Valley Writers Chapter

Our History

History of the Valley Writers Chapter of the Virginia Writers Club

Through the years, members of Valley Writers have participated in area bookfests and writing conferences, conducted educational presentations (such as the 2005 "Advice for Aspiring Authors" series at Roanoke County Library headquarters), and presented readings at libraries, schools, retirement homes, and even a winery. A recent appearance was at the 2010 Roanoke Regional Writers Conference when members Jim Morrison, Rodney Franklin, and Becky Mushko appeared on a self-publishing panel.

Valley Writers began in May 3, 1982, a writers’ club was formed by Helen Barranger, Rodney Franklin, James Moore, Nancy Rock, Ed Sandhaus and Mary Jo Shannon. Having just completed David Barudin’s creative writing course in Roanoke College’s Continuing Education Program, they recognized a need for a Roanoke area group that included all types of writers. The six founders called themselves the Valley Writers and appointed Ed Sanhaus as coordinator for their group. May 13, 1982, the Monday they first met at the Roanoke County Library headquarters, became their official day of origin.

In 1984, Helen Barranger presented the idea for an area Writers Conference to the Valley Writers, Artemis, Hollins College, and the local chapter of American Association of University Women. Within days, representatives from these organizations planned a conference. The first Blue Ridge Writers Conference was held at Roanoke College that fall. From 1984 until the BRWC moved to VA Tech, Valley Writers underwrote or sponsored the conference.

Ed Sandhaus served as coordinator of the club (1982–83), followed by Rodney Franklin (1983–89) and Ernie Reynolds (1989–91). Bud Feuer was the first elected president (1991–97). The current president is Betsy Ashton.

The most recent Bylaws of the Valley Writers Chapter was adopted 9/15/2005.

Since becoming a chapter of the Virginia Writers Club in 1991, the Valley Writers Chapter has hosted six quarterly meetings of the Virginia Writers Club. Newspaper reporter Rex Bowman was the guest speaker at the May 2009 regional meeting.

In 1989, Valley Writers published its first anthology, the Best Short Stories and Poetry by Valley Writers. A second anthology, Fit to Print, appeared in 1998, followed by Fit to Print II in 2002. In recent years, many members have published books, contributed articles to numerous publications or anthologies, blogged, posted work online, written newspaper commentaries, recorded public radio essays, and generally gotten their words out.