Bob Plott returns to City Lights
 

Bob Plott returns to City Lights

Bob Plott will revisit City Lights to present his newest book Colorful Characters of the Great Smoky Mountains at 7…
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A newfound power in 20 minutes a day
 

A newfound power in 20 minutes a day

Twenty minutes a day. In early January, writing in my book column for this paper, I made a New Year’s…
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Sylva local C.B. Cole introduces her new novel
 

Sylva local C.B. Cole introduces her new novel

C.B. Cole will be at City Lights Bookstore to read from and sign her new book, Winter, at 7 p.m.…
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National award-winner and teacher to read at City Lights
 

National award-winner and teacher to read at City Lights

Dawn Gilchrist-Young, a Jackson County resident and teacher at Swain County High School for the past 14 years, will discuss…
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Book tells the story of a young boy’s journey
 

Book tells the story of a young boy’s journey

Fifteen-year-old Charlie Thompson is always hungry. Luckily, he is blessed with a high metabolism rate, so the excessive amounts of…
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Valerie Nieman to read from new novel
 

Valerie Nieman to read from new novel

Valerie Nieman will visit City Lights Bookstore at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, to read from and discuss her third…
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How an enduring writer created himself
 

How an enduring writer created himself

There are many reasons to love the writing of Ray Bradbury. His early short stories — science fiction “lite,” tales…
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Judith Toy to discuss finding forgiveness through Zen
 

Judith Toy to discuss finding forgiveness through Zen

Judith Toy, ordained by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh as a core member of his order, will be at City…
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Asheville author to host spiritual adventure workshop
 

Asheville author to host spiritual adventure workshop

Author Art Ramsay will present a free workshop based on his newest spiritual adventure novel, The Tibetan Wisdom Code at…
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Book delves into a dark corner of our world
 

Book delves into a dark corner of our world

Thursday. Throughout this anguished and gripping tale, this day of the week, Thursday” is usually italicized, suggesting that it has…
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Two days, two events, two writers
 

Two days, two events, two writers

City Lights Bookstore will host two writers this weekend. Anne Clinard Barnhill will be at the bookstore at 7 p.m.,…
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Some novels requires a certain tolerance
 

Some novels requires a certain tolerance

Recently I watched several early episodes of “Blue Bloods,” a fine television series centered on a New York family with…
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North Carolina writer to host critique dicussion
 

North Carolina writer to host critique dicussion

Bob Grove will facilitate the North Carolina Writers Network West new Prose Critique Sessions at 7 p.m. on Feb. 9…
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High Vistas contributors to visit City Lights Bookstore
 

High Vistas contributors to visit City Lights Bookstore

City Lights Bookstore will celebrate the release of High Vistas Volume II at 6 p.m. on Jan. 27 with a…
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Well-crafted stories about the dark side of life
 

Well-crafted stories about the dark side of life

Several months ago, I reviewed Daniel Woodrell’s Winter’s Bone, and received an unusual number of responses from readers. In general,…
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Jane Austen decoded for men
 

Jane Austen decoded for men

Of female writers who appeal the least to the young men in my seminars, Jane Austen surely holds first place.…
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Reading and journaling discussion with Robin Whitley
 

Reading and journaling discussion with Robin Whitley

Robin Whitley will be at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva at 7 p.m. on Jan. 21 to read from her…
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Readings, signings at City Lights
 

Readings, signings at City Lights

Suzanne Raether will read from and sign her novel, Judaculla, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan.  13, at City Lights…
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Plott to read from‘Colorful Characters of the Smokies’
 

Plott to read from‘Colorful Characters of the Smokies’

Bob Plott will discuss his newest book, Colorful Characters of the Great Smoky Mountains, at 3 p.m. on Jan. 14…
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Blanton to tell stories at Jackson Library, Jan. 17
 

Blanton to tell stories at Jackson Library, Jan. 17

The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will host Sylva resident Curtis Blanton for an evening of storytelling and tall…
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Intrigue, violence and opium in Oslo
 

Intrigue, violence and opium in Oslo

The Leopard marks the eighth crime novel featuring the chain-smoking alcoholic Inspector Harry Hole of the Oslo Police Department, an…
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Pulitzer Prize nominated writer to speak at Blue Ridge Books
 

Pulitzer Prize nominated writer to speak at Blue Ridge Books

The Mountain Writers of North Carolina will meet at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan.10, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.…
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Submission being accepted for fiction prize
 

Submission being accepted for fiction prize

The North Carolina Writers’ Network is now accepting submissions for its 2012 Doris Betts Fiction Prize. The competition is named…
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Planning a year of purposeful reading
 

Planning a year of purposeful reading

The New Year’s resolution typically leads a short and tragic life. Its father is misdeeds, its mother remorse. Once born,…
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Separating the good guys from the bad
 

Separating the good guys from the bad

About 20 years ago, the book collector’s magazine “First” published an impressive article on George Pelecanos, a new writer that…
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Suzanne Raether at City Lights
 

Suzanne Raether at City Lights

Suzanne Raether will read from and sign her novel, Judaculla, Friday, at 7 p.m. on Jan.13 at City Lights Bookstore…
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“Coffee with the Poet” series kicks off new year
 

“Coffee with the Poet” series kicks off new year

Michael Revere will present his poetry for the January “Coffee with the Poet” series at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 19…
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Nicholson returns to City Lights with a trio of new horror novels
 

Nicholson returns to City Lights with a trio of new horror novels

Scott Nicholson will visit City Lights Bookstore to present and sign his three latest horror novels: Chronic Fear, Liquid Fear…
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A season to reconnect with familiar stories
 

A season to reconnect with familiar stories

That time of year has arrived when ritual and custom weave their magical threads into our lives. We sip Uncle…
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Local author places in national book award program
 

Local author places in national book award program

Author Deanna K. Klingel of Sapphire was recently awarded the bronze medal in the children’s literature division of the National…
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Tuscola’s Brooke Palay wins poetry competition
 

Tuscola’s Brooke Palay wins poetry competition

Eleven students from Haywood County high schools competed in the second Poetry Out Loud district competition at Tuscola High School…
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Coffee with the Poet: ‘Women’s Spaces and Women’s Places’
 

Coffee with the Poet: ‘Women’s Spaces and Women’s Places’

Join City Lights Bookstore for the Coffee with the Poet series at 10:30 a.m., Dec. 15, for a presentation of…
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A ‘kafka-esque’ story that offers redemption
 

A ‘kafka-esque’ story that offers redemption

Saddle up, kind hearts. I have a winner. Like most good things, this book came to me from a good…
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‘Moonshiner’s Daughter’ at Penland & Sons, Marshall
 

‘Moonshiner’s Daughter’ at Penland & Sons, Marshall

Mary J. Messer, author of the Appalachian memoir Moonshiner’s Daughter, will read from her book and answers questions from the…
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Barbara Bates Smith’s ‘Deck the Halls with Southern Writers’
 

Barbara Bates Smith’s ‘Deck the Halls with Southern Writers’

Friends of the Haywood Public Library will present Barbara Bates Smith will appear in the one-woman play Christmas play “Deck…
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WCU students to share works
 

WCU students to share works

Creative writing students from Western Carolina University will read original works at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13 at City Lights…
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When it comes to books, here is what women want
 

When it comes to books, here is what women want

“What do women want?” During the month of December, Sigmund Freud’s famous question haunts the minds of many men. Unlike…
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‘First Creation’ available Dec. 3
 

‘First Creation’ available Dec. 3

The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust’s acclaimed coffee table book, First Creation, will be available at Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Cashiers…
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Disturbing crime novel covers some dark ground
 

Disturbing crime novel covers some dark ground

Deer hunters call it “field dressing.” The dead deer is suspended head down from a sturdy tree limb and the…
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Selections for your favorite bibliophile
 

Selections for your favorite bibliophile

The rigors of holiday shopping are hard upon us, and bibliophiles, like everyone else, will turn their eyes toward bookshops,…
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‘Moonshiner’s Daughter’ book signing at WCU bookstore
 

‘Moonshiner’s Daughter’ book signing at WCU bookstore

Mary J. Messer, author of the Appalachian memoir Moonshiner’s Daughter, will read from her book and answers questions from the…
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A hunt for a murderer and some peace
 

A hunt for a murderer and some peace

I am a major Dan Simmons fan, but I had some reservations about signing on for this multi-layered, post-apocalyptic novel…
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City Lights celebrates the new edition of ‘Camping and Woodcraft’
 

City Lights celebrates the new edition of ‘Camping and Woodcraft’

City Lights Bookstore will celebrate the release of the new edition of Horace Kephart’s classic, Camping and Woodcraft, at 2…
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Haywood author, Nathan Tracy, to introduce new book
 

Haywood author, Nathan Tracy, to introduce new book

Blue Ridge Books will host local author Nathan B. Tracy at 3 p.m. on Nov. 12 as he introduces his…
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David Joy to read from new book
 

David Joy to read from new book

Cullowhee resident and staff writer for the Crossroads Chronicle David Joy will read from his new book, Growing Gills: A…
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A haunting look at Hemingway’s life with Pilar
 

A haunting look at Hemingway’s life with Pilar

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway’s death by suicide. He has remained, of course, an icon of…
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White to read from collection
 

White to read from collection

Charles Dodd White will read from his new short story collection, Sinners of Sanction County, at 7 p.m. on Friday,…
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Dingwall introduces new series
 

Dingwall introduces new series

Wendy Dingwall will introduce her new Yvonne Suarez mystery series with the first installment, Hera’s Revenge, at 1 p.m. on…
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WCU students collecting books for elementary school
 

WCU students collecting books for elementary school

Students living in Reynolds Residence Hall of Western Carolina University are seeking new or used books as part of a…
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This is delicious, fast-paced crime fiction
 

This is delicious, fast-paced crime fiction

If you are one of those readers who has a grudging respect for outlaws, and if you find yourself sometimes…
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