writers Association

Smart Doc Resources Website

2011-01-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

http://smartdocresources.com
Check out some of the resources on my website.

writers info and contests/markets
grant info and fundraising
marketing and PR

Writers contest

2011-01-28T14:05:00.000-08:00

Cowboy Up Contest - Short story

http://moonlightmesaassociates.com
$15 entry fee
submission open march 1 -sept 2011
Western theme - 3,500 word limit. Must have cowboy and one or two other western characters. Must be suspense, thriller or mystery. First place $250, 2nd place $150 and third place $75

Rosalind WIlcox - Speaker at DWA meeting

2010-07-18T07:27:00.000-07:00

Rosalind Wilcox, chair for arts dept at Coahoma Community College is legally blind. She has a genetic eye disease ( a type of mscular degeneration) ...what do you do if you are an artist and going blind...you paint of course...and she does with her EYES. Awesome pictures with stories...she also write and plays music (the Blues of course). Thanks so much.

cooking lessons with Carolyn Haines at Viking in Greenwood, MS

2010-07-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

Had a great time in Greenwood. Carolyn Haines was touring with her new bones book! Other Delta Blues authors were also in attendance!

Christopher Wilson - first prize

2010-04-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

Juke Joint Writing Contest 2010

2010-04-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Juke Joint Winners:

Category one: 7th graders

First Place and Best of Show: 7th grade - His Life, My Story- Jordon Sales

2nd place 7th grade: A Strong Black Sista - Oshur Fluker

3rd Place tie : A Wall of Blues- Erica Martin

3rd Place tie : Annette Rochelle Hopper- Shamia Hopper

Honorable Mention: The Sacred Teacher- Hertayshia Thomas

Category 2: 8th-10th graders

First place: Wilson vs. Webster - Christopher Wilson

Second place: Will Townsend: A Brave Young Man - Craig Stewart

Third Place: The Delta's Own Indiana Jones - Lane Herrin

Honorable Mention: From a Twelve Year Olds Point of View

Category 3: 11-12th graders

First place: The Life of Darren Williams - Jaleesa Jermial Collins

Second Place : A Letter to my Great, Great Grandmother - Markeeriez Hill

OUR DWA at the Delta Blues Reception

2010-04-29T07:22:00.001-07:00

Helen Sanders (treasurer) and CarolAnn Herrin (V.P.)

Virginia Schafer to be Inducted into the Mississippi Writers Guild

2010-04-23T06:16:00.000-07:00

On April 24th in Clarksdale, Our own President, Virginia Schafer will become one of the Board Members of the State organization - the Mississippi Writers Guild "I look forward to opening up communication on a state level, networking and utilizing the state resources to promote literary functions and education in our state....especially the Delta."

In the Planning stage: The Next annual Delta Blues Event -

Dick Lourie at DWA April Meeting

2010-04-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

Dick Lourie, professor and editor and author (POET) and musician was our guest speaker at the April meeting of the DWA which took place in the Meeting room at the Clarksdale Library. Lourie read from his poem about the Delta - If the Delta Was the Sea - which amused many of the guests - since they could recognized the people and places in the poem. It was a full house - with standing room only and we look forward to seeing Lourie again during the Music Festivals. He comes down from Boston to Clarksdale- twice a year to play his sax and enjoy the Blues. The Hanging Loose Press is one of the oldest , independent publishing houses in the U.S. that specializes in poetry.

The DWA meets the 3rd thurday of the month at the library's meeting room at 6 pm

Juke Joint Writing Contest 2010

2010-04-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Juke Joint was a success again this year...bigger and better than ever. We at the DWA handed out entry forms to all of the local schools and as usual...you never know what you will get back and from where. Sometimes you think the school (or administration) may be the motivator, and sometimes the teacher may do an assignment for the contest, and other times you have individual students that take it upon themselves to create an outstanding submission.

This year...Gloria Nolan from Oakhurst Middleschool gets the teacher's award in my opinion. Love to hear from Oakhurst first of all..and secondly...her 7th grade students handed in awesome submissions...mostly poems...very heartfelt and moving. Our theme this year was Delta Folks and we encouraged students to also submit pictures or art work of their 'folk'. We got one on Morgan Freeman and even though the student didnt win...I am going to get this dedicated poem to Mr. Freeman. (Rock River - his nonprofit-also helped sponnsor this contest) The Friends of the Library in Clarksdale did too !

All of the submissions were exhibited in the Delta Ave Art Building during the Festival and the awards ceremony will be this Sunday at 1 pm.

We will officially announce the winners then. We got entries from Lee, Oakhurst, CCJHS , Clarksdale High SChool, and West Tallahatchie High School. Most of students were from the 7th grade so we moved our categories around a little to get max winners. OUr categories werer 7th, 8-10th, 11-12th grade. We had a few from 4th and 5th as late entries which did not get in the voting before deadline...but they were exhibited as well. All participants will get a framed certificate and winners will get a few dollars cash prize and their teachers will get a check from Juke Joint coordinators.

Charlaine (TRue Blood) back up singer at Delta Blues Muse Debut in Clarksdale

2010-04-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

Delta Blues pictures

2010-04-02T07:50:00.001-07:00

Delta Blues Writing Contest for Students

2010-04-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hi I am back...I have been so busy with the Delta Blues Event and other happenings...that I have long neglected the blog! Shame on Me!

The Event was a success! and I am still flying high! Can you imagine the authors from the Delta Crime anthology...here in the Delta (Clarksdale) under one roof and Morgan Freeman to boot!

I ran over to Charleston(Miss) to ask for the prize money from Rock RIver Foundation (Morgan and Bill Luckett's giving foundation). Tyrus books is donating some of the funds from the sale of the Delta Blue book to the RRF. I hope the editorial (maybe not the place) in the paper gets printed as alot of people and organizations chipped in and helped. THe Chamber of COmmerce provided the eats (and good eats!) at the reception at Cutrer and the gift baskets for the winning students and set up and cleaned up...thanks so much.

Then John at Gary Vincent studio took the music blues band of authors under his wing and get them a few days of practice in the big studio. They sounded awesome at their debut at Ground Zero in a standing room only full house of fans! Then Mac Crank was wonderful...getting the bus station/visitor's center together for the award ceremony and booksigning. That was also a full house. Thanks Bill Luckett for getting Morgan to the event...the students and authors and participants were awestruck.....it will certainly be a great lead in for next year! although I dont know if this one can be beat! Thanks to the gang at the DWA and the hotels and resturants that were so nice to our out of town guests (YES...lots of them!). They will be coming back so sure.

and dont forget that there are still copies of the Delta Blues book for sale....this is a pre-release and the release is not until May...so we have been honored!

MWG Fall convention a success!

2009-08-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

MWG fall convention in Vicksburg was a great place to be this past weekend. Networking with other writers, writers to be and well known speakers was indeed exciting. We are now planning for next year. Thanks for the door prize donations Clarksdale!

Critique groups meet weekly

2009-08-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

Do you have a book in mind, writing an article or novel? Our critique group meets every Tuesday at 6 oclock. The location varies from the CUtrer to people's homes so email us and we will get you on the list. Email submissions before the meeting or bring extra copies.
Call us for more info!

DWA changes time for meeting

2009-08-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

THE DWA IS BACK TO ITS SUMMER SCHEDULE. We will meet at the Cutrer again at 6 pm on the third thur of the month. The next meeting is scheduled for Sept 16th. Any quesitons or comments...our email is deltawritersassociation@yahoo.com and phone is 1 800 381 2306.

Lyric Writing Workshop - Spring Writers Retreat in Clarksdale

2009-06-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks for submitting pics you all! WIth all of the excitement I forgot my camera. I really wish I could have gotten some pics during our Parchman Tour..but no cameras allowed ....we almost got arrested trying to take a pic of the outside. The would have been bad since my husband works there.

Here are some pics to enjoy at Gary Vincent's studio. More to come.

Clarksdale Retreat - Spring Writers a success!

2009-06-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Gary Vincent and Coop Cooper, our speakers, and of course our wonderful participants!

Parchman Prison Tour

2009-04-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

The Parchman Prison tour will be May 29th, Friday, at 10 am to 1 pm. All wavers must be in hand before May 15th to attend. This tour is free and to get copies of the rules and regulations and the waver form, please email me at virgindoc@yahoo.com or call 1 800 381 2306. Seating is limited!

New Newspaper in town

2009-04-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody - time to write newspaper articles. The Clarksdale Register accepts them via email and we have a new paper Clarksdale Blues-Star that will be on Sunday only. THis will be a free paper for about a month and then by subscription in a few counties. Submit your news now!

Awards Ceremony for JJ Writing Submissions

2009-04-23T15:31:00.001-07:00

We would like to invite everyone to the awards ceremony for the JJ writing contest winners. This takes place on APril 26th at 1 pm at the Writing and Art Building at 243 Delta Ave in downtown clarksdale. Great refreshments and proud parents and teachers. THe 5 teachers with submissions will get $100 each for their classroom and the students are getting certificates, plaques and ribbons. Cool....lets take alot of pictures.

Meeting for Critique group on Sat.

2009-04-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

Yep we are off schedule again...this sat we will hold our critique meeting at the private dining room at the North West Regional medical center. We will go over the success of our tent (cost of $75). We had 3 authors...John Campbell, Woody, and Patricia Neeley Dorsey and of course our own Helen Sanders. We sold about $40 in water. THank you volunteers. We gave out all of our flyers too. maybe we will get some new members.

If you have a submission for critique...we need 5 pages, copied of your submission and be ready to read.

We will also discuss a possible change of time and venue!

Hey....new election is coming up in June and so is membership dues...so be thinking for new officiers.

Juke Joint Submissions Judged

2009-04-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

Juke Joint was a success inspite of the 80% chance of rain. The rain finally came about 3:30 and then in spurts for the rest of the day. Juke jointing that night was cool and clear.

What fun...we will soon post some pics and the winners of the JJ writing contest!

Holy Cow! What a job putting those submissions up in display. Now that I live 25 miles from the nearest store...I was looking for creative ways to put them up. I landed up putting one submission on a dog diaper...dont tell anyone.!

We have alot of submissions from St George's Day School, but none from the High School or college students...maybe next year.

Juke Joint Writing Contest

2009-03-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

The Juke Joint Writing Contest is open to all students from 4th grade to college students. The prize is $100 to be given to the winner's teacher or classroom. There will also be an awards ceremony the week after Juke Joint Festival at the art/writing building in downtown Clarksdale.

The contest's theme is "keeping the blues alive". We encourage everyone to use the Carnegie Public Library for their resources.

Submissions may be an essay, personal narrative, poem or song lyric. Poems must be from 12 lines to one page and song lyrics must be a minimum of three verses and a chorus.

The number of words for each grade is outlined below:

Fourth grade - Sixth grade : 200-250 words
Grades 7-9 350-500 words
Grades 10-12 500-750 words
College students 750-1250 words

Please send submissions to

PO Box 0475
Sumner, MS 38957

For more information, Call the Delta Writers Association at 1 800 381 2306.
For pick ups, please call the above number.

Lets bring creativity to Clarksdale through our students. All winning submissions will be displayed at the art/writing building in Downtown Clarksdale (Delta Ave) during the Juke Joint Festival on April 18th from 9-4.

Deadline for submissions is April 8th. All submissions are property of Juke Joint Festival.

Sponsors of the Juke Joint Writing Contest
include:
Friends of the Library - Clarksdale's Carnegie Public Library
Jim and Jane Wilbourn
SonEdna Foundation
KOK Publications
Rock River Foundation

Retreat in May with the MWG

2009-02-14T09:02:00.001-08:00

THe DWA is going to host a Writer's Retreat in May. We are still in the final planning stages, but our theme will be lyrical. Our main speaker will be Tommy Polk of Nashville, Tn. A songwriter, a well known songwriter orginally from Clarksdale, MS. Other guests will include John Campbell, author of Daydreaming on a Cottonsack and screenwriter of a new film called Strangers in the Hood. He is also brother of the famous Blues star, Lil Milton and good friend of BB King.We have lots of extra goodies planned for that weekend....put May 30th on your calendar. More to come.

Juke Joint writing contest

2009-02-14T08:58:00.001-08:00

The DWA is going to co host the Juke Joint Writing contest during this years Juke Joint on April 18th. We will be distributing the flyers and rules and regulaltions to schools around the county. The contest is open to school kids from 4th to college years. More to come ..but ck out our blog at www.JJFwriting.blogspot.com. For more information , give us a call.

BTW- Our co host (sponsor) for this contest is the Clarksdale Friends of Library.! More information later.

Booksigning a success

2009-02-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks Patricia for coming to Clarksdale. And thank you every one who helped make this event a success...We had a good turn out at our membership meeting with two new members and then a good turn out at the library. We would like to thank the Clarksdale's Carnegie Library for their support and the Friends of the Library. More events to come!

Mardi Gras Party and Membership Meeting

2009-02-02T07:25:00.000-08:00

Feb 7th will be our Membership meeting at the Private dining area in the NW Regional Hospital at 9:30 am. Please invite your friends! Treats, and raffel will be available. Our guest speaker will be Patricia Neely- Dorsey, author and Poet! Give us a call for more information.

Booksigning on sat Feb 7th

2009-02-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

Patricia Neely-Dorsey will be at the Clarksdale Carnigie Library on Feb 7th at 11:30 am to read from her new book Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia. She will also have books for sale and for personal signing. Please come and welcome our Mississippi Poet coming all the way from Tupelo.

Correction for Patricia's web address

2009-01-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

Please contact Patricia at:
PATRICIA NEELY-DORSEY Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems "Meet Mississippi Through Poetry, Prose and The Written Word" www.patricianeelydorsey.webs.com

Mississippi Author's Hall of Fame- Patricia Neely Dorsey

2009-01-15T12:40:00.001-08:00

Patricia Neely D0rsey will be our guest speaker at our special mardi gras membership meeting on Feb 7th at the NW Regional Hospital Cafeteria at 9:30 am (Sat) Please invite your friends. We are hoping to get Patricia into the library for a book signing as well. Perhaps you will remember her poems during the Tennessee Williams Festival Contest. She is fantastic. You can learn more about Patrici at http://patricianeelydorsey.webs.

Mississippi Author's Hall of Fame-Kay Thomas

2009-01-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

Kay Thomas, orginally from Clarksdale, now living in Texas, has written a new romantic suspence thriller titled Better than Bulletproof. Ck her out at kaythomas.net. Kay will be in Clarksdale on Sunday, Jan 18th in the Cargnegie Library at 2 p.m. to sign her book. DWA members welcome Kay Thomas to our Author's Hall of Fame!

Patricia Hymel, guest speaker for the DWA

2009-01-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

Patricia Hymel, the new editor of the Clarksdale Press Register, was the guest speaker at the Delta Writer's Association monthly meeting. She discussed the future of the the paper, new changes and opportunities for 'stringers', freelance writers to write articles on social and special interest subjects. Ms. Hymel also discussed the Profile Magazine 2009 that will come out in February. This unique magazine will be a coffee table booklet that will profile local people, places, businesses and special interest groups in and around our community.

The new Editor has invited our community writers to work with her and her staff at the paper to create a personalized neighborhood paper. Our members were excited and ready for their assignment. Patricia also asked for ideas that we, or others may wish to write about or read about. She encouraged us to communicate about our interests. The staff of the paper had also come up with a list of possible subjects that they would like to possibly see in print.

The Delta Writer's Association now meets on the first Saturday of the month at 9:30 am at the Northwest Regional Medical Hospital's private room in the cafeteria. We invite all that are interested to attend. We also have a crtique group that meets on the third Saturday of the month. Next month we plan to have a Mardi Gras membership party and special guest speaker. The DWA also will be hosting a Spring Convention that will highlight special Mississippi authors and guest speakers. The Delta Writer's Association is a member of the Mississippi Writer's Guild, a very prestigious writer's association in Mississippi. For more information, you can call 1 800 381 2306.

Christmas social DWA

2009-01-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

It was a small but intimate group at RUSTS for our Xmas social. We all had a great time with great food. We need to do this more often!

Outline of Flowers for Trixie

2009-01-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

The novel name came from the fact that Trixie loved flowers as we brought up in the first scene, She wonders where the wild flowers went during her grandparent's funeral. Her grave was also covered with flowers. She enjoyed getting flowers from the men in her life.

Trixie is orphaned. Her grandparents die in car crash in North Ga. 1980. Her mother had died at her childbirth and her brother had been sent off to live with their estranged father in La.

She goes to live with the preacher. She is mistreated, molestested and raped by Preacher and friend in Secret place. There is suspicion that other "orphaned" girls have been mistreated and possibly murdered by the Preacher's hand. THe Preacher kicks her out after she finds out that she is pregnant at age 13.

She wanders the streets and is befriended by the bus man who introduces her to her godfather,(Bubba) a disabled vet that runs a local bar. He likes having Trixie around as she takes care of the bar and is a good cook. He also loves her like a daughter but doesnt tell her so. She meets the beer man and runs off. Bubba gets furious as he learns that she is pregnant and possibly a 'wild child'.

The beerman and Trixie live in a small trailer and for extra money they start dealing drugs. Now Trixie is hooked. THey have the child and things get worse as they are on their last dime and decide to rob a drug store. They get caught and serve time. Trixie gets out in 18 months while her husband's father is taking care of baby. He meets a christian lady and tries to get custody. Trixie gets a divorce while in jail and also gets an inheritance from Bubba who suddenly dies of ongoing illnesses.

With the money,she gets out of prison and gathers her child and returns to North Ga. homeplace. SHe lives with her brother who has returned from La. and works at the mill. Her brother falls in love with the neighbor's daughter, marries and moves to another town (close). The Preacher is still around, his wife has died and he is after Trixie, now wants her as his family, believing that her child is his. After many conflicts, the preacher retaliates and rapes her sister in law who lands up in Mental hospital. Trixie has a final visit from Preacher during her recovery from a hysterectomy, and shoots him in self defence. Her and her brother, get rid of the body and there is eventually an inquiry. When Trixie's brother feels that they are fixin to arrest him for the murder from the evidence aquired....he leaves N. Ga. to La. (Land's End, to become a shrimper once again) and hid out. Eventually they are cleared from the murder and her brother begs Trixie to come join him and his new family in LA. She decides to go to a town close to Atlanta where one of her ex- prison mates was from and promised a job and "new' men.

Trixie and her child go to Sparta, she gets a factory job and an apartment and finds a good babysitter. SHe doesnt lke the men the ex con offered her and eventually goes bar hoppin. SHe has an accident at the factory and is in pain, also accentuatin g her need for medication. She files a claimf or w/c with a shifty lawyer and has surgery. It doesnt work and she goes to a chiropractor with a referral from her neighbor.

THe Chiropracotr is friendly but has her problems, eventually hires Trixie, who meets a young man and marries again. She quits the office work and gets a ck from w/c which she uses to rebuild a homeplace (her husband's family) and play housewife. SHe gets to know the young neighor who is living in sin with a doctor next door, but is also an old school mate of her husbands. Her husband suggests that she go back to work as the money is sparse. He is a young selfish kid.

Trixie goes back to work at the factory as she is too embarrased to ask for her job back at the Chiro clinic...hasnt talked to them in a year or so. She has to start on night shift...and comes home sick one night to find her husband in bed with her neighbor. She makes a fool of herself but her husband kicks her out of "his" house and marries the neighbor andthey have a baby. Trixie is devasted and goes into mourning. A friend tells the Chiro about it and the Doc calls Trixie. Trixie comes back to work at the clinic. She meets the key man who doesnt wanta commitement but treats her well. He is also a bouncer at the clubs so she is drinking alot and staying out late. Trixie gives her man , an ultimatum and he tells her toleave. She moves in with Doc at her pool house and eventually gets involved with one of the pts.

Marvin is a married man that plays santa and co owns a pawn shop. His younger wife, whom everyone thinks he adores, is getting worse with her arthritis, but works in a governemnt agency. Everyone loves her. Marvin lives with Trixie in a rental house he gives her. She quits the chiro clinic and becomes his rental manager. They party hardy! He looses alot of weight on drugs and everyone thinks he is ill. He gives her a ring and plans t divorce but he has too many assets (deeds that he shows Doc). Doc is torn between the money as a pt and getting in the middle of the drama.

In the meantime Doc meets a cop who is also a friend and pt. He is also going through maritial difficulties but they become good friends and keeps her informed. Doc also starts to go out wih Wayne as friends . THey play trivia and plan on a mini vacation to Florida with friends andkids.

This weekend, Labor day (and also the weekend that Princess Di died) and after confrentation with Trixie, Doc goes and has a goodtime with Wayne in FLorida. They notice Trixie missing after they get home. Doc also gets a phone call from her cop friend that there was a shooting...Marvin killed his wife and then himself. It was billed as a mercy killing in the paper.

Wayne reports Trixie as missing. They all are interogated and the investigation goes on. Finally Trixie's body is found dismembered in a barrell laced with acid on the Johnson's property in another county. Mr. Johnson's father admits his role to Doc,b ut laughs that he got away with it.

Trixie's child goes to live with Trixie's brother and eventually is promised the home place in Devil's Hollow where he mother is buried close by.....with alot of flowers.

SORRY I havent been taking care of blog like I should

2009-01-11T05:58:00.000-08:00

The holidays got in the way....also got my nose glued to the computer lately. I was obsessed to at least get a working draft of my novel (manuscript). Now the editing. I'm really proud that I wrote a novel....now what to do with it, eh? I am, to tell the truth, a little insecure about the editing. I have never been good at grammar, or spelling or formating....but I seem to have a headful of ideas. Oh well....it's good to get it off of my plate.

The name of it is Flowers for Trixie and is a faction novel....mostly fact and a little fiction. I am one of the characters....when you read it, you will see which one very obviously. Yep...I was there. I changed things a little to make the story flow better (I think). also to make me look better.:)

Trixie didnt have a brother, but she did live with the preacher, had a country bumpkin husband who lead her astray, they did try to rob the drug store and she did serve time. She also moved to Sparta (real town, different name...but that town was called Sparta in the TV show... In The Heat of the Night, where it was filmed...got on the crew of that show...but that is another story.)

In Sparta she met, Tracey and he left her for another woman, taking away the home place she put alot of sweat and money into. SHe did work for me and got her $$$ from her disability w/c check from her injury, as stated in novel.

Unfortunatley she was an addict, met Wayne (really a key man) and he really cared for her, but was afraid of commitment. He was married to Dave's sister (remember the bartender) for 10 years and didnt want a wedding anytime soon. I might have better gone into more on that in the book, but didnt. Anyway also as a side note, Dave and his sister (Wayne's Ex) were adopted as a pair and raised together in a happy family next door to Wayne....another story.

But this is about Trixie, after her breakup with Wayne, I invited her to stay with me in my pool house. She had a lovely daughter who was from the union of the Preacher's partner' rape. (she was really from the union with her first husband....I think). Then she met Marvin....a married man (married to a younger woman with severe RA) who came to the clinic often, always with a big wad of cash. I hope I painted him well as he also b ecame a main character in the novel. He co-owned the local pawn shop with his dad, who was well connected in this small southern town.

I started playing trivia with Wayne as friends, and Trixie got very jealous. THey were still friends or something. We planned to go on a minivacation together to florida with kids and another couple. In the story I had 2 girls, I really only have one. Also during this time, I met on a professional basis, he was a pt., Bill, the cop, who in the story, I had a close friendship...which may lead to something else. Bill was also married but gets a divorce as his younger wife runs off with younger man. (that is true.) Bill got custody of 2 kids....but in real life I fixed him up with my best friend but it didnt work out. Here, 10 years later, I still talk to Bill, but am happily married to someone else. (not in the story).

Trixie turns into a real drug freak and her and Marvin live in a rental house. She had always been a drinker so they partied! Marvin, who really did play Santa, lost alot of weight and it was rumored that he did have cancer. He didnt...he was just poppin pills with Trixie.

We really did go to Florida, my friends, kid and Wayne and had a great time as described. Judy is a real person as well is her boyfriend, Steve. The rest of the story was pretty straight on like it happened. ...the shooting, the investigation...including the quarry, the deeds, the body, the burial. Like I said there was no Heath, so the person who took Amanda in was Trixie's first husband, Jamie, who had become a fine christian, remarried and had several kids in Devil's hollow. Amanda married and had 2 kids. she is now divorced and living in NOrth Ga.

The confession with Mr. Johnson sr. is made up to tie the facts together. Nothing was every done about Trixie's death.

The other made up part about this story was the shooting of the preacher....he is still living in North Georgia.

Creative November Meeting

2008-11-21T14:10:00.001-08:00

Brrrr....its cold out there! Even in the cold and darkness a few members ventured out to our meeting. We took this time to 'play' some creative writing games and exercises and chomp down on some treats that Ms. Lois so graciously donated. Our first exercise was prompted by bags of goodies. Each bag had 3 items...we had 3 min to trade and then had 10 min to write a story about these items....must be connected. Great stories and a variety of thoughts on the subject.
OUr next exercise was to concentrate on descriptions. One exercise that helps is to describe an item in 3 words...kind of like doing an ad. It is harder than you think!
Our last exercise was to write about a gift box...what was in it and who were you going to give it to.

We also discussed a time and place for our Xmas social, our Sat critique meeting and possibly moving meetings to a sat. Well get more opinions and come up with a game plan.

Our next meeting is Dec. 6th for a critique meeting at the Hospital cafeteria. Hope to have a good group. See you then, have a great thanksgiving!

Sue Dye, local poet

2008-10-20T14:27:00.001-07:00

Sue Dye, local Clarksdale citizen and poet was our guest at our DWA October meeting. Her poetry reading touched the audience. Would it not be great to get her on tape ? She was awesome! It was also special as we helped her celebrate her 91st birthday. Lucky us! Please visit us again, Sue!

October meeting - what fun!

2008-10-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight's meeting was so fun! It was a special treat to hear Sue Dye recite her poetry....insightful words that create pictures and emotions and utilize both versatile grammar and "every day" straight to the heart truths. The visitors to our group were a pleasure as well and I hope they will find a way to meet with us again soon. Ms. Dye concluded her presentation with a poem about a "darling chickadee".....I think that was quite appropo as the title could easily apply to this youthful, exhuberant 91 year old darling. Imagine...being able to share poems written over a span of 60+ years. We just received a spare taste of what must be a fantastic journey in musical words from a woman who clearly loves people and life to the utmost.
Thanks, Virginia and Lois, for providing this memorable experience for our group!
~Laura A.

Submissions in print

2008-10-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone....the submissions for the TWF contest were printed in the Clarksdale Paper. I heard Billy's submission was printed and then I saw A day on the Farm by Cal Trout was also printed. If anyone has a copy of Billy's ...please get us one for our scrap book.

Lots of things going on for writers and mentors. Joe Campbell who is an author from Indianola invited us to attend a day in his honor tomorrow Oct 14th. A book signing is planned at the library and entertainment at the BB King museum. I will try to get the flyer to you all as soon as I get it. I will be there and they will be interviewing me as well for the "writers in the Delta" episode and the documentary on his life.

THe Friends of the Library has appointed me to be in charge of a newsletter. We are going to involve the winners of the essay contest that they had in April as mentors. Hopefully we can continue this and help our library with PR and a newsletter. ANy volunteers ? :)

Also we need volunteers to be on the Writing Mentor Committee. This is a grant program that will involve 5 students from the 3 high schools in the area to get motivated about writing, and maybe learn a few things. For more information, please email John Mayo.

Dont forget you all , meeting is this thursday at 6:30 at the Cutrer Mansion and we have critique group on Sat. at 9 am. Invite your friends. Our guest speaker is Sue Dye, famous author and poet. This will be a fun meeting.

My personal road bump

2008-10-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

Yes I was really off lately. My husband who is the physician at CCA prison got reassigned. We just moved here and bought a house. Guess where...Minnesota. Can you believe it...peter is the smartest guy I know, he has Millions of degrees and board certifications and worked 70-80 hrs a week at that place. he even spent our anniversary there! (all weekend and holidays). but i told him that i would rather not move and loved Clarksdale and the people and the writers group, etc.

so God provided, within 2 days he had secured a job at Parchman as a physician and also a temp job in Florida for a month to fill in the gap....so i guess you guys are stuck with me.

see you soon!

I am embarrased!

2008-10-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

Our announcement for the 2nd prize winner was incorrect....Shannan Rule Bardwell was the author of God Bless the Boon! So sorry Shannon!

I was also a little disappointed in our newspaper coverage. I thought we would have at least one or two submission (I emailed to Patricia) and some photo coverage of the luncheon. If I missed it, someone tell me...I a
have been a little off lately.

Contest Winner

2008-09-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a great response to our Tennessee Williams Festival Literary Contest. We had 35 entries in just 3 weeks and they were from all over the US. Our theme was Tennessee Williams and the Delta, but some of the submissions were about all aspects of the south, growing up in the south, working and living in the south. It was a hard job, but after much reading we decided (by a votes and number system) that Billy Howell, from Clarksdale, MS. won first prize with his submission entitled Howell Reflections at Cutrer. He will hopefully be presenting his paper at the luncheon at the Cutrer mansion on Friday during the TWF. We had a tie for 2nd with Dr Hillard Lackey's God Bless the Boon and Cal Trout with A Day on the Farm. I think the newspaper will be publishing these entries, we will see on Monday.

ANyway Congrats! to our winners. This is our first contest for a very young group...so we learned as we went. I wish we could give prizes to all of the contest entries.

Thanks again to our writers and judges!

PS Look for these winning submissions right here on our web blog!

Next meeting of the DWA

2008-09-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Our next meeting of the DWA is coming up shortly...Sept 18th at 6:30 at Cutrer Mansion on Clark Street. If you dont know where this is, you must be a newbe like me. It seems that everyone in Clarksdale knows where everything and everybody is, was and will be!

We got a great lead to publish an anthology about Clarksdale and specifically about the women of Clarksdale (or the Delta). Put your thinking caps on and tell us a story. I have a tape recorder:) If you would like contribute, please contact us!

Also we are winding down our TWF contest. Thank you so much for the submissions. One more day to get them in...so hurry! We will have our submissions displayed at the Mansion and present awards at our next meeting and the TWF. You all are wonderful. This just goes to prove that Mississippi has some wonderful and gifted people. I keep saying that Clarksdale, and the Delta, is an unpolished diamond!

Anyway hope to see you at the meeting. If you cant make it, please email us and we can put you on our mailing list. We have contests/markets going out everyday.

Later!
V

Delta Writers Association - a beginning!

2008-09-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

Yippee! The newest Chapter of the Mississippi
Writer's Guild is up and running in Clarksdale, MS.

Newly named the Delta Writer's Association with respect to the Delta , its history, culture and presence of its magical influence on its writers. What a joy!

Our first meeting was just a month or so ago, but already people are excited. We have ten members and many more to come.

We meet the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30 at the historically, inspiring Cutrer Mansion, also the home of the Coahoma County Continuing Educational Center. We also have a critique meeting on the first Sat of the month at the Resthaven Restaurant
at 9 am. For further information you can call 1 800 381 2306 or email us at deltawritersassociation@yahoo.com. We welcome all that are interested in writing, sharing their writing and ideas and speakers for our group. Listeners are always welcome too!

We are currently sponsoring a literary contest with the theme Tennessee Williams or the Delta to win entry to the Festival Sept 25-26 in Clarksdale, MS. We are looking for fiction or non-fiction, poetry, short story or one act plays, approximately 1200 words to be submitted on or before September 16 via email at deltawritersassociation@yahoo.com or faxed to 662 253-4931. Any questions, please email or call.

As president, I am looking forward to a very literary Clarksdale!