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The Lit Chicks
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In the Fall Season of 2005, a Small Writing Group of Southern Ladies from the Sand Mountain area in Northern Alabama rekindled friendships, getting together to form a Literary Support Group. These 5 Southern Authors - Alice Duckett, Gay Martin, Shirley Mitchell, Barbara Eubanks and Lori Boatfield, bring a plethora of ideas and interesting pieces of writing to each meeting.
The Lit Chicks !
Alice Duckett, Barbara Eubanks, Shirley W. Mitchell, Gay Martin, Lori Boatfield
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The Lit Chicks !
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We call ourselves THE LIT CHICKS....
No-o-o, it’s not what you think. We are all sober, dignified (well, for the most part) ladies. LIT refers to our common bond - a Literary Interest. More specifically, we are all Authors, Wordsmiths. Last fall (2005), several of us met and agreed we needed a literary support group – a critique group. That idea became a reality when five of us local Authors began meeting once a month. Gay Martin, a well-known, well-established Food and Travel Author; Shirley Mitchell, an author who not only writes about making the most of life at any age, but one who lives out her words; Alice Duckett, formerly from Albertville, now living in Anniston, has written for several newspapers, including the Gadsden Times; Lori Boatfield, a talented Essayist and a great novelist-in-the-making; and Barbara Eubanks, an Author who blends devotions with humor and a Christian humorist who tells audiences that God wants them to be happy, bring a plethora of ideas and interesting pieces of writing to each meeting. We have found great strength and encouragement for our individual literary endeavors and development for our talents by listening to and sharing with each other.
No group of Southern ladies can have a meeting without involving food. The Lit Chicks are no different. As we rotate the site of our meeting among the homes of the members, we not only look forward to being sounding-boards for each others work-in-progress, but we delight in and look forward to the great refreshments (which now have evolved into full gourmet meals) the hostess provides.How nice it is to have this comfortable haven to freely share successes without appearing braggadocios, to unburden stresses and personal crises without being labeled whiners, to criticize without being mean-spirited, and to accept criticisms with great appreciation, for these are the stones on which we sharpen our writing skills!
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Lit Chick Alice
I have 31 years of teaching experience mostly in Marshall County and Albertville City School Systems of Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. I have published over 300 articles, features and columns in newspapers and magazines including The Gadsden Times, The Sand Mountain Reporter, The Tribune News, The Islander, The Island Chronicle, Transitions Abroad Travel Magazine, Alabama Wildlife Magazine, Alabama Conservation Magazine, and The Christian Advocate. Having attended numerous writing conferences, I have had the privilege of winning 10 writing awards in competitions around the Southeast. I have been an editor for writing organizations such as the Council of Writers/Journalists and several professional teacher organization newsletters. Alice is the Author of a workbook for kids, "Digging from Attics to Basements" - a how-to book on compiling Family History, Published by Shadowpurr-r-rPress. This is going to accompany my programs, "Genealogy from a Christian Perspective" and "Fun with Genealogy for Kids" which I present in churches, at civic organizations, and Genealogy Society meetings. I am also working on a series of nostalgic vignettes about growing up in rural North Georgia. I enjoy presenting stories, readings and special programs in school settings. Alice Duckett resides in Anniston, Alabama, and enjoys traveling and spending time with her four grandchildren.
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Lit Chick Shirley
My mission is to encourage women 50 years and older to "Age Outside the Box with Power, Style and Vitality" through the Power of Jesus Christ. Soar to New Heights of Excellence and Capture the Essence of Your Life... I am a National Author/Columnist/Speaker and Radio Host, having published 5 books - The Christian Writer's Diary, The Beauty of Being God's Woman, Spiritual Sparks for Busy Women, and my two current ones we are promoting, "Fabulous after 50™-Finding Fulfillment for Tomorrow" and "Sensational after 60™-Loving Life All Over Again"; and a Co-Author of 3 books, "Love Notes for Mom", "Love Notes for Dad" and "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life". I have had a weekly Newspaper Column in the Sand Mountain Reporter for the past 15 years called, "Fabulous after Fifty™"; a Syndicated On-Line Column, "Spiritual Sparks for Baby Boomers™", and I am a regular Contributing Columnist for Senior Lifestyle Magazine, and a Featured Columnist-Writer in Passionate for Life Magazine... I am the Host of the Internet Radio Show, "Aging Outside the Box™" on the ArtistFirst World Radio Network... Published soon will be a Children's Book, A Women's Planner to match the F & S Series, a Novel, and a Living First Ladies Gift Book. There will also be two more books in the Fabulous and Sensational Inspirational & Motivational Series. Shirley is a member of Senior Approved Services, BizPreneur and ShoutLife!.
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Lit Chick Gay
"As a student teacher at Albertville High School, I was lucky to have Barbara Eubanks as my supervising teacher," said Gay Martin. "She inspired me (and our students) in the classroom, and she continues to inspire me with her writing. In fact, largely because of her encouraging words, I am now embarking on a fiction project--quite a departure from my usual travel writing." Gay Martin and her husband, Carlton, are looking forward to a trip to Chile and a cruise around the southern tip of South America in a few weeks. Her guidebooks, "Alabama Off the Beaten Path" and "Louisiana Off the Beaten Path" (The Globe Pequot Press) are due out in their 8th editions.
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Lit Chick Barbara
After teaching English/Journalism for 35 years, Barbara Eubanks didn't retire; I simply refired. My first after-teaching goal was to get my first book published. With the Lord's help, that was accomplished Dec. 2004 when "Humorous Happenings in Holy Places" (Tate Publishing) hit the market. Not only did that serve to respark my desire to write, it also opened up a speaking career for me. I've averaged one event a week since then. My second book, which we are curerently promoting is "And the Angels Laughed",also published by Tate. Not only will the print copies be available, but both will come out soon as audio books. What an exciting time! What supercedes the joy of seeing my own words published is the joy this has brought to my family, especially to my eight grandchildren, who have supplied some of the funny happenings for both books. I've tried my hand, since finishing the two devotional book, writing fiction. I've completed my first novel, "A Web Too Tight". At each meeting of The Lit Chicks, I share with them a chapter or two. If the rest of the world meets it with their enthusiasm, it will be a best seller.
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Lit Chick Lori
I have always been drawn to the written word and spent much of my childhood with my nose in a book. As a teenager I wrote poetry and short stories. Over the past 10 years, in addition to bits and pieces of stories I’ve begun, I’ve been working on a novel. It’s the story of two people who, over the course of a lifetime are in love with each other, but can’t seem to get the timing right. Most recently, I’ve written two short pieces that have been published as guest commentaries in the Gadsden Times. Lori Boatfield is an aspiring writer, a television show host, a wife and soon to be mother. Educated at West End High School in Etowah County, and at Snead State Community College, she earned a BA at Auburn University. She lives in Boaz, Alabama, with her husband Jason, a physical therapist. As a child, Lori loved reading and writing and credits her mother with instilling this passion.
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(What Happened to Lori ?)
(I guess she didn't make the corner in time before the camera went off !)
And The Lit Chicks Write On...!
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The Lit Chick Scribe
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January 2008
The Lit Chicks Play Cowgirl
Frolic, friends, food, and focus on our literary work – that’s what our Lit Chicks group is all about. As we gather at one of our member’s house each month, we eat together, laugh together, and together we focus on each other’s work and accomplishments. We’re “sorta” like the mailman – neither rain, nor snow, nor can dark of night keep us from our appointed tasks.
January was Gay Martin’s time to host our group. Our faces fell when we read her email saying her kitchen repair work wasn’t finished; therefore, we might just want to cancel the meeting for the month. Never fear, Barbara Eubanks offered to trade months. With short notice, there was no time to polish silver and laundry the good linens. Barbara suggested we let our hair down and have a more casual affair – a cowgirl get-together. The other girls jumped on that like a June bug on – on –on watermelon. Gay offered to bring dessert and a prize for the best-dressed cowgirl. Alice Duckett, the show-out, stayed up half the night preparing her costume so she could take home the prize; that she did with fringe, sheriff’s badge, guns, and all. Shirley was the dressed-up cowgirl; wouldn’t you just know that because that’s her trademark. Barbara wore her sequined green denim as if she was going into town for the square dance. Gay played the part of the cute cowgirl in the June Allison style. Bless her heart, Lori Boatfield with a runny nose, dressed in full costume, darling as always, called shortly before time for the meeting. Barbara heard screams coming from Rafe, Lori’s one-year-old. “He has my cold. I’m afraid I can’t make it; I just can’t leave Rafe screaming like this.” Barbara, being a grandmother and all, knew things such as that could turn on a dime, so she told her to come on if things settled down; her place was already set at the table (actually each place was marked with a can of beef jerky with a label bearing members pictures and names). Lori did make it – for the first hour - the eating time, anyway.
Although most meetings are more formal events where the hostess for the month brings out her best wares for serving and we dress to impress, this one found us laughing and hooting and hollering. We dived into the beef brisket, baked beans, baked sweet potatoes, salad, and mesquite sour dough bread as if we had worked mucking stalls all morning. The caramel cake Gay brought crashed all diets.
Now not all was fun and games. We did finally get down to business and do our critiquing work. Gay shared excerpts from her dream journal, and we made suggestions how she could work them into a piece of fiction. Shirley shared a chapter she had written for a friend’s new book; it was her best work yet. Alice read the piece she has written for the Black History feature for the Anniston/Gadsden Family Christian Magazine. Barbara read still another chapter from her novel, A Web Too Tight; she said it before the others could. “It needs work on placement in the novel.”
“Ain’t” it great when work is fun and a time to share ideas and food with friends? Someone once said, Don’t take yourself too serious; nobody else does.” We surely didn’t this month.
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The Lit Schedule
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Sept. 19, 2006... 1:30PM-CST ... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Shirley Mitchell Guntersville, AL Reading
Oct. 2, 2006... 1:30PM-CST ... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Barbara Eubanks Home 4840 McVille Rd. Albertville, AL Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256 878 5934 Reading
Nov. 6, 2006... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chick Meeting Lori Boatfield Home Main St. Boaz, AL Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Reading
Dec. 1, 2006... 6-8PM-CST ... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Gala Book Reception, Boaz Public Library, 407 Thomas Av, Boaz, AL Participants: Barbara Eubanks, Shirley Mitchell, Gay Martin, Alice Duckett, Lori Boatfield, Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Author Signing
Jan. 30, 2007... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Gay Martin Home Wildhaven Dr Albertville, AL Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Special Guests: News Reporters Charlotte Christopher Sand Mt. Reporter and Sherry Kughn The Anniston Star Reading
Feb. 15, 2007... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Barbara Eubanks Home McVille Rd. Albertville, AL Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Reading
Mar. 20, 2007... 12Noon-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Alice Duckett Home Amberwood Lane Anniston, AL Contact Person: Alice Duckett 256-237-7123 Special Guest: Sherry Kughn, Reporter from the Anniston Star Reading
Mar. 27, 2007... 11am-PST & 1PM-CST... "The Lit Chicks" Hosts Dr. Peter Brill and David Debin of Third Age International - Third Age Radio Show Interview Barbara Eubanks, Alice Duckett and Lori Boatfield, 3 members of "The Lit Chick" Group out of Northern Alabama. Third Age International provides the tools and support you need for improving the quality of your life and health in the Third Age. We bring people of the Baby Boom Generation together to help each other find ever-increasing levels of passion, purpose and joy in the aging process. Contact Person: Lighthouse Coastal 678-471-6092 Samantha Friedman, Associate Producer.
The Third Age Radio Show with Dr. Peter Brill, a Physician and Psychiatrist, David Debin, a Writer and Producer, along with screen and TV star Anne Francis, treat Third Agers to a fun-filled, informative hour discussing issues at the heart and mind of the Third Age of life. Each week Third Age International on Third Age Radio Show features Authors and Guest Experts on topics diverse as Dating, Spirituality, Changing Habits, Grandparenting, Plastic Surgery, Sex, Finding Purpose, Health and Fitness, Fulfilling Dreams, Having Fun, Adult Children, Elderly Parents and many more. Listen in LIVE on Santa Barbara News Press Radio KZSB-1290am Tuesdays from 11am-PST and Rebroadcast Tuesdays at 9PM-PST & Saturdays at 1PM-PST, Plus Streaming on the World Wide Web... LISTEN in LIVE !
Apr. 17, 2007... IPM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Lori Boatfield Home Main St. Boaz, AL Contact Person: Lori Boatfield 256-593-1565 Reading
May 21, 2007... IPM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Shirley Mitchell Home Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Reading
Jun. 26, 2007... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Gay Martin Home Contact Person: Gay Martin 256-878-6271 Reading and Special Guest Poet Suzanne Hobbs of Jacksonville, AL
Jul. 17, 2007... 12PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Barbara Eubanks Home McVille Rd. Albertville, AL Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Reading
Aug. 13, 2007... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Sherry Kughn Home 711 Keith Avenue Anniston, AL Contact Person: Sherry Kughn 256-237-2358 Reading
Sept. 8, 2007... 4PM-EST... Paula Deen Live Show Atlanta Civic Center Atlanta, GA Contact Person: Barbara Walters F&M Bank Anniston,AL 256-236-8200 Attending Alice Duckett, Barbara Eubanks and Lori Boatfield plus their guests
Sept. 11, 2007... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Lori Boatfield Home 601 N. Main Street Boaz, AL Contact Person: Lori Boatfield 256-593-1565 Reading
Oct. 23, 2007... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Barbara Eubanks Home 4840 McVille Road Albertville, AL Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Reading
Nov. 20, 2007... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Shirley Mitchell Home Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Reading
Dec. 1, 2007... 2-6PM-CST... "Spirit of Anniston" Downtown Holiday Shopping Day: Theme "Go Green for the Holidays" Meet The Lit Chicks and area Anniston Authors - their books will be available for Holiday gift buying. Special events downtown include several bands performing, horse and buggy rides, singers and more. Contact Person: Melanie Hill "Spirit of Anniston" Events Director 256-236-0996 Speak and Sign
Dec. 18, 2007... 1:00 PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Alice Duckett Home 4720 Amberwood Lane Anniston, AL Contact Person: Alice Duckett 256-237-7123 Reading
Jan. 22, 2008... 1PM-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Gay Martin Home 135 Wildwood Drive Albertville, AL Contact Person: Gay Martin 256-878-6271 Reading
Feb. 26, 2008... 1PM-CST... Sand Mt. Lit Chicks Meeting Gay Martin Home 135 Wildhaven Dr. Albertville, AL Contact Person: Gay Martin 256-878-6271
Mar. 18, 2008... 1PM-CST... Sand Mt. Lit Chicks Meeting Lori Boatfield Home 601 N. Main St. Boaz, AL Contact Person: Lori Boatfield 256-593-1565
Apr. 22, 2008... 1PM-CST... Sand Mt. Lit Chicks Meeting Cultural Arts Center Broad Street Gadsden, AL Contact Person: Alice Duckett 256-237-7123 Luncheon and Reading
May. 17, 2008... 1PM-CST... Sand Mt. Lit Chicks Meeting Guntersville State Park Lodge 7966 AL Hwy. 227 Guntersville, AL 256-571-5440 Lit Chicks--guests of Barbara Eubanks at Spring Luncheon/Program of Thursday Book Club Contact Person: Barbara Eubanks 256-878-5934 Book Club Program and Reading
Jun. 17, 2008... 1PM-CST... Sand Mt. Lit Chicks Meeting Alice Duckett Home 4720 Amberwood Lane Anniston, AL Contact Person: Alice Duckett 256-237-7123 Reading
Jul. 22, 2008... 12noon-CST... Sand Mountain Lit Chicks Meeting Lighthouse Coastal Productions 466 Sardis Cutoff Road Sardis City, AL Contact Person: Lighthouse Coastal 678-471-6092 Reading & Internet Updates
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