On Saturday, December 6th, TWIG co-hosted the Hometown Writer’s Fair. Twenty-one TWIG members signed on this festive occasion, with other members assisting in myriad ways.
Kayla Brown (Elise Burke Brown), Mary Brunette, Laura Clark, Patricia Correll, Tanya Eavenson, Carolyn Ezell (Breckinridge), Jim Ezell, Karen Galarneau, Walt Henley, Sandy Hopkins, Laura Hunter, Dwight Lammon, Gary Miller, Emily Walls Ray, Carolyn Rhodes, Niki Robinson, John Ryland, Beverly Thorn, Anne Weston, Katie Wallace-Davis, and Gregory N. Whitis all signed. The writers John Ryland mentored and sponsored, Future Writers Club also participated.
Signings
| Date | Author | Event / Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat. 12/6 | Gary Minder | Barnes & Noble, Tuscaloosa | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Sat. 12/6 | TK Cassidy | Holiday Festival, Bonner Elementary School, Bonner, MT | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Sat. 12/13 | John Ryland | Seasons Creepings Art Festival, Regional Library and Arts Center, Warrior, AL | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
| Sat. 12/13 | TK Cassidy | Stevensville Holiday Festival, Stevensville, MT | 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
| Sat. 12/20 | TK Cassidy | Hamilton Holiday Market, Hamilton, MT | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
Celebrations
- Beth Sherrill has had a whirlwind of poetry acceptances this past month! Four of her poems have been accepted by the on-line journal, Jackdaw Haiku, which will be published 12/25. Three of her poems were also accepted for publication in their Fall, 2026 print journal, Chiron Review.
- Beth also won a 1st place prize and 2 honorable mentions for her poetry at the Fall Alabama State Poetry Society contest.
- Emily Walls Ray won 3rd place, nonfiction category, in the 2025 Golden Nib Contest, Virginia Writers Club, for her essay, Southern Neighborhood.
- John Ryland and Carolyn Breckinridge Ezell were interviewed by WVUA television on December 6th related to writing and the Hometown Writers Fair.
- Elizabeth Kitchens was invited to read and discuss her short story, A Spell’s End on the Finding Fantasy Reads podcasts on December 6th and 23rd. https://www.findingfantasyreads.com/a-spells-end-by-ej-kitchens-1&2
- Megan Blaney, Dwight Lammon, Jamie Leach and Beth Sherrill have added poems to the Tuscaloosa Poetry Club’s Sacred Chickens blog.
- Beverly Thorn has been chosen as the featured author in November of 2026 in the international on-line monthly book club, The Year of Reading Dangerously, which has approximately 1,200 participants.
Readings and Appearances
Mary Brunette, Tanya Eavenson, Karen Galarneau, Sandy Hopkins, Dwight Lammon, Emily Walls Ray, Niki Robinson and Greg Whitis read at the Hometown Writers Fair at Tuscaloosa Public Library on December 6th, 2025.
| Date | Author | Event / Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/3 | TK Cassidy | Grizzly Peak Retirement Community, Independent Living Campus, Missoula, MT | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM |
| 12/10 | Beverly Thorn | Facing Dementia: Facilitating Planning and Coordination with Patients and Families — Webinar, National Health Register of Health Care Providers in Psychology | 12:45 PM – 2:00 PM |
| 12/17 | Emily Walls Ray | Discovery Village, Richmond, VA | 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM |
Community Activities
Carolyn Breckinridge Ezell worked with directly with Tuscaloosa Public Library staff to help plan TWIG’s co-hosting of the Holiday Writers Fair on December 6th, 2025. Most other TWIG members helped in countless ways.
Jennifer Horne continues to offer a weekly poetry break on her FB page.
