NC Cooking

Thanksgiving has just ended here in our state of North Carolina.  Christmas is coming soon.  Do you need some fresh ideas for the holidays?  Are you looking for some new recipes to satisfy all of the friends and family coming your way in the next few weeks?  The NC Literary Map may have just the solution!

The North Carolina Literary Map has an entire genre devoted to cooking and cookbooks.  Winston-Salem chef Stephanie L. Tyson wrote "Well, Shut My Mouth!: The Sweet Potatoes Restaurant Cookbook," containing plenty of mouth-watering Southern recipes.  Charlotte author Amy T. Rogers collected more than 200 recipes from across the state in "Hungry for Home: Stories of Food from Across the Carolinas."  Not hungry yet?  Then perhaps consider perusing "Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes," by author Ronni Lundy.

Craving even more cooking inspiration?  Then please check out these books and others on our list at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading (and eating)!

  

https://www.amazon.com/Well-Shut-My-Mouth-Restaurant/dp/0895875470/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1512051348&sr=1-1&keywords=well+shut+my+mouth

https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Home-Stories-Carolinas-Favorite/dp/0970897286/ref=la_B001H6QJE2_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1512051217&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.com/Victuals-Appalachian-Journey-Ronni-Lundy/dp/080418674X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1512051442&sr=1-1&keywords=victuals

Thank you Mr. Cecil!

Did you know that, until the 1970s, the Biltmore Estate struggled financially?  In fact, if it were not for the efforts of one man this grand house may well have fallen into ruin.  Who was this man?  His name was William A.V.  Cecil.  He recently passed away at the age of 89.  Cecil inherited the Biltmore Estate from his maternal grandfather, George Vanderbilt.  Cecil successfully transformed Biltmore and the surrounding city of Asheville into worldwide prominence.

The North Carolina Literary Map has quite a list of titles about the Biltmore Estate.  Author Howard E. Covington, Jr. wrote "Lady on the Hill," which tells how William Cecil transformed Biltmore from a crumbling mansion to the tourist magnet it is today.  Author Denise Kiernan wrote "The Last Castle," which details the life of the wealthy George Vanderbilt, his wife, Edith, and how the Biltmore Estate was built and constructed in the late 1800s.

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading (and sightseeing)!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Hill-Biltmore-Estate-American/dp/0471758183

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Castle-American-Royalty-Nations/dp/1476794049/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509640108&sr=1-6&keywords=%22biltmore+estate%22

NC Lit Map at NC Writers' Network Conference

Greetings!  On November 4th, the North Carolina Literary Map had a wonderful time meeting people at the Fall 2017 NC Writers' Network Conference held in Wrightsville Beach, NC.  What fun it was to speak with NC authors!  We enjoyed seeing plenty of awesome faces both old and new!  A great time was had by all!

Haunted North Carolina

North Carolina is haunted!  Just check out NC Literary Map's robust list of titles about ghosts and other haunted places across our state!  Apparently, North Carolina ghost writer Nancy Correll Roberts-Brown is not the only one who likes to tell of spooky and mysterious happenings in our area!

Storytellers Theresa Bane and Cynthia Moore Brown focus on ghost tales in the Piedmont region of NC in "Folktales and Ghost Stories of North Carolina's Piedmont."  Charlotte native Stephanie Burt Williams tells of haunted locations in Charlotte and its surrounding county in "Ghost Stories of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County."  Got kids?  Then you might want to peruse these stories in Terrance Zepke's aptly titled "Ghosts of the Carolinas for Kids."

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books and others on our lists at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Folktales-Ghost-Stories-Carolinas-Piedmont/dp/0764337459/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508426201&sr=1-1&keywords=folktales+and+ghost+stories+of+the+north+carolina+piedmont

https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Stories-Charlotte-Mecklenburg-County/dp/1878177141/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508426505&sr=1-1&keywords=ghost+stories+of+charlotte+and+mecklenburg+county

https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Carolinas-Kids-Terrance-Zepke/dp/156164501X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Ghost Writer Nancy Roberts

Ghosts.  Unexplained supernatural phenomena.  Abandoned towns.  From the mysterious Brown Mountain Lights north of Morganton to vacant colonial Brunswick Town south of Wilmington, North Carolina seems to be full of both stories and events that baffle the mind and defy explanation.

Gifted storyteller and prolific author of folklore and ghost stories Nancy Correll Roberts-Brown has recorded many of North Carolina's best legends for you to enjoy in her books.  Want to learn more about the Brown Mountain Lights?  Then please check out "Ghosts of the Carolinas."  Would you like to hear about the ghost that haunted the legendary pirate Blackbeard on his ship near Ocracoke Island?  Then please consider reading "North Carolina Ghosts and Legends."

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books and others that the author has written at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Carolinas-Nancy-Roberts/dp/0872495876/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0872495876&pd_rd_r=HBB418Z4SHZ2775VG0AR&pd_rd_w=rpOP0&pd_rd_wg=35ZxO&psc=1&refRID=HBB418Z4SHZ2775VG0AR

https://www.amazon.com/North-Carolina-Ghosts-Legends-Roberts/dp/0872497658/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

NC Writers' Network 2017 Fall Conference

The North Carolina Writers' Network 2017 Fall Conference will be held November 3-5 at the Holiday Inn Resort in Wrightsville Beach, NC.  The conference attracts hundreds of writers both locally and from across the country.  Among them are Wiley Cash, a best-selling novelist and writer-in-resident at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.  He will be giving the keynote address.  Freelance writer and author Emily Colin will be one of the instructors and also critique manuscripts.  For more information, please check out the NC Writers' Network website.  Early registration ends October 27.  Spaces are filling up fast so sign up now if you are interested in attending!  We hope to see you there!

http://www.ncwriters.org/

Pisgah National Forest

What place in North Carolina is home to Sliding Rock, the Cradle of Forestry, and some of the highest mountain peaks east of the Mississippi River?  The answer lies in the Pisgah National Forest, one of four national forests within the state.  This forest is also the second largest of the four national forests.  It borders both Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell State Parks in Western NC.

Author and naturalist Marci Spencer wrote about the history and creation of this forest in the aptly titled "Pisgah National Forest."  Want to discover dozens of hiking trails or learn the locations of some of the best mountain swimming holes?  Then please consider "The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest," written by C. Franklin Goldsmith III, Shannon E.G Hamrick, and H. James Hamrick, Jr.

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading (and sightseeing)!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Pisgah-National-Forest-Marci-Spencer/dp/1626196346/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1505915814&sr=8-3&keywords=%22marci+spencer

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Hikes-Pisgah-National-Forest/dp/0895871904/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505915915&sr=1-6&keywords=%22pisgah

Nantahala National Forest

What place in North Carolina is home to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Panthertown Valley, and some of the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River?  The answer lies in the Nantahala National Forest, one of four national forests within the state.  This forest is also the largest of the four national forests.  It comprises much of the southwestern corner of North Carolina.

Author and naturalist Marci Spencer wrote about the history and creation of this forest in the aptly titled "Nantahala National Forest."  Want to explore this area on foot?  Prolific nature writer and outdoor enthusiast Johnny Molloy highlights dozens of trails and locations in "Hiking North Carolina's National Forests," which focuses on a wide variety of trails in all four of NC's National Forests.

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading (and sightseeing)!

  

https://www.amazon.com/Nantahala-National-Forest-History-Natural/dp/1467136379/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505916701&sr=1-2&keywords=%22nantahala

https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-North-Carolinas-National-Forests/dp/1469611678/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505916701&sr=1-4&keywords=%22nantahala

NC Lit Map at the Bookmarks Festival!

Greetings!  On September 9th, the North Carolina Literary Map had a wonderful time telling folks all about us at the Bookmarks Festival in Winston-Salem, NC.  We got to see plenty of awesome faces and meet lots of authors!  Nice!

Ashe County Literary Festival 2017

The On the Same Page Literary Festival is coming up soon!  David Grier "D.G." Martin and Joseph Bathanti are two of the many well-known writers scheduled to appear.  This four-day "celebration of reading and writing" runs from Tuesday through Saturday, September 12-16, in West Jefferson, North Carolina.  Book and poetry readings, writers' workshops, and luncheons with bestselling authors are just a few of the many events being offered.  For further information, please visit their website.  Hope to see you there!

http://www.onthesamepagefestival.org/

Bookmarks Festival 2017

Mitch Capel.  Diana Gabaldon.  John Feinstein.  Lisa Wingate.  What do all of these famous authors and storytellers have in common?  They are all scheduled to appear at the upcoming Bookmarks Festival!  This four-day event runs from Thursday to Sunday, September 7-10, in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Book and poetry readings, writers' workshops, and book signings with award-winning authors are just a few of the many events being offered.  For more information, please visit their website.  Hope to see you there!

http://www.bookmarksnc.org/festival-2017

Carolina Mountains' Literary Festival 2017

The Carolina Mountains' Literary Festival is coming up soon!  James Reston, Jr., prolific author, magazine contributor, and playwright, will be the keynote speaker.  This three-day event runs from Thursday to Saturday, September 7-9, at the Burnsville Town Center in Burnsville, North Carolina.  Book and poetry readings, writers' workshops, and banquets with best-selling authors are just a few of the many events being offered.  For more information, please visit their website.  Tickets to this exciting event are available now!

http://cmlitfest.org/

NC's Shifting Islands

The North Carolina Outer Banks has a new island!  The newly formed "Shelly Island" is located only a few hundred feet away from Hatteras Island.   NASA satellites have even captured images of the growing island from space!  However, the island is not easily accessible in low tide.  In fact, so many rescues have been made for people trying to access this new island on foot that warnings have been issued.   If you want to visit this island, please use a boat.

Hurricanes and fierce storms cause changes frequently.  The islands are always shifting and moving.  If curious as to reasons why, then please consider "The North Carolina Shore and Its Barrier Islands" by Orrin H. Pilkey, an author, scientist, and professor at Duke University.  NC Highway 12, which connects the islands that constitute the Outer Banks, has also been affected by this changing region.  The history behind this scenic highway can be found in the aptly titled "NC 12: Gateway to the Outer Banks", by Dawson Carr, a retired educator.

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these titles and more to learn all about NC's Outer Banks.  Happy reading (and sightseeing)!

 

https://www.amazon.com/North-Carolina-Shore-Barrier-Islands/dp/0822322242/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500569805&sr=1-1&keywords=pilkey+north+carolina+shore

https://www.amazon.com/NC-12-Gateway-Outer-Banks/dp/1469628147/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500570051&sr=1-1&keywords=carr+nc+12

Cary Magazine Mention!

Greetings! Cary Magazine has published an article about us! They specifically focused on our free literary tours on page 18 of its July issue. Our very own Keith Gorman and Kathelene McCarty Smith were interviewed. How cool is that?

 

https://issuu.com/carymagazine/docs/carymagazinejuly2017

http://library.uncg.edu/dp/nclitmap/tours/details/Greensboro/OHenry/index.aspx

http://library.uncg.edu/dp/nclitmap/tours/details/Jarrell/index.aspx

NC Hidden Treasures

Want to discover something new about North Carolina?  Whether you are a native or fairly new to this state, NC has many hidden treasures waiting to be discovered from the mountains in the west to the beaches in the east.  Since it is summertime, what better time to get out and start traveling?

The NC Literary Map has two great books to help you out!  Prolific writer and photographer Kevin Adams describes several short, scenic adventures to various attractions in his aptly titled "Backroads of North Carolina".  What if you get hungry while out on a country drive and do not know where to eat?  Regular newspaper columnist and UNC-TV's "North Carolina Bookwatch" host D.G. Martin has written the perfect solution in "North Carolina's Roadside Eateries".  This book highlights dozens of local restaurants for just about any type of food craving.

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading (and exploring new places)!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Backroads-North-Carolina-Weekend-Getaways/dp/0760325928/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0760325928&pd_rd_r=SS4RQ3Z15V43D0ZG7GWK&pd_rd_w=nhQNv&pd_rd_wg=45q5f&psc=1&refRID=SS4RQ3Z15V43D0ZG7GWK

https://www.amazon.com/North-Carolinas-Roadside-Eateries-Restaurants/dp/1469630141/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1469630141&pd_rd_r=7EWWMSK2QHYED4TCA8BE&pd_rd_w=FeNCc&pd_rd_wg=iFE8r&psc=1&refRID=7EWWMSK2QHYED4TCA8BE

Summer Writing Workshops

This summer, the North Carolina Writers' Network is hosting the 2017 Squire Summer Writing Workshops at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC!  The intensive workshops, divided by genre, run from July 13 through 16.  Joseph Bathanti, former NC Poet Laureate, will lead the poetry courses.  Sheryl Monks, an accomplished author, will lead the fiction section.  Eric G. Wilson, an English professor and prolific author, will lead the creative nonfiction workshop.  For more information, please visit this website.  Registration is limited and ends June 28 so hurry and sign up now if you are interested in attending!

http://ncwriters.org/programs-and-services/conferences/8664-sw17

Happy Birthday Andy Griffith!

On this date in 1926, Andy Griffith was born in Mount Airy, NC.  He was a successful actor, television producer, Southern gospel singer, and writer.  Griffith is best known for being the lead actor in two series, "The Andy Griffith Show", 1960-1968, and "Matlock", 1986-1995.  Though Griffith died in 2012 of a heart attack, his legacy lives on through his wonderful shows and acting.

In "I Appreciate It", author Jim Clark collaborated with Andy Griffith to write a memoir on his life and career.  In "Mayberry 101", Neal Brower gives a review and behind-the-scenes look at dozens of episodes in "The Andy Griffith Show".

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Better yet, why not watch an episode or two of "The Andy Griffith Show" or "Matlock" on television today?  Either way, I guarantee you will not regret it!  Happy reading (and watching)!

https://www.amazon.ca/I-Appreciate-Life-Andy-Griffith/dp/1401600999

https://www.amazon.com/Mayberry-101-Behind-Scenes-Classic/dp/0895872188

NC Waterfalls

Did you know that North Carolina is home to hundreds of breathtaking waterfalls?  Have you ever wondered where these waterfalls are?  Perhaps you are looking for some "new" ones?  If so, then the NC Literary Map has quite the list for you!

Naturalist, photographer, and writer Kevin Adams describes the locations of hundreds of waterfalls in the third edition of his aptly titled "North Carolina Waterfalls".  Firefighter, hiker, and writer Melissa Watson focuses on scenic and easily accessible hikes to well over a hundred waterfalls in "Hiking Waterfalls in North Carolina", which is also part of the "Falcon Guide" series.  Both books include color photographs, directions, and more.  They focus on waterfalls both big and small across our state, in parks, national forests, and many other places.

Interested in learning more?  Then check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading!  Enjoy NC's abundance of waterfalls!

https://www.amazon.com/North-Carolina-Waterfalls-Kevin-Adams/dp/0895876531/ref=pd_cp_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0895876531&pd_rd_r=0HTK61K9N95XK61DGNVC&pd_rd_w=hJ7Nm&pd_rd_wg=GG8y0&psc=1&refRID=0HTK61K9N95XK61DGNVC

https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Waterfalls-North-Carolina-Waterfall/dp/076277150X/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=076277150X&pd_rd_r=Y61SAZ8D63XW2NYHZ9GT&pd_rd_w=Z6DQD&pd_rd_wg=HpjnE&psc=1&refRID=Y61SAZ8D63XW2NYHZ9GT

NC Wildflowers

Have you ever been on a hike and wondered what was the name of that pretty flower on the side of the trail?  Do you enjoy going on wildflower hikes in the spring?  If so, then the North Carolina Literary Map has quite the list for you!

Botanist, writer, and professor Timothy Spira focuses on the western part of NC with the aptly titled "Wildflowers and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont".  Experienced botanist and writer Bruce Sorrie focuses on the eastern part of NC with "A Field Guide to Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region".  Both books are part of the "Southern Gateways Guide" series and are highly-acclaimed.  They contain color photo keys.  The various plants described therein are organized into different ecological communities.

Interested in learning more?  Then check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading!  Enjoy your wildflower hikes!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Wildflowers-Communities-Southern-Appalachian-Mountains/dp/0807871729/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0807871729&pd_rd_r=QVMTBCKWJYD8RD43YTCZ&pd_rd_w=b98q3&pd_rd_wg=FkeUk&psc=1&refRID=QVMTBCKWJYD8RD43YTCZ

https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Wildflowers-Sandhills-Region/dp/0807871869

Linda Flowers Literary Award 2017

The Linda Flowers Literary Award is open for submissions until June 16!

Linda Flowers was a trustee of the North Carolina Humanities Council from 1992-1998.  After her death in 2000, this award was set up in her honor.  The recipient will be awarded $1500 and a stipend for a Writer's Residency at the Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities in Southern Pines, NC.  Submissions should be original and unpublished works of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry that relate to our state in a tangible way.  For further details, please visit here.  Happy writing!

http://www.nchumanities.org/content/2017-linda-flowers-award-details-and-guidelines

Us at NC Writers' Network Spring Conference!

Greetings!  On Saturday, April 22, the North Carolina Literary Map had a wonderful time hanging out at the Spring 2017 NC Writers' Network Conference held in Greensboro, NC.  What fun it was to speak with NC authors!  We enjoyed seeing plenty of awesome faces both old and new.  A great time was had by all!  📕📗📘📙📚📖

National Poetry Month 2017

This week, April 9-15, is National Library Week!  This annual event is sponsored by the American Library Association and is observed by libraries across the United States.  The entire month of April is also known as National Poetry Month, which was started by the Academy of American Poets.

The NC Literary Map maintains a specific genre just for North Carolina Poetry, which includes well over one hundred titles.  Our oldest-known work is "The Head of Medusa", published in 1827 by Robert Potter.  Robert Morgan holds the most recent spot with "Dark Energy", published in 2015.  In between are dozens upon dozens of fascinating poems such as "Possum", published in 2004, and "The New Day", published in 1964, by current and former NC Poet Laureates, Shelby Stephenson and Samuel Ragan, respectively.

Interested in learning more?  Then please check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Be sure to thank and recognize your local librarians and libraries!  Enjoy your reading!  Happy Library Week and National Poetry Month!

https://www.amazon.com/Collected-Poems-Ragan-Marsha-Warren/dp/0932662943/ref=la_B000APFVJU_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491410203&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Energy-Poems-Penguin-Poets/dp/014312806X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491410485&sr=1-1&keywords=robert+morgan+dark+energy

https://www.amazon.com/Possum-Bright-Press-Poetry-Chapbook/dp/1892471221

The Airlie Gardens

Spring is here!  Flowers are in bloom and trees are budding.  Our gardens and roadsides are ablaze with color.  The 70th annual NC Azalea Festival is happening this weekend, April 5-9, in Wilmington.  North Carolina has several historic, maintained public gardens across the state, including the Airlie Gardens, which are also located in Wilmington.  These famous gardens have been the site of weddings, television and movie settings, and visitors from around the world.

Wilmington native and local historian Susan Taylor Block wrote about the history of these gardens in the aptly-titled, "Airlie: The Garden of Wilmington".  Kids young and old will enjoy a picture book full of paintings from places within the gardens written by Anne Russell.  The book's title captures a child's sense of wonder: "The Mystical Magical Amazing Fantastical Gardens of Airlie".

Do you want to know more?  Then please check out these books at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading (and sightseeing)!

  

https://www.amazon.com/Airlie-Wilmington-Susan-Taylor-Block/dp/0971711208

http://www.chapelhillpress.com/product/the-mystical-magical-amazing-fantastical-gardens-of-airlie/

http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20160504/years-of-love-go-into-childrens-book-about-airlie-gardens

NC Writers' Network 2017 Spring Conference

The North Carolina Writers' Network 2017 Spring Conference is coming up on April 22!  Fred Chappell, a North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame inductee, as well as an award-winning novelist and poet, will give the keynote address.  Other writers and professors will teach and lead various classes in this all-day event held in the MHRA building on the University of North Carolina at Greensboro campus.  For more information, please check out the NC Writers' Network website.  Preregistration is currently open until April 16.  Spaces are filling up fast so sign up now if you are interested in attending!  We hope to see you there!

http://ncwriters.org/a%20href=http:/ncwriters.org/programs-and-services/conferences/8425-sc17

Ray Suarez Coming to UNCG!

Critically-acclaimed author and journalist Ray Suarez is coming to the Elliott University Center at the UNC-Greensboro campus! The author will be the guest speaker at the Friends of the UNCG Libraries' annual dinner on the evening of March 29. Please visit the Friends of the UNCG Libraries' webpage for more information, including how to purchase tickets for the event. Do not miss your chance to meet this thought-provoking writer!

http://uncgfol.blogspot.com/2017/02/politics-media-and-information-evening.html

NC Bluegrass Connections

Bluegrass music.  Banjos and fiddles.  Clogging and swing dances.  What do all of these aspects have in common?  The mountains of Western North Carolina.

For generations, music and dance has been a part of the Southern Appalachian Mountains of NC.  Folklorist Fred C. Fussell details many of these traditions, including specific locations, in "Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina".  Author Patricia A. McAfee focuses more on highlighting the musicians, both well-known and under-recognized, who performed in churches, barns, and many other places in "Western North Carolina Musical Legacies".

Interested in discovering even more about the musical heritage and history of our state?  Then please check out these books and more at your local library or bookstore!  Happy reading (and listening)!

 

http://www.uncpress.unc.edu/browse/book_detail?title_id=3258

https://www.amazon.com/Western-North-Carolina-Musical-Legacies/dp/1681977141