Happy 2025! I love and hate so many things about the new year. I love the freshness: new calendars, empty planners, ambitious goals …. But I hate the expectations that come with them and the idea that keeps plaguing me that I am never enough. Let me tell you (and me) right now: YOU. ARE. ENOUGH. But if hanging out with cool writers, poets, and book nerds is one of your resolutions … we gotchu. Or maybe you want to write more? Read more? Develop your craft? Surround yourself with more creativity? We got all that too.
EVENTS
Tuesday, January 7th (and Tuesday, the 21st), 4:00-5:30 PM, at Linebaugh Library (105 W Vine St, Murfreesboro): Teen Creative Writing Club
Calling all aspiring authors! Linebaugh Library is starting a new creative writing club, where tweens and teens can learn about different types of creative writing, practice them, and share their work with friends! Click the picture for more info!
Saturday, January 11th, 4:00-5:00 PM, at The Spine Bookshop (304 S Lowry St. Suite A3, Smyrna): Poetry Workshop with Andi Kopek
The lovely folks at The Spine are starting a poetry club! The second Saturday of each month will be an inspiring evening of poetry appreciation and discussion, delving into the captivating works of a featured poet and exploring the beauty of language, emotions, and the human experience. This poetry club is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow poetry enthusiasts, discover new poetic voices, and share your love for this timeless art form. Be sure to mark your calendars and The Spine Bookshop for an unforgettable celebration of the power of poetry! More info here!
Monday, January 20th, 9:00 PM, at Barnes & Noble (2615 Medical Ave, Murfreesboro): Launch Party for Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm:
Join other Empyrean fans in store to celebrate the release of Rebecca Yarros’s third book in The Empyrean Series, Onyx Storm. Due to the high demand for this title, proof of purchase of the Deluxe Limited Edition is required to attend; Onyx Storm goes on sale in store at 11:01 PM CT on 1/20/25. Contact our store to sign-up today! More info here!
Saturday, January 25th, 11:00-1:00 PM, at Oaklands Mansion (900 N Maney Ave, Murfreesboro): Ariel Lawhon to speak at Friends of Linebaugh Library author luncheon
Tickets are now on sale for the annual Friends of Linebaugh Library’s Author Luncheon featuring Ariel Lawhon. She will discuss her most recent best-selling book, The Frozen River. Tickets are $25 for Friends members and $40 for non-members. Seating is limited, so don’t delay! More info here!
Saturday, January 25th, 1:00-5:00 PM, at Linebaugh Library: Zinah Scott Book Signing
Linebaugh is pleased to host local author Zinah Scott, who will be signing and selling copies of their book, The Girl Who Fell in the Rice Sack. Come out to support local authors! More info here!
Monday, January 27th, 6:00-8:00 PM at MTSU (Student Union Room 210): Raiders Write meetup
Raiders Write is a student organization at MTSU for writers at the university, and this is their first meeting for the Spring 2025 semester! If you are at MTSU and are looking for other writer types on campus, check them out! Contact information can be found here.
Date TBA - Watch for Poetry in the Boro’s announcement of their late January event on their Instagram account or poetryintheboro.org.
Opportunities
Enroll with MTSU Write by 1/22! MTSU Write offers one-on-one mentorships, virtual workshopping groups, workshops, and an annual conference to help writers at any stage and genre work on their goals. For a mentorship or to join a group for the spring semester, apply by 1/22. Learn more at mtsu.edu/write/
Submit to Off Center! The Margaret H. Ordoubadian University Writing Center's arts magazine, Off Center, is accepting submissions from members of the MTSU community. All poets, writers, and artists in the Rutherford County area are welcome to submit. Send your creative writing, poetry, digital art, photography, scripts, and prose to offcenter@mtsu.edu. Send up to five poems or two prose pieces with a maximum of 20 pages until January 20, 2025. More info here!
Become the Murfreesboro Poet Laureate! Are you a professional poet living or working in Murfreesboro with a well-established body of work that maybe even highlights Murfreesboro life? Will you be around from February 2025 to February 2026? Are you over 18? If the answer is yes, yes, and yes, then head over to Submittable and fill out an application before January 31 to be a poet laureate! Past Murfreesboro poet laureates have been Kory Wells, Amie Whittemore, Cameron Mitchell, and Mike James (who unfortunately passed away during his term). Will you be the next one?? The worst that could happen is that they’ll say no!
And that’s it for January! Here’s to hoping you kick off 2025 with words, both read and written, and friends to share them with. As always, check with your local library or bookstore to see if they have any other events or fun things happening, and if you know of any coming up, email me at taffetachimewrites@gmail.com. See you next month!
Image courtesy of @hannaholinger
