STORY CIRCLE NETWORK

AUSTIN E-LETTER

Vol. 3 Number 2
March 2002

• Stories From the Heart--A Wonderful Success
  153 women gathered at the Town Lake Holiday Inn February 8-10 to honor women's voice and celebrate women's lives. The program included a keynote by Dr. Betty Sue Flowers, 18 sessions with presenters from around the country, entertainment by Bethani and P.Jae Stanley, and a wrapup by Susan Albert--not to mention an evening of story-sharing, lots of wonderful conversation with old friends and new, all in a delightful setting.  Special thanks go to Conference Coordinator Judith Helburn and her outstanding committee for bringing this wonderful event from idea to reality. We're already beginning to think about Stories from the Heart, 2004!
  
  
• PBS Documentary: Life Stories
"Life Stories", a PBS documentary featuring autobiography workshops for older people, will be rebroadcast on KLRU on Tuesday 3/12, 8 p.m. These workshops, part of the SHARE YOUR LIFE STORY program, were conducted over the past five years at the University of Texas Medical Branch by historian Thomas Cole and gerontologist Kate de Medeiros.   Here's some more info: http://klru.worldpost.com/publicarea/ViewProgram.asp?VsnID=97545
 
• KLRU American Family
  Ligia Jimemez, a member of SCN, will share some of  her stories along with photos, with KLRU for their Web site.  They are in the process of preparing to post them at www.klru.org/americanfamily .  Check there in a week or two.

• Writers Roundup
  The Austin Writers Coalition is helping to organize a Writers Roundup in Whitney, TX. They are expecting 50-80 authors to sign and sell their books. Story Circle members who have published books are invited to attend. For more information, call Jason Stanley at 254-694-3777.

• Rembrance & Recovery
  Come to a gathering to share stories of difficulty and coping sponsored by WISDOM-link and the Jewish Community Center, Sunday, March 10, 2:30-4:30 at the Dell Campus, 7300 Hart Lane. For information call Judith Helburn 454-7229 or thehelburns@sbcglobal.net
  
  
• Writing From Life Workshop
  Writing your life story?  Need inspiration, direction, new ideas?  Story Circle once again offers its twice-yearly weekend Writing From Life Workshop for women memoirists.  The workshop will be held May 4-5 in Austin TX.  For details, go here: http://www.storycircle.org/Workshops .
  
  
• Internet Chapter
The Internet chapter currently has 136 members! We have 12 Writing eCircles and a Reading eCircle. 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
Our Austin OWL-Circle Memoir Project is now under the direction of Pat Flathouse ( pflat@austin.rr.com ). 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.

We have started a program with St. John Newman Catholic Church in Austin. The first two groups have ended and we are having an "Author's Reception" this Thursday at 1:30 where the OWL participants will read selections from the OWL program and other interested parishioners and guests have been invited to attend.  These women are so excited about the OWL program!!

If you know of a church, women's group, individual's home, or senior residence that would like to sponsor an OWL-Circle workshop, or a woman who would like to participate in one, please contact Pat at  512-347-7687 or pflat@austin.rr.com . If you would like to facilitate one of these groups let Pat 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 grow with sales of the facilitator's manual and workbook. 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, Pat Flathouse will now be coordinating the workshops for Story Circle.) Visit our website for more information: www.owlcircle.com. Or contact Pat ( pflat@austin.rr.com ), who will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about the OWL program.
 
• 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 the March book (Liar's Club by Mary Karr) on the Noon Reading Circle's book list . In April, we'll be reading Twenty Years at Hull-House, by Jane Addams. Our Internet Chapter Reading e-Circle is reading Liar's Club this month.


• Temple Writing Circle
  A new circle is meeting in Temple!  According to the group's convener, Laylee Muslovski, the circle meets on Wednesday evenings at 7 in the Temple Public Library. For information, email pmuslovski@gt.rr.com.  If you live between Georgetown and Waco, this circle may be just what you've been looking for!
  
  
• 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 leads the South-Central Austin Writing Circle. It meets 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: 512-443-5222. (Note: This circle is closed to new members through March, 2002.)
• Susie Flatau leads the Southwest Austin Writing Circle. It meets at the Serranos in Oak Hill or phone: 512-288-4614. (6510 W. Hwy. 290, Austin, TX 78735) on the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 7-8:30pm. Contact Susie Flatau via email:
• Judith Helburn leads the Fourth Tuesday mid-day group. It meets at the Yarborough Branch Library from 11:30-1, and is accepting new members. Contact Judith via email: thehelburns@sbcglobal.net This month's topic: "Pearls and other precious items: given, received, lost and found." Participants are welcome to bring items.
• Carolyn Scheider leads the Spicewood Springs Writing Circle. It meets at the Spicewood Springs Branch Library on the 3rd Thursday of every month from 12:15-2pm. Contact Carolyn via email: carjos7@aol.com or phone: 512-258-8635. This month we will share stories we've written about our homes.
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 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: 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.)
 

• Story Circle T-Shirts 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, 1X, 2X, & 3X
• $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
 
• 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

Many women sign up for this newsletter but haven't yet become members of the Story Circle Network. If you're one of these women, we invite you to join us and support our efforts to honor and celebrate women's stories. 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 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

Story Circle Network
P.O. Box 500127
Austin, TX 78750-0127
(or follow the directions after filling out the online form and PAY online!)

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) 2002 by Story Circle Network, Inc.
Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter only in its entirety, including this copyright notice.