Some Fine Points about 2010 Summer Writing Residency Instructors

Here at the NC Writers’ Network office, it would never cross our minds to gossip or entertain rumors about writers.  Our pursuit of celebrating North Carolina’s rich literary community is pure.

But what’s the harm in a little trivia?

Here are some little-known facts about our 2010 Squire Summer Writing Residency instructors so that you can entertain the idea  of  joining us this summer at the residency:

Elaine Neil Orr‘s Nigerian name is Bamidele Funmilayo and her full name is Miriam Elaine Bamidele Funmilayo Neil Orr.  You can read more about her Nigerian formative years  in Gods of Noonday: A White Girl’s African Life.

Zelda Lockhart’s novel, Cold Running Creek, is based on research done at Duke University’s Perkins Library when, upon pursuing information about  her genealogical roots, she discovered Choctaw Indians were also slave owners.  More information is in this article.

Poet David Rigsbee received the Sam Ragan Award (one of North Carolina’s highest honors) this year for  “being an outstanding practitioner of his art, and who has selflessly shared his talent with other creators, working in his primary genre and beyond.”  In the past, he also received a graduate degree in  philosophy and has been greatly influenced by music.  His poetry book, The Red Tower: New and Selected Poems, will be published by NewSouth Books in September 2010.