Back-to-school momentum is contagious. It's an unexpected renewal in September even as we're heading into the decay of fall. It's our final chance to turn this year around.
I love the possibilities of a new school year, despite being folded back into routine and conformity. The dichotomy of September is motivating. As a football fan, the return to the gridiron gets me especially fired up.
The fall harvest of apples and pumpkin-spice-everything, the cooling temperatures or at least the promise that our 102-degree days are over. September has its own magic as we transition and transform; it feels like a portal from what was, skipping through what is, headed straight toward what will be.
I can't help but be optimistic, surrounded by young people on campus. I hope that you'll find reason to be optimistic, too. In September:
SCWA is issuing The Petigru Review and moving our contributors forward in their literary journeys.
Our Aiken writers are hosting a book fair on Sept. 24 in the Etherredge Center at the University of South Carolina Aiken.
We're recruiting board members to serve in 2023; there is a place for you here in our SCWA leadership team.
NEW A LA CARTE MENU AVAILABLE FOR VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
We're so excited about this year's virtual conference, Oct. 7 through 9. For those looking for a weekend of workshops, panels, readings and more, from the comfort of your own home, we think the virtual schedule is well worth the value. However, if you're not sure you can commit to the entire weekend, we're also offering a new a la carte menu to meet your needs.
See a craft workshop you like? Sign up for just that one. Or perhaps you're interested in the agent Q & A or just Slushfest. Our new a la carte options allow you to pick and choose. Read the session descriptions to find the right class.
Anyone who would like to attend a virtual conference session, but needs financial assistance, please email Amber Wheeler Bacon.
We're so looking forward to our virtual and in-person conferences this October and their opportunities for learning, connection and community. We hope you'll join us.
WYANT LEGACY HONORED THROUGH CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
In May, the Camden Chapter of SCWA lost Douglas Wyant, a founding member of the group. In his honor, we are pleased to sponsor two scholarships to the association's fall virtual conference.
A gifted writer, Douglas’s poetry and fiction appeared in a number of literary magazines. In addition, he won two Carrie McCray Nickens awards and a fellowship to Wild Acres. One of his stories was selected to appear in the prestigious Masters' Review anthology featuring emerging writers.
In 2018, a cancer diagnosis prompted him to write a series of prayer-poems, collected in A Pilgrim's Prayer and published by Courier Publishing in 2021. "I believe, therefore, I pray," begins one poem, voicing his deep faith, while another ends, "Dear Lord, help me love my obnoxious neighbor," revealing his sense of humor.
Since 2007, Douglas red-circled our weak verbs, our split infinitives and our dangling modifiers. We miss his keen eye, but even more we miss the presence of our fellow writer and most beloved friend.
DOUGLAS WYANT VIRTUAL CONFERENCE SCHOLARS
Austin Hehir is an author, writer and content creator. He serves as the leader for the Charleston Chapter of SCWA. He has been featured in such magazines as Short Edition, The Jasper Project's Fall Lines and Friday Flash Fiction for his stories and poems. He has released his own book of poetry, Nostalgic Tendencies. In addition to writing, he creates cultural and media analysis video essays online to grow his audience and share his love of stories. More information can be found at https://linktr.ee/austinhehir. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a BS in mechanical engineering and a minor in biomedical engineering. He has authored a variety of technical publications as well during his career through various organizations, including NASA, AIAA and Boeing. He currently works at Boeing South Carolina as a mechanical systems engineer. When he is not writing at his favorite coffee shop, he spends his time reading, playing hockey and walking the beach with his dogs, Misty and Trixie.
What stands out first about Deanna Oddo is her large, beautiful family. She is a wife, mother of seven, mother-in-law to five, grandmother of 22 and great-grandmother of three (so far). Deanna is also a passionate teacher and artist, and dabbled with writing in the "spare moments" of raising a large family and working. She dreamed of taking her writing to a higher level. In 2017, a battle with cancer forced Deanna into early retirement. Despite the turbulence of that period in her life, having free time was the silver lining, and she began working on a novel, Invisible. She submitted several chapters of her novel to SCWA's writing contest.
CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE OFFERED AGAIN
The Benedict College Women’s Business Center Creative Entrepreneurship Initiative is back!
Join instructor Dr. Kasie Whitener, SCWA president, in six weekly virtual sessions, every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to7:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 27, to learn how to build a business out of your art. Topics will include customer validation, marketing, financial viability and funding options. The workshop is sponsored by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and designed for women artist-entrepreneurs looking to organize a business around their craft. Registration is $30 with limited space. Click here to register.
OPEN MIC NIGHTS WITH PAT CONROY CENTER CONTINUE
SCWA continues to partner with the Pat Conroy Literary Center to present monthly open mic nights virtually beginning this month. All sessions will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. on are via Facebook Live/Zoom on PCLC's Facebook page at the links provided below. For more information, email Contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
CALLING ALL SOUTH CAROLINA (ASPIRING) ARTISTS
Ever wonder how to monetize your craft? Is the thought of entrepreneurship intimidating? We can tell you how to make a living with your art.
The Artist Entrepreneur Incubator (AEI) is a virtual series collaboration of the South Carolina Arts Commission and One Columbia for Arts & Culture. AEI is available to artists across disciplines who live and work throughout South Carolina. The series of six-weekly interactive workshops are specifically designed for artists interested in transitioning their craft into a business. Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to attend.
2022-23 AEI participants will receive step-by-step coaching on:
Shaping big, creative ideas into marketable products.
Forming a viable business model.
Using that model to achieve sustainable success.
These virtual marketing workshops will be facilitated by Newberry College assistant professor Paul D. Smith Jr., who specializes in guiding the growth of small and existing businesses.
8TH ANNUAL SEA ISLAND SPIRIT WRITERS SHORT STORY CONTEST
Writers, far and wide, here's a chance to get paid for writing.
Sea Island Spirit Writers' critique group is again sponsoring a short story contest open to all writers 18 years old and up. The phrase "a sign" must appear in your story of 750 words or less. Your story could net you $100 for first place, $50 for second place or $25 for third, and publication in Lowcountry Weekly.
The rules are simple:
Entry fee is $10 per story. Only one entry per person please.
All entries must include your name, address, email address and phone contact.
Entries must be received by Monday, Oct. 10, 2022.
Entries cannot have been previously published. We want new, fresh fiction.
Digital entries only please. Submit entries by email to editor@lcweekly.com with "Short Story Contest" in the subject line.
Payment may be made either by check or by credit card. To pay by credit card, call Lowcountry Weekly at 843-522-0418. Make checks out to "Lowcountry Weekly," with "Short Story Contest" in the memo line. Mail to Lowcountry Weekly, 106 West Street Extension, Beaufort SC 29902.
Winners will be published in the Oct. 26 issue of Lowcountry Weekly.
Garrison Keillor once said, "Nothing bad ever happens to a writer. It's all material." So, whether you choose to embellish an actual event or to make up a whole new story, get those creative juices flowing and send us your best.
If you're like me, once you join an organization you may forget to keep your membership profile updated. Is your SCWA profile current? If not, please take a moment to make any changes that are needed, such as your website, address, email, phone, and publications. You also can update your photo if you'd like and create a photo album of your book covers or whatever you want to share.
To update your profile, go to Member Profiles and scroll down to "Update Your Member Profile." This will take you to your information. To edit it, click on "edit profile" at the left of the screen. There is also a link to a YouTube tutorial video on that page "How to Update Your Profile," which shows you how to navigate on the SCWA website.
You also can manage what information you want available to anyone, members only, or to no one (other than SCWA administration). For example, you may want to share your photo and bio publicly but not your address. You decide. At the top of the update page, there are several tab links. Click on "Privacy" to access what information you want to share. Just click on "edit profile," make your changes and then be sure to SAVE!
On the Member Profiles page, you also can do a member search to get more information about someone in your chapter or someone you've met and would like to know more about. What you'll be able to view depends on how that person has set up their privacy/access.
As always, let us know if you have any problems updating your profile or about anything else. You can reach me at SCWAmembership@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Raegan Teller
SCWA VP/Membership
MEMBER RECOGNITIONS:
LAWSON HONORED WITH GOVERNOR'S AWARD
Former SCWA board member Len Lawson has been selected by the Board of Directors for SC Humanities as a recipient of this year's Governor's Awards in the Humanities and Fresh Voices in the Humanities. A luncheon and awards ceremony will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, to celebrate Lawson and the other recipients. Table sponsorships and individual tickets are available at SC Humanities.
EVERS IS TWO-TIME FANTASY NOVEL AWARD WINNER
Barbara Evers’ second novel in her trilogy, The Watchers in Exile, recently won the Best Fantasy Novel Imadjinn Award at Imaginarium. Last year, the first novel in the trilogy also won the award, making her a two-time Best Fantasy Novel winner. Barbara is a former member of the SCWA board.
The South Carolina Writers Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary organization, receives support from the South Carolina Arts Commission and our members, furthering our mission to offer a supportive environment for people to become better writers. SCWA is grateful for this support. DONATE
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