To learn more about The Bowers House Writers Guild, visit bhwriters.org, or contact Charles Prier at (706) 436-9632 or Charles@PrierNet.com
The purpose of The Bowers House Writers Guild is to provide mentoring and instruction; share skills; offer kindly criticism; supply information on markets, contests, conferences and other areas of interest to members who write; and to be inspired and encouraged by fellow writers.
About The Bowers House Writers Guild
The Bowers House Writers Guild offers encouragement to local and visiting writers whose writing covers a range of genres: local and personal history, personal memoir, adult and juvenile poetry, book reviews, journalism, newspaper and magazine articles, short stories, essays, how-to books, fiction and non-fiction. The Guild provides members the opportunity to meet writers with similar interests, to meet together, to become good friends or to enjoy the company of friendly acquaintances.
A number of our Guild members are published writers. Some are self-published, others have materials accepted by publication houses; however, all of our writers are people who write because they want to. Not all of us want to become famous or even want to be published. We just want to express ourselves and become better writers.
MEETINGS IN 2022
August 10, 2022
September 14, 2022
October 12, 2022
November 5, 2022*
December 14, 2022
Published or not, experienced or just beginning, we have the pleasure of being encouraged to write because we love to do it, and we learn to write better through the instruction, encouragement and suggestions we receive each time we get together.
Our meetings are held the Second Wednesday each month from 1 to 3 pm. We use a meeting room at The Bower House Writers’ Retreat 100 Depot St. Canon, GA. At meetings, a member or a special guest leads a discussion concerning some aspect of the Writer’s Craft, members exchange ideas, have the opportunity to read from their works and can ask for constructive suggestions.
Contact
Charles@PrierNet.com
(706) 246-9421 or (706) 436-9632
The Writers Guild
Guild@BHwriters.org
Ellen Davenport, Patron-Member
[posts-for-page cat_slug=’writers-guild’]
Links to NEWS items of Interest
- Lorinda’s story in Franklin Co. Citizen
- Meet the Author 2019
- Guild Donates Bonnie’s Book
- Christmas Stories 2018
- Writers Read for Family and Friends
Members
Amanda Cantrell: Amanda is the daughter of Maxine Cobb. Photography and her dog are her special loves. Amanda says, “I write because I can’t not write and have written stories and journaled all my life. I love taking thoughts in my head and putting them into words on paper so others can enjoy them. Writing is the sharing of the soul.”
Ann Davis: Ann spent most of her adult life running a thriving business with her husband and raising their children. Although she is now retired, she spends much of her time with her family and, of course, her much-loved grandchildren. The time and opportunity to write came late in life but she has given it her all, much to our enjoyment. Ann says: As a child and a teenager, I was drawn to humorous stories because they made my day brighter. When I started writing a few years ago, comic and witty stories came to my mind first. Writing something that can make others smile or even laugh aloud makes me happy!
Bonnie McAlarney: Bonnie’s first book “Memoirs, Musings and Morsels” tells stories about familiar people, places and events in her life that create a tapestry of a life beautifully lived. Books, words and creative thought fill her life. Her narrative style is rich, entertaining and woven with significant, thought-provoking meaning.
Carolyn Bond: Carolyn is a life-long resident of Elberton, Georgia. She writes local history stories for the Elberton Star, where she uses her magical talent for spinning tales of things past. She recently published her first book, “Remember When…” based on the research coming out of these stories. Carolyn has a delightful, homespun storytelling style. When first asked, “Why do you write?” She immediately responded, “I have no idea.” Just as quickly, she realized she did! Carolyn says: “I enjoy expressing my feelings. Telling the stories that lie within my heart means a lot to me. My writing helps those who know me, but never see me in the situations I write about, understand how I truly feel about life and history.”
Charles Prier: DIRECTOR Charles has been writing for over thirty years. Early on, he wrote technical papers, published in trade publications. For several years, he wrote newspaper columns, often taking a hard line on political issues affecting the community. He has written newsletters featuring stories of true events, country legends and family history. For fun, he writes short stories and monologs often with a project theme. He has published four of his books and provides editing and publishing services to other writers. He currently serves as the Director of the Writers Guild at Bowers House.
Donna Vickery: Donna is a Hartwell, Georgia, resident born and raised in Hart County as Donna Sue Vickery. She Graduated from UGA with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and from Clemson University with. M,ED in Counseling. She has worked as a Teacher, Social Worker and a Counselor, and is currently writing a Self-Help Book on Borderline Personality Disorder. Donna has one daughter and two grandsons, and enjoys learning to cook and eat healthy.
Ellen Bowers Davenport: TREASURER Ellen grew up in Canon, Georgia, graduated from Hart County High School and attended Georgia college and Milledgeville. In the mid-1990s, after twenty-five years, she returned home to Canon. She says, “all my life I have made up stories in my head for my own entertainment, but wrote none of them down until I joined the writer’s group at Bowers House.” Ellen’s stories are rich in relatable nostalgia and down-home values.
Elsa V. Salazar Krauss: Elsa is originally from Colombia, South America and she has been living in the United States for 52 years. She is a new member of the Bowers House Writers Guild with no experience in writing but with a love for reading and a dream of someday writing her own Memoir. Elsa has had an interesting life backpacking, hiking, traveling, running Triathlons and exploring caves. As an Environmental Engineer and a Chemist, Elsa enjoyed her work outdoors, especially the 17 years she worked in the Florida Everglades. Having been lived in a farm, Elsa acquired a love for nature so her plans, as she is retired now, is to write about her new adventures.
Julius Sims: Julius came to Georgia temporarily a long time ago, and never left. He’s been around long enough to hear many stories and has lived many of them himself. His writings are directed at inspiring all peoples to seek and find their truth through redemption. The stories Julius tells are shared in his very unique voice. They come from a quietly powerful and spiritual life in which he has opened to more than can be seen with human eyes. Julius says: I like to express myself—to relate adventures and fantasies that are a part of who I am. I write in order to leave a legacy to my family and to let those I love know–“Hey! I was here.”
Linda H. Dye: Linda is a life-long resident of Elberton, Georgia. Linda says, “I have a rich full life. My interests are varied and I am always eager to try something new and exciting, meet a new person, travel to an unfamiliar place. My family and my church have been my focus over the years, but I am a voracious reader, a flower gardener, a three mile a day walker, a watercolor painter, a Fun Club traveler, an OLLI member and, some people say, a good cook. Writing is completely new to me. It is an adventure in progress.”
Lois Daniel: Lois lives in Elberton, Georgia. She comes from a family of five siblings born in different towns and states, led by a Presbyterian minister father and a school teacher mother. She is married and has two sons. Continuing in her mother’s tradition, Lois spent her career teaching as an elementary teacher, a media Specialist and finally a reading specialist at Athens Technical College.
Lorinda Martin: Lorinda began her interest in poetry and short stories at an early age and has been encouraged throughout her life to submit her writings to be published. Fascinated by the struggles and triumphs of her ancestors, she began the re-creation of true-to-life stories based on family folk tales and genealogical records. She recently published her first book “Jacob’s Journey” based on the adventures of Jacob DePeal who left the home of his abusive father in search of a better life at the age of twelve.
Margie Willis: Margie is a beginning writer. She aspires to write a book about her life and family. Already she has shown that she is a quick learner and has tackled the challenge head on by delivering several chapters and participating in the exercises and discussions at the Guild meetings. Maxine Cobb: Maxine lives in Canon, Georgia. She discovered her interest in writing when she was introduced to the Writers Guild by her daughter Amanda Cantrell. With no previous interest, experience or training she has quickly built on her skills as a writer and storyteller. “I write to keep my memories fresh. Someday, my grandchildren may wonder about my life and times, perhaps they will learn about it through what I write. I enjoy the fellowship at the Guild, the challenge of writing and learning to tell my stories better.”
Pam Baker: Pam, originally from Evansville, Indiana, now makes her home in Royston, Georgia, where she lives with her husband along with their chickens and alpacas. She has loved writing poetry all her life. But since joining the Writers Guild, she has discovered that she enjoys writing short stories as well. Pam says, “Actually, short stories are much easier – they don’t have to rhyme!” She recently published her first children’s book, “The Adventures of Petey”.
Robert Vasvary: Robert is a highly skilled engineer who has not given up on his desire to retire as a successful author. A true romantic, his stories and poems are layered with adventure, nostalgia, horror, romance, and tenderness. He is the successful author of “The Big House”–a book for young adults written to inspire his son. All he wants is to write for his bread and butter!
Rhonda Trueman: Originally from Charlotte, NC, is a new resident of Lavonia, GA. As an academic librarian, Rhonda published several professional articles and book chapters, but always yearned to write creative fiction. While living in Florida, Rhonda belonged to a poetry group, the Panhandle Poets Society and a folk music collaboration, the Pelican Pickers. Through these groups she found support and encouragement and is very excited to be a new member of the Bowers House Writers Guild. Now retired, Rhonda and her husband enjoy meeting others in the community and discovering everything this beautiful area has to offer. Georgia feels like home.
Sharon Wynns: Sharon is a writer, artist and poet – an observer of human nature, a student of the human spirit and a disciple of Nature. She has completed her second novel “Where Do We Go From Here?” And is working on her third, a sequel yet to be titled. Sharon says, “I write because it’s so much fun! Sometimes, when I emerge from the story I am telling, my spirit is supercharged and I know I’ve been in touch with the magical source of creativity. Through my many decades of journaling, I learned that sometimes I have to wait for inspiration and/or understanding. Now, I rarely journal. All my inner adventures are taking place through the characters I have created and they are leading me to where I need to go. I trust them to get me there!”