fresh...stories, poems,ideas

Our Publisher--JC Walkup

JC Walkup has worn many hats in her life...and lovely ones they were/are! She is a former Texan now living in the Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina and her “former life” background was in the aero-space industry.

A prolific writer now, with publications in newspapers, anthologies and a bulging desk drawer, she was instrumental in establishing several prominent writers groups as well as Western NC’s premiere literary event, Book Mania, held each August in Waynesville.

Editor-- Penny Morse

I am fond of saying that I blew in on a North wind to these magnificent, nurturning Mother mountains where I found a vibrant writing community.  Ten years later, I'm still here and still enthralled with the depth of talented writers and their stories. 
 
My background is in anthropology and linguistics - yes, I've been on some "digs".  Over the years I've dabbled in real estate, the financial industry, volunteering for hospice work and many other subjects though  writing continues to be my constant passion.
 
It's been a great joy to work with Buffy and JC on this new project.  Buffy amazes me by being able to work full time and run a "farmette" while still being a sharp editor and excellent writer in her own style.  JC blows me away with her hosting of huge parties, gourmet cooking, and contributing to newspapers, magazines and her own works-in-progres.  I am grateful to be swept along in their wake, always learning and supporting the mission of fresh. 

Editor--Buffy Queen

I've has been on many adventures with JC & Penny, including founding and coordinating the Haywood County Book Fair, now known as Book Mania. We have remained friends through lots of writing critique sessions and still have a great time relishing the work and words of the talented authors we know and love. My background is in TV and film, both from the producing and acting arena, and I co-wrote (as well as co-produced and co-stared in) a screenplay, “Southern Belles”, made into an award-winning independent feature film of the same name. I've recently finished editing “Moonshiner’s Daughter”, a memoir written by Mary Judith Messer, which will be published soon. (See an excerpt from the book in this current issue of fresh). My current employment is as the Community Educator for REACH of Haywood where I love sharing the Safe Dates program with teens to help them create healthy dating relationships and avoid dating violence. My husband and daughter share my enthusiasm for sustainability issues and our “green built” solar home is the center piece on the “farmette” which we share with three cows, seven chickens, two dogs and three cats. Gracious….