Poets Read at Writers' Night Out in Blairsville, GA

Blairsville and Hiawassee Poets to Read on July 8

Rosemary Royston and Karen Paul Holmes, both well-published poets, are featured at this month’s Writers’ Night Out at the Union County Community Center in Blairsville, GA. 

The two plan to do a coordinated reading, alternating their poems on similar subjects. The event takes place on Friday, July 8 at 7 p.m. followed by an open microphone for those who’d like to share their own work. The event is free and open to the public.

Royston, author of Splitting the Soil (Finishing Line Press, 2014), resides in Blairsville with her family. Her writing has been published in journals such as NANO Fiction, Appalachian Heritage, Southern Poetry Review, Town Creek Review, *82 Review, and Razor Literary Magazine. She’s the VP for Planning at Young Harris College and teaches creative writing and composition. Royston holds an MFA in Writing from Spalding University.

Holmes, founder and host of Writers’ Night Out, is a freelance writer and poet whose work will be included in the upcoming Best Emerging Poets anthology from Stay Thirsty Media.  Her poetry book is Untying the Knot (Aldrich Press, 2014). Holmes teaches at Writer’s Circle in Hayesville, NC, and the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. She also hosts a poetry workshop in Atlanta. Publishing credits include Poetry East, Atlanta Review, Atticus Review, Slipstream, the Southern Poetry Anthology Vol 5: Georgia, and many more.

Writers’ Night Out is sponsored by NC Writers Network-West and takes place on the second Friday of the month. Prose writers or poets wishing to participate in the open mic can sign up at the door to read for three minutes. The Union County Community Center hosts the event at 129 Union County Recreation Rd., Blairsville, Georgia 30512, off Highway 129 near the intersection of US 76, phone (706) 439-6092. Food is available for purchase in The View Grill, but please arrive by 6 pm to get served.  For more information, please contact Karen Holmes at (404) 316-8466 or kpaulholmes@gmail.com.