Glenda C. Beall's Writers Circle Around the Table

A little AI is good Too much is dangerous

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 01:24:31 +0000

In The Progressive, Marc Rosenthal and Julie Derwinski argued “we must rise to meet the AI threat.”

“One reason AI is dangerous is that, unlike conventional computer programs, it does not just follow instructions written by people. Instead, developers feed advanced AI systems enormous amounts of data and let them build their own internal patterns for solving problems. Even their creators cannot fully explain or predict what those systems may do in every situation,” Rosenthal and Derwinski wrote. “In controlled cybersecurity evaluations, advanced AI agents have crossed supposedly secure boundaries, reaching the open Internet and breaking into the computers of outside organizations.”

“People of all political persuasions should demand a moratorium on new facilities and additional computing capacity intended to train the largest frontier models until enforceable standards for safety, environmental protection, and transparency are in place,” Rosenthal and Derwinski said. “The public must assert its authority while it still can. Where safety cannot be demonstrated, development should stop."

It is already difficult to know what is true and what is a lie on the Internet. We might need to police ourselves and stay away from AI until we know that safety measures are indeed working. But what can we do if the government doesn't get something done soon to keep this monster from wrecking things?

But do they know what to do? These AI companies have said they must slow down, so maybe our representatives in office will work across the aisle and let those who built AI show them how to stop the dangerous practices.

A poem by me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 02:06:21 +0000

Lonely Things

I
Its pillars collapsed; a weathered cabin sags
beside a grassy trail. Cobwebs lace each window,
dim reflections kill the sparkle of the sun’s rays,

The door hangs ajar, expecting no one.
No one leaves. Ivy hugs each timber on the walls,
holding rotting wood together.

Unsafe railings on the porch trellis wild roses.
Pink buds become blood blooms, attached to sturdy stalks
with thorns and gray-green leaves.

II
Eyes shrouded with reality,
Ellie wraps her body in his old black sweater,
a benign shield against the cool emptiness,

She dozes in her chair. She dreams.

A ballroom filled with swirling skirts, pink chiffon,
dancing slippers, amid manly dark blue suits.
At seventeen, she chooses him, blue eyes, a gentle smile.

She takes the shy boy’s hand and leads him
with her heart through decades of delightful days
and years of deep devotion.

As sunset closes evening’s door, a chill befalls the room.
Ellie lights a lamp, lingers, her fingers touch the strings of his guitar.
The warmth of him surrounds her like a well-worn blanket.

His distant voice comes, singing, “I need you at the
dimming of the day.”

By Glenda Council Beall

Ready to Write? Class Cancelled

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 02:02:22 +0000

Writers Circle around the Table continues with Zoom classes in October.

Thursdays - October 8, 15, 22, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Fall is here, and we had a long rest over the summer. I hope you continued to write more of your wonderful stories about your life, your family, and your loved ones for those who will come after you.

Maybe you think no one will want to read your history, but they will. Maybe the younger ones don't seem interested now, but one day, when they are older, they will be so glad you wrote your stories.

When my family history book was published, my brothers and sisters, my cousins, and others wanted the book.

Some years later, at a family gathering, my nephew's teenage children asked me for copies of the book. They wanted their own books and asked when I was going to write a book with them in it.

History books in school will not tell your story. Only you can tell what your life was like growing up in the twentieth century, before cell phones, smart TVs, electric cars, computers, and so much more that is happening so fast now.

Did you learn your multiplication tables? Did you learn cursive writing? Did you add and subtract without a calculator? Although we don't want to believe it, our lives are already the history of a couple of generations. An editor recently told an author that her novel, set in the 1990s, was historical fiction.

I grew up on a farm with no electricity until I was ten years old. We listened to the radio, powered by a large battery. When I write about those times, I also write about how we didn't think we had less because our neighbors on their farms lived the same way we did. And we were blessed to have good parents of good character who were honest and loving.

But some had hard times, abusive parents, were abandoned when they were small, and other things that made their lives difficult. If you had those issues, how did you overcome them and become who you are now? You can help others with your words. Write about those things and tell how you survived and how you feel today about your childhood.

What do your children know about their grandparents? Where did they come from?

You know the drill: Send me a check for $40, made payable to Glenda Beall. Email me to register and get my home address. gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com -- put writing class as the subject.

My PayPal account is not working. Don't use it.

Don't wait too long. If we don't have enough sign-ups by October 3rd, we will have to cancel.

If you paid for a class and could not be present, just let me know that you plan to be with us. No fee is due.

I look forward to seeing y'all online.

Photo from Roswell Wordsmiths

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 07:00:04 +0000

Glenda and Carol are sitting together; Susan is to Carol's left; the long blond hair belongs to Linda Sands. This was taken during a break, so some are not in their seats.

I believe the man whose back we see is Bo Hiers. Linda is reading from a working manuscript she says will be part of her next novel.

Roswell Wordsmiths

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 03:10:07 +0000

Carol Crawford

Writer and poet Carol Crawford is also an editor (www.carolcrawfordediting.com). She was our guest speaker at Roswell Wordsmiths. We found her talk informative and interesting, as most of those present are beginning writers.

Eric Kennington, the library's branch manager, is extremely helpful to me as I get this writing group going. We have worked together for about three months. We were pleased to have all but one of those present read their short prose, ranging from fantasy to a story about a Vietnam veteran who survived a battle he could not forget.

I am most grateful to George Weinstein for posting this meeting in the Atlanta Writers Club newsletter.

Widely published author Linda Sands saw the announcement and joined us. We heard her read and were impressed with her reading and her writing. She didn't tell us, but she was selected as Georgia Writer of the Year, and she lives in Fannin County, Georgia, where Carol Crawford lives.

Linda Sands

It was great to meet Don Neder in person. Don is my co-host and will be host when I can't be there. His book on mindfulness will be published in September, I believe. He is now researching his new book on his parents' lives.

My thanks to Marcus, Patricia, Susan, Bo, William, and Wava. I look forward to seeing you next month.

I am appreciative of my non-writer supporters, Gay, Stu, Nancy, and Lee, who came and enjoyed listening to the writers and meeting them.

I think we will all benefit from this group: meeting writers, making new friends, learning about writing, and I look forward to teaching more writing classes.

We want to build a community of writers in Roswell, GA. If you want to be a writer but need some encouragement, join us on Sept 15 at 2 PM at the Roswell Library. If you are a published writer, we would like you to join us. We can learn from you, I'm sure. Email me and let me know if you plan to be at the Roswell Wordsmiths next month.

Convenience at a Cost?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:37:35 +0000

The brain lights up when we use our hands for writing.

To test this theory, the brain was monitored with electrodes. Science shows it is better to write with our hands than to use a keyboard.

What happens in the brain? When writing by hand, the brain explodes with brain activity.

When using a keyboard, not so much.

We know that the brain is like a muscle, use it or lose it. There are children today who don't know how to hold a pencil. Cursive writing is no longer taught in public school. If I were sending my child to a private school, I would insist that she be taught cursive. Ending the teaching of cursive writing is the worst thing I think that has happened to public education of our children today.

When I asked a 25 year old woman to type up my handwritten stories, she told me she couldn't because she could not read cursive writing. I don't think she could write her signature in cursive.

How sad that a college graduate can't read the language that her ancestors used, our founding fathers used. She can't read the original Constitution of the United States. Who doesn't think writing cursive is important? And it is difficult to learn unless it is taught in school. Handwriting is a part of our cultural heritage. It was used even in ancient times because it is more than simply putting marks on paper

A brilliant college student who always took notes on her laptop, had a tough time remembering what she wrote when it was test time. She was persuaded to stop using the keyboard and she began writing with her hand. Her tests scores improved immensely.

Keyboarding seems more productive. But notes written on paper are processed in the brain which makes the students retain them longer.

A perfect example is a man who suffered a stroke and lost his ability to speak and understand words. He started to copy words out of the dictionary by handwriting in cursive. His speech and word understanding came back.

Do your children or grandchildren know how to hold a pen--write with a pen? Do they color with a crayon? I have letters from my father to my mother that are one hundred years old. They are written in cursive by hand on lined paper. I treasure those letters. If my family in years to come try to read these words, a century old, they cannot because they were only taught to read printed words from a keyboard.

If we lose handwriting, we might lose brain function over time. Will technology steal the brains of our descendants?

To learn more on this subject:

https://www.youtube.com/@UpgradeWithMakaiEl%C3%ADasCalles

This is a terrific program on YouTube.

What's New? Well, a number of things.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 22:52:00 +0000

On August 6, Carol Crawford will teach a writing class for Writers Circle Around the Table, on Zoom.

The class meets at 6:00 PM ends at 8:00 PM.

To register for the class, you may go to PayPal.com. Send $30 to Glenda C. Beall and contact me so I can send you the link for Zoom. If you go here, you will find the directions to go to PayPal to send me your fee.

Anyone who has known Carol as I have for many years knows what a terrific teacher she is. She has a fine resume' which you can find on her website. CarolCrawfordEditing.com. She is a journalism and English graduate of Baylor University. She has published in the Journal of Kentucky Studies, the Southern Humanities Review, the Chattahoochee Review, the Concho River Review, and other journals.

I have taken classes with Carol, and I always learn something. She is my go-to editor and has been long before she started her business. This class will teach you how to keep your readers glued to your pages. They will not be tempted to scroll on their phone or watch something on TV. She knows what it takes.

Also in the What's New column is Roswell Wordsmiths at the Roswell Library on Tuesday, August 18, 2:00 PM. The library responded to my suggestion for a gathering of writers who want to share their work at Open Mic, similar to Coffee with the Poets and Writers, which I started about twenty years ago in Hayesville, NC, and which is still going strong today.

If you don't live near Roswell, GA, you can join us on Zoom. Yes, we will have a hybrid meeting--in person and online. Contact the Roswell Library to register for the Zoom link. We ask that those reading keep their work clean and free of political language.

And the last of New Things is I will be reading my work at a local bookstore in Roswell in September. No date set yet, but the manager of 2ndandCharles Books seemed quite interested in having me there.

And she will carry my books in the store.

In spite of illness and lack of mobility, I have a good life. Thanks to so many people who have been available for Gay and me in the past two weeks. Everywhere I go, I meet good, kind, caring people. I don't believe our country is mostly mean-spirited folks. I don't visit angry, nasty people online.

I watch very few news programs, and I enjoy TV series from the 70s and 80s before blood and guts became popular with viewers.

If you read this, please leave a comment. Even one word is nice because that lets me know someone is there.

Joan Cannon, novelist, and senior woman

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

When it comes to helping newbies and wannabes, no one is better than Glenda. She has introduced me to the most important contacts I have--out of pure friendliness and generosity. Thank you, Glenda, always! ...Joan Cannon, author https://www.seniorwomen.com/news/index.php/author/joan-cannon/

Joan Cannon was an author who was widowed and lived alone in western North Carolina, but not in the NCWN-West region. She was in her late sixties or seventies when she emailed me many years ago. She wanted to be a member of Netwest, but she did not live in our region. She did not receive our emails, but she followed us on our blog at https://netwestwriters.blogspot.com/. She sent me one of her novels, and it was a good story. Michelle Keller read it and enjoyed it. Joan said her publisher did not do anything to help her sell books, and she wanted my advice.

Well, the first thing I realized was that she had no platform on which to promote her books.
And as an older woman, she faced ageism, which was flagrant in the literary world at the time. Also, as an older person, she didn't feel safe traveling alone to distant venues to read, meet others interested in writing, or attend groups that met at night. If you are an older person who fits this description, you understand Joan's problems.

I researched places where an older writer, a good writer, might get published. I researched https://www.Seniorwomen.com and found that they invite older women to submit to their online publication. I knew Joan would be perfect for them. I suggested she read the work there and see if she might want to submit an article or an opinion. It was not long before she emailed me to say she had been published on the Senior Women site. Just as I thought, her work was perfect for the online magazine.

The next time I heard from Joan, she had been asked to be a regular writer for Seniorwomen.com. If you are a retired woman or a woman of any age, you will find interesting information and thoughts by women you can relate to.

For a number of years, I read Senior Women and always enjoyed Joan Cannon's writing. Finally, Joan's health began to fail, and she could no longer manage to live in her house all alone. She moved back up north to be near her children. She said it was a hard decision and she didn't want to leave North
Carolina, but she knew she must go.

It seems the most stressful experiences happen in our senior adult years. We lose our partner, and then we must move from a house steeped in memories of those later years when we had time to really talk, to know each other better, to share deep feelings we had held inside. It seems that we begin to prepare for death when our beloved is gone. Our own health suffers from the loss, grief, and heartache. We must move to some place where we can be best cared for, whether we want to go or not. Stress hangs over our every minute. Age becomes something we think about more often, and illnesses, aches, and pains that won't go away fuel our nightmares.

Joan only wrote to me a few times after moving up north. But one day, I realized it had been a long time since I heard from her. I emailed Joan, and her daughter answered. Joan had died.

I think of her often. Tonight, I decided to see if any of her writing was still on www.seniorwomen.com, and I was so very happy to see that she is still listed as an author and that her essays and articles are available on the website. I am not sure if the website is still active, but I enjoyed reading that Joan Cannon, my friend whom I have never met in person, still has her writing on the site for anyone who visits and clicks on her name.

THE FOUNDERS’ BRILLIANCE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 02:19:22 +0000

THE FOUNDERS’ BRILLIANCE

JULY 2026 COLUMN

BY ROGER CARLTON

As I close in on 80 years of age, my thoughts often turn to lessons learned from more than 50 years in the crucible of South Florida politics. One of those lessons was to surround yourself with smart people, listen to their input on complex solutions, decide which direction to go in, assign responsibility to your team members, and then announce that direction to your community with a clear message and achievable goals.

To confess my political leanings, I enjoy a late-afternoon toddy, then watch Ari Melber on MSNBC and David Muir on ABC. The rest of my television evening, with a few brilliant exceptions, is filler to bedtime. Sometimes the news of Washington’s kerfuffles leads me to question how a single controversy or a bundle of controversies can lead to a revolutionary movement rather than evolutionary accommodation.

Perhaps the story of our independence 250 years ago begins way before 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. The original colonists came to America for many reasons, including religious persecution, economic opportunity, and escaping the rigid class systems in Europe. They were a tough bunch who carved the original thirteen colonies from the wilderness.

King George III reigned for 59 years. He was brilliant in his own way, supporting study in agriculture and astronomy. He also defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. He suffered from a form of derangement that kept him from realizing that his decrees and laws, along with Parliament’s, and his personal behavior, would eventually become intolerable to his subjects. The best-known of these acts include the Stamp Act (1765), the Currency Act (1764), the Tea Act (1773), and the Intolerable Acts (1774), which were meant to punish Boston for dumping tea into Boston Harbor. Nearly ten years of foolish and retaliatory acts led the colonists to believe they were being taxed without representation. That is something to think about today, as numerous state and federal actions seem designed to limit the hard-fought right to vote.

Back to the notion of the Founders’ brilliance. There are five key takeaways. The first is Natural and Inalienable Rights. We think of these rights as Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Second is Equality. We think of this as All Men Are Created Equal. This principle is still being debated. The third concept is Consent of the Governed. This means that power flows from the people and not from on high through royalty.

Right to Revolution comes next. In 1776, this meant separation from England because the King’s reign had become intolerable. Rule of Law was established in the Declaration of Independence. Pretty gutsy since the structure of our system would not be established until 1787. The Founders demonstrated their brilliance by listing 27 grievances in the Declaration. The key grievances were taxation without representation, the suspension of the right to trial by jury, and the forced quartering of troops. Forgive me for a little sarcasm. What if King George had sent his Vice King to the colonies to negotiate a resolution of the grievances?

Well, the rest is history. King George sent his superior military forces to crush the offensive colonists. Five years later, Lord Cornwallis surrendered in Yorktown, Virginia, and we were independent of England. Think about the challenge facing the Founders. What do we do with this newfound freedom? There were 2.8 million people living in the colonies, including nearly 500,000 slaves. The trip from Maine to Georgia could take months. Communication was very difficult. “Nation-building” had not yet made it into the lexicon, and we did not want to be beholden to foreign powers.

So, how do you get started to form a government once the war is won? Our answer was to call together representatives to draw up the Articles of Confederation, which were quickly determined to be inadequate in their definition of the powers of the federal government.

The subsequent Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia for over four months in 1787. Fifty-five delegates were led by George Washington to develop the Constitution. They were all brilliant, as was General Washington’s leadership. So many grand ideas were incorporated in the document. The Senate would have two delegates from each state, while the House would have proportionate representation based on population. The relative powers of the states and the federal government were established. Can you imagine the debate and compromises that led to the document's adoption in just four months?

I am running out of space; however, it is important to understand that nine state legislatures had to adopt the document. That led to debates between the Federalists, who wanted strong national powers, and the Anti-Federalists, who did not. The process took four years and resulted in a compromise, which, in my mind, is one of the most brilliant solutions in governance in modern times. The basic Constitution was left intact, and the first 10 Amendments were simultaneously adopted to protect the people from the federal government's excessive use of power. In 250 years, the document has been amended only 27 times. Two of those amendments were the ridiculous establishment of Prohibition and its abolishment 13 years later.

In conclusion, my friends, would it not be nice if every candidate for public office had to certify that they read the Constitution and its Amendments before they collected a nickel of campaign contributions? An annual refresher course would be helpful.

Stories are Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 May 2026 22:19:06 +0000

I like the quote above.

I think our stories are often healing for the writer and for readers

In my memoir classes, I hear stories about hardship, pain, and loneliness. Pat Conroy, the popular novelist wrote about his family, the abusive father who was a highly respected Marine.
Conroy, who wrote about his feelings when he was young and witnessed his dad fighting and almost killing his mother, said he thought all families were like his own. He didn't report the abuse because he thought it was normal.

Some of his books are autobiographical fiction. I am trying my hand at writing my true stories as fiction. How do I do that? Changing the names and places, adding my own thoughts as my character's words?

It is said that all writers, whether they write fiction or nonfiction, take experiences from their own lives and give them to people in their books.
That is what Pat Conroy did, I believe. His books are deep and involved because his characters are based on real people with real problems. He said, "I write about what I know."

It seems that many, many people grew up in dysfunctional homes--some with addiction issues and some with parents who suffered from mental illness. The writer feels a release when writing these stories, stories he/she would never talk about. They would not shame their family or themselves by talking openly about abusive parents.

But when the stories are written with reflections on how they felt at the time and what they experienced as children, helpless to fix the problems, the writers feel as if they have opened a box — long shut and locked — and freed the feelings they have harbored.

Readers can open their closed box as well. They are no longer alone with the painful secrets hidden deep inside. When we share with others through writing, we offer medicine for the heart, soul, and mind without a doctor's prescription. Writers are indeed healers, and their stories bring medicine to the world.

A Strong Woman, my mother

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 04:04:00 +0000

Life is not what one lived, but what one remembers and how one remembers it in order to recount it. Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I come from a long line of strong women on both sides of my family, and I am writing about them.

I can start with my mother, Lois Robison Council, who bore seven children at home. She raised all of them using home remedies for almost all of their illnesses. One of her sons was hospitalized for a burst appendix, and another son had back surgery because of an injury incurred when he was in the Navy. For normal illnesses, she believed in letting your body heal itself. We only went to the doctor for major illnesses.

She used some over-the-counter meds when they were called for. Castor Oil and Grove's Chill Tonic were two favorites. The tonic was created by the same man who built the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. And we could not have made it without Watkins Liniment or Vicks Salve, now called Vicks VapoRub. We didn't have Alka-Seltzer or Tums. For tummy troubles, we took a teaspoon of Baking Soda in a glass of water. It still works well.

Mother saved my sister's life when the baby suffered from pneumonia. At that time, there were no antibiotics. Doctors gave up on my sister. But Mother decided to try a home-made method as a desperate last attempt.

She made a tar and tallow plaster that she placed on Gay's chest. As neighbors sat with her, Mother tried to prepare to lose her precious child. When everyone had given up, the woman holding my baby sister said, "Miz Council, I believe her fever has broke."

My sister is alive today and very healthy.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A tar and tallow plaster (or salve) is a traditional home remedy primarily used to draw out infections and relieve respiratory congestion. Historically, it combines pine tar for its antiseptic properties with tallow (rendered animal fat) as a soothing carrier that mimics the skin's natural oils.

Respiratory Relief

For a sick person suffering from a deep cough, flu, or cold, a tar and tallow mixture is often applied as a chest poultice.

Chest Congestion: Tallow acts as a base to keep the chest warm, helping loosen mucus and soothe persistent coughing.
Warm Application: In traditional practice, the mixture is spread on a cloth, warmed, and placed on the chest to improve circulation and clear breathing.
Preventative Care: Historically, it was used to keep a severe cold or deep cough from progressing into more serious conditions like pneumonia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 01:29:00 +0000

I am glad to see Scott Owens, poet, is back online with a website and blog.

https://scottowenspoetry.com/

I remember when I first met Scott. I had read some of his poetry on the Dead Mule School of Southern Literature site. I liked his work, so I contacted him and asked if I might publish his poetry on our NCWN-West blog.

He agreed, and from then on we were friends. He came to Western NC every year and taught poetry classes. He taught a great class last year in Hiawassee, Georgia. All of us in the class learned more about writing poetry, and we had a good time while learning.

Scott has published over 20 poetry books, including a poetry book for children. He also did a Meet and Greet and answered questions about himself and poetry for NCWN-West. Everyone enjoyed that event.

Fall and Christmas Poems and Stories by Old Mountain Press

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 23:15:00 +0000

FALL FOR YOU -A Poetry and Prose Anthology, the most recent anthology by Old Mountain Press, is filled with poems and short prose from many writers I have known for years. I also discovered writers I will remember. This anthology is one of Tom Davis's best. I am honored to have a poem among those included here.

Tom Davis creates beautiful covers

This book makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys poetry or short prose. The theme is Fall and Christmas, and includes subjects during that time of year. My Poem is November Evening.

The poem, I Never Played Mary, by Carroll Taylor fits the Christmas season perfectly. The last verse is lovely. Made me read the poem again.

Donna Beal, Brenda Kay Ledford, Mary Ricketson, Sandy Benson, Linda Gifford, and Debbie Hooper, among other members of NCWN-West are published in this book.

I enjoyed the one-page prose pieces. The Christmas Doll by Nancy Sales Cash reminded me of my own childhood.

On pages 44 and 45, David Plunkett, novelist and poet, wrote Dying Tree, and Roswell, GA resident, Alan Frutchey's poem is Fall's Face.

At My Mother-in-law's Kitchen Window, for Mom, by Kerri Habben Bosman, brought a tear to my eye. I don't personally know this poet, but this poem brings lots of emotion to the surface.

FAll For You was nominated for the Pushcart Prize LI

Many thanks to Tom Davis for publishing these anthologies and sharing the work of beginning writers as well as poetry by Poet Laureates.

Register for Writing Class

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 03:42:00 +0000

Zoom Writing Classes

Write your true stories for family or for publication

Feb 10,17,24 March 3

Tuesdays, 6 - 8 PM EST

Contact information

https://www.glendacouncilbeall.com/

gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com

$30 for four classes online - Zoom

$35 for membership in ICL - the INSTITUTE FOR CONTINUING LEARNING

Pay membership fee at https://www.iclyhc.org/Join-ICL

Pay the course fee at https://www.iclyhc.org/event-6446711

Glenda Beall sitting at the desk of Pat Conroy

Writing classes 2026 Save the Date

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 19:59:00 +0000

2026 Classes on Zoom

Must join or be a member of ICL

Classes are posted on https://www.iclyhc.org/event-6446711

Instructor: Glenda C. Beall, published author and poet, experienced teacher

Owner/Director of Writers Circle around the Table

Writing Your Life Stories for Your Family or for Publication

Tuesdays, February 10, 17, 24, March 3,

6:00 - 8:00 PM

Zoom link will be sent after registration

Our life stories are a precious legacy. Putting them in writing is a gift to all who know and love us—they can be treasured and enjoyed for generations to come.

Facts bring us knowledge, but stories bring us wisdom.

If you are interested in writing family/personal life stories – those significant tales of adventure, transition, love, loss, and triumph, as well as the lovely everyday moments shared with loved ones from the past or the present, come learn specific tools and techniques to retrieve and record them.

Students will write a short piece each week and share it with the class.
Each student receives individual attention from the instructor.

Old Mountain Press In the Yard II

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 05:34:00 +0000

Once again I am pleased to see so many poets and writers of short fiction included in Old Mountain Press anthology In the Yard II.

I want to include some other poems from this book soon.

My poem, on page 4, was written many years ago while visiting the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. We saw many wild animals on this trip and the Elk seemed to be everywhere.

Canadian Rockies in October

By Glenda Council Beall

Beware. Elk are mating, we’re told.

A child is dead, sent by his father to pose

for a photo with an elk on the courthouse grounds.

Glacier fed lakes abound among

snow-covered peaks. We walk on

Athabasca Glacier, drink glacier water

so cold it numbs the lips.

We hang our hats for several days

in a cabin in Jasper, B.C.

A bull elk with huge rack, grazes

outside our door. He won’t be driven

away. He lies down and holds us captive.

A green truck appears in the gathering dusk.

A forest ranger wielding a hockey stick

laden with plastic streamers shakes it overhead.

The bull bolts into the dark forest, afraid of anything

taller than himself.

Why Do You Write?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 05:34:00 +0000

"I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” – James A. Michener

When I speak with writers, I find that most of them began to love writing as soon as they received their first paper and pencils for school.

When did you fall in love with writing?
By the time I was in fourth grade, I had several spiral notebooks filled with my stories. I built myself a platform in the chinaberry tree in our backyard so I could sit up there among the birds, hidden by the limbs and leaves. I guess you could call that my first writing studio.

I remember looking out on the green pastures of summer, seeing cattle grazing and feeling the slight breeze moving through the tree top.

Since I dreamed of having my own horse some day, my stories always included a horse that was beautiful and that loved me. Many young girls fall in love with horses at a young age. Some people say horses are wonderful for girls between toys and boys. But my love for horses never left me. I read all of the books on horses, and especially loved The Black Stallion books.

Today, if you visited me you would find a painting of the horse I finally owned after I finished college. I loved her so much and she lived to be 32 years old. On shelves you would see figures of horses heads and full body forms. On the mantel is a photo of Barry, my husband, on one of the horses he owned. He learned to enjoy horses after we married.

Horses and writing were my hobbies when I was a child and continued until I no longer had a horse and writing became more than a hobby. Like many women I know today, I decided I wanted to be a writer after seeing the movie Little Women. Jo March inspired me.

But I didn't tell anyone I wanted to be a writer. I felt my brothers would laugh and tease me and I would not dare share my writng with any one of them. When I was in college, I shared a poem I wrote with my sister, June. It was free verse because that was what English teachers taught at the time. June would never hurrt my feelings, but she had learned poems by the old masters, rhyming poems, and she didn't really enjoy my poe try. Neither did my other sister. I loved the rhyming poetry, especially Robert Frost, and I loved hearing Max and Ray, my brothers, recite Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven and many other poems they memorized in school.

I kept secretly writing poetry, short stories, and non-fiction tales about people I knew. I kept a private diary and I have to smile when I now read the pages of a college girl in the 1960s, who poured out her heart about the boys she liked, the ones she wanted to love but didn't, and how hard it was to deal with being a grown up in the world.

I think writing saved me from falling into deep depression several times when I was in college. My closest friend at the University of Georgia was my sister and she had a busy life.

She didn't really like school, but she joined the Modern Dance Group
and loved it. So I held my feelings in except when late at night, they flowed out on my journal pages where no one else would read them.

Now in my new stage of life when I am often alone, I write again.
I teach and enjoy reading the stories written by my students. I am glad I have learned from knowledgeable teachers in North Carolina and north Georgia for the past thirty years and I can help beginning and intermediate writers get past those roadblocks that pop up when you first start to write for others to read.

It seems to me that writers are more curious than other people. Writers are extra sensitive to their surroundings, to the people in their lives, and often more intuitive.

I always want to know the story about the person, about the situation, why and how things happened. Everyone has a unique story and when we write our stories we often develop a new perspective on what happened. As we age, mining our memories opens our eyes to what happened, not just what we thought happened.

If I were teaching in elementary school today, I would make sure my students learned to write. Not to prepare them for being a best-selling author, although they could. But when we pour out our thoughts and feelings on paper, it is therapy for us. It helps clear our minds in a good way. Often it cures our anxiety, our fears, and creates a clearer picture of our world.

Have a lovely Autumn here in the USA or wherever you live, enjoy every day because they are precious.

Leave a comment and tell me when you began writing or if you want to be a writer.
Write on!

Too Long on the Diving Board

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 02:41:00 +0000

Lake Chatuge in North Carolina

DIVING BOARD

You've been up on that diving board

Making sure that it's nice and straight.

You've made sure that it's not too slick.

You've made sure it can stand the weight.

You've made sure that the spring is tight.

You've made sure that the cloth won't slip.

You've made sure it bounces right.

And that your toes can get a grip- -

And you've been up there since half past five

Doing everything ... but DIVE.

— Shel Silverstein

This poem calls to me. Although I moved to the city a year ago, I have been living, in my mind, in my mountain community in North Carolina with good friends where I spent the past 30 years. My heart has been there, but my body has been here.

I finally decided it was time to DIVE.

I am resigning as Program Coordinator for NCWN-WEST at the end of this year. I am beginning a new life here and will find more ways to meet people. I am a people person. I thrive on the energy of others.

I will continue to teach writing online several times a year. But there is more I want to learn so I will take classes at the Roswell Adult Learning Center in Roswell and I will continue to take online classes. I hope to write more poems and work on my own memoir.

Writing classes Register Now

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 21:29:00 +0000

Registration October 8 - 20, 2025
Classes are taught via Zoom - Register to receive your invitation to participate. The invitation to Zoom will be sent after registration.

Contact gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com for registration information.

We will discuss how to decide what to write, how to write it so that it will resonate with your readers, and how to organize these stories.
We will write short informative, entertaining, and enlightening pieces each week in this class.

Glenda Council Beall

Use Your Photos to Write Your True Stories

Online with Zoom

Tuesdays OCT 21- 28, NOV 4, 11

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Fee: $45.00

Using photos, pictures and objects to spark memories, draw readers in by using sensory images, and create details that make your memories come alive.
The invitation to Zoom will be sent after registration.

There are reasons why certain memories stay with us. We don’t remember everything that has happened in our lives, but we remember those things that made a difference.

We all have unique life stories.
Yesterday, an older woman said to me, "I wish I had asked more questions. I wish I knew more about my parents' lives."

What are the places, who are the characters, friends and family, teachers, and others you remember who have helped make you the person you are today?

Learn when and how to use dialogue. Students are given prompts that bring forth memories. The instructor will read and offer individual suggestions and comments to improve clarity and strength.

Our classes are small, and non-competitive. Everyone is encouraged as we discuss what we like about the work being read. Students learn from each other as well as from the instructor.

Classes are for beginning and intermediate writers, published or non-published.

About the Instructor:

Glenda Council Beall

Glenda is a capable, empathic, and insightful writing teacher, who creates and sustains a safe, warm space for students to learn and become successful writers.

Glenda creates a comfortable setting where students share their writing with others. She firmly believes in encouragement and sensitivity when helping writers improve their work.

Writers Circle Around the Table, Glenda's writing studio which she opened in her home in Hayesville, NC, after her husband passed away, continued for ten years. Now she continues her classes online using Zoom. She no longer lives in the mountains, but is still very involved with the NC Writers' Network - West.

Eight Nights at The Harris Hotel by Celia Miles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 23:09:00 +0000

Congratulations to a wonderful author and dear friend, Celia Miles, on the publication of a new one that I look forward to reading. She will have a book signing next month. It's in conjunction with the cover artist who is the gallery's Artist of the Month;

Mrs. Wheeler, a rich elderly widow, arrives at The Harris Hotel, on the Hebridean island Lewis and Harris off the Scottish coast.

There her memories of a dust bowl youth, military service, Chicago’s business and art venues, along with multiple marriage interweave with a guest’s murder.

With the help of her young aide from the island, Mrs. Wheeler is determined to solve the crime … even when experience and innocence are sometimes at odds.

“Mrs. Wheeler is not an especially lovable character—rich, used to being in charge—but she is capable of depth under her commercial façade,” Miles says. “Her young attendant is told to ‘obey, not to question’, but in trying to solve a murder at the hotel they begin to understand each other, if not always agreeing. They find they have a similar past and that they do what has to be done to manage.”

Read a Review from The Laurel of Asheville

Read an indepth interview with Celia Miles on Netwest Writers.

In the Dark

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:36:00 +0000

Going through my poems from years ago, I read this one. It was published by Jayne Jaudon Ferror on Your Daily Poem. I still get emotional when I read it.

In the Dark
by
Glenda Council Beall

I lie here in bed, my cheek against your shoulder,
remembering a night, long ago, on your boat.
I was afraid. I felt too much, too fast.
But you were tender, and love crept over us
like silver fog, silent on the lake.
We were never again the same.
We stepped like children through that door that led
to long passages unknown, holding hands, wide-eyed, but brave.
Here I am years later, listening to your soft breath
and feeling your warm smooth skin.
In the dark, now might as well be then.

From Now Might As Well Be Then (Finishing Line Press, 2009)
Used with the author's permission.

Getting Better all the Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 20:32:00 +0000

I was asked to be a Beta reader for a man who is writing a self-help book. I feared it would be boring and amateurish, but he sent me the first two chapters and I was delighted to read an interesting and very informative book.

His theme is Changing Your Mindset.

That is what I am working on for myself. I am seeing a holistic Physical Therapist and she has helped me more than all the specialists, heart, lung and ENT. The specialists give me many tests. Then I am given pills for what they think is needed. Or they find nothing wrong with me.

Shortness of Breath is my main complaint and excess fatigue. Even a slight exertion period and my battery has expired. It all began when I had my first COVID-19 attack. Now, after four rounds of COVID, no doctor has an explanation as to why this is happening.

But my holistic PT has given me the tools to overcome the SOB. First I learned to concentrate on breathing through my nose and not with my mouth. I practice deep breathing exercising all day. It makes a big difference.

Some of her treatments are painful at first, but they help me.

Her videos are on YouTube and I go there to repeat them over and over. Each treatment is at least one hour long. Between her and my functional chiropractor I feel an improvement in my whole body and my mind.

I don't like taking prescription medicine. Each one has side-effects and usually they are harmful to me. Many older people are taking tons of pills and most are to treat the side-effects of others.

I hope to get off the "Medical Merry-go - round" and rely on my own knowledge of what I need and what I want. At this stage of life, I am shooting for a good quality of life. I just want to awake with no pain and have energy to write, to work in my deck garden and enjoy my little Lexie. She makes me laugh every day. I want to be able to drive my car up to the mountains, alone, if necessary.

Drawing by Gabe Council

As we age, we must accept that some things are more than enough and we might never be able to hike a difficult trail, to stand for long periods, to sit in a crowded room with strangers. As a hyper-sensitive person, loud noises are too much for me. Crowded spaces make me uncomfortable, and I need more sleep now.

However, life is good and I am enjoying the small things, the conversations with health workers, laughter with my sister, watching the hummers at my feeder, and the Cardinals that visit often to eat at the other bird feeder.

I picked two small tomatoes off my vine on the deck and a green one is slowly blushing. I am very grateful for the cooler weather we have had this week, but not so happy with the mosquitoes that leave me itching if I am outside for long.

The lake will be busy and noisy with all the vacationers this weekend. I liked to sit and enjoy the quiet times and write poems.

I hope my readers and friends enjoy this long weekend here in the USA. Take a break from the political news and only watch good movies that are uplifting and make you smile. Enjoy your family if you have them close and if not, call them. Many of our Solo Seniors wait for the calls, but we need to initiate them.

Above all, be kind and caring, love they neighbor even if they are not on your political spectrum. One of the things I miss are the friendships lost because of ideological differences. I think I will send a note to one of them now.

Thanks for reading. Come back soon.

This weekend was good medicine for me.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 02:43:00 +0000

Gay and I drove up to the mountains and I attended a poetry workshop lead by Rosemary Royston. After the class ended, some of us had lunch together at the Sundance Grill on Main Street in Hiawassee, GA.

In our NCWN-West local group, Murphy and Hayesville NC and in Young Harris and Hiawassee, GA we have two poetry critique groups, and three meetings for readings and Open Mic. I am told we have too many writers' events each month and some cannot attend them all. I understand, and no one is expected to attend them all. I couldn't when I lived there. We have a very active group of writers who have been successful in publishing, and we have many eager new writers who feel very welcome and happy to be a part of this mountain program.

You might notice our one man in the photo above. David Plunkett is our publicity coordinator and we held the workshop Saturday at his office in Hiawassee. He is a very important person who is always willing to volunteer and help when needed.

On the left in the photo is Carroll Taylor who is the Georgia Representative for NCWN-West, and she holds an online gathering each month for writers, Mountain Wordsmiths on Zoom. She is one of the people I depend on, who works well with me, and helps keep our program working. She welcomes writers and those who just want to listen to poems and stories. Contact her and she will send the link so you can join us.

In the back of the photo, in pink, is one of the original members, excellent poet, Janice Moore. She and Nancy Simpson, poet and teacher, led our early poetry critique groups in the 90s.

Others in the photo are on the right, Lorraine Bennett, Rosemary Royston, and Mary Ricketson. On the left side, next to Carroll, is Donna Beal, who treated Gay and me to dinner, and Cynthia Francis. All of these folks write poetry or novels.

Out of the photo, my sister, Gay sat beside me as I made the photos. Without my dear sister, I could not have been with my old friends at this time. She enjoyed them, she said, and I know they all think the world of her.

I am inspired to get my writing out of my computer and submitted to publishers in the coming weeks. Wish me luck.

Thanks for stopping by. Let me hear from you in the comments or elsewhere.

Stay safe in this hot, hot weather, and keep your pets safe, also. The heat and hot pavement is bad for our pups.

Glenda Beall,

co-author of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins

Author of Now Might as Well be Then.

gcbmoountaingirl@gmail.com

Poetry Class with Rosemary Royston

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 13:47:00 +0000

Rosemary Royston

NCWN-West is holding a poetry workshop with outstanding poet, Rosemary Royston, author of several books. She teaches annually at the John C. Campbell Folk School in their writing program. To learn more about Rosemary, Google Rosemary Royston poet. She holds an MFA in Writing from Spalding University. Read some of her poetry here.

Rosemary’s chapbook, Splitting the Soil, is available through Finishing Line Press and Amazon.

I have known Rosemary for many years.

She was a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network. She served as Program Coordinator for NCWN-West.

Visit her new website: https://www.stitchandstories.com/general-1

We always had a full class when Rosemary taught at Writers Circle around the Table, my studio in Hayesville.

I like this description of Rosemary's book, Second Sight:

Rosemary Royston’s poems speak in the tongues of rural folks in a way that only a linguistical conjurer could have managed. She takes her readers on a tour through Appalachia and its cultures—showing the reader creek bottoms, retold Garden of Eden stories, and her grandmother’s medicine cabinet. Royston is an eloquent wordsmith who tenderly crafts each word, each line, and each stanza. This collection of Royston’s is honest, timely, and beautiful. It is a love letter to Appalachia and rural people everywhere who often don’t get their stories told in such a powerful and compassionate manner.

If you write poetry, no matter what level, you will enjoy and learn from taking this class.

Location: 355 Main St. N, Suite C, Hiawassee, GA 30582

Date and time: July 26, 2025 - 10:00 AM- 12:00

Registration: Fee: $40 For registration information contact gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com

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IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAM

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 03:29:00 +0000

Gay in action

In the photo above, my sister is doing what she loves to do -- dancing!

She dances in competitions and in showcases with her instructor, and she comes home with awards. She laughs and says it's not hard to win because she's not competing with young women, but with others in her age category. However, few of the dancers fall into her category. I don't know anyone who can do what she does at her age or even much younger. But Gay said there is a woman in her 90s who continues to go out and dance.

Gay is a winner because she practices and learns many dances to compete and participate. I asked her if she gets nervous, and she says not when she dances.

I remember the young girl who was shy and would not speak in front of a group, but I also recall the young woman who choreographed a dance, created her own costume, and entered the Miss Albany contest. A man who headed a dance group in our hometown was present, and he was impressed. He invited Gay to join his group. She danced with them until the group disbanded.

She joined the Modern Dance Club at the University, and she danced as often as possible.

Last year, Gay wore a red dress

Gay earned a Master's degree in Counseling.

She has certainly needed to use those skills with me during the past couple of years as I moved and became overwhelmed with downsizing and selling my house. She has always been there when I needed her, and I don't know how I would manage without her. She has the temperament of our mother. I wish I did.

I am so happy she is strong and enjoying life. It was just a few years ago that she began taking dancing lessons. Before too long, her husband began taking dancing lessons as well. He doesn't dance in competitions like she does. She found a terrific teacher, Chris, and says she enjoys simply taking lessons.

Dancing is a wonderful exercise, and it is especially good for older people. It helps with balance, posture, and flexibility. It sure beats going to the gym, I think.

Gay and Stu, her kind and caring husband, go out with friends, sing in the church choir, and often take me out to dinner or lunch.

Although it was difficult for me to leave my home in the mountains, I am blessed to have a home with them and blessed that they both love Lexie. They take her to the dog park or for walks at a park nearby.

I am grateful that I have and always have had a loving family. I am sorry for anyone who doesn't have close family members. We might disagree, have arguments, or even get angry with each other, but in no time, all is forgotten, and we are laughing together. I hope you find love and laughter in your world and hug someone you love this week.

Glenda C. Beall's Writers Circle Around the Table

A little AI is good Too much is dangerous

A poem by me

Ready to Write? Class Cancelled

Photo from Roswell Wordsmiths

Roswell Wordsmiths

Convenience at a Cost?

What's New? Well, a number of things.

Joan Cannon, novelist, and senior woman

THE FOUNDERS’ BRILLIANCE

Stories are Medicine

I like the quote above.

I think our stories are often healing for the writer and for readers

A Strong Woman, my mother

Fall and Christmas Poems and Stories by Old Mountain Press

Register for Writing Class

Zoom Writing Classes

Writing classes 2026 Save the Date

Instructor: Glenda C. Beall, published author and poet, experienced teacher

Our life stories are a precious legacy. Putting them in writing is a gift to all who know and love us—they can be treasured and enjoyed for generations to come.

Facts bring us knowledge, but stories bring us wisdom.

Students will write a short piece each week and share it with the class. Each student receives individual attention from the instructor.

Old Mountain Press In the Yard II

Why Do You Write?

"I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” – James A. Michener

Too Long on the Diving Board

Writing classes Register Now

Eight Nights at The Harris Hotel by Celia Miles

In the Dark

Getting Better all the Time

This weekend was good medicine for me.

Poetry Class with Rosemary Royston

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAM

Students will write a short piece each week and share it with the class.
Each student receives individual attention from the instructor.