Now in its third year, and with more events than ever before, the weeklong Celebrate Zelda! festival, running Friday, March 9, to Friday, March 16, includes art exhibits, cocktail parties, gaming competitions and more.
New book explores how Pink Floyd recovered from the loss of Syd Barrett
After coming so close to the brink of failure, how did Pink Floyd recover? That’s a question Kopp tries to answer in his book Reinventing Pink Floyd, which he’ll launch Thursday, March 8, at Malaprop’s.
Alli Marshall named 2018 UNC Asheville Ramsey Library Community Author
The Community Author Award will provide Marshall a yearlong residency in UNC Asheville’s Ramsey Library, where she’ll enjoy a study carrel and access to campus resources.
![MUTUAL ATTRACTION: While poet Andrea Gibson still struggles with performance nerves, “The people who come to my shows are such … open-hearted people,” they say. “The experience of just being in a room with people like that is so nurturing to me that [I have] more energy at the end of a set than I had before it.”](https://web.archive.org/web/20180312022524im_/https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AE-ANDREA-Gibson-330x220.jpg)
Spoken-word artist Andrea Gibson returns to Asheville with a book and an album
On their current tour, Gibson is donating $1 from each ticket to Black Lives Matter. “This is an art form that is celebrated and occupied by a lot of marginalized people, specifically folks of color,” Gibson says of spoken-word.
Smart Bets: Amanda Kabak
The Chicago native reads from her LGBTQIA+ debut novel Feb. 17 at Firestorm Books and Coffee.
Smart Bets: Kristin Hannah
Malaprop’s brings the bestselling writer to UNC Asheville for a Feb. 16 author event.
Valentine’s Day events around Asheville
Celebrate the multifaceted emotion this year, with a multitude of local events.
Smart Bets: Holly Kays
The Smoky Mountain News reporter reads from her debut novel Feb. 9 at City Lights Bookstore.
Smart Bets: Dorje Dolma
The Nepali-American author reads from her new memoir Feb. 7 at Malaprop’s.
Submissions are being accepted for the 2018 Xpress poetry contest
Poets are asked to submit work around the themes of sustainability, environmental awareness and/or reverence for nature.
The Asheville Fringe Arts Festival returns for its 16th year
The four-day multidisciplinary arts festival, which runs Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 25-28, is the place for artists to showcase new, innovative works. Subthemes for this year’s Fringe include experimental art, fringey fun, raw emotion, social justice and the wildly weird.
Local author Jennifer McGaha publishes an Appalachian memoir
The memoir took shape while the author was pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in Writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, but McGaha has been penning and publishing shorter pieces about her grandparents — who lived in Canton — for years.
Xpress seeks art, writing for 2018 Kids Issue
Mountain Xpress is now accepting art, photos, essays and poetry from K-12 students for the 2018 Kids Issue. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 9. The theme: “Let’s fix it!”
Asheville’s nonwhite literary scene, Part 3
Above and beyond being a writer, Charles Blount sees himself as an African-American writer and part of a tradition that is “always about sharing, sacrificing and standing for what you believe in, and knowing that you might have to be the one to step up and do it.”
Smart Bets: Bryan E. Robinson
The author presents his new book on the craft of writing resiliency in conversation with Sara Gruen at Malaprop’s on Jan. 12.
Xpress announces a poetry contest
Submissions around themes of sustainability, environmental awareness and/or reverence for nature will be accepted throughout the month of February.
Smart Bets: Ken Waldman
The Alaskan poet and musician brings his new theater piece “Donald Trump Is My Muse” to Firestorm Books on Jan. 5.
Asheville’s nonwhite literary scene, past and present, Part 2
“Anybody can write, but to choose it as a profession? That’s a hard economic choice,” poet Glenis Redmond muses. “I think people were making those choices, no matter what, but it was harder choice in the mountains.”
Asheville’s nonwhite literary scene, past and present, Part 1
“In a lot of places in the United States, you can still get a degree in English literature and not have to study any people of color,” says poet, author and educator Frank X Walker.
Smart Bets: Kimberly J. Simms
As part of the Asheville Poetry Series, the Greenville, S.C. author will read from her debut book of verse Dec. 18 at The BLOCK off Biltmore.
Monica McDaniel stages a play inspired by addiction issues in her community
McDaniel has also published two books, including the 2014 poetry and short-story hybrid Misty’s Blues, and is currently at work on a novel. “My community, the African-American community, has been supportive,” she says. “You have to build up your fan base — you have to leave your readers wanting more.”