Ashe Mountain Times

The next Wordkeepers event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Ashe Arts Council in West Jefferson.

At 3 p.m., prior to the 4 p.m. readings, musicians Henry Doss and Scot Pope will play their original music. Wordkeepers is free and open to the public. Three area writers, Julie Townsend, Scot Pope and Chris Arvidson, created Wordkeepers in 2010.

Each salon features writers reading their latest works in five-minute open microphone time slots. Refreshments are provided. M. Scott Douglass, owner of Main Street Rag Publishing Company and published poet, will read from his latest book. More information about Main Street Rag Publishing Company can be found at http://www.mainstreetrag.com. Jonathon Rice, editor of Iodine and published poet, will also read from his latest work. For more information about Iodine, visit http://www.iodinepoetryjournal.com<.

Writers interested in reading from their work should email Townsend at finally@skybest.com to secure their first-come, first-served spot, and to receive guidelines for reading. 

Subsequent dates have been set for the rest of 2012, all at the Ashe Arts Council beginning at 4 p.m. with music at 3 p.m. The dates are April 14, June 16, Aug. 18, Oct. 20 and Dec. 15.