Happy New Year! Yes, I know, I promised to be here faithfully . . . and here I am, bright, eager, and totally excited about what the new year will bring. I had an eventful autumn that was filled with storytelling and speaking opportunities, and I was looking forward to more this winter until I broke my ankle December 6. Pretty much sidelined for a bit, I had to focus on writing, which I didn't mind at all. What I did mind was the pain of the break, and the inconvenience of it. I am one of those last minute shoppers--you know the type--we wait until Christmas Eve and then panic, go crazy at the store and then have a blast. This year I did my shopping online, and it was relatively stress-free. In fact, it was so easy that I may make it part of my Christmas tradition.
While I hobbled around here in the Boot or kept it propped, I finished Swamp Woman, my suspense novel, which is set in North Florida (more about this in another post), completed a mid-grade fantasy piece named Opal Dragon Hold inspired by my grandson Tucker, and wrote several poems. I won third place in the Watauga Pen Women's Poetry contest, and honorable mention in a contest sponsored by the Poetry Society of Tennessee. Let's just say all of this activity helped me keep my sanity while I was home. . .
In addition to writing and storytelling, both of which are ongoing, there are several special events on the horizon I'd like to share with you:
Check out my Saundra Kelley Facebook fan page, which is a growing discussion about my book, Southern Appalachian Storytellers: Interviews with Sixteen Keepers of the Oral Tradition. That book just keeps on going, and it is taking me along for the ride. In March, I will be at The Virginia Festival of the Book with it, and will post my lecture time as soon as I have it. I've lectured at several universities, and hope to do more this year. I am booking lectures, workshops and story-concerts, and will be happy to add your organization to my schedule.
In June, I will perform in Dispatches from the Other Kingdom, with Dr. Joseph Sobol and Kenneth Tedford at the National Storytelling Network Conference in Ohio. The stories in this performance are deeply personal for all three of us: Joseph tells of his father's experience with cancer; Kenny shares his own, and I speak for Kathy Collins. All three were interviewed under the auspices of a communications grant at East Tennessee State University, and I was fortunate to be the one who spoke with Kathy. At the time, I was the graduate assistant with the storytelling program, and ultimately interviewed 28 people with varying experiences with cancer and the medical community. Her story staggered me, and I was honored to be asked to more or less channel her experience. Each time we perform this trio of interviews, lives are changed, and greater avenues of communication opened.
About Me
- saundra
- Born in Tallahassee, the capital of Florida, I am a genuine Florida Cracker--a descendent of sturdy women and men who farmed their way south from North Carolina in the early 1800's. I am a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Social Science, and earned an MA in Education/Storytelling from East Tennessee State University. My work is deeply influenced by a love and reverence for the natural world and environmental issues and my love of story. Performance Photos by Valerie Menard, Silentlightimages.com.
