Catch the Spirit of Appalachia Showcases Local Writers
And the New Artist Directory for Jackson County

Writer’s Reception—December 14, 2008, 3pm

2008  has been a glorious year for Catch the Spirit of Appalachia’s publishing endeavors. The nonprofit organization has assisted in publishing 10 books just this year...which makes a total of 32 books published since 1996. A lot of work went into these books by the authors and the publisher. To celebrate this achievement, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia will be hosting a WRITER’S RECEPTION to include a reading performance, entertainment, refreshments, and book signing for the authors on December 14, 2008 at 3pm at the Sylva Community Services Center, 538 Scotts Creek Road, in Sylva, NC. Entertainment will be provided by The Muses, a 3-woman a cappella group from Asheville, singing an ingenious mix of Celtic, Americana,  traditional Appalachian, and World music.
    The road to publishing originates with learning how to organize thoughts, how to begin putting it down on paper, and having the confidence to share with others. The program on December 14th will present readings from writers who attend Amy Ammons Garza’s creative writing workshops during the year. The performance readers are: Doreyl Ammons Cain, Barry Dossenko, Serena Dossenko, Reverend John Reid, Judy Rhodes, Reverend Jack Hinson, Karen Greenstone, Victoria Casey McDonald, and Harold Sims.
    And among the many book titles represented at the reception are “Moving to Grahamtown,” by Threatha Bennings; “The African Americans of Jackson County,” by Victoria Casey McDonald; “Precious Memories of  the Pioneers & Veterans of Graham County,” by Louise Stewart; “Oneal’s Memories” by Oneal Jenkins; “Cats Without Cages” by Harold Sims (Catman2); “Seizing the Moment” by Etheree Burkett Chancellor and Jean Sutton Mincey; “The Ladies of Madison Manor” by Peggyann Ryan; “The Life & Times of Mary Jane Queen,” by Mary Jane Queen.  First time book signings will be “Cherokee Mountain” by Kirby A. Claphan, “Peyton Station” by Kathy Ensley Hall, “Learning to Fly” by Doreyl Ammons Cain—and the “Artist Directory of Jackson County” will be premiered.
    The Artist Directory of Jackson County, published by Catch the Spirit of Appalachia,  has been funded, in part, by the North Carolina Arts Council and the Jackson County Arts Council through a Grassroots Arts Program, and Jackson County Travel & Tourism. Within the pages of this book is contact information and a description of almost  200 artists/crafters representing Jackson County’s Visual Arts, Fine Art/Crafters, Music and Theatre, Literature, Traditional Art/Craft, Traditional Outreach entities, Galleries, Recording Studios and much more. Presenting the new Artist Directory will be Ray Menze, in his capacity as President of Catch the Spirit of Appalachia’s Board of Directors and President of the Jackson County Arts Council, along with Julie Spiro, Director of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

The schedule of the afternoon is as follows:

3:00-4:00    Reading Performance
4:00-4:30    Entertainment by The Muses
4:30-5:30    Artist Directory, Book signings, Refreshments
And final drawing for the Catman2 quilt raffle

For more information, contact Amy Ammons Garza at 828-631-4587.

Description of books for First Time Book Signing:
“Cherokee Mountain” by Kirby A. Claphan   ($14.95)
Fully illustrated in color by Doreyl Ammons Cain.
“Cherokee Mountain” is a book Kirby has written to read to his children, and for you to read to your children. They are stories about events in his life, and since he thinks kids should hear stories that are simple and natural...he writes about what he holds dear. Growing up in a cotton mill community in Greenwood, South Carolina, Kirby lived four houses down from his grandparents who were of Native American descent. You might say they raised him because he was always there listening to their stories of the old times and how his great grandfather caught turtles, and hunted for possums and rabbits. A genuine message of the natural side of life.

“Learning to Fly,” by Doreyl Ammons Cain ($25)
Filled with her vivid pastel art, “Learning to Fly” includes a lot of the “Living in the Woods” columns Doreyl has written over the last eight years, published in “Fun Things to do in the Mountains” (a publication distributed throughout Western North Carolina and parts of Tennessee). It also chronicles her life in the woods along with some of the art she’s created since living at her nature preserve “Nature’s Home,” in Little Canada.  Another aspect of “Learning to Fly” is a bevy of Doreyl’s childhood memories of growing up in Tuckasegee.

“Peyton Station,” by Kathy Ensley Hall ($14.95)
Kathy Ensley Hall is a teacher at Cullowhee Elementary School in Cullowhee. In 2007, Kathy began to write a rhyming poem based on the teenage character Peyton Station, reading  it to her 6th grade students as she wrote. When her own daughter Kerry became ill with lupus and lost the battle of life...she looked at the art and words of Kerry, penned in deep color—respect, love, peace, listen, kindness, try, dream, forgive, truth, faith, laugh, happy, believe!  She gathered all her written words, before and after the passing of her daughter, and stored them within the pages of this book, dedicating it to the memory of Kerry.
   

On Going Creative Writing Classes
Within the warmth of the mountain town of Sylva, classes are held in a 1925 farm house, conducted the home. The Saturday class begins at 10am and ends at 3pm, with time out for lunch.  (Call 828-631-4587 for more information on the upcoming creative writing classes.)

On Going Visual Art Classes   
Held within the nature of the mountains on the first Saturday of each month, and inside Doreyl's yurt, these art classes allow the students to experience first hand the natural environment as they learn the basics of pastel dust illustration. (Call 828-293-2239 for more information on Doreyl’s upcoming visual art classes.)

 



 

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