November Virtual Poetluck to be Uniquely Eurekan

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) is proud to showcase Eureka Springs literary talent at a virtual Poetluck on Thursday, November 19, at 6:30 pm CST on Zoom and Facebook Live. Two Eureka Springs authors, Dr. Kathy Martone and Cheryl King, will be the featured readers, and Poetluck will be emceed by guest host, Molly Scroges.  Additional readers include Woody Barlow, John-Michael Scurio, Ruth Mitchell, Zeek Taylor, and Laura Matson Hahn.

Kathy and Cheryl will both be reading from recently published novels. WCDH Executive Director, Michelle Hannon, said, “I enjoyed reading both books, and love that they can have so many similarities and simultaneously be so different. Both are works of fiction with a captivating story that features Eureka Springs in a positive way. Cheryl’s book, “Corpocracy,” is a dystopian novel set in the near future. Kathy’s book, “Victorian Songlight,” is a mystical story, told in part through the dreams of the main character.”

Dr. Kathy Martone has been visiting Eureka Springs since she was a child and a resident since 2015. She had a career as a Jungian psychologist specializing in dream work, women’s spirituality, and shamanic journeys. Prior to that, she was the director of a small mental health clinic and served as company psychologist for Southwestern Bell. She taught at Colorado Free University, The Jungian Ministries International, Naropa University, and Iliff School of Theology.  For the past 34 years she has studied with Richmond K. Greene, past chair of the New York Jungian Institute. Mysticism is a favorite topic for Kathy. She loves to weave images, fantasy, and the metaphysical into her art and writing. She facilitates dream groups for community members, and along with her husband, also manages two small B&B’s.

Cheryl King and her best friend and husband, Harland, live in Eureka Springs. Cheryl began her career in publishing, working as a proofreader for Doubleday, and later as an editor for a vanity press publishing firm. She spent the next thirty years in corporate America in the telecommunications industry where she participated in the launch of some of today's most critical data networks and platforms. She decided to pursue her dream of writing when she parted company with corporate employment. In addition to “Corpocracy,” Cheryl has published a collection of short stories, “Rare Coins.”

Molly Scroges is a linguist-poet who teaches ESL at Green Forest High School. She has been published in “Scibendi” and performed poetry all over Arkansas, as well as representing Northwest Arkansas at Women of the World Poetry Slams in Albuquerque and Dallas. Pre-Covid she was hosting the Ozark Poets and Writers Collective in Fayetteville, and Word Brews at Brews in Eureka Springs. She is also a co-host of the podcast Reading Circle Temple, which can be found at www.readingcircletemple.com.

Woody Barlow was a Vietnam Combat Veteran, and Level III Operations Manager for the FAA before retiring to Eureka Springs with his wife Lynne, becoming a firefighter and assistant chief of the Grassy Knob Fire Department, and a WCDH board member. He has written a memoir, a non-fiction novel, and a book of poetry. Woody will read six short poems and two pages from his next book, “The Guardians of Eureka Springs,” a YA fiction that deals with divorce and Mucklots, reptilian creatures that inhabit the dark places around Eureka Springs.

John-Michael Scurio is an HR Executive at George’s Inc. in Springdale and serves on the WCDH and Rogers/Lowell Chamber of Commerce boards. John-Michael spent his twenties sailing the high seas as an entertainer on Holland America Line, his thirties in Seattle, and his forties in Dallas. Now he’s living his best years in Eureka Springs where he’s an avid local blogger (www.iloveureka.com) writing about community, making memories, curating culture, living well, spreading joy and love. John-Michael will be reading his most popular blog post to date, “It’s all Drag.”

Ruth Mitchell’s career as a travel writer took her many places. Her gigs as a freelancer educated her in the ways of the world. Her positions as an editor for At Home in Arkansas and Arkansas Business taught her to manage lots of little fires. As the author of Arkansas Heritage, a state-adopted elementary history text, she learned to be accurate. As a novelist she's learning her toughest lesson yet, how to engage readers through stories. Her novel White Oak is available through Amazon. She will be reading from her soon to be released novel Beyond: A tale of discovery on the other side of life.

Zeek Taylor is an artist, author, and storyteller. He has read his short stories on the NPR radio show Tales from the South and is a co-host of the live storytelling show Homegrown Tales. A native Arkansan, he is a recipient of the AR Governor’s Art Award for Lifetime Achievement.  Zeek has lived on the Eureka Springs’ Upper Historic Loop since 1987. Zeek will read short stories from his soon to be published book Out of the Delta II.

Laura Matson Hahn was born in Chicago, raised in Northern New Jersey, educated in Rhode Island and Michigan, lived in Pennsylvania, and recently moved to Arkansas.  She received a Master’s in Communications and spent 30 years working in communications, cutting her teeth on the then new cable TV industry, and moving into corporate communications. Her attention then turned to crafting her novel, The Heart Code.  Later, she shared her gifts with students of creative writing and performance of literature, two of her deepest joys.  Upon relocating to Beaver Lake in 2018, she and her husband dove into the country life raising guinea hens and dogs, developing their 3 acres, and participating in community activities. Laura will read a passage from The Heart Code, an homage to bohemian culture inspired by her life-long commitment to the philosophy of living according to the heart’s voice and wisdom. It is not autobiographical, but she sees a portion of herself in every character.

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow will continue to host Poetluck virtually until it is safe for us to return to in-person readings.  Readings may be poems, prose, or songs, and writers are invited to share their work for up to ten minutes. A link to the virtual Poetluck and instructions for joining can be found below. Spectators may join a moderated watch party on Facebook Live at the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow page: https://www.facebook.com/writerscolonyatdairyhollow.

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Zoom Links

Topic: November Virtual Poetluck

Time: Nov 19, 2020 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

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