Southshire Roundtable
A Writers' Critique Group • Bennington, Vermont • www.southshire.net
Food for thought in Vermont
Off the ShelfThe Boston Globe Posted by Jan Gardner January 29, 2008 02:35 PM I don't usually find dining recommendations in books that come across my desk, but here's one that arrived in a new collection of recipes and essays by Vermont writers. The book is called "Southshire Pepper-Pot: A Literary Feast with Culinary Refrains.'' And the praise that caught my eye starts like this: "I am privileged to live within a moderate, if dangerous, bicycle ride from the best diner in the country. I'm not the first person to make this claim about the Benn. The Benn is not undiscovered, distant, or foreign..." Writer Bruce Lierman goes on to describe the fare at the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, which, in a quick look at reviews from Michael Stern on roadfood.com to Frommer's, appears to be universally loved. READING, OPEN-MIC AT SOUTH STREET CAFÉ Entertainment Article Launched: 08/14/2007 07:38:08 PM EDT Tuesday, August 14 BENNINGTON — Several local authors included in the recently published anthology "Southshire Pepper-Pot" will read from their short stories as part of a special evening event at Bennington's South Street Café, Saturday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Copies of the limited first printing of the anthology will be available for sale and book signing. Café menu will be available during the event. South Street Café is located at 105 South St., Bennington, just off the intersection of Routes 7 and 9 in downtown Bennington. Readers will include members of the Southshire Roundtable writers group and other authors whose works are included in "Southshire Pepper-Pot." Following the reading, and after a break when copies of the anthology will be available for purchase and book signing, there will be an open mic open to the public. For more information about the reading, the anthology and the Southshire Roundtable, visit www.southshire.net . August 2 Local Authors Reading 7PM at the Solomon Wright Library Pownal residents and authors Jane Chamay and Ken Norris will be reading their work from a new collection of local authors called "Southshire Pepper Pot". The writers belong to the Southshire Writers Group who recently brought out the collection. The event is free and all are welcome. www.southshire.net SOUTHSHIRE WRITERS' GROUP ATTRACTS DIVERSE AUTHORS. Jennifer Mayer, Special to the Banner Article Launched: 06/20/2007 03:01:07 AM EDT Wednesday, June 20 BENNINGTON — About twice a month, several community authors can be found gathered in Marie White Small's home, pouring over each other's writing. The group, called the Southshire Roundtable, started out small, but eventually exposure allowed them to grow to an eclectic group of between five and 10 participants at each meeting. Although most of the writers specialize in fiction, Small commends their mixture. "Our group is so diverse," she says, "Everyone has a different style, and we have such a mix of age, gender and experience." Small and Shawn MacKenzie see their diversity as a plus, and hope that their group can continue to offer something to emerging writers coming in at all levels of expertise. Small and MacKenzie themselves could be described as emerging writers. Both have been involved with writing and books for as long as they can remember. MacKenzie, a native of Minnesota, earned a degree from Bennington College in 1976 in theater/playwriting and will publish two fantasy fiction books in the near future. Small, who has been involved in selling and repairing books, is working on a novel of her own. Now, the group's founders and some of their members can be credited as contributors to an anthology titled "Southshire Pepper-Pot" (2007, Windstorm Creative, Port Orchard, Wash.). The idea for the book came about last winter, when one of the group's meetings was canceled due to an outbreak of common winter illnesses among its members. To stay connected, they e-mailed each other soup recipes to help each other overcome their ailments. Inspired by their spontaneous collaboration of food and stories, MacKenzie pitched the idea of an anthology with such a theme to her publisher, who loved the idea. The final product, "Southshire Pepper-Pot," is a mix of short stories, essays, and poetry which each feature entrees, side dishes, drinks, or desserts as an integral part of each story. "Food and stories have always shared equal billing and this continues in our age of fast food and eating in front of the tube, said MacKenzie. "Still, the roundtable has sensed the need for counterpoint; we want to re-inspire that tradition of the bard in modern society, to gently prod busy families to sit and have a meal together and read a story aloud. It is a tradition that has always nourished us, body and spirit. It helps make as human." In an effort to publicize their work and help keep their treasured tradition alive, the Southshire Roundtable will hold a dinner and open mic night dubbed "A Bennington Speak-Easy" on June 28 at Madison's Brewing Co. In addition to hearing readings from other anthologized group members such as Adriana DiGennaro, Justine Metzler, Stefano Donati, K.D. Norris, Bob Williams, Bruce Lierman, and Ed Cyzewski, the roundtable strongly encourages other community members to share their material. The Roundtable is planning other literary events throughout the summer and their current book is available at local bookshops. For more information on Southshire Roundtable, visit them on the web at www.southshire.net WRITERS WANTED Article Launched: 01/26/2006 Thursday, January 26, 2006 BENNINGTON — Southshire Roundtable, a writers' critique group in Bennington was founded last August by a group of local writers, including Marie White Small, Stefano Donati and five others. In the past five months, members have read from their original works. Ghosts of lovers, CIA agents, private detectives, child prodigies, survivors, over-protective mothers, bishops and priests, dragons and their keepers have wafted through their midst. Founding member Shawn MacKENZIE, a local area writer, has her first book, "The Care and Feeding of Dragons" coming out this spring and its companion piece, "In the Company of Unicorns" coming out next fall. Additionally, Southshire Roundtable is proud to announce a call for stories. The group seeks stories from members and other writers to be published in a future anthology. The theme of the anthology is food related. The tales told must include a recipe, dish, or drink as an integral part of the story. Recipes will be included in the anthology. Recipes that are not original, or altered from a previously published work will require permission from the current copyright holder. Submissions may be short stories, essays, memoir or poetry, and must meet the word count of 3,000 to 5,000 words. Deadline for submissions is March 31. Current members may submit in person. All other submissions must be received at the mailing address: Southshire Roundtable, PO Box 322, N Bennington, VT 05257-0322 Submissions should be typed, double-spaced, with the author's name, mailing address, e-mail and/or telephone number included. Southshire has secured a contract with Windstorm Creative, a small independent publishing house from Port Orchard, Wash. They will publish the anthology later this year or early 2007. For more information, e-mail writer@southshire.net |
Inside the Roundtable:
Upcoming Meetings
2nd & 4th Tuesdays:
- Tues., Jun. 24th
- Tues., Jul. 8th
- Tues., Aug. 12th
- Tues., Aug. 26th
- Tues., Sept 9th
- Tues., Sept 23nd
- Tues., Oct. 14th
- Tues., Oct. 28th
- Tues., Nov. 11th
- Tues., Nov. 25th