Wasserman will live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from April 1 to May 15 as part of this program that seeks to connect writers with the Smokies in order to inspire some of their best work. It is named in honor of 30-year GSMA veteran Steve Kemp, who retired in 2017 and will spend time guiding Wasserman in her experience of iconic park places. Wasserman was selected from among eight finalists by a committee comprised of 13 GSMA authors, past and present board members and retired GSMA and park employees. 

“While spending time with the artists, I made time to wander along some of the national park trails,” she wrote in her residency application. “One morning in Greenbrier, a young family was walking alongside me, their tiny tot a crying hot mess. She wanted to go home even though they had just started their journey. I called her over, telling her the woods were filled with magic and tiny flowers. I pointed one out and told her if she looked carefully, she would see countless more. The mom was as grateful as she was surprised. She had never thought to look down and had never noticed the flowers before. A few hours later when we encountered each other again, their tiny tot was still happily engaged in the magic.”

Wasserman is a GSMA member who has recently written two articles for Smokies Life magazine focused on artists and artisans of the Great Smoky Arts sand Crafts Community. She has also been published in The New York Times, Southern Living, American Style and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, among others. She has also self-published two books, A Moment’s Notice and Walk with Me: Exploring Nature’s Wisdom.