Hi Ink Blots, it's time for our next bi-monthly meeting - Nomadic Ink - Friday November 12 at 6:30pm. The meeting will be held at United Presbyterian Church in the fellowship hall. The Church is at the top of Main Street - just park around back and we'll leave a door open. There will be a jump start at the beginning of the meeting to get our creative juices flowing, then we need to discuss what activities we plan to be involved in next year. So bring your ideas - let's make 2011 Nomadic Ink's best year yet!
See you on Friday!

Tonight Meeting

Hello Ink Blots,

In light of Tony's condition, we have decided NOT to have our meeting tonight at the Ag Center. However, we do plan to meet on Friday, October 1st - at this point, probably at the Old Fort (back play/picnic area).

I am working hard to try and get the chapbook pulled together, so if you have not sent me your scary/ghost story, please do so ASAP. My email address is: brightmyer249@hotmail.com.

With any luck, we will be able to proofread the book on October 1st and still have time to get it printed before the Arts Festival on October 9th.

I'm not a very good substitute leader, so if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!

Thanks!
Bobbi

As many of you now know ...

... our fearless leader, Tony Sexton has been ill and in the hospital. Our meeting on September 10th was cancelled and the meeting for September 24th may also be cancelled, unless someone wants to step forward and lead the group. I'm not comfortable leading the group, but I am continuing to work and edit the two chapbooks we are working on.

The first one - Scary/Ghost Stories - has a deadline of September 24th in order for us to get it edited, proofed and printed by October 9th, the day of the Arts Council Fall Festival.

The second one - Library Memories - has a deadline of October 22nd and will be used at the grand opening of the brand-new Mercer County Public Library.

You can email your stories, poems or prose directly to me at:

brightmyer249@hotmail.com

Everyone will receive a draft of the chapbook before it is printed to make sure everything is correct and placed in the way you want it.

Please be sending in stories ASAP - the deadline for the first one is fast approaching and we currently only have 24 pages filled. The "Prose and Poetry for Pets" was 60 pages long and we don't necessarily need to have that many pages, but I would like to have between 35 and 40. These stories are not limited to people from Mercer County, so if you have friends that like to write, please tell them to send something in.

Please keep Tony in your thoughts and prayers, and hopefully he will be back with us very soon.

Spell-Bound

SPELL-BOUND

Terrifying experiences
signal a disaster is coming.
Although the surface seems calm and serene,
unbeknownst to them,
strange things have begun to happen
A long dead woman,
spell-bound by her beauty,
has been lured from her grave,
to make them pay,
to seek her revenge.





(Photo by Randy Ellefson)

Roberta Simpson Brown

Roberta Simpson Brown will be appearing in Harrodsburg on October 30th for "The Night of the Great Pumpkin." According to her website:

Roberta Simpson Brown is known by fellow storytellers as the "Queen of the Cold-Blooded Tales" for good reason. Her chilling stories are set in familiar, contemporary settings-family rooms, farms, campgrounds-with an undercurrent of something very, very scary pulling the reader into the undertow of terror.

She has a new Ghost Story book coming out later this year. Some of her books include:

• The Scariest Stories Ever
• Queen of the Cold-Blooded Tales
• Scared in School
• Strains of Music
• Lamplight Tales

Harrodsburg owes a huge thank you to Chad Horn for sponsoring the appearance of Mrs. Brown. Horn's new store on Main Street in Harrodsburg is KENTUCKYLIT. Kentucky Lit welcomes Kentucky's "Queen of the Cold Blooded Tales" - she will be reading from her Parents Choice Award nominated book "Walking Trees and Other Scary Stories." After the reading, there will be a Book Signing/ Meet-and-Greet with Mrs. Brown

When I First Picked Up the Book ...

... I didn’t believe what I was seeing ...

... A genuine first edition “Trixie Belden Mystery from 1948. Trixie has always been my favorite book series, especially when I was a young girl.

There are 16 original books, but a few years ago, they found a new author and started writing more Trixie books – in paper back – ick, I’m a hardcover girl all the way, so I’ve never read any of the newer books.


I currently own the 1970 Whitman edition of the books, hard cover, of course, so these mean the most to me because I’ve always loved the covers. But deep down inside, I have always coveted the first edition books, even though they are truly rare, especially if you find one in good condition. The only time I’ve ever seen these books was from my babysitter’s daughter and they were much older than my collection.


I’ve seen the older hardcovers on eBay and Amazon, but $200 is a bit rick for my blood, so I never dreamed of owning a first edition ...

... until I walked into Dave’s Antiques. Dave’s is a little hole in the wall in the middle of Lancaster, Kentucky, and it feels like you’re walking into a cave. My anxiety normally keeps me out of places like this, but something was beckoning me into Dave’s.

As my hubby looked around at the older Depression glass, trying to find the green parrot pattern of glass. I saw the crate of books in the back of the store and I slowly walked to it. I sat down on a chair that reminded me of something out of Penn’s Store, easing into it so as not to break it down.

I slowly started pulling out the old books. There is just something about the smell and feel of an old book that makes my spine tingle. Old cookbooks – something my Momma loved – early readers, a third edition of an obscure Edgar Alan Poe book, and then there it was. I could hardly believe my eyes.

“Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion.” My hands were trembling as I opened the dusty books. It was not in mint condition by any means, but it was in good condition as as I turned to the title page, I couldn’t believe my eyes – 1958. I was holding in my hands a very first edition of a book I thought I’d never see.

As I carefully carried the book to the front, Dave was dickering with my hubby over a green parrot tea saucer.

“How much for this book?” I calmly asked.

“Don’t you already have that one?” my hubby innocently asked.

“No, I don’t think I do,” I replied, giving him that look.

“Did it come out of that crate in the back?” asked Dave.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Well, I’ll take $2 for it.”

I looked at the book and said, “It’s in pretty bad shape. How about $1.50?”

“Sold,” said Dave

On the way home, my hubby said, “you do own that book – I bought it for you.”

“I know, but this is a very first edition. Last time I found one on Amazon, it was worth $225.

My hubby was silent all the way home as I caressed my new, “old” book.


**(This was a jumpstart for the August 28, 2010 Nomadic Ink Writing Group)

Great Meeting

We had a great meeting Friday night - lots of old friends and a few new friends. Welcome John Cotten and welcome back Laura Kellerberger.

We are talking about working on a "Scary Story" chapbook to have ready to sell at the 2nd Annual Arts Festival on October 9th at the Fort Harrod State Park. We are looking for scary/ghost stories or poem, but nothing bloody or horrific - we want kids to be able to read these without being too scared.

We also talked about doing a "Library Memories" chapbook for the grand opening of the new Mercer County Public Library. We need memories of your first library trip, you best/worst trip or anything that reminds you of the library, the bookmobile or reading in general.

The deadlines for these stories are:

• Scary/ghost stories or poems - September 24th
• Library memories - stories or poems - October 22nd

You can email your writings to Tony at: contentedme@hotmail.com
or Bobbi (who will be doing the editing) at: brightmyer249@hotmail.com

So everyone needs to get writing and let's get this ball rolling. We haven't even talked about what we want to do for Christmas!! Send us your thoughts and ideas.

Attention Inkblots

Inkblots!!

I haven't heard from many of you so this is a reminder that we are going to try and get back in the swing of writing again... time for a real Jump Start!!! This Friday, 6:30 at the Heritage Center on US 127... Bring a friend who may want to get started with us... we will be discussing a lot of stuff and trying to get back in the groove... I hope to see you there... SERIOUSLY!!!

Tony

Don't Forget ...

... our first meeting of the new writing season will be August 27th at the KY Ag Heritage Center on Hwy 127 across from the Kountry Kupboard. We will begin at 6:30pm.



If you know someone who is interested in joining us or just would like to check us out, bring them along. If you would like to bring a snack to share, let me know.

One of the projects we are going to work on is Scary Stories or Poems (but not horror) for a chapbook we are considering doing for Halloween this year. If you are not a member of The Community of Mercer County Writers, you are still invited to join us or submit a piece for this chapbook. I am not sure when we will present it to the public, but we would like to have it ready for the downtown Halloween event, Night of the Great Pumpkin. The idea is to write something that has a scary tone, but would not give kids nightmares if they heard it or read it. The piece could even be funny if you we so inclined. So think about it, maybe even get something down on paper to read at the meeting.

We also want to work on another chapbook to celebrate the opening of the brand-new Mercer County Public Library in November. We would like the proceeds of the sale of this book to go toward subscriptions of writing journals for the library. Think about your first library visit, your favorite library visit, or even the worst time you had at a library - whatever reminds you of libraries.

If you are working on something and would like a bit of critique, bring that along as well. Please, please let me know if you can or cannot come on the 27th so we know how many snacks we need and what to plan for. I am looking forward to seeing all of you there.

Hope to see you all there!

Tony

Care and Feeding of Nightmares

For anyone who would like to purchase my 2nd chapbook of poetry, "Care and Feeding of Nightmares" - you can email me at:

careandfeedingofnightmares@gmail.com

with your snail-mail address. The books are $5 each plus $2 for shipping and handling. I hope to have PayPal set up on my blog in a few weeks for payments, but currently I can only accept checks or money orders. I will mail out the book on the day I receive your order. You can also buy the books at J. Sampson Antiques on Main Street in Harrodsburg. Thanks to everyone who buys a book!

New Library Kick-Off

As many of you know, our new Mercer County Public Library will be opening hopefully sometime in November and the Community of Mercer County Writers may be asked to help with the Grand Opening. I am not sure what we might be asked to do but I am sure whatever it is, it will be fun.

In conjunction with that I thought we might create another chapbook to give away during the celebration (which will probably last more than one day). I am open for suggestions as to what sort of content we might put in to such a chapbook but my initial thought is that we write about some experience we have had with reading, the importance of a library or even a fictional piece about a library visit... something along those lines but I am not locked into that so if you have suggestions let's talk about them when we meet on August 27th.

I have been asked to have a workshop scheduled as soon as the library is open. It will be something they will promote during the opening. I would like to do something different but I am at a loss for a good idea at the moment. So, again, I am open for suggestions. I have been considering having a running workshop that meets once a week there and the first workshop could be a kick off for that... I bet some of you already have a good idea... bring these ideas with you on the 27th as well. You may not know it but when the library was being designed, I asked for a room that we could use for workshops, one with a small kitchen, maybe a dry erase board and so forth.... well, it is there.

They have designed a large room that can be divided and both rooms will have a sink and a place to make coffee, etc. One side is larger than the other and the plan is for us to use the smaller of the two parts. Both rooms will have access to the restrooms and we will have our own exit so we do not disturb anyone or vise versa. They have gone out of their way to make it easy for us to meet and have workshops so I want us to use it to the max. Isn't that really cool? This morning I toured the new library. It is coming along great and you can see where everything is going to be and I will tell you it is going to be a very impressive place and we will be so proud to have such a place right here in Mercer County.

Hope to see everyone there,

Tony Sexton

First Meeting of the new Writing Season

For our first meeting of the new writing season, we will meet on August 27th at the Heritage Center where we have met before (US 127 across from the Kountry Kupboard). We will begin at 6:30.

If you know someone who is interested in joining us or just would like to check us out, bring them along. If you would like to bring a snack to share, let me know.

One of the projects we are going to work on is the Sort of Scary Story (or poem) for a chapbook we are considering doing for Halloween this year. If you are not a member of The Community of Mercer County Writers you are still invited to join us or submit a piece for this chapbook. I am not sure when we will present it to the public, it could be during the Zombie Crawl sponsored by The Arts Council of Mercer County or during the downtown Halloween event or at another time around Halloween. The idea is to write something that has a scary thought to it but would not give kids nightmares if they heard it or read it. The piece could even be funny if you we so inclined. It should be fun to do even if the chapbook did not develop. So think about it, maybe even get something down on paper to read at the meeting.

Also, if you are working on something and would like a bit of critique, bring that along as well. Please, please let me know if you can or cannot come on the 27th so we know how many snacks we need and what to plan for. I am looking forward to seeing all of you there.

Hope to see you all there!
Tony

Journal of Kentucky Studies

I am so excited! One of my poems - "Silent Memories" - has been selected to be published in the next edition of the Journal of Kentucky Studies, published by Northern Kentucky University.



This will be a special issue honoring James Baker Hall.

Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Arts

The 1st Annual Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Arts was a huge success, even with the extreme heat of the day. This was a joint venture between The Community of Mercer County Writers, The Arts Council of Mercer County and Harrodsburg First. Here are a few highlights from the event:

Harrodsburg Festival of Book and Arts sign

The man who made this event possible - Tony Sexton

Ed McClanahan - Master of Ceremonies

Hershel McKinley and Tony Sexton

My favorite photo of Katerina (Katya) Stoykova-Klemer

Writers awaiting their turn at reading to the public

Carolyn Worley - a member of The Community of Mercer County Writers

Irene Mitchell during her reading

Katya reading from "The Air Around the Butterfly"

Katya

The Community of Mercer County Writers (Nomadic Ink) - from left Katerina Klemer, the Barn Goddess and Paula Pinkston. In the background is Dr. Richard Taylor, an honorary member of Nomadic Ink for the day.

Ruth Ann Fogel, Kentucky native now living near Cincinnati

Peace and Well-Being Seminar

Check out this new venture by one of our Inkblots:

Introducing...
Peace & Well-Being

Free Seminars this Sunday July 25th, 2010
by Ms. Pat Osborn


• Healthy Diet, from 2 to 3p.m.
• Exercise Basics, from 3 to 4 p.m.
• Goal Setting, from 4 to 5 p.m.


Harrodsburg, KY * Seating is Limited * $25 value, each


Reserve your spot in one or more classes:

peacefulone@localnet.com or 859-734-6839

Observations

OBSERVATIONS

I'm not going to give up.
Stomping in mud puddles and making mud pies.
I will never hurt you.
Curling up with a good book, listening to the rain pitter-patter on the tin roof.
...like Rocky Road ice cream good.
Doritio-stained fingertips leaving orange blotches on the pages of my favorite books.
Some men still holding the door open for women.
Some women holding the door open for men.
The smell of an old book as you flip through the pages.
Not seeing your way around the dark veil of depression that increasingly squeezed in on your life.
Occasionally, tiny specks of happiness sprinkled through your life, like bits of candy cane in peppermint ice cream - sharp, but sweet.
The sun hitting the warmest portion of the chair that your cat has already claimed its own.
Mud slurping from you shoes as you trudge through a marshy shore.
Your hair dancing behind you like fairy wisps in a breeze.
Arguing back at the television, but unwilling to turn it off.
Lips that may crack from the width of your smile.
Pretending not to notice the obvious reasons we aren't alike.
Obsessing on the reasons we are alike.
Living half your life, knowing there is only one other half left.

You Bring Out The ....

(Photo copyright Graphic Hunts)

You Bring Out the …… In Me

You bring out the bitch in me.
You bring out the I wouldn’t lift a finger to help you out of a burning fire, in me.
You bring out the “How dare you think you’re better than everyone else,” in me.
You bring out the pure unadulterated hate in me, that I know God may punish me for.
Your bring out the angry stomach hornets and anxious nerves in me.
You bring out the “Why the hell don’t you just stay out of my life,” in me.
You bring out the Cruella DeVille in me.
You bring out the sour stomach and acid reflux in me.
You bring out the evil part of me, the one I am ashamed I feel, but I’ve tried to ignore it and it won’t go away, so I’ll just have to try harder to understand your ignorance.

Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Arts

Below you will find the booth assignments for Saturday's Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Arts. Remember to bring a tent or umbrella, sun screen.. floppy hats or whatever to protect yourself if the sun gets too hot for you.
Tony
1. Ed McClanahan
2. Donna Ison
3. Roberta & Lonnie Brown
4. Christopher Kelder
5. Sheri Wright
6. Abigail Keam
7. Kathy Skaggs
8. Alonzo Fugate
9. Fred L. Cook
10. Ann Gabhart
11. Nic Brown
12. Fiona Young-Brown
13. Mason Smith
14. Marie Mitchell
15. Rebecca Turney
16. Ragged Edge Theater
17. Russell A. Vassallo
18. Bill Womack
19. Betty Pace
20. Nash Black
21. Kentucky Monthly (publisher)
22. Kari Burchfield (artist)
23. Billy Reed
24. The Community of Mercer County Writers (Nomadic Ink) & Katerina Klemer (This is OUR Booth!!!)
25. Richard Taylor
26. Kris Marnon (artist)
27. Joanna Thompson (potter)
28. Shaker Village (organization)
29. Kaboom Writers
30. Lynn Pruett
31. Tim Renfrow (publisher booth)
32. Jeff Loane (artist)
33. Mathew Rodgers (artist)
35. Mark Wayne Adams (writer/ artist)
36. Mike Young (artist)
37. Fort Harrod (organization)
38. Jacquie Woodward (artist)
39. Fan Fun Books
40. Dreama
41. Paula Sparrow
42. Tim Callahan
43. E. Gail Chandler
44. Nelda Shattles Copas
45. Tourist Commission
46. Normandi Ellis
47. Russell Lunsford
48. Jan Sullivan
49. Alycia Davidson
50. Rinda Hahn
51. Lori A. Moore
52.
53. Georgia Stamper/Sherry Chandler
54. Sylvia DeLee Davis
55. Dr. William Montell
56. Vickie Cimprich
57. Ruth Thompson
58. John Braxton Sparks
59. Joan Hall
60. Ron Rhody

Information for Authors and other participants,

Thank you for being a part of this event. I wish each of you great success and a lot of fun.
* You have received your booth assignment but there could be a slight change between now and then but if there is I will let you know. There will be a name tent on each table so if you get lost just look for your name. There should be a volunteer somewhere around the booth area to assist you if you have any problems.

* The Country Hearth Inn in Harrodsburg is offering some great deals on rooms. Call 859-734-2400 and mention The Harrodsburg Books and Arts Festival or ask for Nate Patel

* If you come in from the North or South you will be most likely traveling on US 127 which comes directly into Harrodsburg. Do not take the by pass. Once you get into town there will be signs directing you to the area reserved for our authors and other vendors. If you come in from another direction just watch for the signs bringing you to the parking area. If you do a map quest or google directions put your destination point as Greenville Street, Harrodsburg, KY That will put you very near the parking area. If you need more detailed directions, please call me at either 859-734-7867 or 859-247-0522 (C) if you need to talk with me on the 26th please call the cell phone.

* The booths should be set up by 9 am. If you need help getting to your booth please drop me an email so I can make arrangements but we will be really busy that morning. But if you do need help we will assist you.

* Please bring sun screen. We will provide you will all the water you need and there will be someone to go get it for you. We will also have food available and someone to sit at your booth while you go eat or whatever you need.

* If you have a patio table umbrella with a holder, feel free to bring it. I have one and you fill the base with water so it does not fly away, it will help some if the sun shines too much on your booth. The sun does not shine on both sides of Main St all day. But it will be hot and will shine on you for awhile so please prepare for that. We hope to have a big tent next year and the sun will not be a problem. We will try to make you as comfortable as possible.

We are so excited about you being here and we want your experience to be a great one. And, thank you for being a part of this first Books and Arts Festival.

Tony Sexton

Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Arts

Hey Folks,

Just a reminder that the Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Arts is just around the corner. As you know this thing actually happened because we sat down last November and made some plans for this year... what we thought would be a small book fair blossomed into an amazing event.

Anyway, there will be around 50 authors, a lot of artists and things happening all day that will give folks a lot of things to do. We will be doing reading all day at two locations and we will have a booth where we can sell chap books or whatever and meet all the folks passing by.

The most important thing I have to ask is CAN YOU HELP? We are in charge of the authors. That involves making sure they have everything they need, getting them bottled water or a snack... sitting at their booth if they need a break and so forth. I have done this at The Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort and it is really a lot of fun. It is a great way to get to know the authors and make friends. We need as many as we can get for as long as they can stay.. so if you can work a few hours or all day please let me know as soon as possible.

I really hope we make a good showing since it was our idea. I know other groups have 15 or 20 volunteers so we need to try and be there. I know some of you will not be able to spend the entire day but I hope you can come for a few hours. Also, if you would like to fix some sort of snack or finger food to share with other volunteers Goldie would appreciate it. We will have a hospitality room at Studio G for all the volunteers (water, food a place to take a break) so we need lots of goodies and I know many of you make some FANTASTIC goodies.

So, please, please try to adjust your schedule so you can be a part of this, help out and go away with a fun and exciting time and let me know as soon as possible how long you can work, what times and so forth. I will send a schedule of the things we need to do and a schedule of who is reading where sometime this week.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Tony

Put an End to Poetry Rejection Letters

Tired of having your poetry rejected from literary magazine after literary magazine? Then check out this new article from WRITER'S RELIEF - "Poetry Turnoffs - Styles and Formatting That Make Editors Cringe." It is very informative and may just turn your rejection letters into acceptance letters.

Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Art

The Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Art

on Main Street

Harrodsburg

June 26, 2010

The public is invited to this event which will feature authors and artists from Kentucky and surrounding states. The day will be filled with interesting activities and an eclectic group of authors, artists and select vendors.

If you would like to participate contact Tony Sexton at

contentedme@hotmail

or call 859-734-7867

Bad News ...

... I'm sorry for being so out of touch, but I have some bad news to pass on to all my bloggy friends.

My mom passed away Sunday evening about 6pm. She was only 65 yo, but she had been in poor health for at least the past 6 months. We tried a few things in CCU to try and wake up her kidneys and other organs back up, but when we realized they weren't working, daddy made the decision - the right decision and mom's wishes - to turn all the machines off. She was in no pain and thankfully went peacefully.

Please keep my family in your prayers ...

Next Meeting

Hello Ink Blots and friends,

We will be meeting at my house - 657 Fairview Court - this Friday, May 7th at 6:30 pm for our first monthly meeting this month (due to unforseen complications, we are not able to meet at the Ag Center). Along with our regular antics we will talk about the Prose and Poetry for Pets project on Saturday, May 8th. If you have a piece in the chapbook, we will have them available at the meeting. We need you to be here if at all possible so we can make sure everything goes as planned on Saturday. As you know, Todd Borek (WKYT TV morning weatherman) will be with us so we want to have a good showing of our group. If you do not have a piece in the book but have a pet/animal story you would like to share, you are welcome to come and read - just let us know .. all are welcome.

Please let me know if you can or cannot come Friday Night -(859)-247-0522 or (859)-734-7867 and leave me a message.

I hope many of you can make it to this meeting... it is going to be a fun couple of days!!!!!!!!!!

Looking forward to hearing from all of you.

Tony Sexton

Prose for Pets

Prose for Pets

May 8, 2010

Downtown on Broadway

• My pet writing contest
• Pet Art - come and let your pet paint a work of art
• Rabies Clinic
• Pet Parade
• Music, food and fun for every age

Bring your own pet

or

Adopt a new pet from the Mercer County Humane Society

All proceeds to benefit the Mercer County Humane Society

Kentucky Writers' Day

The Kentucky Arts Council will celebrate Kentucky Writers' Day at 10am Friday, April 23rd in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort.

Past Kentucky Poets laureate Jane Gentry Vance (2007-2008), Sena Jeter Naslund (2005-2006), Joe Survant (2003-2004), and Richard Taylor (1999-2000) will give readings of their work as part of the event.

A special receiption to honor all Kentucky writers will follow at 11am on the mezzanine level of the Capitol. "Five Kentucky Poets Laureate: An Anthology," "Abraham Lincoln of Kentucky" and poet laureat broadsides will be offered for sale at the reception.

Kentucky Writers' Day is officially April 24 in honor of the birth date of Kentucky native Robert Penn Warren, the first poet laureate of the United States and winner of three Pulitzer prizes.

This event is free and open to the public.

KSPS Mid-Year Conference

The Kentucky State Poetry Society will have its Mid-Year Conference April 16-17, 2010 in Harrodsburg, Kentucky

All events will take place on Main Street in Harrodsburg. Meetings and workshop will be held in the Masonic Lodge and The Kentucky Fudge Company at the top of Main Street across from the courthouse construction.

Main Street intersects with US 68 from Lexington, from Louisville turn left at the intersection of US 127 and US 68 then at the stop light turn right on Main Street.

The Friday Night Poetry Reading will begin at 7 pm in the Masonic Lodge and end when everyone is ready to stop. You may come and go as you please.

Saturday Morning we will meet upstairs at The Kentucky Fudge Company, (great coffee and scones) just up the street from the Masonic Lodge at 10 am for a short introduction meeting and workshop assignments and locations.

Workshops will begin @ 10:45 and run until lunch time. There are several wonderful places to have lunch right on Main Street including one of Kentucky’s best Mexican restaurants, Lafonda’s. The Kentucky Fudge Company will be open with fantastic sandwiches and drinks and we are hoping one of the best home cooking restaurant in Harrodsburg, Cousins, will be open. Just off of Main Street is a wonderful café called The Bus Station where you can get a great burger and other tasty delights.

At 1 pm we will meet at The Ragged Edge Theater, just down Main Street from the Masonic Lodge where we will be entertained by some of the Ragged Edge Players. From there we will go to the next round of workshops which will end @ 4-4:30.

The Finality Banquet will be held upstairs at The Kentucky Fudge Company where you will be treated to one of the finest buffets you have ever experienced. After we eat The Kaboom Writers Collective will speak to us about their writing experiences and read some of their work.

The Workshops:

Haiku Workshop led by Drew Logan. I highly recommend this workshop if you have ever wanted to write haiku or if you are just wondering if you could. Drew has a large collection of haiku to share including many of his own.

How To Produced A Video Of Your Creative Writing led by Tom Vigneri a professional videographer and producer is a Workshop discussing how to adapt printed work into television presentations by explaining visualization, sound, performance, equipment needs, resources, the production process and production techniques.

A Persona Workshop led by Sherri Wright will explain persona poems, what they are, how to share someone else's skin for a brief time, see as they see, think as they do, let them whisper their stories into your ear. No brain cells will be harmed in the attendance of this workshop

(Note: Due to the lack of proper equipment we will not be doing the Chapbook Workshop led by Bobbi Rightmyer but Bobbi will be around to answer questions and explain the process. Just ask her to tell you about the process.)

We want your visit to Harrodsburg to be a wonderful experience. If you have not signed up and still would like to, give me a call so I can get a good banquet count. You will be able to pay your fee Saturday morning.

~~Tony Sexton

Tragedy at Upper Big Branch

TRAGEDY AT UPPER BIG BRANCH

It’s happened again
another coal mine disaster
more human lives lost because of our obsession with coal.
An explosion has rocked the underground mine,
Massey Energy again – where’s the surprise?
The largest coal producer in central Appalachia,
the largest number of safety violations;
when will they start caring about the heartache they have caused?
The worst explosion since 1984,
today, 25 miners are dead, and four still unaccounted for,
husbands, brothers, sons, nephews;
grandsons, friends, lovers –
for what?
So I can turn on a light with the flick of a switch,
power up my laptop without a thought in the world,
waste the electricity these men sacrificed for.
Some are cursing what John Peter Salley discovered,
in Boone County, West Virginia in 1742;
coal seams ripe with black gold,
there for the taking
to produce half of the nation’s electricity.
But again, is it worth it?
Coal dust and black lung,
poisonous methane gas,
carcinogens all to the frailty of man.
The women are breaking down
knowing they will ever see their husbands again.
Mothers and fathers will have to bury sons
well before their time.
Sadness engulfs the nation
as we all have the same prayer,
“God be with these families, friends and other loved ones,
protect them with your loving guidance, lessen their sorrow,
their hurting, their grief.”
And to the next generation coming down the line,
please hurry with alternative energy sources,
help us break the dependency on coal,
help us stop this unnecessary suffering;
help us stop the pain.

Accents Publishing

I was so excited today to read the wonderful article in the Lexington Herald Leader on my friend, Katerina Stoykova-Klemer and Accents Publishing, Lexington's newest printer of poetry and prose.

Katerina Stoykova-Klemer, left, with help from her son, Simeon Kondev, center, and Shawn Wright put together a book of poetry at Accents Publishing. Kondev draws the cover art for all the books, which sell for $ 5 each. (Photo copyright Lexington Herald Leader)

The mission statement for her new publishing house is:

"Our vision is to bring low-cost books to people who love literature but often can't afford it," she says. "So we do it quick, easy and cheap. Every one of our books is $ 5, and that is how we want to keep it. "

Katerina Stoykova-Klemer put pages in a glue binder while volunteer Tony Sexton grouped pages at Accents Publishing. Sexton is president of the Kentucky State Poetry Society. (Photo copyright Lexington Herald Leader)

Book publisher Katerina Stoykova-Klemer shown in her upstairs office on Thursday, March 18, 2010 in her home in Lexington, Ky. Katerina Stoykova-Klemer has started her own small company, Accents Publishing, to publish books of poetry that sell for just $ 5 each. This is her way of getting people to read poetry. Her printing and book binding operation, staffed by volunteers, is at her home. (Photo copyright Lexington Herald Leader; Photo by David Perry)

You can find Accents books at The Morris Book Shop, 408 Southland Drive; on Amazon.com; or at www.accents-publishing.com.

Stoykova-Klemer sees good things ahead.

"I think we'll make up in volume for the low cost of our books," she said. "Poetry lets you know about yourself and about the world. It cuts through to the things you don't know, and it's always true in some way.

"We need that. We need the truth."

Poetry Month Gathering

Kentucky State Poetry Society

Poetry Month Gathering

Featuring Workshops, Readings, Special Guest Speakers and Social Activities

April 17, 2010

in downtown

Harrodsburg

All events including the finale dinner are open to the public. Readings will be in an open mic format. Prior reservations are required for the open mic and the dinner.

Prose For Pets

Here is the jump start for the May 8th Prose for Pets event - it can be prose or poetry.

Finish this:

"I picked her up on the side of the road during the worst thunder storm I had ever seen..."

Send your writing to Tony at: contentedme@hotmail.com. Once I get several of these back, I am going to send them to Todd Borek (the morning weatherman for Channel 27) who is going to be at Prose For Pets event we have planned.

.

Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Art

Here is the logo for the 1st Annual Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Art - pretty cool!



We are going to be needing volunteers for both the April 16th-17th KSPS Mid-Year Conference and the June 26th Harrodsburg Festival of Books and Art. We need help with giving people information about where things are and playing host to our out of town guests. The festival needs lots of volunteers: hosts for the hospitality room, author helpers, information booth and general help with whatever might come up. So far we have at least 30 authors signed up with at least that many more who are just going to read at the festival.

If you want to volunteer, contact Tony at: contentedme@hotmail.com

Next Meeting

We will be meeting this Friday

March 12th @ 6:30pm

at the Ag Center on US 127

and we are going to have a great meeting

Bobbi Rightmyer will be doing a Make Your Own Chapbook workshop


She will be showing us how to put one together

and how to bind it.

Shirley Walls will bring some cool material to use for binding

You need to bring a few poems or short stories with you

if you can print them in landscape so there are two poems per page

or two pages of short story on each page

that will help in laying it out.

THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY COOL!!!

So come on and join us so Bobbi can practice on us for her big workshop on April 17th



Please/Please/Please

let me know if you can or cannot come so we can have enough snacks and supplies

I hope to see you there.

Tony

Limerick Contest

March 17, 2010

Saint Patrick's Day

8pm at

Old Owl Tavern

Top 15 entries will be judged by the patrons of the tavern. Open to all and the winner will receive a nice prize, but

you must be present to read your limerick to win!!!

For more information, contact

Tony Sexton

contentedme@hotmail.com

or call (859) 734-7867

Just a reminder ...

... very important meeting






Friday

February 26th

@ 6:30

@ the KY Ag Center on US 127

Bring a friend who might like to be involved

in some of the things we are doing this year

WE NEED SOME HELP

and we are hoping to have a

Nomadic Ink Reunion

which means we hope some who have been gone for a while will be back and ready to go!!!

See you there

bring pet stories or poems if you have them

and thanks to those of you who have already sent some.

Call or email me if you have questions

Tony

Here is the cover for Volume Two of Speaking Out. Just received it today.

I hope you all are satisfied with it. It does look like Mercer County I think.

Nomadic Ink Meeting

Hello, Ink Blots of the World

Next meeting

February 26th

at the Ag Center on US 127

across from the Amish Store

6:30 pm

I hope most of you will be able to attend this meeting. Think about all the things we have coming up: Limerick contest on St Patty's Day, Prose and Poetry for Pets, The KSPS meeting on April 17th, The Festival of Books and Art in June and a bunch of stuff in between... FUN stuff to keep you writing and out there doing what writers do.

Many of us have been in a Winter slump it seems... Well it is time to focus on the coming spring and get those creative juices flowing... I hope you can make it. OF COURSE IN CASE OF SNOW... WE WON'T MEET... but I am hoping no snow. SPREAD THE WORD TO THOSE WITHOUT EMAIL...

Please let me know if you can or cannot make it. We love our snacks and we need a better count and we just want to see you there we need you there

See you there!

Tony

Happy 2K10

Hello Ink Blots!

The next meeting of The Community of Mercer County Writers will be on January 29th at the Ag Center on US 127 at 6:30.

If you can bring a story or poem about a pet or an animal it would be great since we are working on putting out a chapbook for the Prose for Pets event in May.

We have some great stuff going on this year so please try to come and bring a writer friend with you...spread the word to those without email and let's get 2010 started off with a big bang... I am excited and hope those of you who have been missing can get started back and we can see lots of great things happen for each of you this year.

PLEASE let me know as soon as you can if you can make it and if you are bringing someone with you so I can make plans for snacks etc...

Let's all get back together and have some great fun.
Tony

It's Finally Over

It's Finally Over

You caused so much heartache and pain,
you ripped my family apart.
Your lies and manipulation
were things we never understood.
You could never be trusted
or depended on
you really were no man,
but when you pulled her into your life,
nothing was ever the same again.
From booze to drugs to all the things you stole,
you dragged her down into your world,
into that angry pit of deception.
There was a time I prayed for your death
when the drunken crash almost took you away,
but she nursed you back to health,
thou you were never again quiet whole.
She was finally able to escape and turn her life around,
but the hand of fate had other plans,
and the grief remains today.
Not even a prison term
could change your shoddy character,
and you emerged just the same,
not worse, but no hell of a lot better.
I tired very hard to avoid your presence,
but whenever I'd least expect it,
there you were in my face
triggering the volatile emotions
I couldn't wrap my head around.
But now you've taken the coward's way out,
thrown away the life she gave you back,
and I wish I could feel compassion for you -
I am sorry your family must suffer and
I am sorry your momma had to find you -
but now I don't have to worry anymore
about the affect you have had on my family.
I know she may be feeling sadness,
as she looks down from above,
but she'll never see you again
because if there is a God up in Heaven,
then your elevator went down.

Prose for Pets - V V

(This is the closest picture I could find to match V V, without the black V on her head. As soon as I can scan a picture of the real V V, I will post it.)

V V
1969 - 1986


I’ve always been a cat person. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs, too, but cats are my favorite pets of all. I’ve had many pets over the years, but my first cat will always hold a special place in my heart.

When I was seven years old, my parents allowed us to have an indoor cat. I’m not sure where the little kitten came from, but she instantly became a part of our family.

A solid white Persian cat with faint black markings on top of her head, this little bundle of white fluff was so cute and my brother and sister and I argued over what to name her. They wanted cutesy names like Snowball or Fluffy; I wanted something unusual.

Because of the black markings on top of her head were in the shape of the letter V, I convinced my siblings the name V V was appropriate for our beloved cat. And V V she would be all through my childhood.

For those of you who have cats, you know a cat chooses her person, not the other way around. V V tolerated everyone in our family, but she loved me. She would sleep at the foot of my bed or lay on my stomach whenever I was reading.

She loved to sit on the divider between the living room and the hallway – a little half wall with spindles. She would sit very still and then swat at people with her paw, as they would walk down the hall.

Or she would hid in a corner and jump out at your ankles whenever you passed by.

V V was especially bad at Christmas time when she would try and climb the Christmas tree. In the early 1970s, most ornaments were glass and we lost quiet a few ornaments because of her adventures with the tree.

By the time I was married, V V was over 10 years old and becoming slow with her old age. My brother and sister wanted a dog for a pet because V V was no longer fun to play with. My new husband did not want an indoor cat and V V was too pampered and set in her ways to start being an outdoor cat.

So, V V went to live with friends for the remainder of her life, and she lived to the grand old age of 17. Although I’ve had many cats since that time, V V was the first and I will always remember her fondly.

3 KY Authors to Read at Carmichael's Bookstore

Sunday, January 31, 2010, Carmichael's Bookstore in Louisville,KY will host readings featuring three talented writers. Poet Katerina Stoykova-Klemer, a recent graduate of Spalding University’s MFA program and the author of Air Around the Butterfly, a book of poems in English and her native Bulgarian. She is the host of Accents, a radio show for literature, arts and culture that airs on Lexington’s WRFL. Katerina is the founder and leader of poetry and prose groups for writers in Lexington and is a member of The Community of Mercer County Writers - NOMADIC INK. Her poems and stories have appeared in literary publications in the U. S. and Europe and have been nominated for several literary awards. Angela Jackson-Brown is a poet and writer who will read from her recent work which includes a story in the newest issue of New Southerner magazine. Angela teaches English at Ball State University and is a graduate of Spalding’s MFA in Creative Writing program. She is working on a novel, a collection of short stories set during the Harlem Renaissance and a poetry collection. The third reader is local favorite Sheri Wright. Sheri is the author of four books of poetry including the forthcoming The Courtship of Reason, which will be published in March by Kentucky’s Finishing Line Press.