LITERARY RESUME

BOOK PUBLICATIONS

2009:   Dirt Sandwich, Press 53 (full-length poetry book)

            2007:   Bird Missing from One Shoulder, WordTech Editions (full-length poetry book)

            2006:   Stepping on Cracks in the Sidewalk, Finishing Line Press (poetry chapbook)

            2004:   Last Chance to Be Lost, Kentucky Writers’ Coalition (poetry chapbook)

            2002:   It’s Hard to Hate a Broken Thing, University of SC, Aiken (poetry chapbook)

RESIDENCIES

2003-04:  Poet-in-Residence: Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

FELLOWSHIPS

2005:   Poetry Fellow: South Carolina Arts Commission (Selected by David Trinidad)

1999:   Poetry Fellow: South Carolina Academy of Authors

ANTHOLOGY PUBLICATIONS

           The Southern Poetry Anthology: South Carolina: (Texas Review Press)

           Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose About Alzheimer’s Disease (Kent State University, Spring, 2009)

           Twenty: South Carolina Poetry Fellows (Hub City Writers’ Project)

           A Millennial Sampler of South Carolina Poetry (Ninety-Six Press, Furman University)

           2006 Kakalak: An Anthology of Carolina Poets

           In the Yard:  (Old Mountain Press)

           Award Winning Poems (North Carolina Poetry Society)

           Aftershocks: The Poetry of Recovery from Life-Shattering Events: (Sante Lucia Books)

           Southern Mist: A Poetry and Prose Anthology (Old Mountain Press)

 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Finalist: John Ciardi Book Prize in Poetry, Bookmark Press (Judged by Christopher Buckley)

First Runner-up: Texas Review Chapbook Competition (Judged by R.S. Gwynn)

Finalist: Logan House Press Book Prize

Finalist: White Eagle Coffee Store Press (Judged by John Surowiecki)

Honorable Mention: Oscar Arnold Young Book Award, 2007 (Judged by Stephen Gardner, USC Aiken)

Honorable Mention: Oscar Arnold Young Book Award, 2008 (Judged by Sally Keith, MFA Faculty, George Mason University)

Honorable Mention: Brockman Campbell Poetry Book Award, 2008 (Judged by Kwame Dawes, University of SC)

Southern Artistry Award: Southern Artistry Federation & CAMT, Carnegie Mellon

2003 Kentucky Writer’s Coalition Chapbook Award

2002 Palanquin Press Chapbook Award, University of South Carolina Aiken

Hester Forshaw Constantine Memorial Award: Poetry Society of Georgia

John Robert Doyle, Jr. Award: Poetry Society of SC  

Lyric Poem Prize: Poetry Society of SC

Kinloch Rivers Memorial Award: Poetry Society of SC

William Henry Klemm Memorial Prize: Poetry Society of SC

Ravenel Travel Agency Prize: Poetry Society of SC

Ellen Douglas Everett Carruthers Memorial Prize: Poetry Society of SC

William Gilmore Simms Prize: Poetry Society of SC

Flo Robinson Prize in Prose, Lincolnton, NC

Award Winning Poems, NC Poetry Society

            READINGS AND BOOK SIGNINGS

            Library of Congress: Poetry at Noon Series, Washington, DC

            South Carolina Book Festival, Columbia, SC

            South Carolina Poetry Initiative Summit, Columbia, SC

            Piccolo Spoleto Sundown Poetry Series, Charleston, SC

            The Writer’s Center: Bethesda Maryland

            College of Charleston, SC: anthology reading

            Waccamaw Higher Education Center, Coastal Carolina University,  Litchfield, SC

            Montgomery College,  Germantown, Maryland

            Harford Community College, Bel Air, Maryland

            University of South Carolina, McMaster’s Art Gallery (supporting reader)

            Barnes & Noble, Mt. Pleasant, SC

            Barnes & Noble,  West Ashley, Charleston, SC

            Barnes & Noble, Charlotte, NC (anthology reading)

            Barnes & Noble, Columbia, SC

            Joseph Beth Booksellers, Charlotte, NC

            Catawba College, Salisbury, NC

            Lowcountry Women Authors: Center for Women, Charleston, SC  (2007 & 2008)      

            Poetry Society of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

            Poetry Society of Georgia, Savannah, Georgia 

            Charleston County Public Library, Charleston, SC

            Otranto Library, North Charleston, SC

            Harford County Library, Bel Air, Maryland

Harford Community College, Bel Air, Md

Harford Poetry and Literary Society, Bel Air, Md

            Beaufort County Library, Beaufort, SC

            Dream-a-Lot Books, Goose Creek, SC

            The Open Book Store, Greenville, SC       

            Lowcountry Senior Center, James Island, SC

            East Bay Meeting House, Charleston, SC 

            Grace Episcopal Church Fundraiser, Charleston, SC

            Coffee Underground, Greenville, SC

            Lowcountry Heritage Society, Charleston, SC

            Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC

            Sierra Club, Charleston, SC

            National Association for Poetry Therapy, Charleston, SC

Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities, Southern Pines, NC

            Charleston County Library, Charleston, SC

            Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

            Happy Bookseller, Columbia, SC

            North Carolina Poetry Society, Weymouth Center, Southern Pines, NC

            POETRY EXHIBITS

            Weymouth Center of the Arts and Humanities: Southern Pines, NC

           "Vision and Voice": One month exhibition of framed poetry written to art in conjunction with artist Lou dePaolis, Syracuse, NY

Saul Alexander Foundation Gallery 

Italian Fragments: Images and Poetry": Charleston County Library

Two months exhibit of framed poetry in conjunction with artist Peggy Howe

PREVIOUS CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Lenoir Rhyne College, Hickory, NC: Steering Committee, Visiting Writers’ Series

Lincoln Arts Council, Lincolnton, NC:  Executive Board Member

South Carolina Poetry Society, Charleston, SC:  Board Member & Program Chairperson

North Carolina Poetry Society, Judges Committee Chair

Gibbes Museum of Art, Poetry Competition Judge

Lincoln Arts Council, Chairperson: Robinson Literary Competition

            WORKSHOPS AND PANELS

2008:   South Carolina Book Festival, Panel, Reading, Signing

2008:   South Carolina Poetry Initiative: Workshop and Reading

2007:   South Carolina Book Festival, Panel, Reading, Signing

2007:   Charleston Library: Workshop: “The Business Side of Publishing a Book of Poetry”

2004:   Isothermal Community College, Spindale, NC: Workshop Instructor

2004:   SC Book Festival, Columbia, SC: Panel, Reading, Signing

2004:   SC Poetry Initiative Summit: Panel, Reading, Speaker

2003    SC Poetry Society: Panel Critic

            UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE: VISITING WRITER

            Furman University, Traveler’s Rest, SC

            Montgomery College, Germantown, Maryland

            Towson University, Towson, Maryland

            BOOK REVIEWS

            Main Street Rag: Stepping on Cracks in the Sidewalk: Chapbook reviewed by Phebe Davidson

            Windover: University of Mary Hardin, Baylor, Bird Missing from One Shoulder

                               January, 2008: Volume 12: reviewed by Michael Lythgoe

            Wild Goose Poetry Review: Bird Missing from One Shoulder, Summer 2008, Volume 3, Issue 2 

             Reviewed by Scott Owens

          COMMISSIONS

          Songs performed in “Indigo Jazz,”  a presentation by the College of Charleston School of the Arts

          and the Lowcountry Heritage Society 

          Poetry written to the art of Jonathan Green for Jonathan Green Week, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

          PUBLIC OFFICES AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

          South Carolina Academy of Authors: Board of Governors (current)

          Poetry Out Loud: Area Competition Judge (current)

          Poetry Council of North Carolina: Poetry Competition Judge (current and previous year)

          Lenoir Rhyne College, Steering Committee: Visiting Writer’s Series (past)

          Lincoln Arts Council, Lincolnton, NC: Executive Board Member (past)

          South Carolina Poetry Society: Board Member/Program Chair (past)

          North Carolina Poetry Society: Poetry Competition Chair (past)

          Lincoln Arts Council, Lincolnton, NC: Chairperson, Robinson Literary Competition (past)

          Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC: Poetry Competition Judge (past)

EDUCATIONAL MENTOR

Charleston School of the Arts: Poetry Mentor: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

COMMUNITY AWARD

Woman of the Year: Lincoln County, North Carolina

LITERARY WORK IN ARCHIVAL COLLECTION

Special Collections and Archives Department

James B. Duke Library: South Carolina Poetry Archives, Furman University             

http://library.furman.edu/depts/speccoll/speccoll.htm

Skilled in professional writing,  writing workshops, marketing strategies, media relations, advertising, 

financial planning, bookkeeping,  retail management and sales, and computers

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2004-present                Freelance Writer, Speaker and Teacher

2003-2004                    Poet in Residence: Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

                                        Teaching position: Writing poetry inspired by art

2001-2002                    Manager:  Patricia Madison Lusk Gallery, Charleston, S.C.

                                        Managed artist-owned gallery. Increased sales volume 100% in one year. Duties similar to above position

1990-1997                    Office Manager/Co-owner: World Wide Imports, Lincolnton, N.C. 

                                        Set up and managed office for a retail company with $5 million per year in sales. Approved and analyzed all financial reports for 20+ total employees.

1988-1997                    Property Manager and Broker/Co-owner: Ferguson & Associates, Inc., Lincolnton, N.C.

Managed and leased over 100 pieces of real estate, including commercial & single family.

Set up and maintained all records, advertised and secured quality tenants.

(performed this job simultaneously with the office management position listed above).

1983-1988                    Bookstore Owner, The Next Edition, Lincolnton, N.C.

Owned and managed bookstore with a product line of bestseller books, original art, photography, & gifts. Organized and hosted autographings, art receptions and photography shows. Developed & printed photography.  

1976-1979                    Internal Auditor, Carolina State Bank, Gastonia, N.C.

Audited four branches and provided detailed written analysis, performed cost analysis of bank accounts and operations.

1970-1977:                 North Carolina National Bank, Lenoir, NC (now Bank of America): Credit Representative and Commercial Loan Teller

                                      First Citizens Bank, Hickory, NC: Bookkeeper                                     

·         Executive Board Member, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Lincolnton, N.C.

·         Executive Board Member, Lincoln Arts Council, Lincolnton, N.C.

·         Board Member, American Institute of Banking, Catawba Valley Chapter, Hickory, N.C.

·         Board Member, American Cancer Society, Lincoln County Chapter, Lincolnton, N.C.

·         Board Member, S.C. Poetry Society, Charleston, S.C.  

·         Vice President, Lincoln Merchant's Association, Lincolnton, N.C.

·         Steering Committee, Visiting Writers’ Series, Lenoir Rhyne College, Hickory, N.C.

·         Featured Reader, Piccolo Spoleto Sundown Poetry Series, Charleston, S.C.

AWARDS:    Woman of the Year, Lincoln County, Lincolnton, N.C.

                           South Carolina Academy of Authors Fellow

                    South Carolina Arts Commission 2005 Fellow

REFERENCES:  Available upon request

Linda Annas Ferguson.