The Carolina Mountains Literary Festival, held in Burnsville Sept. 10-12, celebrates its 10th anniversary. The three-day event includes the release of Carolina Mountains Literary Festival Anthology: A Celebration of Ten Festivals, an anthology of writers who’ve appeared at the festival, as well as workshops and discussions. The closing event on Saturday is “In Conversation with Barbara Kingsolver and Ann Patchett.”
Press release from event organizers:
This year’s theme is “Our Earth … Our Time … Our Space.” All authors and presenters relate in some way to this earth-based focus. About 25 writers will participate, representing a variety of genres, such as fiction, nonfiction, memoir, art and poetry.
The festival began in 2006 and celebrates its 10th year by releasing a special anthology of authors who have appeared at the event. The book, titled Carolina Mountains Literary Festival Anthology: A Celebration of Ten Festivals, is $15 and will be sold exclusively at the festival.
The festivities begin Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. with the world premiere screening of First in Forestry: Carl Schenck and The Biltmore Forest School. The documentary, produced by Paul Bonesteel of Bonesteel Films in Asheville, examines the impact that America’s first forestry school had on our nation.
On Friday, workshops, readings, discussions and signings begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 5:30 p.m. A ticketed banquet follows at 7 p.m. with keynote speaker Jay Erskine Leutze, author of Stand Up That Mountain. Leutze wrote the book about his experience working with a community to protect land along the Appalachian Trail from a mining company.
Workshops and sessions continue Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Author Marci Spencer leads a midday hike to Green Knob Fire Tower to discuss her book, Pisgah National Forest: A History. The closing event, “In Conversation with Barbara Kingsolver and Ann Patchett,” is 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Kingsolver received the National Humanities Medal in 2000. Patchett is an award-winning author of six novels and three books of nonfiction.
“The diversity of the authors who come makes the festival special,” says Kathy Weisfeld, program chair. “Authors say it is the friendliest festival they attend. They read, go to other sessions and mingle with the attendees.”
Carolina Mountains Literary Festival is headquartered at Burnsville Town Center, but events take place throughout town. For the complete list of participating authors and schedule of events, visit www.cmlitfest.org. For lodging info, go to www.ExploreBurnsville.com.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.