Please join us on Wednesday, January 29th, from 6:30-9pm, at the LCRA Colorado Room (3700 Lake Austin Blvd., Austin, TX 78703; map here: www.storycircle.org/graphics/LCRA_map.html) as Susan Albert talks about and sign her latest China Bayles herbal mystery, Indigo Dying. Each purchase supports the work of the Story Circle Network, so bring your friends, family, and neighbors to hear Susan talk and stock up on these signed, personalized first-edition books. For more details, go to www.storycircle.org/booksign.html.
Paradox Players, the theatre company that hosted SCN's very successful 2002 theatre benefit, will open a new play in February. "Love Letters" recounts the life stories of two friends who begin their letter writing romance in the second grade. For details, go to www.storycircle.org/MemberEvents.shtml.
Be Our Guest 2003
Time is Running Out:
The Austin Chapter is inviting proposals for their 2003 Be Our Guest programs. If you're interested in submitting a proposal, click here: www.storycircle.org/frmbog.shtml. The deadline for proposals is January 8; those chosen will be notified by January 31.
Mark Your Calendars:
Our first Be Our Guest of 2003 will be held on Sunday, February 23, from 2-4pm. Jazz Jaeschke's writing circle will be featured, reading pieces that they have written for their circle. Jazz will show us how to capture the feelings and energy of daily situations in poetry. Like snapshots taken with a camera, little poems accumulate until one day you realize that your memoirs are already written. She will offer tips on tracking and capturing, plus a chance to play. Light refreshments will be served. There will also be a short business meeting.
We haven't finalized the rest of our Be Our Guest programs for 2003 yet, but we do have the dates, so please mark your calendars:
Sunday, April 27
Sunday, June 29
Sunday, August 17
All of the Be Our Guest programs will be held from 2-4pm at the LCRA Colorado Room (3700 Lake Austin Blvd., Austin, TX 78703; map here: www.storycircle.org/graphics/LCRA_map.html). More details will be given in upcoming e-letters.
LifeLines: A LifeWriting Retreat: March 28-30
Make plans now to join us in the spring for our first-ever writing retreat. Christina Baldwin, author of Life's Companion: Journal Writing as a Spiritual Quest, One to One: Self-Understanding Through Journal Writing, and The Seven Whispers: Listening to the Voice of Spirit, will be our facilitator.
We have a limit of 50 registrants, and it's filling up fast (we already have 46 paid registrants!) - so if you're interested please sign up soon! For details, go here: www.storycircle.org/LifeLines.
A Special Thank-You to our Volunteers
Door prizes for the Austin Chapter Holiday Party were graciously donated by Susan Albert, Melanie Alberts, Barbara Youngblood Carr, Judy Flournoy, Judith Helburn, PJ Pierce, Donna Remmert, Rebecca Roberts, and P. Jae Stanley. Those who won were delighted. Those who didn't were green with envy.
Special thanks to Jackie Newman for opening her lovely home and hosting the party, P. Jae Stanley for her inspirational words and her story set to music, and Carolyn Scheider's writing circle for sharing their stories.
A big THANK YOU to Timothy Newman (Jackie's husband) for taking photos during the party. You can see some of these photos here: www.storycircle.org/AustinChapter/acparty03.
Reading Circle
The Austin Chapter Reading Circle is a series of monthly book discussion groups free to members of the Austin Chapter of the Story Circle Network. The circle meets monthly to read and discuss women's memoirs, autobiographies, and journals.
January's book is
by Lillian B. Rubin. Please join us for a lively discussion on January 13, or just enjoy the book on your own. Your purchase through SCN's Amazon.com link helps to support SCN's many activities. For information on how to join the Reading Circle, go to www.storycircle.org/Reading_Circle.
This circle has been active since 1998 and has read so many wonderful women's memoirs and journals! To take a peek at the complete list, go to our Book Review site (www.storycircle.org/BookReviews) and click on SCN Reading Circles.
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 and are free to members of the Austin Chapter of the Story Circle Network. The following circles are still open to new members:
Susie Kelly Flatau leads the Southwest Austin Writing Circle. It meets 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 via email: susie@wordsbysusie.com or phone: 512-288-4614.
Judy Flournoy leads the First Thursday Spicewood Springs Writing Circle. It meets at the Spicewood Springs Branch Library (8637 Spicewood Springs Rd, Austin TX 78750) on the 1st Thursday of every month from 12:30-2:30pm. Contact Judy via email: judflo@att.net or phone: 512-258-9525.
Congratulations to three of the members of Judy's circle whose stories are featured in The Noble Generation! For more information, go to www.storycircle.org/MembersInPrint.shtml.
Jazz Jaeschke leads the Wednesday Evening Writing Circle. It meets at the Milwood Branch Library (12500 Amherst Dr, Austin TX 78727) on the 1st Wednesday of every month from 7-8:45pm. Contact Jazz via email: sjazz@austin.rr.com or phone: 512-335-9517.
Carolyn Scheider leads the Third Thursday Spicewood Springs Writing Circle. It meets at the Spicewood Springs Branch Library (8637 Spicewood Springs Rd, Austin TX 78750) on the 3rd Thursday of every month from 12:30-2:30pm. Contact Carolyn via email: carjos7@aol.com or phone: 512-258-8635.
The Continuing OWL-Circle Program, for those who have completed the OWL Writing Program and want to continue with their writing, will meet on the last Tuesday of each month from 1:30 to 3:30. The first meeting will be held in the St. John Newmann Social Hall on January 30. Those interested in the Continuing OWL Program may call Pat Flathouse at 347-7687 for further information.
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 if you would like to facilitate one of these groups, let Pat Flathouse know.
SCN members, if you're planning a women's writing/memoir-related event, let us know so we can help you publicize it on our Member Events webpage, here: www.storycircle.org/MemberEvents.shtml.
Story Circle Brochures
The Story Circle Network's brochures are now on-line! You can print copies of our national, Austin Chapter, and OWL-Circle brochures anytime. They are in PDF format, so you may need to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Details and downloads here: www.storycircle.org/brochures.html.
You can meet Susan Wittig Albert, author of the China Bayles Herbal Mysteries, at our SCN Benefit Booksigning. Susan is also the founder of SCN, current board president, editor of the SCN Journal, and facilitator of the Austin Chapter Reading Circle.
Who We Are & How to Join Us
If you're receiving this e-Letter but aren't a member, please join us. The Story Circle Network is a non-profit organization that honors women's voices and celebrates women's lives.
[Learn more about how SCN can help you tell your story: click here, or go to our website and click on "How SCN Can Help You Tell Your Story" in the "Who We Are" section of the left frame.]
We offer
a quarterly newsletter with features on women's lifewriting
opportunities to publish your work
workshops, classes, on-line courses
an Internet Chapter
Speaker's Bureau
much more
Annual membership is only $24 U.S., $30 Canada/Mexico, $36 elsewhere. To join, click here, or go to our website and click on "Join SCN" in the "How to Join / Enroll / Pay" section of the left frame. You can pay on-line, or send a check to
Story Circle Network
P.O. Box 500127
Austin, TX 78750-0127
Journal Back Issues
The Story Circle Journal is a unique publication dedicated to helping women tell their personal stories, now in its sixth year. Missing some issues? To buy back issues, click here, or go to our website and click on "Buy Story Circle Journals" in the "How to Join / Enroll / Pay" section of the left frame.
Neat Stuff
We've come up with some great gift ideas for memoirists, journal keepers, & story tellers. Click here, or go to our website and click on "Neat Stuff" in the "How to Join / Enroll / Pay" section of the left frame. By using this page to shop for friends and family, you're also helping to fund the Story Circle programs!
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 here, or go to our website and click on "Writers Guidelines" in the "Resources" section of the left frame.
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, click here and then click on "Our Sugar Bowl," or go to our website and click on "How You Can Help" in the "How to Join / Enroll / Pay" section of the left frame. (You don't have to be a member to contribute to this important program.)
E-Letters
We appreciate your help in spreading the word about Story Circle Network. Please forward this e-Letter to anyone interested in lifewriting -- family and friends, students, clients, members of your writing group.
We publish two monthly e-Letters. This Austin-area e-Letter brings you news about Story Circle events and activities in the Austin, TX area, while the National e-Letter brings you writing tips, quotes, and book reviews.
If a friend has forwarded this to you, add your e-address and click below to get your own subscription.
Feel free to forward this e-Letter to friends and colleagues with appropriate credit to Story Circle Network.
This e-Letter is written and edited by Peggy Moody & Susan Wittig Albert.
