MAIRTIN de COGAIN, MAY 10, TULSA

Let me tell you about.... Mairtin de Cogain, two time Irish national storytelling champion will be teaching a storytelling workshop on Saturday, May 10 in Tulsa. From Melissa comes this news: "My husband and I host house concerts, and the next one is scheduled for Friday, May 9 at 8pm. The concert features Mairtin de Cogain. Mairtin, a native of Cork, Ireland, is a singer, bodhran player, and (as I mentioned above) two time Irish national storytelling champion.

In addition to his successful solo career, Mairtin is also the lead singer of The Fuchsia Band and an actor - he appeared in the film The Wind that Shakes the Barley and also sang the film's spellbinding song Oro Se do Bheatha. The No Celtic Boundaries Radio broadcast named Mairtin 2007's Songwriter of the Year, and named The Fuchsia Band's latest CD as 2007's Album of the Year. For more on Mairtin, see his website at www.myspace.com/mairtindecogain

In case you are unfamiliar with house concerts, they are the latest "thing" for solo acoustic musicians - instead of playing to 100-200 people at a venue where they must pay hall rental, sound system, etc, the musician plays a smaller 35-40 person concert in someone's living room. The musician makes as much money as at the larger venue and the audience gets a more intimate setting and a chance to chat with the artist at intermission and after the concert. In addition to the concert, Mairtin will also be teaching a storytelling workshop on Saturday May 10 from 10:30-12:30. The concert and the workshop are both at my house, which is basically at 51st and Lewis. The concert Friday, May 9 and starts at 8pm. Suggested donation (all of which goes directly to Mairtin as his fee) is $15 per person.

Reservations are required since there is limited seating. People can contact me if they have any questions or would like to make a reservation. 918.724.8722 or melissaltatum@yahoo.com I'll send out detailed directions the week before the concert to those who have reservations. Registration for the storytelling workshop is $30 and we are limiting the workshop to 15 participants, so reservations are also required for that. Feel free to forward this email to anyone else who you think might be interested.

IMAGINATION AND CHILDREN

Let me tell you about....the value of imagination for everyone!

There was a time when the imagination was viewed as something to be avoided. Rationalists reigned with a viewpoint that said facts and just the facts led to a healthy and intelligent adult.

Boy - were they wrong! It turned out that people (especially children) need imagination and play to develop in healthy and well-balanced ways. Such activities inform emotional, social, and physical development. Think about your storytelling and find ways of celebrating the imagination! After all, even a scientist needed a moment of "what if.....?" as they explored some new theory or invention. See a great site devoted to children and the imagination at http://www.wholefamily.com/aboutyourkids/columns/ruth_3/imagination.html

Vacation Planner: Roswell UFO Festival '08

Let me tell you about....the new Roswellian Design Blog. Filled with fun ways to celebrate the most important event that may- or may not- have happened!

JEALOUSY

Let me tell you about....a chief problem for performers in many arts. Fears of competition, loss of power, or control over the status quo can create unnecessary stresses and power tussles. Someone comes along doing things a bit different, with new ideas, or marching to a different drumbeat and problems emerge. It is something every performer must face and deal with at some point - and also face in other situations as well. The truth is that arts united in spirit and form present a more impressive face to potential funding agencies, festival planners, and the general public.

Unity spurs a great wealth of creativity, energy, and connections to make things happen. This scares some people who enjoy being the big fish in a small pond - the ocean brings fear because of presumed loss of control or influence. More people means new power blocks, new ideas, and a loss of control.

Encourage all other performers to unite rather than divide. It will enrich life so much more and create an environment better for all performers and artists.

POWER IN NUMBERS

Let me tell you about....creating a storytelling group.

Across Oklahoma there are people who are already telling stories in a variety of ways particular to their interest or professional niche. There are people sharing tales at local history locales, in museums, classrooms, in business meetings, at hospital bedsides, in elder centers, in pre-schools and day centers, in churches, in coffee houses, in bookstores, in libraries, in small towns, and big cities. They share western tales, cowboy tales, urban stories, spoken word stories, performance tales, classic tales, children's stories, ghost stories, funny stories, serious stories, musical stories, miminig stories, cultural tales, ethnic stories, religious tales, educational stories, men's stories, and women's stories. No matter where you are - gather listeners and learners together to share stories and form groups all across the state so that the state can be enriched and people come to enjoy the variety and diversity of the tales of Oklahoma.

Get more information about forming a group by contacting the state organization at Territory Tellers. There is power in numbers and the more people telling in Oklahoma the more we will have to appreciate.

Oklahoma Authors, Writers & Publishers

Let me tell you about....the OK Authors Blog. A new showcase to promote the many authors and publishers in the state of Oklahoma. Big publishing house or small small publisher - send your information to them and they will promote it on the blog! Meetings, conferences in OK, the same. Have you reviewed a new Oklahoma book? Share that as well. Writers are just another form of storytelling.....so everyone can get in the game!

Texas Cowboy Tales

Let me tell you about....A Cowboy Poetry and Storytelling Gathering at the Wild Horse Creek Cowboy Church, in Lamesa TX, Sunday April 27 at 12:30 pm. Call 903-583-2942 or 469-235-4573 for directions and information. Or go to the Wild Horse Creek Cowboy Church website:www.wildhorsecreekcamp.net. A Cowboy Poetry, Storytelling and Song Night each Thursday night from 7-8pm, open micWild Horse Creek Cowboy Church at Lamasco, Tx. Each performer gets a CD of that nights performance. For directions give me a call 903-583-2942 or go towww.wildhorsecreekcamp.net

STORIES FROM OKLAHOMA'S PARANORMAL SIDE

Let me tell you about....storytellers who walk on the wild side! Often unrecognized, are the storytellers who enchant, entertain, and educate during the haunting times of the year and on tours through various corners of Oklahoma's Haunted History (c). They dress in costumes, provide stories as they tour aged corners of a community, or recount daring deeds and old mysteries. They, like all other storytellers, delve into the pool of human legends, myths, and the ongoing folklore of the urban legend. For some resources for the next season of strange......

Ghost stories (Oklahoma and general)
http://www.eerieok.com/stories_submitted_by_readers.htm
http://www.ghouli.org/GHOSTSTORY/HauntedOklahoma.htm
http://spellboundstories.blogspot.com/2007/06/crybaby-bridge-oklahoma-version.html

http://strangestate.blogspot.com - lots of "true" tales from Oklahoma to base your next story on.
http://www.mystical-www.co.uk/ghostinx.htm

Also, see the new Oklahoma Paranormal Directory for links to groups, books, resources, etc. ;

See also Eerie Oklahoma http://www.eerieok.com/about.htm and check out the Ghost Divas Live on Para-X Radio ; Too smart for such things? Just something to think about: "Does Education Fuel Paranormal Beliefs?" http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10950526/

Remember: The 2nd Oklahoma Storytelling Festival will feature late Friday night "ghost stories"!

HATS OFF TO TONYA SHOOK AND THE BORDER QUEEN BOOK FESTIVAL

Let me tell you about....a great first-ever event for southwest Oklahoma! The charming town of Commanche hosted the event with around 40 authors registered to attend. Authors from Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and elsewhere showed up as well! There was great local coverage of the event in the town newspaper. There were authors and storytellers there because the two juat make such a natural team! Authors have to talk about stories and storytellers often turn authors as they share their tales. The welcome was warm, the people friendly and the area quite interesting. I understand plans are in the works for another one next year and we can all look forward to a great welcome and eager visitors supporting reading and books and authors in SW Oklahoma.