Writers Guild donates to Pace library, promotes first poetry journal

PACE — To continue fostering the love of reading and writing in Santa Rosa County, the Santa Rosa Writer's Guild collected $140 in donations from area businesses and individuals and on Thursday presented it all to the Friends of the Pace Library.

Mary Jane Yarrington received the donation for the nonprofit.

“The Friends support the summer reading program and paid for the second AWE station,” she said, adding the Friends also purchased the library partitions used to create rooms for meetings in the library.

“Poetry teaches empathy, seeing other’s life,” guild member Marc Livanos said. “It’s one thing our divided country needs now. It’s what poets do. We don’t make much money but we have a mission.”

The guild owes a great deal of its existence to Pace librarian Terri Urquhart, according to Livanos. The library held an event asking local authors to come together and from this meeting, the guild formed, according to Livanos.

The guild also used the opportunity to promote the first edition of the Blackwater Literary Journal, edited by Dani Martin with written and visual pieces from Livanos, Martin, Glenda Frazier, Jane Hutto, Walter Reynolds, Quincy Hull and Ranjith Dissanayake.

Former poet laureate Juliet DeMarko was the guest judge for the journal. The former restaurateur, chef and author of two memoir cookbooks had her first book of poetry, “Blue Ridge Childhood,” appear in 2011.

The position of poet laureate is an area resident the West Florida Literary Federation honors for his or her record as a published poet and whose work is regarded in the area.

For the journal, DeMarko decided on nature as the book’s theme and included pieces related to the theme collected from the various writers’ submissions, according to Livanos.

She also judged the entries, awarding first place in each category. Livanos won first for his poem “Unplug,” current guild President Glenda Frazier for a photograph of a water lily, and member Walter Reynolds for his short story, ”An Untold Story of Monk’s Journey.”

The Blackwater Literary Journal is available for purchase on Amazon.com for $17.88.