• Here’s what not to do. That’s what former New York-based book editor Shelley Lieber will share. Lieber, also known as “the wordy woman,” is the author of 4Ps to Publishing Success: Your Guide to Getting Published and, culling from her experience as a publishing consultant, she’ll clue writers into the five biggest mistakes made by first-time authors and how to avoid those stumbling blocks. The mini-seminar, “Mistakes, Myths & Miracles of Book Publishing” is held at Osondu Booksellers (184 N. Main St., Waynesville, 456-8062), Saturday, Feb. 16, from 2-3:30 p.m.
• On Tuesday, Feb. 19, North Carolinian author Vicki Lane (her works include Signs in the Blood, Old Wounds and In A Dark Season, coming this May) joins the book discussion group at the North Asheville Library (1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, 250-4752). The event runs from 2-4 p.m. and is open to the public.
• Thursday, Feb. 21 through Saturday, Mar. 1, National Endowment for the Arts initiative The Big Read focuses on the Willa Cather (pictured) novel My Antonia. (Info: 505-1973.)
—Book discussion at the South Buncombe/Skyland Library (260 Overlook Rd., Asheville, 684-1827) on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2:30 p.m.
—Mars Hill College Big Read Gala features Dr. Phyllis Lang’s illustrated talk (689-1244) on Friday, Feb. 22, 12:30 p.m.
—Book discussion at Big Ivy Historical Society (Dillingham Rd., Barnardsville, 254-3143) on Saturday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m.
—Art Inspired by My Antonia reception at the Polk County Library (1289 West Mills St., Columbus, 894-8721) on Saturday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m.
—The Eco View: Willa Cather Among Other Writers event with panelists Ron Rash, Brian Railsback, Annette Debo and Teegan Dykeman at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center (227-7383) on Monday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
—Nicholas Basbanes on The Power of Books at the Polk County Library on Sat., March 1, 11 a.m.
• Country music star Trace Adkins (the voice behind “Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk”), will sign copies of his new book, Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck at Barnes & Noble (83 S Tunnel Rd., Asheville, 296-9330) on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. (he performs at the Asheville Civic Center that evening). A nugget of wisdom from the straight-talking tome: “The war on terror is like herpes. People can live with it, but it’ll flare up from time to time.”
• Local author Bob Plott reads and signs copies of his area history book, Strike and Stay: The Story of the Plott Hound (History Press, 2007). The event takes place at Osondu Booksellers on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m.
• Appalachian writer Lee Smith (winner of the WNC Historical Association’s 2007 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award and author of On Agate Hill, leads a presentation and discussion titled, The Road to Agate Hill: Researching and Writing a Historical Novel. The event takes place at AB-Tech‘s Ferguson Auditorium (Asheville campus) on Sunday, Feb. 24 from 2-4 p.m. Info: 253-9231.
• Local author Ron Rash‘s 2007 short story collection, Chemistry and Other Stories, has been named one of 15 “notable books” of 2007 by The Story Prize committee.
• Local and self-published authors will find a valuable resource in BookTour, an online listing source for readings and author info.
• The University of North Carolina Press and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have embarked on a print and digital publication project titled, “Publishing the Long Civil Rights Movement.” Funded by a three-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the project aims to “widen the window of civil rights to include contemporary issues such as school resegregation, environmental and economic justice, and the women’s and gay rights movements.” Interested? There’s an opening for a Program Director. Learn more here.
• Charlotte, N.C.‘s Mint Museum of Craft and Design and Mint Museum of Art is seeking young writers to be matched with artists for an online and podcast-based program. For info: cheryl.palmer@mintmuseum.org.
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