AGT Monthly Meeting for July 2025

The Authors Guild of Tennessee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at Faith Lutheran Church in Farragut from 10:30 to noon.

The following members were present:

Bill Barbour, Sam Bledsoe, Gary Butler, Gayle Curtin, Laura Derr, Danita Dodson, John Forcum, Kaye George, Jim Hartsell, Wes Hibbert, Wade Johnson, David Johnston, Ernie Lancaster, Sean Mitchell, Cheryl Peyton, Nancy Pressley, Ron Pressley, Chuck Roseberry, Kit Sexton, Frank Snyder, Art Stewart, Becky Tucker, Jeri Weems, Victoria Winifred, and Curt Young.

Guests:  Laurie Byrne, Angie Hodge, Elaine Jungk

Welcome – Cheryl Peyton.

June minutes:  Approved online.

Treasurer’s Report for June – Bill Barbour

Beginning Cash Balance	$          3,474
Ending Cash Balance	$          2,728
Less:	$           (776)	Writing Competition
	$           (294)	Outstanding checks
Net Cash Available	$          1,658
Income
Trade Show Boothes	$              127
Retail Sales	$              197
Expenses
Author payments	$              111
Flowers	$                63
Tennessee Corporate Registration	$                20
Speaker lunch	$                19
Trade Show Events	$              250
Trade Show Tables	$              313

Reports by members and Committee Chairs:

1. Festival Facts – Nancy Pressley reported on upcoming fairs through November, Cheryl advised that we now have a convenient retail storage facility for the tents, tables, etc. She will send around the details.
2. Retail – Cheryl. We will be placing several titles in the new Story Hollow Bookstore in Madisonville.
3. Programs – Ernie reported Danita Dobson will present a program in August on “Writing Poetry 101.” The September program will focus on AI for writers.

Program 

Our speaker was Laurie Byrne, photographer, and writer. Laurie spoke on how she came to write her biographical book, Beyond the Trees — Stories of Settlement in America. Laurie’s genealogical research goes back to the 1400s. She explained, “Within these pages are stories from the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s about members of my family and their contributions to the settlement of this nation. These stories evolved from my genealogical research.”

Laurie discussed how she brought these stories to life to illustrate how our country was settled by people who sought freedom to worship and the opportunity to live without unjust taxation, but who faced extreme hardships. She said, “This is my legacy,” and encouraged us to be inspired to write stories of our ancestors by exploring our family histories.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 12:15. Our next meeting will be on August 7, 2025, at Faith Lutheran Church.