Margaret Britton Vaughn will speak at the Chattanooga Writers' Guild on Feb. 12, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Downtown Public Library. The meeting is free and open to the public.
Review for Margaret Britton Vaughn:
Ms. Vaughn has been poet laureate of Tennessee for over 15 years.
She is the author of 18 books, her first book being published by The Tennessean in 1975. She has written the official Bicentennial Poem of Tennessee and the official poem commemorating the Tennessee state quarter. Ms. Vaughn is the writer of the gubernatorial inauguration poems for Governor Sundquist, Governor Bredesen and Governor Haslam. Ms. Vaughn penned the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Poem for U.S. Air Force which was read into the Congressional Record of Washington, D.C.
In addition to her poetry, Ms. Vaughn has written plays produced by The Barn Theatre in Nashville, The National Quilters Convention, The Galt Theatre and many other venues.
She is the only poet ever to receive a Mark Twain Fellowship from Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies in Elmira, New York. (This fellowship has only been offered to scholars who write biographies about Mark Twain.)
In 2007, she received The Literary Award from the Germantown Arts Alliance chosen from writers all over the South and Southeast. Former winners include Eudora Welty, John Grisham and Shelby Foote.
She represented Tennessee at the First National Poets Laureate Conference in New Hampshire in 2003 and was quoted in the New York Times coverage of the event. She has represented Tennessee in other national Poet Laureate conventions.
Ms. Vaughn's books have been taught in colleges and universities as well as in elementary, middle and high schools across the country. She has made a major contribution to education by teaching teachers and students, from kindergarten to the university graduate level, and in giving in-services for educators throughout the country.
She has traveled several hundred thousand miles throughout Tennessee and America as poet laureate.
Ms. Vaughn received the Governor's Award as an Outstanding Tennessean in 2003.
Her poems have appeared in magazines, literary journals, and newspapers, and have been read on nationwide television and radio shows including National Public Radio.
She's been published in journals such as The Thomas Wolfe Review, The Distillery, Alcalines of Radford University, The Elk Review, The Tennessee English Journal, several journals at MTSU. She has been included in anthologies such as "The Other Side of Sorrow" and "Southern Voices in Every Direction" as well as in other national publications and articles. Vaughn was quoted in Ted Turner's nationwide book on country music.
Ms. Vaughn was the subject of a historical two CD set called "A Southern Voice", a compilation of her original readings which was highlighted on PBS nationwide in 2006.
She has appeared on Tennessee Crossroads, The Arts Break, "A Century of Country Music" on CBS, Ted Turner's national TV documentary about country music and numerous other TV and radio shows throughout the U.S.
Ms. Vaughn creates her inspiring poems that reverberate with the magical incantatory power of family and roots. As she says, "Poetry is for everyone and we need to keep alive the message that is understood by all walks of life."
In addition, Ms. Vaughn is a well known country music songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Ernest Tubb, Charlie Louvin and other legendary stars. In fact, Ms. Vaughn was asked to write a poem for the funeral of Jeanette Carter, daughter of A.P. Carter who is well known as the Original Song Catcher of historical country music.
Ms. Vaughn is brought to the Library by the members of the Chattanooga Writers' Guild, a local 501c3 non-profit that promotes the growth of the writing craft in the greater Chattanooga region. More about the CWG can be found by joining their FaceBook page or reading their web site at: Chattanoogawritersguild.org