Western North Carolina Woman
WNC Woman has, since 2002, been a standard bearer for women writers. Begun and maintained on a "shoestring," it offers monthly articles, photographs, prose and poetry by and about women (giving men a June issue entitled The Y Chromosome)--women who do and dare, think and write, create and care. Check it out and you'll see it's worth far more than the yearly subscription fee--and, in fact, it's free around the region. I give the magazine credit for energizing my writing self, way back in its first issue, when I saw "Biscuits and Cream Cheese" in print.
Fresh
Fresh is a new (in 2009) quarterly literary magazine, the result of three women determined to promote original quality literature--stories, poems, ideas--with universal themes to readers in the area: Buffy Queen, JC Walkup, and Penny Morse are the publisher/editors. Fresh is free and (soon to be) also online.
The Candy Maier Fund
The Candy Maier Fund is a "go to" site if you are a woman who wants to take a class, workshop, conference having to do with writing and need some financial assistance. Founded to honor writer/friend Candy Maier, The Candy Fund assists with up to half the cost (to $250) with few restrictions imposed.
Infinity Publishing
Infinity Publishing is the "self-publishing" (author-initiated) company that best suited my needs and with which I've published five works (novels and short story collection). I found it easy to work with, forthright in its dealings, and highly competent in guiding a book to publication and beyond with its online bookstore, its newsletter, The Author Advocate, and its yearly conference in Pennsylvania.
TAASg.com
The Appalachian Artisan Society Gallery in Old Fort, NC, and online is a showcase of artists from knitters to potters, photographers to jewelers--and much more. It is adding regional authors to a "book nook" area in its cafe. Check it out for beautiful buys and opportunities for creative people.
Joan Medlicott
Friend Joan Medlicott introduced me to my first "real" critique group (The Plotters) and has consistently encouraged my writing as I've admired hers. We still travel together to writers' events and enjoy a critique group. If you aren't familiar with her Ladies of Covington series and her stand-alone novels, you're in for a treat.
Nancy Dillingham
Nancy Dillingham and I shared responsibilies on Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College's faculty/staff literary magazine, Victoria Press, for some ten years. Since then we've co-edited two anthologies by Western NC women writers and she's produced five books of poems. Check them out on TAAS Gallery's website or on TheRead's blogspot.
Jeanne Charters
Jeanne Charters understands women and their ways, as her Funny, Isn't It? collection of articles shows.
Nancy Sales Cash
Nancy Sales Cash, a native of Swain County, now returned from years abroad and living in Asheville, has one novel (Ritual River) set in Appalachia in print and another in the works.
Catawba Publishing
Catawba Publishing in Charlotte has been my choice for the two anthologies (Christmas Presence in 2008 and Clothes Lines in 2009) as well as my short story collection (Islands One and All in 2007, and most recently, Journey to Stenness, 2010). I was impressed with the work they did for a friend, by their proximity to Asheville (I can pickup the books rather than pay shipping), and the cost.
Mona Rae Miracle
Friend Mona Rae Miracle (Booth) is a writer (Wesley's Gift, a novel, and Nuclear People, short stories and the cover artist for Islands One and All and Journey to Stenness. I love both covers--and her writing, as well.
sanctuaryofstuff.com
is a wonderful, women-run business just minutes from downtown Asheville; with two stores chock full of an unbelievable array of arts, crafts, furniture, and books by local authors, it is more fun to shop in than fourteen malls.
