It's been a long time since I visited the North Carolina Room at the Pack Library in Asheville. But now that I'm writing a book proposal for a book on the Mountain-to-Sea Trail, I went back there.

What treasures! My challenge is that I'm not just writing about Western North Carolina. The  MST goes from the Smokies to the Outer Banks. Material on the Coastal Plains will be difficult to get. But there are reference librarians eager to…

What better way to support reading AND small businesses than to shop at a local bookstore! today! http://smallbusinesssaturday.com/

You'll also help your favorite authors and best of all, treat yourself to a gift that will keep giving, the memory of a great book!

See My Page or the Events list for information on next year's Blue Ridge Bookfest in Flat Rock, NC.

James D. Loy

An item in the Books section of Asheville Citizen-Times issue of Sunday, November 20 by Hilliel Italie commented on winners of the National Book Foundation awards for 2011 and noted that one author, Lauren Myracle, was announced as an award finalist then asked to withdraw from contention for the award.  Myracle is a WNC-born author now living in Ft. Collins, CO, and her present day book "Shine" is set in Transylvania County.  This YA book deals with poverty, effects of drug misuse, a hate…

My amazing and dearest friend Sarah Beth Robbins kindly wrote an article on Naked and Hungry for the November 2011 issue of Asheboro & More magazine. The article includes more about my inspiration for the book, including the influence of my hometown of Asheboro, and other fun childhood memories.

Check out pages 68-69…

My book is late. It's a long, sad story, but it will be available at http://www.murderasacalltolove.com soon. Actually the website is up and running, and I'm blogging there. In the meantime, on this rainy morning, found this haiku buried in one of my husband, Philip's emails. He is so talented, and this is exactly how I feel this today:



Still ochred oak leaves

Late autumn so persistent

Cries lost on the…

Barbara Bates Smith Play to Be Performed at Jackson County Public Library

The new one-woman Christmas play, adapted and performed by Barbara Bates Smith, is hosted by the Jackson County Public Library. A Southeastern Theatre “Best Actress” award winner, Bates Smith will perform “Deck the Halls with Southern Writers” on Tuesday, Novemeber 29^th at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room.

            The play is based on the works of southern writers…

Creative Non-fiction Competition judged by Anne Clinard Barnhill

The North Carolina Writers’ Network is now accepting submissions for its annual Rose Post Creative Nonfiction Competition, coordinated by the creative writing program at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Award-winning author Anne Clinard Barnhill will be the final judge. Barnhill has signed a two-book…

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire by M. C. Pearson is now available online at Amazon.com and Barnes &…

Publishers Weekly Top 10 Adult Books 

Fiction

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (FSG)

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock (Doubleday)

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (HarperCollins)

After the Apocalypse by Maureen McHugh (Small Beer)

There but for the by Ali Smith…

Asheville Poetry Reviewwill be accepting entries for the second annual…