STORY CIRCLE NETWORK

AUSTIN E-LETTER

Vol. 2 Number 8
August 2001

• Carol Landherr Lifewriting Contest

The Story Circle Network is proud to present the winners of its second annual Life-Writing Competition, dedicated to the memory of Carol W. Landherr, an enthusiastic and committed life-writer who inspired others to write and share their stories. Fifteen talented memoirists submitted their work on this year’s topic: “To Close the Door on Pain,” which was drawn from May Sarton: "To close the door on pain is to miss the chance for growth." We offer our thanks to everyone who entered the competition, and our congratulations to our three fine winners:
• Jean McGroarty ($50 Prize)
• Erin Declan Philbin ($25 Prize)
• Sandy McKinzie ($25 Prize)
You can read their essays at http://www.storycircle.org/Contests/winners_2001.shtml and in the August issue of the Journal, coming soon. We also want to thank the team of eight dedicated judges who determined the winners, and Peggy Moody, whose web skills made our work easier!
 
• Austin Chapter Newsletter

You should have received your Austin newsletter (via "snail mail") last week. If you are a member of the Austin Chapter, and yours is missing, please email storycircle@storycircle.org with your correct mailing address and we'll put a copy into the mail for you.
 
• Austin Chapter Meeting

The Austin Chapter will have its annual meeting on Wednesday August 15th, from 6:30-8:30pm, at the Spazio Gallery at 1214 W. 6th St., Austin, TX, with a special "Be Our Guest" program presented by Susie Flatau entitled "Making Art of Your Life".  The program will include an opportunity to experiment with writing techniques using the inspiration of the art surrounding us in the gallery. This program is free to the public. Story Circle members are asked to donate $5 for any guest they bring, to help offset program costs.
 
• Writing from Life Workshop

Our next "Writing from Life" workshop will be held in Austin on Saturday & Sunday, October 6th & 7th. For more information (and to register), please see  http://www.storycircle.org/Workshops.
 
• "Stories from the Heart":  National Story Circle Network Conference 2002, February 8-10, Austin, Texas

Our online registration form is now available: go to the conference web page (http://www.storycircle.org/Conference) and click on "Registration". You can also email us (storycircle@storycircle.org) or write to us (Story Circle Network, P.O. Box 500127, Austin, TX 78750-0127) for a brochure. Scholarships are available.

Thanks to the women who submitted proposals for our sessions. Not a loser in the batch! Topics range from publishing hints to storytelling to healing by writing to poetry and on and on. Those whose proposals have been chosen will be notified by August 15th.

Remart, Inc, is offering one of a series of art reproductions to all of our participants. For a sample, go to the conference web page (http://www.storycircle.org/Conference) and click on "Goodies".

Questions/comments/offers of help?  Contact Judith Helburn (thehelburns@sbcglobal.net) or see our conference web page (http://www.storycircle.org/Conference.
 

• Story Circle T-Shirts Now Available!

Life is not complete without your Story Circle t-shirt. Your purchase helps the SCN do its work to educate others about the importance of women's stories. Buy one or two for yourself, and several more for gifts!
• Fruit of the Loom "Heavy Cotton" (100% cotton)
• Beige with purple printing
• Logo on front, motto on back:
• “What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.”—Muriel Rukeyser
• Available in medium, large, and extra-large
• $16 (shipping/handling and tax included)
Use our online form to order yours today (and to see photos of the front and back of the shirt), and pay online (via PayPals) or send your check for $16 (specify size) to
Story Circle Network
P.O. Box 500127
Austin TX 78750-0127
 
• Internet Chapter

The Internet chapter now has 143 members! We have 11 very active Writing eCircles, and 2 Reading eCircles. If you're a Story Circle member and would like to join our cyber-circle, click on  Internet Chapter. If you're not a member but are interested in joining the Network, check out the Story Circle web site (www.storycircle.org).
 
• Austin OWL-Circle Workshops Available Now

We're delighted to tell you that our Austin OWL-Circle Memoir Project has moved to its second phase, under the direction of Karen Leach, our new coordinator. We will be using the workbook developed, tested, and revised during our grant-funded phase, and expanding our offerings across the Austin area. Each memoir workshop consists of five 2 1/2 hour sessions, over five weeks, led by a trained and experienced facilitator--all for the very low price of $50 for each participant (that's only $10 per session!), plus a $5 materials fee. If you know of a church, women's group, or senior residence that would like to sponsor an OWL-Circle workshop, or a woman who would like to participate in one, please telephone Karen at  512-477-3155 or email her at leachcom@ix.netcom.com. If you would like to facilitate one of these groups let Karen know of your interest. Facilitators are paid, but their greatest reward is in helping women to explore their lives. Visit our website for more information: www.owlcircle.com.
 
• National OWL-Circle Workshops

The OWL program continues to spread with sales of the facilitator's manual and workbook. Our member in east Texas, Paula Yost, has purchased the program and intends to offer the workshop to older women in her area so that the history and value of those women's lives will not be lost. If you have an interest in offering the program in your area, please let us know. (Remember, the workshop kits are available only to those outside of the Austin area. Locally, Karen Leach will be coordinating the workshops for Story Circle.) Visit our website for more information: www.owlcircle.com.
 
• Austin Chapter Reading Circle

The Austin Chapter Reading Circle meets monthly to read and discuss women's memoirs, autobiographies, and journals.  You can read the Reading Circle discussion questions for this month's book (In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens, by Alice Walker) on the Noon Reading Circle's book list (the Evening Circle has merged with the Noon Circle). Our Internet Chapter Reading e-Circle is reading the same book this month.
 
• Austin Chapter Writing Circles

Interested in meeting with other women to write and share stories? Please join one of our Austin Chapter Writing Circles for support, encouragement, and ideas for life-writing topics. The Circles meet monthly:
• Carolyn Blankenship will lead the newly forming South-Central Austin Writing Circle, starting in September. It will meet at the Senior Activity Center (3911 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78704) on the 1st Tuesday of every month from 7:30-9pm. Contact Carolyn Blankenship via email: or phone: .
• Susie Flatau will lead the newly forming Southwest Austin Writing Circle, starting in August. It will meet at the Serranos in Oak Hill (6510 W. Hwy. 290, Austin, TX 78735) on the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 7-8:30pm. Contact Susie Flatau via email: susie@wordsbysusie.com or phone: 512-288-4614.
• Judith Helburn leads the Fourth Tuesday mid-day group. It meets at the Yarborough Branch Library from 11:30-1. Contact Judith via email: thehelburns@sbcglobal.netor phone: 512-454-7229.
• Carolyn Scheider leads the Spicewood Springs Writing Circle. It meets at the Spicewood Springs Branch Library on the 3rd Thursday of every month from 10-11:45am. Contact Carolyn via email: carjos7@aol.com or phone: 512-258-8635. We will expand on the topics we’ve covered since September, 2000. Those topics include:
• Who I Am
• In the Beginning--Day of Birth
• Memorable Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays
• Gifts Given/Gifts Received
• If I had my life to live over, I--; By this time next year I’ll--; and/or in 2001 I will/will not--
• Passionate Attachments
• Closets
• Springtime
• Mothers
Please come and share what you have written.
For more information, visit the Austin Chapter Writing Circles web page.
 
• Start your own Reading or Writing Circle

We encourage you to volunteer to start your own writing circle or reading circle. We need more of these!  If you are interested, please email Susan (susanalbert@storycircle.org).
 
• Your Contributions

Share your life. If you are a member of the Story Circle Network, please share your story with us. Check the Journal for details, or click on http://www.storycircle.org/WritersGuidelines.shtml.

Share your love. We offer free memberships to women in prison and reduced-rate memberships to women in need. If you would like to help these women find their voices and share their stories, go here: http://www.storycircle.org/Donations and then click on "Our Sugar Bowl." (You don't have to be a member to contribute to this important program.)
 

• Journal Back Issues Available

The Story Circle Journal is a unique, exciting publication that documents women's efforts to tell their personal stories. If you're collecting the Journal, now is the time to make sure your set is complete! To purchase the copies you're missing, go to our website and click on "Buy Story Circle Journals".  You may choose to buy on-line through PayPals, or you can print out the page and send it to us with your check. Either way, this is an important opportunity to catch up on the issues you've missed.

Are you signed up for the National Story Circle e-Letter?

We are now publishing two monthly e-Letters. The National e-letter brings you writing tips, quotes, and book reviews, while the Austin-area e-Letter brings you news about Story Circle events and activities in the Austin, TX area. To subscribe to the National e-Letter, either go to  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StoryCircleNetwork/join and enter your email address, or send email to StoryCircleNetwork-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

The Story Circle Network is an organization made up of women who want to explore their lives and their souls through life-writing -- writing that focuses on our personal experience, through memoirs and autobiographies, in diaries and journals, in personal essays, in poetry. The Network is chartered as a 501c(3) organization. Your dues and other contributions are tax-deductible. As a non-profit, we welcome your gifts to support our work. Please be generous!

Annual membership is $24 (prorated at $2/month) in the U.S., $30 in Canada/Mexico, and $36 elsewhere. Members receive four issues of the Story Circle Journal, a 16-24 page quarterly filled with writing ideas, members' writing, interviews, articles, and book reviews. To join, fill out our on-line form (click on "Join SCN" on the Story Circle website) and send a check to

NOTE: If you received this email from a friend and would like to join our Austin mailing list, either go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StoryCircleNetworkAustin/join and enter your email address, or send email to StoryCircleNetworkAustin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Compiled and edited by Peggy Moody
pmoody@pobox.com
(We're sending this in HTML. If you're missing some links, email us and we'll tell you how to access the information.)

Copyright (c) 2001 by Story Circle Network, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety, including this copyright notice.