Deadline to register for writers conference in Monday

By by Ken Stanford

Posted 10:36AM on Thursday, September 28, 2006

GAINESVILLE - Monday is the deadline to register for the Northeast Georgia Writers Club's 14th Biennial Writers Conference. It is scheduled Saturday, October 14, at Brenau University. The theme for the conference is "The Olympic Writing Spirit - Climb Your Mountain!" Organizers promise it will be "one of learning, entertainment and inspiration for the experienced writer, the would-be-writers and students." Nationally and internationally renowned speakers on the art and craft of writing from nine dynamic genres will participate. They are: *Keynote Speaker: Charles E. "Gus" Whalen Jr., of Gainesville, CEO of Warren Featherbone Company,and chairman of the Warren Featherbone Foundation - a motivational speaker and inspirational writer, author of three books: The Featherbone Principle: A Declaration of Interdependence (1996 reprinted 2001); The Featherbone Spirit: Celebrating Life's Connections (2002); and The Gift of Renewal (2003). His topic will be: "What's Next?" *Creston Mapes, author of two Christian thrillers, Dark Star: Confessions of A Rock Idol (Multnomah 2005) and Full Tilt (Multnomah 2006). He also has a third book under contract to be released in 2007. He will address the topic, "You Can Make A Living Writing." Mapes has been a freelance writer for 20 years with national corporations and magazines. In 1990 and 1991, he was Creative Director for the Walk Through The Bible Ministries *Charles Price, historical novelist, author of the four-book Hiwassee Series: Hiwassee (1996), Freedom's Altar (1999), The Cock's Spur (2001), and Where The Water-Dogs Laughed (2003). He has been honored by the North Carolina Society of Historians and Independent Publishers, and was the recipient of the Walter Raleigh Award for his Freedom's Altar in 1999. His fifth work, a novel of the Revolutionary War in the South, Nor the Battle to the Strong, will be out in 2007. His proposed topic will be, "Getting Out Of Your Own Way - Finding A Narrative Voice." *Anthony Grooms, Professor of Creative Writing at Kennesaw State University since 1995 is the author of a collection of poems, Ice Poems (Poetry Atlanta Press, 1988) and a collection of stories, Trouble No More (La Questa Press, 1995/Reprint Kennesaw State University Press, 2006). His novel, Bombingham was published by the Free Press, imprint of Simon and Schuster in 2001 and by One World/Ballentine in 2002. In 2006 The Georgia Center for the Book selected Trouble No More as "The Book All Georgia Reads." He will be speaking on "Faith, Art and the Beloved Community": encouraging writers and looking at Martin Luther King's vision and the writings of Irish author James Joyce. *Larry Jon Wilson, international songwriter, is soon to be inducted into The Georgia Song Writers' Hall Of Fame. He is known as an "Inspirational Folk Poet." Bluebird Cafe News in Nashville wrote, "...this man is a national treasure, a writer's writer, the mold that other writers strive to cast themselves in." He will be demonstrating his music and speaking on "Poetry In Musical Form." *Ludlow Porch the beloved southern humorist and author of 13 books, has been a top rated radio host for over 25 years and a most renowned after dinner speaker in the country. He was featured in the PBS production, "Lost Atlanta," and has been nominated for the Radio Hall Of Fame. He will be the luncheon speaker at the conference. A three-person panel will wrap up the day with "The Writer's Visibility Through The Media." The panel will include: *Teresa Weaver, Book Editor for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Martha Zoller, WDUN talk radio host, and author of "Indivisible: Uniting Values For A Divided America"; and, St. John Flynn, Radio Manager for Georgia Public Broadcasting in Atlanta. Moderator for the panel will be Genevieve Bos, Co-Founder and publisher of Pink Magazine, the Georgia-based magazine that profiles America's most successful women in business.. The Conference will include a Continental Breakfast catered by Longstreet Cafe during registration and a catered luncheon at the Burd Center. Immediately following following the media panel will be A Wine and Cheese Reception by Hall Book Exchange, which will include a book signing. During the conference, a scholarship will be awarded to a Brenau student in Creative Writing. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day and John Kollock and Anne Brodie Hill, two well-known northeast Georgia artists, will donate artwork depicting the conference theme. Alex Thomas, Gainesville vocalist, will open the conference with a musical tribute to the North Georgia Mountains. Cost for the day, (everything included) $99: Students: $39. Last day to register will be Monday, October 2. Contact Marv Ellen Collier, Conference Director, (770) 534-6715 or Flouise Whitten, (770) 532-3007 for information.