NC Author Ron Rash to be at SACS

The Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast (SACS) will host a program and book-signing with award-winning NC writer Ron Rash on Thursday, October 22, 2009. The event begins at 4:30pm and lasts until 6:00. Light refreshments will be served. There is no admission charge.

Rash is the author of four novels and numerous collections of poetry and short stories. Most recently, his latest novel, Serena, was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Serena has also been named to “The Best of 2008” lists by Publishers Weekly, Amazon, Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Janet Maslin of The New York Times lists Serena as one of her ten favorite books of 2008. Currently, Rash is the Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University.

The Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast (SACS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enriching the arts through storytelling events, musical performances, visual exhibits, literary presentations, and artistic workshops.  The Storytelling Arts Center is located in the John McNair Building in the historic district of Laurinburg NC.  SACS is a member of the North Carolina Arts Council.

The Center’s signature event, The Storytelling Festival of Carolina, is an annual gathering of professional storytellers from across the USA. The 2010 festival will be April 23-25. In addition, SACS’ Bold-Faced Liars’ Showdown is scheduled for January 23, 2010. Other programs and events are listed on SACS’ website at www.storyartscenter.org.

For direct information about the book-signing, please contact Jan Schmidt at jan@sfoc.info or call (910) 291-0929.

American as Apple Pie

Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast (SACS) is looking to community bakers ages 14 for entries in the American Heroes Apple Pie Contest on Saturday, September 12. The contest is a featured part of the festivities surrounding American Heroes, Celebrating Americans’ Strength in Story and Song—an event honoring local heroes and celebrating the American spirit following the 9/11 tragedy. There is no entry fee for the pie contest. Registration deadline is September 10.

Apple pies in two categories will be accepted including traditional two-crust with apple filling and nontraditional (made mostly from apples, but can include other ingredients such as nuts, cream, etc). Pies and their accompanying recipes are to be dropped off at the Storytelling Arts Center, 131 S. Main Street, Laurinburg between 9:30am and 11:30am on the day of the contest. Winners will be announced at 12:15pm on the main festival stage. Winners will receive ribbons and have their recipes posted on the SACS website. Interested contestants may view the entry guidelines and registration materials at www.storyartscenter.org or call SACS at (910) 291-0929 for more information.

American Heroes Program on Sept. 12

Plans have been finalized for Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast’s American Heroes, Celebrating Americans’ Strength in Story and Song. The festival event will be held in downtown Laurinburg on Saturday, September 12 from 10:00am to 3:30pm. The event is free and family-friendly.

American Heroes, Celebrating Americans’ Strength in Story and Song is a community-wide celebration honoring local heroes as well as commemorating the inspiring courage and bravery of the American people following the 9/11 tragedy.

Earlier this summer, the Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast (SACS) accepted brief stories and character sketches of local ordinary folks who exemplify extraordinary heroism and whose contributions have made a significant difference in the community. A panel of judges reviewed the entries and selected those best representing the premise of the festival celebration. The winners will be revealed during a special program on the day of the festival featuring local storytellers and musicians Mark Mannette, Martha Johnson, Tyris Jones, Bren Gandy-Wilson, Carol Whitehead, James Clark, and Shelly Sutton.

The American Heroes opening ceremony begins at 10:00am on the main festival stage and will be followed by musical performances, an apple pie contest, exhibits and demonstrations, and children’s activities. At 12:30pm, the American Heroes, Celebrating Americans’ Strength in Story and Song program begins inside the Storytelling Arts Center at 131 N. Main St. There is no admission fee for the program; however, seating is limited.

In addition to the storytelling program, musical groups The Cousinettes and Fortress will perform on the main stage at 10:30. Children’s activities on September 12 include free face-painting, cookie-decorating, crafts, basketball hoops and sidewalk games, an inflatable from Julie’s Jumpers, a visit from the Laurinburg K-9 unit, and the Laurinburg Firefighters’ Firehouse. Exhibitors include American Legion Posts 181 and 50, VFW Post 2008, youth scouting groups, the Humane Society, and local law enforcement, fire, and emergency agencies. There will also be food and drink vendors serving sandwiches, pizza, sweets, and snacks. The festival concludes at 3:30pm.

For more information, call (910) 291-0929, see www.storyartscenter.org, or visit the Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast at 131 N. Main St. in Laurinburg

Everyone has a hero! Tell us about yours!

Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast is seeking story submissions from North Carolina citizens for its inaugural “American Heroes, Celebrating Americans’ Strength in Story and Song,” a program dedicated to the extraordinary bravery and community contributions best representing the heroism of ordinary Americans. A panel of judges will select a variety of stories that will be featured at a public storytelling festival event scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2009 at the Storytelling Arts Center of the Southeast (SACS) in Laurinburg NC.

The executive and artistic directors of SACS believe that American Heroes, Celebrating Americans’ Strength in Story and Song will be a fitting memorial to the tragedy of 9/11 as well as an event honoring the heroic models of ordinary citizens. The program aims to honor individuals whose extraordinary acts and contributions made a difference in someone’s life or in a community. A panel of judges will review all submissions and make selections based on content. Writing ability will not be judged.  Selected story submissions will be performed by professional storytellers and musicians at SACS on September 12 in Laurinburg NC. Several top entries not chosen for performance will be on display along with photos at the American Heroes festival. All entries will be posted on SACS’ website. Each writer will receive a certificate from SACS for their efforts.

SACS is looking for true stories about ordinary individuals who have done something extraordinary for other people, for a community, or for the country. Stories should reflect an act or contribution outside the writer’s own family. The person should not be famous or in history books and should live or have lived in the United States.

The submission guidelines are:

1)      No more than 500 words, but at least 250;

2)      Entries must be received by August 12, 2009 and may be submitted to info@sfoc.info or mailed to SACS, P.O. Box 2154, Laurinburg NC 28353;

3)      In addition to the “story,” entries must be accompanied by a description of the person (50 words or less) including name, residence, age now (please note if deceased) and at the time the heroic event occurred, and relationship to the writer;

4)      Submissions must include the writer’s name, full address, phone number, and email (if applicable). In addition, permission must be given for SACS’ use of the story for performance, and if selected, the writer must be willing to speak with a professional storyteller via phone or in person.