Whatever your reading preferences, there will be something for you at the Carolina Mountains Literary Festival on September 6-8, 2018 in Burnsville, NC.
Authors will give free readings and discussions in fiction, memoir, poetry, non-fiction and young adult and children’s literature.
National Poetry Slam Finalist and spoken word Hip Hop artist, Kane Smego will start the Festival on Thursday evening with a free performance on Thursday night.
Readers of fiction and writers in all genres will want to hear the Saturday night Keynote Speaker, Gail Godwin. Author of 15 novels, including the 2017 Grief Cottage,
she is a three time National Book Award Finalist. Godwin grew up in Ashevlile and many of her books include fictionalized versions of her hometown and Western North Carolina. Registration is required for this event ($20).
Foodies won’t want to miss the locally sourced, catered Friday night banquet with speaker Michael W. Twitty. He won the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Writer and Best Book. He is the author of the blog afroculinaria.com and the book, The Cooking Gene. Registration is required for this event ($35 BYOB).
Find out how science fiction isn’t really only about science but is social commentary and anthropology. John Kessel will read from his work and discuss the genre.
Poetry workshop leader Sydney Wade will also give sessions, reading from her poems about physical and metaphysical borders and elegies to birds. NC Poetry Society President, Sam Barbee writes about one man’s search for his place in an imperfect world. Terri Kirby Erickson focuses on the natural world, family and loss. Brothers Like These write about their experiences before, during and after the Vietnam War.
Nature lovers and those concerned about the environment may want to take one of the three-hour writing workshops. Joni Tevis’ memoir looks at her search for wisdom steeped in the natural world. Mallory McDuff’s essays examine the spirituality of place and community action to steward the earth. They will also give readings from their books. Wade and Erickson also write about the natural world. David Brill will discuss his experiences hiking the Appalachian Trail, not just as a how-to but as an emotional and spiritual journey. His book, Into The Mist, tells tales of rescues in the Great Smokies National Park.
Fiction Authors- Acevedo, Burle, Claud, DeWitt, Godwin, Swann, Wang and Weiss will read from and discuss their novels which cover topics such as Cuban exile, coming of age stories, WW II, Civil War and life in Appalachia. Swann will teach a three hour workshop. NC Humanities Council Road Scholar, Wilson will tell you why Southern literature is about more than kudzu and mules.
History buffs can hear memoirs and non-fiction accounts by Cawood, Hill, Pierce, Simon and Whitener that examine Mexico, Vietnam, a NC road to nowhere and the tragic 1991 Hamlet Factory fire which changed a town.
New this year is Saturday afternoon’s AmaZing Alphabetini. Enter her tent and find the word that will make you strong in the coming year. See the magic of letters into words.
Most events are free and open to the public. Only the 4 three-hour writing workshops ($30), the Friday night Banquet ($35 BYOB) and the Saturday Night Keynote ($(20) require registration and a fee. To register go to cmlitfest.org. Or you may mail a check to CMLF PO Box 355, Burnsville, NC 28714 ( must be received by August 31st). For the Saturday Keynote only, you may register at the Burnsville Town Center.
Go to cmlitfest.org to learn more about the authors and to read the schedule. Attendees say that the only problem with the Festival is deciding which sessions to attend. So go to the website cmlitfest.org and plan your days.