SCWW's new-and-improved literary journal, The Petigru Review, will feature the best writing of SCWW members in three categories: fiction; nonfiction; and poetry. The judges for each category are listed below. Submissions will be accepted until April 30, 2007. See the SCWW website for submission guidelines.

Fiction:

REBECCA GODWIN
Ms. Godwin has published two novels, Private Parts and Keeper of the House. Her short fiction has appeared in Paris Review, Epoch, Crescent Review, South Carolina Review, The Sun, and elsewhere. Among her honors are a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship in literature, a McDowell Colony fellowship, and a South Carolina Fiction Project award. Critical analysis of her work has appeared in Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction. She has twice served as a screening judge for the Drue Heinz Literature Prize and has also judged the South Carolina Fiction Fellowship. She earned her BA, summa cum laude, from Coastal Carolina College, and her MA from Bread Loaf School of English, Middlebury College. She has taught in Bennington College's MFA in Writing and July Programs and in the undergraduate program since 2003.

GEORGE SINGLETON
Mr. Singleton has published four collections of stories (These People Are Us, The Half-Mammals of Dixie, Why Dogs Chase Cars, Drowning in Gruel) and two novels (Novel, Work Shirts for Madmen). His fiction has appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Playboy, Book, Zoetrope, Glimmer Train, Georgia Review, and Shenandoah, among other magazines, and has been anthologized in eight editions of New Stories from the South. His nonfiction has appeared in Oxford American, and the anthologies Best Food Writing 2005 and Dog is My Co-pilot.

ASHLEY WARLICK
Ms. Warlick is the author of three novels, The Distance From The Heart of Things (1996), The Summer After June (2000), and Seek the Living (2005), all published by Houghton Mifflin. She is the youngest winner of the Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship, a founding member of the advisory board for the Novello Festival Press, and book columnist for several newspapers. In 2006, she received a fellowship in literature from the National Endowment for the Arts. She teaches in the MFA program at Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities.

Nonfiction:

JACK BASS
Mr. Bass teaches at the College of Charleston. He has written for The New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times and is the author or co-author of six nonfiction books, including STROM: The Complicated Personal and Political Life of Strom Thurmond, The Orangeburg Massacre, Unlikely Heroes, The Transformation of Southern Politics, and Taming the Storm, winner of the 1994 Robert Kennedy Book Award. His website: www.jackbass.com.

JEANNE BROOKS
Ms. Brooks is the Metro Columnist for The Greenville News. She has received first place in column writing from the South Carolina Press Association three times in her six years with the News, and placed in the top three five out of the six years. Before returning to South Carolina, she worked for the San Diego Union Tribune, where she also wrote a metro column, and won numerous awards. Over her career, she has been a general assignment reporter and feature writer, and has written for magazines. Her blog: news.greenvilleonline.com/blogs/brooks/.

CHRISTINE SWAGER
Dr. Swager writes on the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. Her first two books, Black Crows and White Cockades and If Ever Your Country Needs You, are historic fiction for young adults and focus on Francis Marion's campaign. Come to the Cow Pens! is nonfiction for young adults. Her latest book, The Valiant Died, is nonfiction adult and covers the war in the South from 1778 to 1782. She started writing about this period after retiring from the University of South Carolina because teachers complained there was little literature for their students. Her e-mail address: cswager@oburg.net.

Poetry:

DAN ALBERGOTTI
Dr. Albergotti's poems have appeared in Mid-American Review, Shenandoah, The Southern Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and other journals. He has been a scholar at the Sewanee and Bread Loaf writers' conferences and a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. His chapbook, Charon's Manifest, won the 2005 Randall Jarrell/Harperprints Chapbook Competition, and his full-length collection, The Boatloads, won the 2007 A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize and will be published by BOA Editions in March 2008 (boaeditions.org/submissions/A_Poulin_Prize.html). A graduate of the MFA program at University of North Carolina Greensboro and former poetry editor of The Greensboro Review, he currently serves as poetry editor of storySouth (www.storysouth.com) and teaches at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. His faculty webpage: www.coastal.edu/humanities/faculty/details.html?x=166.

GILBERT ALLEN
Since 1977, Mr. Allen has lived in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, and taught at Furman University. His collections of poems are In Everything, Second Chances, Commandments at Eleven, and Driving to Distraction. He received the 2002-2003 Literary Arts Fellowship from the South Carolina Arts Commission, and he co-edited A Millennial Sampler of South Carolina Poetry in 2005. His poems have been featured on The Writer's Almanac and Verse Daily. More of his biographical details and some sample poems may be found at www.southernartistry.org.

MICHELE REESE
Born in Texas and raised in West Virginia, Dr. Reese teaches at the University of South Carolina Sumter. She received her Ph.D. in creative writing from the University of Missouri, and has published poems in Mid-American Poetry Review, The Paris Review, Poet Lore, and other literary journals. In 2006, WordTech Editions published her book-length collection of poems, entitled Following Phia. Her publisher's webpage: www.wordtechweb.com/reese.html.

Last month, Sarah told you about all of the agents and editors scheduled to appear at this year's conference. Because we're getting information out as early as possible this year, you may notice a few changes in the faculty-we're still in the invitation stage of this process.

I have a few of exciting additions to our lineup: Beth Jusino, of Alive Communications will join us on faculty again this year, and editors David Long, of Bethany House, Jennifer Pooley, of William Morrow and Liz Scheier, of ROC/NAL will join our staff.

Jessica Faust, Assistant Editor of The Southern Review will not be able to make it this year, and Sarah Durand likewise sends her regrets.

On to Poets and Authors! Sarah and I are very excited about the group we've been fortunate enough to assemble. They are:

As you can see, we have many genres represented. By next month, we should be able to give you a list of all the great workshops we'll have on the schedule. Don't forget...the dates are October 26th - 28th. Information is updated on the website as we get it.

Y'all take care,

Susan

Next on our odyssey of self-discovery, is question # 5, "Have You Published Your Work?" Nine members skipped this question, and 181 answered. One hundred thirty two of the members responding (73%) have published their workomany in multiple formats. Here are the results:

As an organization, most of us are interested in being published (and are overwhelmingly successful!), while a few write either for self-fulfillment, family or in service to others. To those who havenit yet reached that goal, I think the message here is, "be persistentodonit give up!" To all of those who have published, and want to expand their writing careers, the message is the same. We can do thisowe are doing it!

Special note of sincere apology to all poets: I am so sorry that I inadvertently omitted poetry as a category on this question. I was much chagrined when I discovered the error, but it was too late to correct it. I can only plead imperfection.

We'll skip question #6. It was a housekeeping question to make sure everyone was receiving The Quill. If you are reading this, you got yours.

Question #7 is one of the most interesting to me personally: "What do you write?" Well, let me tell you, we are a diverse group. This is not a homogenous, one-size-fits-all organization. I may have mentioned that before, and I apologize if Iim repeating myself, but I think itis worth repeating. Here are the resultsoand remember, members were allowed to check all categories that applied:

Total Respondents 186

(skipped this question) 4

Much of what folks put in the "other" category is covered in the next question, regarding genre. But there other categories that came to light were:

• Newsletters
• Technical Documentation
• Speeches
• Devotionals
• Travel (Which I had supposed would be a type of article, but since I didnit have a genre section for non-fiction, I thought it was worth mentioning that we have travel writers in the group.)
• True Crime (Intended to be a part of non-fiction)
• Literature for 12-step organizations (This may fall under any one of several other categories, but Iim no expert here, so, I left it as a separate category.)

If we do this survey againoand I hope we do, I think we should include a more specific breakdown on non-fiction, just like we did for fiction.

Question #8 was, "If you write fiction, including scripts and/or screenplays, what genre(s)?" Here are the results:

Total Respondents 166

(skipped this question) 24

Here are the "other" responses that represented genres not in the list above:

*There were a few non-fiction genres listed here, and I noted them above, in Question #7.

I've studied the results of this survey, and paid particular attention to questions 7 & 8. They have shaped, in large part, our conference this year. More on the conference later...

And questions 9 - 18, all dealing with the anthology, next month!

Many apologies to Wilma Reitz, whose name was inadvertently omitted from the list of Book Fest volunteers in last month's Quill due to Susan Boyer's head spinning around on her neck.

Many apologies to Susan Boyer, whose article "Survey Says..." was inadvertently omitted from the earlier e-dition of The Quill due to more gray hair on the outside of Leland's head than gray matter inside.

Mickey Burriss' story, "I Wish I Was Hosey Hitchcock," about a mill-hill boy working with an old loom-fixer to earn money in 1944, will be published in Overtime, a series of one-story chapbooks by Blue Cubicle Press in Plano, Texas. Mickey adds, "Thank you, and the other volunteers, for providing a rich ground of critique through SCWW upon which this seed could fall."

Cherryl E. Garner's poems, "Passions of a Plain Woman" and "Solitude," won Honorable Mentions in the November and December Interboard Poetry Competition.

Elysabeth Eldering's story "Butterfly Halves" is to be published in the near future as a downloadable ebook by Echelon Press www.echelonpress.com.

WoW, the literary magazine Words of Wisdom, has selected Bob Strother's story "Bite of the Dragon" for publication. The quarterly magazine is affiliated with the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and has been publishing for over twenty-five years.

Kevin Coyle's well researched story "Genshi Bakudan" has been included in Issue 237 of Bewildering Stories. The tale can be read at www.bewilderingstories.com (choose "Click here for index" under Issue 237, then click on "Kevin Coyle, Genshi Bakudan".)

The South Carolina Arts Commission Literary Arts Bulletin, a twice-monthly e-publication, is designed to provide a coordinated, comprehensive listing of literary events across the state. Each issue provides a list of the next four weeks of literary activities on our calendar, along with a few highlights of other upcoming events. To subscribe, please email twallace@arts.state.sc.us with "Subscribe" in the subject line.

April 2 - May 5

Lifelong Learning - Book Club
Taught by Caroline Ewing
North Myrtle Beach Higher Education Center, Conway
Free
Registration and information: 843-349-4001

April 3

Poetry Reading by USC MFA graduate student: Jonathan Butler
5:30 p.m.
Rutledge Chapel, USC Horseshoe, Columbia
Open to the public; light refreshments

The Big Read: Fahrenheit 451 Discussion
6:30 p.m.
Wesmark Library, Sumter
Free and open to the public
Info: www.midnet.sc.edu/sumtercls/big%20read%202007.htm

Without Possessions: Music, Art, and Poetry
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Columbia College, Concert Hall in Speares Music/Art Center, Columbia
Reception following
Info: 803-777-5492

Question and Answer and Book Signing With Mo Rocca
Social Satirist and Former Daily Show Correspondent
8:00 p.m.
Koger Center for the Arts, Columbia
Free for USC students, faculty, and staff
Tickets $10 for general public; tickets available for sale at 803-251-2222

April 4

A Celebration of the Spoken Word: Poetry II
Poets Jon Butler and Raychelle Heath
12:00 p.m.
Lecture Hall, Arts and Letters Building, USC Sumter, Sumter
Division of Arts and Letters and the South Carolina Center for Oral Narration
Free and open to the public

April 5

Elise Blackwell signs her novel "The Unnatural History of Cypress Parish"
6:00 p.m.
The Happy Bookseller, 4525 Forest Drive, Columbia
Info: www.happybookseller.com

College of Charleston Visiting Writers Series: David Wojahn
7:30 p.m.
Alumni Memorial Hall (Randolph Hall), College of Charleston
Info: www.cofc.edu/~english/

April 6

The Moveable Feast Literary Luncheon: Denise Hildreth
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Carefree Catering, 8151 Hwy 17 South, Pawleys Island
$25 tickets
Info and reservations: 843-235-9600 or www.classatpawleys.com

Reading by Dynamic Poet Valzhyna Mort
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
1st Floor Lounge, Welsh Humanities Office Building, University of South Carolina, Columbia
Light lunch served
Info and RSVP: Charlene Spearen, cmspeare@gwm.sc.edu, 803-777-5492

Cassandra King signs her novel The Queen of Broken Hearts
5:00 p.m.
The Happy Bookseller, 4525 Forest Drive, Columbia
Info: www.happybookseller.com

April 7

Melinda Long signs her book "Pirates Don't Change Diapers"
1:00 p.m.
The Happy Bookseller, 4525 Forest Drive, Columbia
Info: www.happybookseller.com

April 10

A Rather Poetic Evening Series in April - Ellie Davis
Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts and the Charleston County Public Library
7:00 p.m.
Charleston County Public Library, Main Branch Auditorium
Free and open to the public
Signing and desserts after the reading
Info: 843-805-6930

April 10 - May 15

Emrys' The Writing Room Workshop
Writing for Children and Young Adults-Mark Johnston
April 10 - May 15, Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Camperdown Building Conference Room, 200 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville
$180 for nonmembers; $150 for members
Online registration: www.emrys.org
Information: Mindy Friddle, 864-884-2403, mindyfriddle@yahoo.com

April 11

Poetry Reading by USC MFA graduate student: Phil Carriere
11:00 a.m.
Rutledge Chapel, USC Horseshoe, Columbia
Open to the public; light refreshments

Southern Writers Series: Randall Kenan
Sponsored by Richland County Public Library and USC's Institute for Southern Studies
5:30 p.m.
Richland County Public Library, Main Branch, 1431 Assembly Street
Info: www.myrcpl.com

Reading Langston Hughes:
The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain Eighty Years On
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Black Box Theatre, USC Campus, Wheat Street, Columbia
Free and open to the public
Info: 803-777-5492

April 11 - May 16

Emrys' The Writing Room Workshop
Write Here, Right Now: A Prose Workshop - Mindy Friddle
Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Innovate Building Conference Room, 148 River Street, Greenville
$180 for nonmembers, $150 for members
Online registration: www.emrys.org
Information: Mindy Friddle, 864-884-2403, mindyfriddle@yahoo.com

April 12

Deadline for Requests for Proposals for the NEA's The Big Read
For more information or to download the Request for Proposal, see the Web site: www.neabigread.org

Luncheon Featuring Dorothea Benton Frank
Sponsored by the Friends of the Richland County Public Library
1:00 p.m.
Bostick Auditorium, Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia
Tickets $15 for Friends members and $20 for general public
Reservations by April 4: 803-929-3475

A Fiction Reading by Michael Parker
The Words to Say It Visiting Writers Series
4:30 p.m.
Wall Auditorium, Coastal Carolina University, Conway
Sponsored by Coastal Carolina University
Free and open to the public
Info:albergot@coastal.edu

A Rather Poetic Evening Series in April - Jim Lundy
Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts and the Charleston County Public Library
7:00 p.m.
Charleston County Public Library, Main Branch Auditorium
Free and open to the public
Signing and desserts after the reading
Info: 843-805-6930

April 13

Poets in the Forest: Gil Allen
Sponsored by Travelers Rest Arts Mission
7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. for open mic sign up)
Leopard Forest Coffee Company, 26 S. Main Street, Travelers Rest
$5.00 cover ($2.00 students)
Info: www.trartsmission.org

Katherine Smith at the Poetry Society of South Carolina
7:00 p.m.
Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting Street, Charleston
Info: bardowl2@aol.com

Irania Patterson: Children's Songwriter and Author
7:00 p.m.
Greenville County Public Library, Hughes Main Library, Greenville
Free and open to the public
Info: www.greenvillelibrary.org

April 14

Friends of the Richland County Public Library Spring Book Sale
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
RCPL Operations Center, 130 Lancewood Road, Columbia
Info: 803-929-3475

April 15

The Big Read: Wrap-Up and Opening of Sumter County Library
Sumter County Public Library, Main Branch, Sumter
Free and open to the public
Info: www.midnet.sc.edu/sumtercls/big%20read%202007.htm

April 16

Tea & Poetry: Lavonne Adams and Malena Morling
3:00 p.m.
Waccamaw Higher Education Center, 160 Willbrook Blvd., Litchfield
Free
Info: 843-349-4030

April 17

Sumter Civic Theatre presents "Crossroads: Left Coast Writers Meet the South"
7 pm, doors open at 6:30 pm
City Centre, 25 N. Main Street, Sumter
Readers include Linda Watanabe McFerrin, www.lwmcferrin.com
Carla Damron, Janna McMahan, & five authors from the Bay Area of California
Free and open to the public
Contact: Martha Greenway, 803-495-2186, mgreenway@ftc-i.net

Converse Writers Series: Joshua Poteat
8:00 p.m.
Barnet Room, Montgomery Student Center, Converse College, Spartanburg
Free and open to the public
Info: 864-596-918

April 19

College of Charleston Visiting Writers Series: Dan Chaon
7:30 p.m.
Arnold Hall (96 Wentworth), College of Charleston
Info: www.cofc.edu/~english/

April 19 - May 24

Emrys' The Writing Room Workshop
Poetry Workshop-Mamie Morgan
Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville
$180 for nonmembers; $150 for members
Online registration: www.emrys.org
Information: Mindy Friddle, 864-884-2403, mindyfriddle@yahoo.com

April 20

The Moveable Feast Literary Luncheon: Tara Guerard11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
DeBordieu Colony Clubhouse, Georgetown
$25 tickets
Info and reservations: 843-235-9600 or www.classatpawleys.com

April 20 - 21

A(ugusta) Baker's Dozen
April 20, 6:30 p.m. - Lecture and book-signing with Bryan Collier
April 21, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Storytelling for Families
Richland County Public Library, Main Branch, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia
Free and open to the public
Info: 803-929-3474

April 21

Friends of the Charleston County Public Library Book Sale
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
John's Island Regional Library, 3532 Maybank Highway
Info: 843-805-6978

Word Crazy: A Women's Writing Workshop
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Hampton Inn, Grandview Drive, Simpsonville
Pre-registration required
Info: Diane Taylor, 864-963-0752

Single Poem/Book Awards Ceremony
Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia
Sponsored by USC's Poetry Initiative
Info: www.cas.sc.edu/engl/poetry/index.htm

April 21-22

Weekend Seminar: Fade In: Beginning Screenwriting-Scott Gould
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 22, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville
$100 for nonmembers, $90 for members
Info: www.emrys.org or contact Mindy Friddle at 864-884-2403

April 22

Author Beth Webb Hart - Lecture and Signing
3:00 p.m.
Weatherly-Walker House, 303 E. Market Street, Bennettsville
Free admission
Info: www.marlboroarts.com

April 23

Poetry Reading by USC MFA graduate student: Jennifer Marchand
1:30 p.m.
Rutledge Chapel, USC Horseshoe, Columbia
Open to the public; light refreshments

Southern Writers Series: George Singleton
Sponsored by Richland County Public Library and USC's Institute for Southern Studies
5:30 p.m.
Richland County Public Library, Main Branch, 1431 Assembly Street
Info: www.myrcpl.com

Emrys Reading Room: Governor's School for the Arts Students
7:00 p.m.
The Handlebar, 204 E. Stone Avenue, Greenville
Info: www.emrys.org

Hub City Reading Series: Diane Fisher
7:30 p.m.
The Showroom at Hub-Bub, 149 S. Daniel Morgan Avenue, Spartanburg
Info: www.hubcity.org

April 24

A Rather Poetic Evening Series in April - Jessica Bundschuh
Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts and the Charleston County Public Library
7:00 p.m.
Charleston County Public Library, Main Branch Auditorium
Free and open to the public
Signing and desserts after the reading
Info: 843-805-6930

April 26

A Rather Poetic Evening Series in April - Barbara G.S. Hagerty
Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts and the Charleston County Public Library
7:00 p.m.
Charleston County Public Library, Main Branch Auditorium
Free and open to the public
Signing and desserts after the reading
Info: 843-805-6930

Ashley Hall Reading Series: Natasha Trethewey
7:30 p.m.
McBee House, Ashley Hall Campus, 172 Rutledge Avenue, Charleston
Free and open to the public
Info: 843-720-2855

April 27

The Moveable Feast Literary Luncheon: Cissy Wechter
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Bistro 217, 10707 Ocean Highway, Pawley's Island
$25 tickets
Info and reservations: 843-235-9600 or www.classatpawleys.com

May 4

The Moveable Feast Literary Luncheon: Harlan Coben
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Inlet Affairs, 4024 Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet
$25 tickets
Info and reservations: 843-235-9600 or www.classatpawleys.com

June 2

Poetry Workshop - Making Tension Work For You
Taught by Cathy Smith Bowers
Sponsored by the Poetry Society of SC
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
DeBordieu Colony Beach Club, Georgetown
$40 for Poetry Society members; $50 for all others
Lunch provided
Registration by May 20th; space limited
For information and registration, contact Dennis Ward Stiles at 843-452-0798

August 3-5

Writing In Place Conference
Hosted by Hub City Writers Project at Wofford College
August 3 - August 5
Wofford College
Information and registration: www.hubcity.org, 864-577-9349

October 1

Deadline for SC Arts Commission Prose and Poetry Artist Fellowships
Guidelines and information available at www.SouthCarolinaArts.com

Join South Carolina native and best-selling author Dorothea Benton Frank for a luncheon hosted by the Friends of RCPL at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 12 in the Bostick Auditorium of the Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly St. Tickets are $15 for Friends' members and $20 for nonmembers. Space is limited. Please call 929-3475 by April 4 to reserve your seat.

The New York Times best-selling author of Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms and Full of Grace will discuss and sign copies of her latest novel, The Land of Mango Sunsets, which will be available for purchase.

Frank is a nationally recognized fundraiser for education and the arts, as well as an advocate of literacy programs and women's issues. She was born and raised on Sullivan's Island and currently resides in the New York area with her husband and two children.

This event is sponsored in part by the Main Street location of Rising High Natural Bread Co.

The Friends of RCPL is a nonprofit organization that works to raise support and awareness of the library. Friends' memberships begin at only $25. Call 929-3475 for more details on membership or this special event.

Saturday, April 27, 2007
10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
Washington Street UMC
Columbia, SC

As a part of the Columbia Festival of the Arts, April 27 - May 6, Washington Street UMC is sponsoring a poetry workshop with Ed Madden, Poet in Residence, Riverbanks Zoo, exploring the other: creative writing and the spirit. Those who know Ed Madden know his unique ability to get folks into personal expression in writing poetry. Ted Kooser, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Delights & Shadows, says, "Poetry is communication . . . (it's) purpose is to reach other people and to touch their hearts." Ed leads his workshop participants toward that end. To reserve a spot, call the church at 803-256-2417. Or call Alex Raley at 803-776-5520 for more information. A nominal fee of $5:00 is requested.

Swimming Lessons is the latest novel by beloved author Mary Alice Monroe. In the highly anticipated follow up to THE BEACH HOUSE, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe returns to South Carolina's breathtaking Isle of Palms in a heartwarming novel that unravels a tale of how lives can change over one magical summer.

SC Book Store appearances include:

• April 1 INDIGO BOOKS John's Island, SC
• April 12 Barnes & Noble Greenville, SC
• May 5 Barnes & Noble #2914 Hilton Head Island, SC

Mary Alice Monroe is the critically acclaimed author of ten novels, including Sweetgrass, Skyward, The Beach House, The Four Seasons and The Book Club. She is an active conservationist and lives in the lowcountry of South Carolina.

Downeast Writers Conference
June 14-16, 2007
Deer Isle, Maine

Presided over by a user-friendly faculty of distinguished novelists, essayists, journalists, poets, editors, critics and agents, this cornucopia of lectures, workshops, roundtables and Q&As held in a warm and nurturing, breathtakingly beautiful atmosphere will run concurrently with the traditional annual Deer Isle Lupine Festival and offers the rarest of opportunities for aspiring writers from every level to rub elbows with the masters and share the secrets of their successes.

The South Carolina Arts Commission is proud to announce the 2007 Poetry Out Loud winner for South Carolina. Samara L.A. Simmons from Academic Magnet High School in Charleston will represent South Carolina at the national Poetry Out Loud finals in Washington, DC April 30-May 1, 2007. Cara Shaw of York Comprehensive High School in York was first runner-up. Caitlin Tuten-Rhodes of Ashley Hall in Charleston was second runner-up. Other finalists were Jasmine Aye of Greenwood High School, Ashley Blanchard of Timberland High School, Hallie Carde of Richland Northeast High School, Rachel Short of Chapin High School, Erika Whatley of the Fine Arts Center, and Kylie Witiak of Dutch Fork High School.

The state finals were part of a full day of poetry-related events sponsored by USC's South Carolina Poetry Initiative and the South Carolina Arts Commission on March 10th. Poetry Pops: Conference for Students and Teachers included workshops by distinguished USC faculty and a reading by special guest poet Sonya Sones.

Another child being hit by a parent backing out of the driveway in Miami - the 5th in less than a month in this one city - caused me to wonder how big a problem this is and what is being done to prevent it. Please take time to check out this web site above and pass on this information.

Many of you are wordsmiths and know the power of the pen. Please use your opportunity and talent to help inform the public as to ways to prevent this tragedy: letters to editors, notes home to parents, business or organization newsletters, blogs.

Others of you are in positions of setting up Kiwanis, Jaycee, Rotary, and Civitan programs - perhaps a presentation by local law enforcement at faculty meetings, PTA meetings, Chamber of Commerce Meetings, City Council Meetings and Leadership groups.

This unnecessary tragedy is weighing heavy on my heart.