Area Readings

Marjorie Hudson will read from her debut story collection, Accidental Birds of the Carolinas: Short Stories:

Saturday, October 2, TBA, Durham Public Library, 300 N. Roxboro St., Durham, Literary Tours Talk with Georgann Eubanks

Tuesday, October 4, Chatham Community Library Book Club, 197 NC Highway 87, Pittsboro

Sunday, October 30, 2:oo pm, Writerhouse Reading and Conversation with Valerie Nieman

Tuesday, September 6, 7:00 pm
The Regulator Bookshop, 720 Ninth St., Durham
Thomas Young will read from his new second novel, Silent Enemy, sequel to The Mullah’s Storm.

Valerie Nieman will read from her book, Blood Clay.

Tuesday, September 23, Flyleaf Books, 752 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill

Wednesday, November 16, 7:00-9:00 pm, The Burwell School, 319 N. Churton St., Hillsborough, with Marjorie Hudson

Scott Owens will read from his new poetry book, Something Knows the Moment.

Thursday, September 22, Cellar 101, 101 S. Main St., Fuquay-Varina

Sunday, September 25, 2:00 pm, McIntyre's Books, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro

Thursday, November 3, 7:00 pm, Royal Bean Coffeehouse, 3801-137 Hillsborough St., Raleigh

Thursday, September 15, 5:00 pm
FRANK Gallery, 109 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill
Diane Daniel will read from her new book, Farm Fresh North Carolina: The Go-To Guide to Great Farmers' Markets, Farm Stands, Farms, Apple Orchards, U-Picks, Kids' Activities, Lodging, Dining, Choose-and-Cut Christmas Trees, Vineyards and Wineries, and More.

Sunday, September 25, 2:00 pm
McIntyre's Books, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro
Scott Owens, Steve Roberts, and Jessie Carty will be reading as part of the NC Poetry Series.

Sunday, October 23, 2:00 pm
McIntyre's Books, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro
Irene Blair Honeycutt and Julie Suk will be reading as part of the NC Poetry Series.

Editing

You might check out "The Conversations: Walter Murch and the art of editing film." While it is pegged as a book about film editing, much of what is discussed can be applied to literature also. Besides, it is an interesting read.

Info provided by Carol Phillips

2011 Ultra Flash Fiction Contest Winner

Old Friends

by Barrie Kirby

They first met at Lake High, John and Ed did. At the end of school, they got jobs at the steam plant and rode to work in Ed’s blue car. The make of car changed with time, but not the blue. Looks like the night sky, Ed would say. John gave Ed two bucks for gas, then three, then five, then eight, then ten. The price of gas went up more than their pay, John would say. Ed would say thanks and give a nod.

They shared tales of girls and sex as they rode to work, then of their wives, and of babes who spit and shit, then of kids and toys, and then teens who wished for more than their dads. John would curse the boys who came to his house to pick up his girl Jane. Ed would laugh and then say his sons drank too much beer. Too young for beer, he would say to John who would nod and take a drag. The men shared their hopes and dreams and fears while they sucked on their cigs and rode. They grew old that way—day in, day out—on their way to the steam plant.

When Ed’s wife died so quick that night, John drove his old red truck to see him. They sat in the den, side by side. Ed tried, but failed, to choke back his sobs. Tears streamed down his cheeks and dripped off his chin to land on top of his thin legs. It pained John to see Ed tore up that way. He looked down, filled with shame.

They were friends as boys. Now they were old. Two score and eight years they rode to

work in Ed’s car. This was the first time one cried.

Area Readings, August, 2011

Saturday, August 6, 1:00-3:00 pm Loco for Coco, 2415 C Lawndale Dr., Greensboro Valerie Nieman will read from her book, Blood Clay. She will also read: Wednesday, November 16, 7:00-9:00 pm, The Burwell School, 319 N. Churton St., Hillsborough, with Marjorie Hudson Marjorie Hudson will read from her debut story collection, Accidental Birds of the Carolinas: Short Stories. She will also read: Saturday, October 2, TBA, Durham Public Library, 300 N. Roxboro St., Durham, Literary Tours Talk with Georgann Eubanks Tuesday, October 4, Chatham Community Library Book Club, 197 NC Highway 87, Pittsboro Friday, August 19, 5:00–7:00 pm Spa at Bell House, Tea on the Front Porch, 74 E. Salisbury St., Pittsboro Ashley Memory will read from her upcoming novel, Naked and Hungry. Website: www.spaatbellhouse.com. Friday, August 19, 11:00 am "The Moveable Feast," The Sawgrass Room, Pawleys Plantation, 70 Tanglewood Dr., Pawleys Island, SC 29585. Information: www.classatpawleys.com/feast.php Anna Jean Mayhew will be the featured guest. She will also read: Tuesday, October 18, 3:00 pm, Orange Senior Center, 101 Meadowlands Dr., Hillsborough Friday, August 19, 2:00 pm, McIntyre’s Books 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro Karen Pullen, Chris Roerden, and three other authors will read from Fish Tales, an anthology of twenty-two stories of mystery and mayhem produced by the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Saturday, August 20, 9:00 am Diane Daniel will read from her new book, Farm Fresh North Carolina: The Go-To Guide to Great Farmers' Markets, Farm Stands, Farms, Apple Orchards, U-Picks, Kids' Activities, Lodging, Dining, Choose-and-Cut Christmas Trees, Vineyards and Wineries, and More. She will also read: Saturday, August 20, 1:00 pm, A Southern Season/University Mall, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill Thursday, September 15, 5:00 pm, FRANK Gallery, 109 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill Monday, August 22, 7:30 pm Quail Ridge Books & Music, 3522 Wade Ave., Raleigh Carol Henderson, editor of Wide Open Spaces: Women Exploring Call Through Stories and Reflection, will read from and sign copies of the new book, along with several contributing authors. She will also read: Tuesday, August 30, 7:00 pm, The Regulator Bookshop, 720 9th St., Durham NEW! Sunday, August 28, 2:00 pm McIntyre's Books, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro Joan McLean and others will read as part of the NC Poetry Series. Thursday, September 15, 7:00 pm Bennett Place State Historic Site, 4409 Bennett Memorial Rd., Durham Suzy Barile will read from Undaunted Heart. NEW! Sunday, September 25, 2:00 pm McIntyre's Books, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro Scott Owens, Steve Roberts, and Jessie Carty will be reading as part of the NC Poetry Series. NEW! Sunday, October 23, 2:00 pm McIntyre's Books, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro Irene Blair Honeycutt and Julie Suk will be reading as part of the NC Poetry Series. Please go to our Web site for contests, residencies, and other opportunities. You do have to log in as a current member to view this section of the literary calendar.