Last month’s “Writer’s Workshop” provided participants the opportunity to refine story development in a collaborative setting with the goal of preparing articles for next year’s CCHS  Journal  publication. The series concludes on Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. in the Otis A. Thompson Local History Room of Guernsey Memorial Library. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH – On Oct. 5, the Chenango County Historical Society (CCHS) will host the final session of the “Writer’s Workshop” series, an extension of Author’s Hour programming being held in collaboration with Guernsey Memorial Library this year.

Beginning at 1 p.m. in the Otis A. Thompson Local History Room, authors of all ages and skill-levels are invited to discover new techniques for historical research and writing. The focus of the workshop series is on developing pieces for the annual CCHS  Journal, an anthology of local stories related to Chenango County heritage. All story ideas are welcome for sharing with the group as participants work together to generate a publication that represents the uniqueness of the local region.

“This new series is giving our community the opportunity to research and share a wide variety of stories from across Chenango County,” said Jessica Moquin, CCHS executive director. “We are grateful for this opportunity to partner with Guernsey Memorial Library and Brian Kamsoke to help aspiring authors conduct research and craft narratives that explore our unique cultural heritage.”

The  Otis A. Thompson Local History Room, part of Guernsey Memorial Library, is located at 3 Court St., Norwich. Participants are asked to gather at the circulation desk no later than 1 p.m. so that the group can then be escorted to the History Room on the ground floor of the library.

Visit  www.ChenangoHistorical.org  for more details about this and other CCHS programs.

The Author’s Hour “Writer’s Workshop” series is being facilitated by Chenango County native Brian Kamsoke. A 1987 graduate of Norwich High School, Kamsoke received a Creative Writing Fellowship from Wichita State University, Kan., where he completed his master of fine arts. An editor with 30 years of experience working for nonprofit and for profit organizations, he has also taught writing at Collin College in McKinney, Texas, and Paradise Valley Community College in Paradise Valley, Ariz. Kamsoke has had more than three dozen creative works published, and his collection of stories,  Between the Mile Markers, was a 2018 finalist for the “Hudson Prize” by Black Lawrence Press.

First established in 1939, CCHS is the primary organization dedicated to actively and comprehensively preserving the history of Chenango County. The area’s premier heritage museum, the organization celebrates local culture – unique traditions, noteworthy residents, and unusual stories of the region.

– Information from the CCHS