In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service (of which the Sandburg Home is part), Flat Rock Playhouse created two new original productions — Spink, Skabootch and Swipes in Rootabaga Country and Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Express.
Smart bets: Purgatory Pie Press
The exhibit’s free opening reception is Asheville Bookworks on Thursday, July 7, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Smart bets: M.C. Richards exhibit
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center will celebrate alumnus and former teacher Mary Caroline (M.C.) Richards by displaying her work and memoribilia in an exhibit that runs through Saturday, Aug. 20.
‘North Carolina Craft Beer and Breweries’ authors to speak at Malaprop’s
Erik Lars Myers and Sarah Ficke reviewed 23 Asheville area breweries for the new edition of their book, which explores craft beer and brewing throughout the state.
Independent publisher Talking Book advances the audiobook industry
Editor-In-Chief Ben Matchar and Senior Editor Kris Hartrum formed the company in fall 2015. It’s their mission to push the status quo of the audiobook industry and explore the limits of how literature can be presented in light of recent technological advances in production and distribution.
Christine Hale shares a memoir about unanswerable questions
A Piece of Sky, A Grain of Rice finds a balance between fact and the malleability of memory by wending, dreamlike, between worlds and timeframes. Author Christine Hale presents the at Malaprop’s on Thursday, June 30.
Stonewall Commemoration and Trans Pride Week events
Asheville-based organizations Tranzmission, QORDS and COLAGE, in association with the Asheville Jewish Community Center, have collaborated to present the 15th annual local commemoration of Stonewall. All events are open to the public.
Conscious party: Cheerwine and Cheese
Deceased author Harry “Cuz” Bagley’s son Rick will gift his dad’s book to any attendee who makes a donation to three nonprofits at an upcoming fundraiser. Battery Park Book Exchange hosts the event on Saturday, June 25.
Local publisher releases a book of philosophical essays
A conversation with author and publisher Stephen Crimi about his new book, Katabatic Wind: Good Craic Fueled by Fumes from the Abyss, is likely to include discussion of politics, the westernization of yoga, science, myth and more.
World War II veteran Paul Willis shares poetry at Malaprop’s, June 25
The Canton resident has been writing poetry and prose for 60 of his 95 years.
Robin Russell Gaiser shares her new book, Musical Morphine
Gaiser hosts a book release celebration, with a reading and musical performance, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, on Sunday, June 19.
Robert Burke Warren presents a rock-inspired novel at Malaprop’s, June 16
There are tribulations in Perfectly Broken, from infidelity and drug dependency to existential crisis and death. But, Warren is quick to point out, there’s also beauty.
Smart bets: Dawn Tripp
Tripp presents her fictionalized biography of Georgia O’Keeffe at Malaprop’s on Tuesday, June 14.
Horror writer Grady Hendrix presents My Best Friend’s Exorcism at Malaprop’s
The author of 1980s-themed novel My Best Friend’s Exorcism will read and sign copies of the book on Monday, June 6.
Anton DiSclafani’s new novel visits 1950s Texas high society
The After Party — which Disclafani will present at Malaprop’s on Wednesday, June 8 — was inspired by the River Oaks community, a wealthy neighborhood in Houston.
Oxford American launches its summer issue in Asheville, June 4
Oxford American editor Eliza Borné and others (such as Western North Carolina writer and OA contributor Jeremy B. Jones) will appear at an Asheville-based launched for that summer issue at Downtown Books & News.
Matthew Quick presents his new YA novel, Every Exquisite Thing, at Malaprop’s
“When you write about mental health, you want to start conversations [that are] helpful in the community,” Matthew Quick says. “But where does your responsibility as a writer end?” The author returns to Malaprop’s on Saturday, June 4.
YA author Amy Reed talks about her latest book, Waking Life and HB2
Reed is a highly successful author of young adult novels. On Wednesday, May 11, she’ll celebrate the release of Unforgivable — her seventh novel in as many years — with an event at Malaprop’s.
Conscious party: Kill the Bill
About a dozen authors will respond to a single writing prompt that’s loosely connected to House Bill 2 to raise money to undo the legislation. This first iteration of Malaprop’s Bookstore and Cafe’s new Authors for Action series takes place at Asheville Community Theatre on Wednesday, May 18.
A walk among the dead and an illustrated children’s book at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial
“There are over 150 people interred in the cemetery who are known to have become characters in Wolfe’s works,” says site manager Tom Muir.
Smart bets: Ellen Fischer
As part of Children’s Book Week at Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café, Fischer will read her entire new work, which is filled with friendly and vibrant illustrations by Laura Wood, on Thursday, May 5.