a writer's pages
Suzanne Baldwin Leitner
I am a poet, author and blogger. I received a B.A. in English from Appalachian State University in 1983, and a J.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1986.
I am the author of one chapbook of poetry, String Quilt (Main Street Rag Publishing Company, 2005) and a novella entitled Sessions With a Cheater's Wife (Main Street Rag Publishing Company, 2008). You can read samples of my poetry on the Poetry Sampler page on this site. I will update that page with different poems from time to time, so do check back!
I have conducted numerous interviews for The Main Street Rag literary magazine. It has been my great privilege to interview some established writers, as well as several rising stars. Those whom I have interviewed include: North Carolina's first female poet laureate, Kathryn Stripling Byer; the Pulitzer-prize nominated poet (as well as fiction writer and author of numerous critical studies), Anthony S. Abbott; the heralded poet and teacher, Irene Blair Honeycutt; and, Jennifer K. Sweeney.
Over the course of the last 15 or so years, I have conducted numerous poetry workshops for elementary, middle and high school students in my area, and am continually amazed by the creativity of the students from whom I get these chances to learn. The future of poetry is in fine hands. There will be more information about these workshops forthcoming.
On a more personal note, I am a wife and mother of one daughter. I studied dance from the time I was eight years old into my early 20's. I recently started ballroom dancing, something I thought I would never do because I don't like to "follow," and prefer sneakers to high heels. I am finding I love it.
I am proudly descended from hillbillies, farmers, and mill workers. And, of course, storytellers. The best advice I ever got was to take my creative work seriously, and myself, not so much.
If you teach in North or South Carolina and would like more information about classroom visits
Publishing credits include:
Main Street Rag
Iodine
Crucible
The Lyricist
Wellspring
Cairn
Lonzie’s Fried Chicken
Bay Leaves
Charlotte Viewpoint
Anthologies:
Kakalak 2013 (coming in Fall 2013)
Kakalak: Anthology of Carolina Poets (2006)
Home for the Holidays (Old Mountain Press, 2006)
Southern Mist (Old Mountain Press, 2008).
Awards include:
First Prize, Lonzie’s Fried Chicken poetry contest, 2000
First Prize, contest sponsored by the Poetry Council of North Carolina, Charles Shull Category for Traditional Poetry, 2000
Third Prize, Writer’s Workshop 1997 International Poetry Competition.
Numerous works have received honorable mentions or been selected as finalists in various other writing competitions. A complete list is available upon request.
