A few members in Napa Valley Writers are investigating starting a group on Meet-Up, the successful online community of like minded fun spirited folks. Let us know if you’d like to help out in this. You may contact Kathleen Thomas at publicity.nvw@gmail.com
Writers Helping Writers, a committe of NVW would like to invite you to join our Early Bird Sessions at our monthly meetings, 2nd Wednesday of the month. Each month, a different topic to bring local writers together. Subject to change, check back when you have the chance.
Calendar for Early Bird Sessions:
April: Speed Critique (Poetry)
May: 3×5 Cards (Inciting Incidents)
June: Writers’ Tables (Poetry, and Journaling / Blogging)
July: Speed Critique (any genre)
August: 3 x 5 Cards (What’s your online biography?)
September: Writers’ Tables (Mystery, and Romance)
October: Speed Critique(any genre)
November: 3 x 5 Cards (Three barriers hindering your writing)
December: Writers’ Table (What’re your writing goals and sources of inspiration?)
In Honor of April being National Poetry Month, we presented two poems by former Napa County Poet Laureate, Leonore Wilson for your enjoyment. Leonore was the 2013 Poet Laureate of Napa County. She has been nominated for four Pushcart prizes. Currently she sits on two boards at St. Mary’s College. She lives on her family’s cattle ranch in east Napa and works hard to save the environment she dearly loves.
See her poem March Day in the April Napa Valley Newsletter.
THE TUMOR
When the tumor in the brain
nearly took my child, I was not
a neat mother, I was fierce,
fierce and protective, I did not
want anyone to set foot in that room
with all the machines and the
tubes, I wanted his boy body
all to myself like the day
he was born, I would not
break down in front of him,
I cradled his skull in my hands
as if it was the universe
I was cradling, and it was,
it was soul and spirit and body,
it was the found honey
of my life, my life’s goal,
and I told those messengers,
those nurses, those angels
to protect him from the fire
as he was operated on
my strong one, my Samson,
as they cut his hair and made
a C around his ear, a C for his alma mater
for cunning, for courage, for
coming round which he did
my man, my gold and my silver,
the gentle tongue from which even now
I drink.
…………
Faithful Spouse
How I clung to you,
like a whale calf to its mother
you were that protective
of me during those days
I could not eat, when darkness
circled around my body
like the chalk around a murder scene,
oh I could not think for myself
I had no appetite, nothing–
no desire, no love for life,
for nature, for you, my dearest,
and sometimes you stomped
out of the room wanting me back
you were so discouraged thinking
you had lost me, your wife, your
bride, your little bird not knowing I was lost
to myself,how I clung to you, lay under you
like a large protective flap, I was so afraid
of what god had in store for us,
what sins I had perpetuated,
what immorality if any for
surely I was human, a mortal,
I had grabbed the hand
of something undeniably stubborn
undeniably lost and putting down
my head you could see
I grieved.
Writers Helping Writers explores, educates and coordinates with our members on many avenues to help the members of NVW, including the following:
- special events
- social marketing and other craft websites
- critique groups and writers conferences
- effective use of editors and editing
- finding that elusive agent, and/or publisher and getting published, traditionally and/or through self publishing
- using reviews and reviewers to your best advantage
- exploring Member Spotlights for our members in various online formats and websites.
- writers conferences
- craft work
- networking
- promotions of NVW publications, workshops, speaking engagements and special events
NVW is currently looking for a member or members who can share some of the tasks related to our website. Please contact us if you’d like more information at emailwriterthis@gmail.com