| By Bob Weaver
The annual Calhoun Writer's Guild retreat was held this past weekend along the
banks of the Middle Fork River, the border of Upshur and Randolph Counties. The
group had exercises in writing about moments of clarity, turning points, life changing
events, or just selecting random words from a dictionary.
The campfire setting along the beautiful river, owned by Kitty and Jeannie Wilson of
Grantsville, has been the site for writer's retreats for several years.
Along the Middle Fork at dusk
The three day event was interrupted by several delicious meals, a wiener roast and a
few rain showers.
Writing around the campfire
Former GSC english professor Barbara Tedford, now enjoying "glorious retirement" in
Elkins, is still a prolific writer, which includes editing and publishing newsletters
Calhoun's most renown writer Jeannie Wilson is working on a novel "The Crow Flies
Backward." Wilson has written and published many short stories and poems, some of
which she has received special recognition.
Sarah Hotchkiss (L) of Beech is an avid writer who contributes to the tone of the
writer's group, more recently spending time creating fiber and fabric artwork. Cynthia Wildfire (R), participated in the retreat. She is the daughter of Mary
Wildfire , the counties best known environmental activist, shares creative stories
she has written, but many of her comment and opinion pieces have been published by
newspapers and magazines around the country. Mary, besides concerns about
mountain top removal and how it affects the lives of southern West Virginia residents,
traveled to Seattle to protest WTO globalization, in this case joined by organized
labor.
Wheeling resident and West Virginia traveler, Jim Mullooly, who has been researching
and portraying the "Padre of the Mountains" Father Thomas Quirk, is planning on
writing a book about the priest who was a Civil War soldier and resident of
Huntington, but spent most of his life on a horse ministering to his scattered
parishioners in Lewis, Braxton and other counties in the late 19th and early 20th
century.
Faye Thompson (L) of Ripley is the new president of the West Virginia writers group.
While she writes romance stories for "Woman's World" and other magazines, she
remains a prolific writer on other subjects. Gilmer County resident (R) Harriett
Whipkey, the former editor of Mountain Views, has edited other publications and
continues to write Gilmer County stories.
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