I was honored to be the editor for the Northern Appalachia segment of this anthology on several counts. Firstly, the talent of our poets is on full display. Works by Brady Buchanan, Greg Clary, Byron Hoot, Jessica Manack, Wayne Swanger, Girard Tournesol, Karen Weyant and Kirke Wise grace these pages, and if their work is not known to you, then this book will readily address that oversight! (I likewise have three poems in the collection.) The Central and Southern Appalachian poets are similarly inspiring and worth exploring. Secondly, I got to collaborate with principal editor T. Byron Kelly, who is a talented poet, artist and musician, and thoroughly committed to advancing the causes of the arts in Appalachia. His forward about the notion of an Appalachian Renaissance is thoughtful and hopeful. Thirdly, the entire effort supports a worthy and important cause: Reconnecting McDowell. This not-for-profit organization is focused on educational improvement in McDowell County, WV.
I owe a great debt of gratitude to Dr. Christina Fisanick, co-founder of WANA (Writers’ Association of Northern Appalachia) for her willingness to write the blurb for the book. Her comment perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the North/South Appalachia collaboration.
To learn more about North/South Appalachia, visit their blog here. To buy their new anthology, visit here.