Local contests are a great way to share your work….and win prizes! My writing group member Linda Johnson and I both earned Honorable Mentions in the 2015 Carolina Woman Writing Contest. Matching pajama-size T-shirts!
Linda won for her short story “Birthday Cake” (penned in a fiction class led by Ruth Moose) and I won for my poem “Ode to My Ironing Board” (written in a class led by Ralph Earle). Both classes were held through the Creative Writing Program at Central Carolina Community College’s Pittsboro campus. We also learned that a CCCC workshop leader, Tara Lynne Groth, won for her story “Money Changes Everything.” All pieces will published by CW in an upcoming issue. Pittsboro represented very well at Carolina Woman this year!
On a related note, and since April is National Poetry Month, I had to point out that today would have been the 115th birthday of another writer, novelist, short story writer, and poet Vladimir Nabokov. I didn’t know he also wrote poetry until my friend Mary located “The Poem” — a piece written by him for one of just two collections penned in his prolific career. As with his other work, “The Poem” is poignant, evocative and lush with language and imagery that would make any writer envious. I couldn’t find an online link so unfortunately (or fortunately!), you’ll have to do like me and order a copy of his collections.
More coming soon!
Ashley Memory 
Ashley, congrats to you both! Funny, I’m wearing the same shirt while reading this! 🙂 I didn’t realize so many of the contest winners have a connection with Pittsboro. I moved to Pittsboro just over a year ago and fall in love with Chatham County everyday. When you get a chance, you should correct your post–I am not a faculty member at CCCC. I was scheduled to instruct a one-day workshop last year and it has been postponed. I only hear wonderful things about the creative writing instructors there–and both of your successes further cement the school’s reputation for writers! (Apologies if this is a duplicate comment. I had tried posting from my phone, but the browser refreshed and I didn’t receive a confirmation.)
Tara, great to meet you! That is hilarious about you wearing the shirt while you’re reading this. Too funny! Welcome to Pittsboro and Chatham County! I look forward to meeting you; I’m sure our paths will cross soon. P.S. I updated my post to say “workshop leader” if that’s okay. I led a workshop, too, and it was so much fun.