Storied Charlotte

Saying Farewell to Charlotte Readers Podcast

July 13, 2024 by Mark West

I have heard it said that all good things must come to an end. These words of wisdom came to mind when I heard the news that the six-year history of the Charlotte Readers Podcast will come to a close on July 16 with the airing of its 400^thepisode.

Landis Wade launched the Charlotte Readers Podcast in 2018 after working for 35 years as a trial lawyer in Charlotte. He set out to create an interview-based podcast to help “authors give voice to their written words.” He initially envisioned podcast as a “great way to connect authors to listeners who enjoy good stories.” For the first four years, Landis served as the podcast’s primary host, but in 2022 he brought in Sarah Archer and Hannah Larrew as co-hosts.

During its six-year run, Charlotte Readers Podcast featured interviews with 450 authors, clocked in 160,000 downloads, published 50 community blog posts, and brought out nine books tied to the podcast. Although they do not plan to release any new episodes, they are committed to keeping the podcast website active as well as the podcast’s RSS feeds so that people can continue to listen to the authors who appeared on the show and access the community blog. Here is the link to their website: https://charlottereaderspodcast.com

I first heard about the end of the Charlotte Readers Podcast a few weeks ago when Landis sent me an email with the following re message: “Big Podcast News : Our 400^th will be our last.” I responded by inviting Landis, Sarah, and Hannah to send me a few paragraphs with their parting words about the podcast as well as their plans for the future.

Here is what Landis sent to me:

Community may be at the heart of enjoying and surviving any creative endeavor, and if it’s not, it should be, because my Charlotte Readers Podcast experience was all about community. By taking on podcasting–something I knew nothing about–I met and became friends with hundreds of interesting and creative people, read engaging books, and got to spend time talking with talented authors from all over the country about two things I enjoy, reading and writing.

When I reflect on how we reached 400 episodes, three things come to mind. First, there was the creative spark–the idea that got me excited to try something out of my comfort zone. The second was the creative fuel–the in-the-trenches-perseverance that kept me going, driven by the enjoyment I received by hanging out with my new community. And the third was what I call creative evolution, my willingness to try new things to keep the energy alive, which led me to team up with Sarah and Hannah, whose talents, contributions, and good humor made the podcast experience even more fun.

My parting thought is gratitude to everyone who supported and joined us along the way. Next up is writing, travel, grandson time, and figuring out what creative idea to try next, and if I am lucky, Sarah and Hannah will be involved with that.

Here is what Sarah sent to me:

The best creative partners are the ones who inspire you to take risks. If Landis hadn’t called and asked me to come on as a co-host, I probably would never have tried podcasting. But I knew he already had a well-oiled machine running, and it seemed like a fun opportunity to meet other writers.

It turned out to be that, and so much more. Every layer of community I’ve built with Charlotte Readers Podcast has been meaningful and rewarding: Landis and Hannah, with whom I’ve loved talking shop and recording bloopers; our listeners, whose enthusiasm warms my heart, and who always impress and educate me when they share their own writing advice; and our guests, who have proven to be as brilliant, funny, and articulate in conversation as they are on the page, and who have also been lovely, friendly human beings (even those New York Times bestseller bigwigs).

One thing I prize about Charlotte Readers Podcast is the variety of authors we’ve featured, from every genre, walk of life, and career stage. If there’s one message I’ve heard echoed universally by this diverse and incredible group, it’s to write to your passions. I hope to heed that advice going forward with my own fiction and screenwriting projects in progress, and also to continue to share that message with other readers and writers as Landis and Hannah and I collaborate in the future.

Here is what Hannah sent to me:

Faculty | North Carolina Writers' Network

Being a part of the Charlotte Readers Podcast team has been one of the most joyful experiences I’ve had in my professional life. The main reason for that is the collaboration with Sarah and Landis about one of the best topics ever: books. When book people connect with other book people, the conversation seems to flow so naturally, and creativity simply blossoms. I met Landis several years ago and began working with him on publicity for the podcast, which was a ton of fun because it was a world I wasn’t familiar with. I learned so much about both the back and front ends of running a podcast and really, how much work it takes to do something like this. Landis put his heart and soul into creating a platform for writers to share their stories – and by that I mean, both their books and their personal journeys. It’s something that not a whole lot of people have the drive or patience to do, but he did it and he did it well. I’m grateful to him for that.

Fast forward to when Landis asked me to join him on air as a co-host alongside Sarah Archer, who I’d admired for a long time as a witty, smart, and whimsical writer (both in her novel/short stories and on Twitter). It wasn’t even a question for me, it was just a YES. The most rewarding part of this entire experience has been getting to talk about meaningful stories with these two incredibly talented people. And as a result of these conversations with each other as well as writers we’ve had on the show, we got to connect books with readers.

I’m sad that Charlotte Readers Podcast is coming to an end, but the good news for me is that it’s not the end of my collaboration with Landis and Sarah. They’re my creative family and I don’t see a time in the future when we won’t be connected/pursuing new adventures together. So, I’m excited for that! In the meantime, my family and I recently relocated to Indianapolis, IN, so I’m officially a Midwesterner, and I think I like it! After taking much of the summer off to be with my family, I’m looking forward to diving headfirst back into the book world in mid-August. I’m in the middle of planning holiday campaigns, book launches, and drum roll… some of my own writing projects.

I thank Landis, Sarah, and Hannah for sharing their reflections on the history of the Charlotte Readers Podcast and for their many valuable contributions to Storied Charlotte.

Tags: Charlotte Readers Podcast

Travelling Down the Yellow Brick Road with Dina Schiff Massachi

July 06, 2024 by Mark West

I first met Dina Schiff Massachi about ten years ago while she was pursuing her M.A. degree in English at UNC Charlotte. In addition to taking several graduate courses from me, she worked with me on a directed reading project dealing with feminist utopias in American literature. As part of this project, she studied the feminist themes that run through several of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books. In the years since then, Dina has gone from being one of my graduate students to becoming a professional colleague of mine, but our shared interest in Baum’s Oz series has continued unabated.

About a year and a half ago, Dina and I began working on a scholarly edition of Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for Broadview Press’s English Studies series. As described on their website, the Broadview editions feature the work itself as well as “an introduction, explanatory notes, chronology, bibliography, and various appendices; the series has been particularly acclaimed for the inclusion in each volume of a wide range of background contextual materials contemporaneous with the work.” I am happy to report that our edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is scheduled to be released on August 23, 2024. For more information about this edition, please click on the following link: https://broadviewpress.com/product/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz/#tab-description

Dina and I are especially pleased with the primary source documents that we provide in the appendices. These include related texts by Baum, such as an essay he wrote titled “Modern Fairy Tales.” We provide a selection of writings that influenced Baum, including a substantial excerpt on “Witchcraft” from Matilda Joslyn Gage’s Woman, Church and State. Gage was Baum’s mother-in-law, and her writings influenced Baum’s feminist values and his portrayal of witches in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Our edition also includes several of the contemporary reviews of Baum’s book.

Given the prominent role that illustrations play in the original version of the book, Dina and I are thrilled that our edition includes all of W. W. Denslow’s in-text illustrations. Denslow’s original color plates are also included in a separate section. Marcus Mebes helped us with the illustrations.

The process of co-editing the Broadview edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was completely collaborative from writing the initial proposal to proofreading the final pages. We met on a regular basis and made all of the editorial decisions together, but we divvied up some of the work—I wrote the introduction while Dina took charge of writing the annotations.

As a professor, I take great pleasure and satisfaction when my former students become scholars in their own right. Such is the case with Dina. Over the past decade, she has achieved recognition as an authority on Baum and his Oz series. We worked together as equals on this scholarly edition. In a sense, editing this edition has been our own Storied Charlotte journey down our own yellow brick road.

Tags: Broadview Press L. Frank Baum Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Summer Escapes

June 29, 2024 by Mark West

I am an English professor, but I do not limit my reading to scholarly texts and profound books. I also enjoy the experience of getting lost in an engaging genre novel. There are those who disparage such stories as escapist fiction, but I do not see escapism as a bad thing. One of the reasons why people read for leisure is to escape their everyday lives for a few hours, to get swept up in the experiences of other people, and to travel (albeit vicariously) to other places and times. I have great respect for authors who provide their readers with such pleasurable escapes. Two Charlotte-area authors who excel in this type of writing are Alissa DeRogatis and Lisa Williams Kline. Both authors have new novels that are ideal for readers who are seeking summer escapes.

Alissa recently burst on Charlotte’s writing scene with her new novel titled Call It What You Want. My friends at Park Road Books told me that Alissa’s book is getting a lot of buzz among their customers this summer, so I decided to contact Alissa and ask her for more information about her novel. Here is what she sent to me:

Call It What You Want is my debut novel. Originally self-published in 2023, it was re-released under Sourcebooks Landmark on June 18, 2024. It’s a contemporary fiction novel that follows college senior Sloane Hart, who’s never had a serious relationship and doesn’t plan on it now. Sloane wants to spend her last year focusing on finding a job so that she can move to New York and pursue her dream of being a writer. When she meets her neighbor Ethan Brady, she falls for him hard and fast. Ethan doesn’t want a girlfriend, and Sloane can’t imagine her life without him. Nostalgic, heartfelt, and profoundly cathartic, Call It What You Want is an ode to almost-love stories—the kinds with no labels, no promises, and the potential to turn your entire world upside down.

As a communication major and journalism minor (and a proud UNC Charlotte alum) I’ve always loved to write, but I never had any intentions of publishing a novel until I found myself in a similar relationship to Sloane. When that relationship ended, and I was in the early stages of heartbreak, I was tired of reading happily ever afters. I wanted a book that understood me. So, I started writing Call It What You Want.

Its journey to publication is a wild one—it’s rare and my greatest accomplishment. After its initial self-published release in June 2023, it blew up on TikTok. Within two weeks, it was charting on Amazon (#1 in New Adult and College Fiction, #38 in overall books). I signed a contract with my agent at CAA in July and a two-book deal with Sourcebooks in August. Thanks to a heartbreak and a whirlwind of a summer, I’m now a full-time author. I’m currently working on my second novel, which is expected to be published in 2025.

For readers who want to know more about Alissa and her writing, please click on the following link: www.alissaderogatis.com

I first met Lisa Kline in 2017 when she gave a guest presentation to one of the creative writing classes at UNC Charlotte. At the time, I was serving as the Chair of the English Department, and she came by my office after her presentation. We talked a bit about her writing career, and she told me about her books for children and young adults. Since then, Lisa has turned to writing novels for adult readers, including her recently published work of historical romance titled Between the Sky and the Sea. I contacted Lisa and asked her for more information about this novel. Here is what she sent to me:

The discovery of the remains of the steamship Pulaski thirty-five miles off the coast of North Carolina in 2018 fascinated me. I devoured the Charlotte Observer articles about the exploration of the 1838 wreck, and then did further research. I read articles by survivors and historians that described the ship built for speed, the electrifying explosion, the loss of hundreds of lives and thousands of gold pieces. I happened to stumble upon an article from the Delaware Gazette from 1838 that described how a Mr. Ridge from New Orleans and a Miss Onslow from Savannah had survived on two floating settees. When the ship sank, they had seen each other on board, possibly felt drawn to each other, but had not been introduced. When they were rescued four days later, they were engaged. Was this story true? Some think it might have been the invention of a reporter, but it continued to fascinate me. Did they indeed marry? If so, how might their marriage have fared, forged during four such unforgettable days?

The idea took hold, and I couldn’t let go. I wrote the book during Covid, and I found the publisher, Dragonblade Publishing, on a tip from my writer friend Betsy Thorpe. Published in 2023, the book has been a book club favorite, to my delight.

I was recently thrilled to learn that Between the Sky and the Sea has been named a 2024 Next Generation Indies Award Finalist in the Romance category. Between the Sky and the Sea is in stock at The Trope Bookshop in Charlotte and can be ordered by Park Road Books and Main Street Books and of course online.

For readers who want to know more about Lisa and her writing, please click on the following link: www.lisawilliamskline.com

I thank Alissa and Lisa for providing me with information about their new novels and for providing everyone in Storied Charlotte with such entertaining and well-told stories.

Tags: novels Summer Reading

James Patterson, Park Road Books, and a Dog Named Yola

June 22, 2024 by Mark West

In addition to being a bestselling author, James Patterson is a leading supporter of independent bookstores. His desire to celebrate booksellers is reflected in his new release titled The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading, which he co-wrote with Matt Eversmann.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians : Their Stories Are Better Than the Bestsellers

One of the booksellers who is featured in this book is Sally Brewster, the owner of Park Road Books. When I first heard this news, I sent Sally an email and asked her for more details. She said that Matt Eversmann contacted her and set up a time for them to have a telephone conversation. She reported that she and Matt talked “for an hour or so.” He then transcribed the interview and turned it into a first-person narrative. She added, “I had no control over what he wrote!” Intrigued, I went to Park Road Books and purchased my own copy of the book.

The chapter featuring Sally begins with an amusing anecdote about her dog Yola. As Sally explains, “She’s our bookstore dog—I bring her to work every day. If Yola’s not in the back with me, she’s wondering the store, greeting customers.” Sally tells the story of how she was contacted by a reporter from Charlotte Magazine. Sally initially thought that the reporter wanted to do a general story about the store, but she found out that the reporter was primarily interested in writing about Yola since Yola had been “nominated for Charlottean of the year.”

Sally goes on to relate how she came to purchase Park Road Books in 2003. She talks about how much she enjoys running the store. She also discusses, however, the struggles that she faced during the recession that hit in 2008 and the pandemic that hit in 2020. Sally credits the ongoing support that she has received from “the people of Charlotte” for making it possible for the store to stay in business throughout these economic downturns.

As Sally points out, Park Road Books is more than a store; it’s “a small community, a place where people can come and browse, discuss books with others and get book recommendations. And visit Yola, obviously.”

Sally’s chapter concludes with another amusing animal-related anecdote. Sally recalls a time when a little girl came up to her with a question. The girl said, “I saw that dogs are allowed in the store. Are other animals allowed? I have a tortoise. His name is Shelly. Can I bring him in?” Sally remembers giving the girl permission to bring Shelly into the store, expecting that the girl would “bring in a stuffed animal.” However, the girl returned with a real tortoise. According to Sally, Shelly is now “a regular customer.”

I love the story about Shelly the tortoise in part because it reminds me of the many times that I read Yertle the Turtle aloud at Park Road Books during my annual Seuss-a-Thons and most recently at the Read-Aloud Rodeo that I organized this past March.

For readers who want to know more about Park Road Books, please click on the following link: https://www.parkroadbooks.com

For readers who want to read more about Sally and the many other booksellers and librarians who are represented in Paterson’s book, I highly recommend The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. As Paterson puts it, booksellers and librarians create what he calls “book joy” by providing “the right book for the right person.” My thanks go to Sally the other booksellers and librarians who call Storied Charlotte home for providing all of us with so much book joy.

Tags: James Patterson Park Road Books

A New Science Fiction Novel from A. J. Hartley and Tom Delonge

June 15, 2024 by Mark West

Charlotte author A. J. Hartley and his occasional writing partner Tom Delonge have collaborated on several science-fiction thrillers in recent years. Their latest science fiction novel is Trinity, which came out on June 11, 2024.

Such collaborations are rare among fiction writers. However, both Hartley and Delonge bring to their writing partnership long histories of collaborative work in other artistic endeavors. As a retired Shakespeare professor, Hartley has an extensive background in the world of theater, and Delonge has performed as a member of a rock band for many years. In part because of these experiences, they know how to work together on creative projects.

I contacted Hartley and asked him for more information about Trinity. Here is what he sent to me:

Trinity is the 5^th science fiction novel I’ve done as part of my on-going partnership with Tom Delonge of punk rock band Blink-182. In the last few years, Tom has become a leading figure in the movement to press the government for the disclosure of UFO/UAP related documentation (he–and our Sekret Machines novels—were instrumental in releasing navy pilot videos of UFOs which led directly to the recent congressional hearings) and Trinity is a novel rooted in this phenomena.

It’s set in the fictional town of Trinity, Nevada, in 1962 during the atomic bomb tests which marked that phase of the Cold War, focusing on a group of high school seniors, and two brothers, Van and Andy Lopez, in particular. They are the human center of the story, misfit kids trying to make their way in small town America, picking their battles with the factionalized school culture, working on their cars, dreaming of what might be in store for them in the new space-race driven world of the early sixties if they can find a way out of Trinity. They live on the edge of the atomic testing ground and are used to the military’s security protocols, but on the eve of this particular test, things seem more than usually tense and secretive.

The adventure which follows is precipitated by something stranger than A Bombs appearing in the Nevada skies, an adventure shaded with danger and death as hostile elements battle to discover and control the truth about what is flying over the desert landscape. It’s science fiction like The X-Files is science fiction: an encounter with the unusual in the context of a recognizably real world. If I were pitching it as a movie I’d say think of it as Close Encounters meets American Graffiti.

For readers who want more information about Hartley and his many novels, please click on the following link: https://ajhartley.net

Readers who would like to meet Hartley and hear him discuss Trinity are invited to a book signing at Park Road Books from 6:30-7:30 pm on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. This will be an in-person event. Copies of Trinity will be available for purchase.

When A. J. Hartley informed me that he was retiring from his career as a professor at UNC Charlotte last year, I was initially worried that he would spend his retirement years honing his beer-making skills in some far-off land. I am pleased to report, however, that he continues to bring out new novels on a regular basis, and he still calls Storied Charlotte his home.

Tags: Science Fiction

Carol Baldwin and Her YA Novel Set in Charlotte During the 1950s

June 10, 2024 by Mark West

About a month ago, an email popped up in my inbox from Carol Baldwin. The Re message read, “Introducing myself and my book.” In her email message, she told me about her forthcoming debut novel titled Half-Truths, her historical novel intended for young adults. She mentioned that she is a Charlotte writer and that her novel is set in Charlotte during the 1950s. Intrigued, I asked her for more information about her novel and how she came to write it. Here is what she sent to me:

In 1950, 15-year-old Kate Dinsmore wants to go to college to become a journalist but her tobacco-farming father can only afford to send her brother—not her. She moves from Tabor City, NC, to her grandparents’ mansion in Myers Park to gain a better education and a hoped-for college fund. In her new society-conscious home, she wants to please her grandmother even if it means becoming a debutante. She meets Lillian Bridges, the Black maid who works for her grandmother and they bond over finding a cure for Kate’s goat that has ringworm. At the same time, family secrets are unearthed and the girls discover that they share a great-grandfather. Kate faces a choice. Will she overcome her fears, society’s constraints, and the power of family secrets to make her voice heard?

In 1986 I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, from Pennsylvania when I married a widower and became a step-mother. I published several articles but I was itching to write a book. A writer friend encouraged me to find the story in my own back yard. I decided to find out what life was like “back in the day” in Charlotte. In a city that has a reputation for tearing down buildings and paving over history, I dug for stories. What events led up to the civil rights movement? Where were the old plantations and graveyards? What did it feel like to see a “White’s Only” sign over a drinking fountain? I looked for Charlotte’s forgotten history.

I began to imagine a story about a White girl and a Black girl, the connection they would forge, and how their friendship would be tested. As a part of my research, I visited several African American sites including the old Rosenwald School that is now the Grier Heights Community Center. During a conversation with two former students, I gathered story ideas. I interviewed Whites and Blacks who had gone to AG Junior High and Second Ward High School. I met Vermelle Ely who has been the backbone of the Second Ward Alumni Association for many years; Theresea Elder who was the first Black public health nurse in Charlotte; Sally Robinson who was a debutante in 1951; and George Snyder whose grandfather was a vice-president in the Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Each person I interviewed helped me broaden my understanding of the period and the setting for Half-Truths.

Although the book isn’t autobiographical, it wasn’t until after I had read my first draft that I realized Half-Truths is also about me. On the outside, I am a transplanted Yankee who was a fish out of water when I moved to Charlotte and acquired a new hometown and a new family. On the inside, Half-Truths is about a young woman who finds her voice. I didn’t set out to write about myself. But writers often write what they know. I didn’t know that was what I was doing.

After 17 years of writing, revising, and finding a publisher, I am pleased to announce that Half-Truths is coming out on April 2, 2025, from Monarch Educational Services. You can learn more about me on my website and follow me on social media.

I congratulate Carol on completing Half-Truths, and I am looking forward to its publication. When the book comes out in the spring of 2025, it will join a cluster of other books that also deal with the experience of growing up in the Charlotte area during the mid-twentieth century. These books include Avery Caswell’s Salvation, Judy Goldman’s Child: A Memoir, Anna Jean Mayhew’s The Dry Grass of August, and Dori Sanders’s Clover. Like Carol’s Half-Truths, these other books explore the connections between childhood and the changing nature of race relations in the South between the 1950s and the 1970s. We are fortunate that Carol and these other authors have provided us with insights into what it was like to grow up in Storied Charlotte back in the day.

Tags: historical fiction YA Novel

The Story of the Independent Picture House: Chapter Two

June 03, 2024 by Mark West

Since The Independent Picture House (IPH) opened its doors at 4237 Raleigh Street two years ago, it has quickly established itself as Charlotte’s premier place to see independent, arthouse, and foreign films. I remember when the IPH made its debut, there were those who feared that Charlotte would never support an arthouse cinema, but those cynics have been proven wrong. The IPH has not only succeeded in attracting film lovers to its three auditoriums, but it has demonstrated that there is sufficient demand to open an additional auditorium. In response to this demand, the IPH has just announced plans to expand its facility. When I heard this great news, I contacted Claire Lechtenberg, IPH’s Director of Development and Marketing, and asked her for more information. Here is what she sent to me:

The Independent Picture House was established in June 2022 and has been thriving since! The community has been coming out to support our regular programming, as well as our community events. IPH is the only nonprofit arthouse cinema with a mission to educate, engage, and enable the community through the power of film.

With less than two years of operations, our cinema has already begun bursting at the seams. With free events like our quarterly Community Impact Film Series, which touch on topics such as mental health, immigration, women’s health, and homelessness and special film series and screenings, along with private auditorium rentals for filmmakers, creatives, organizations, and other community members, IPH was already looking to eventually expand.

When it was shared that the space adjacent to the cinema was to be vacated, the cinema’s team seized the opportunity to expand with a fourth auditorium and a multipurpose event space. This addition allows IPH to expand within the mission to educate, engage, and enable the community through film, as well as the programs offered. IPH aims to add a Director of Education and Outreach to our team to help lead and coordinate courses that can be offered in the new space, like screenwriting courses.

The new auditorium will also be able to work as a flexible space for private renters that would like to perform works like poetry, comedy, plays, etc. By working with the artists in Charlotte, and lifting up the medium of film, we know the nonprofit cinema will continue to thrive.

We’re looking forward to having 4 screens at IPH along with a space for all movie buffs to connect with each other and discuss their favorite films.

I am very excited about this second chapter in the IPH’s continuing success story. I wish the IPH and its supporting organization, the Charlotte Film Society, all the best on their expansion plans. Storied Charlotte is fortunate the to be the home of the Independent Picture House.

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Tags: The Independent Picture House

Frye Gaillard’s Return to Charlotte

May 26, 2024 by Mark West

Frye Gaillard, the author or editor of more than thirty nonfiction books, is a native of Mobile, Alabama, and he currently resides there. However, he has not been “stuck inside of Mobile” (to quote Bob Dylan) for his entire life. Frye called Charlotte home for many years.

Frye spent nearly two decades at The Charlotte Observer, covering stories ranging from the school busing controversy to the role of religion in the life of the community. Frye started writing books during his Charlotte years, and several of his first books focus on the Charlotte area, such as The Dream Long Deferred: The Landmark Struggle for Desegregation in Charlotte, North Carolina (1988) and Charlotte’s Holy Wars: Religion in a New South City (2005).

After leaving Charlotte, Frye became the Writer in Residence at the University of South Alabama, and he held this position until his recent retirement. While at the University of South Alabama, he wrote many more books, including A Hard Rain: America in the 1960s, Our Decade of Hope, Possibility, and Innocence Lost, named by NPR to its list of best books in 2018. For more information about Frye and his books, please click on the following link: https://fryegaillardauthor.com

I am pleased to report that Frye will discuss A Hard Rain, which has been recently rereleased as an audiobook and in paperback, at Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte on the evening of June 5. This in-person event will take place at the Heaton Hall at the Myers Park Baptist Church (1900 Queens Road) on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at 6:30 pm. No registration is required. Copies of A Hard Rain will be available for purchase at the event. For more information about this event, please click on the following link: https://myersparkbaptist.org/event/23380915-2024-06-05-a-hard-rain/

I am looking forward to seeing Frye during his upcoming visit to Charlotte. Frye and I share an interest in President Jimmy Carter’s books, and we just finished co-editing a collection titled The Literary Legacy of Jimmy Carter: Essays on the President’s Books, which will be published this fall by Rowman & Littlefield. Working with Frye on this book has been a tremendous pleasure for me. I have learned a lot from Frye, and I know that I will learn even more when I attend his upcoming talk right here in Storied Charlotte.

Tags: Frye Gaillard

Issue Three of Litmosphere

May 18, 2024 by Mark West

In 1927 A. A. Milne, the author of Winnie-the-Pooh, brought out a collection of children’s poems under the title of Now We Are Six. This title popped into my head when I saw the news about the publication of the latest issue of Litmosphere: Journal of Charlotte Lit. I have been writing Storied Charlotte blog posts about publication of each issue of Litmosphere since Charlotte Lit announced the founding of the journal back in 2021. To paraphrase Milne, now we are three.

I contacted Kathie Collins, the Editor-in-Chief of Litmosphere, and asked her for more information about the latest issue. Here is what she sent to me:

We are so pleased to present the third issue of Litmosphere: Journal of Charlotte Lit and honored to be able to include an array of finely crafted poems and stories selected from hundreds of entries received last fall in our 2024 Lit/South Awards contest.

Since 2022, Charlotte Lit has hosted the Lit/South Awards, open to writers who have ever lived in North Carolina or one of its four border states. We then publish the winners, finalists, and selected semi-finalists in that year’s edition of Litmosphere, alongside the work of the contest judges.

This Spring 2024 issue includes 57 pieces from 55 writers—and we’re happy to report that more than a dozen are part of the Charlotte Lit community. Judging is blind so no preference is given; the writing is what matters. We’re especially pleased to note that two of the three category winners are from Charlotte: Caroline Hamilton Langerman, who won the Creative Nonfiction Award (selected by Maggie Smith) for “The Difficult Child,” and Michael Sadoff, who won the Fiction Award (selected by Clyde Edgerton) for “Decoy.” North Carolinian Arielle Hebert won the Poetry Award (selected by Jericho Brown) for “Athazagoraphobia.”

As editor-in-chief of Charlotte Lit Press, and as a member of the screening team tasked with preparing short lists for our guest judges, I found it thrilling to read one captivating piece after another—and also frustrating to know we could have filled this volume twice more with truly worthy work. We’re grateful to everyone who submitted and honored to publish so many excellent stories and poems, helping writers find their way to readers.

It takes a village to coordinate an endeavor of this size, so huge thanks go out to my fabulous team of fellow readers: Nikki Campo, Chris Davis, Jaqueline Parker, David Poston and Paul Reali. Thanks also to our judges: Jericho Brown, Clyde Edgerton and Maggie Smith, to Paula Martinac for copyediting, and to Laurie Smithwick for providing cover artwork for a third year running. And finally, to the anonymous benefactor who makes the journal possible.

We are grateful for the opportunity to share your work with our community of readers and writers—a community that, like the Lit/South Awards region itself, extends well beyond our organization’s home in Charlotte, NC.

All three issues of Litmosphere can be read online, and we’ll be happy to ship you a printed copy for just $15, shipping included: https://www.charlottelit.org/litmosphere.

I congratulate Kathie and all of the good folks at Charlotte Lit on the publication of the third issue of Litmosphere. I started this blog post with a reference to Milne, but I will close with a reference to a line from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Because of Charlotte Lit, Storied Charlotte “is a far, far better thing.”

Tags: Charlotte Lit Literary Journal

Joe Posnanski, Baseball, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

May 12, 2024 by Mark West

As a long-time resident of Charlotte, I take civic pride in the fact that Joe Posnanski, one of America’s most famous sportswriters, lives right here in Charlotte. As an English professor at UNC Charlotte, I am especially proud that he graduated with a degree in English from UNC Charlotte in 1989. In fact, he got his start as a sportswriter when he served as the Sports Editor for the UNC Charlotte newspaper, then called The Forty-Niner Times. Since his student days, he has written about sports for The Charlotte Observer, The Cincinnati Post, The Augusta Chronicle, The Kansas City Star, and Sports Illustrated. He has also written several bestselling sports-related books, the most recent of which is Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments (2023).

Joe Posnanski will be the featured author at an event to be held at the SouthPark Regional Library on June 2, 2024. In announcing this event, Jenni Gaisbauer, the Executive Director of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation, tied the event to her memories of playing softball:

As another summer approaches, I find myself reminiscing about seasons past when I played competitive softball. It was the center of not just my world, but my parents’ as well. We would spend an entire day at the park, my dad pacing back and forth behind the cage when I was up to bat, cheering me on. “You got this, Jenner.”

It’s America’s (and the Gaisbauer family’s) favorite pastime for a reason. I have such vivid memories of those summers: the sound of my cleats on the pavement between games, the smell of real ballpark franks, the heat leaving its imprint on my bright red nose and cheeks.

For my parents, their social circle was made up of other parents dedicated to their child’s athletic aspirations, a common thread weaving together a community that became a lot more than just softball.

So, why do I bring this up? Because we are featuring New York Times bestselling author and sportswriter extraordinaire Joe Posnanski at our upcoming Around the World in 21 Branches special event at SouthPark Regional Library on June 2 called The Book of You. He will be sharing a lot of (literal) inside baseball including stories from his latest book Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments.

Join us for Joe (in conversation with amazing local author and Library trustee Kimmery Martin) and stay for the summer cocktails and charcuterie, pickleball games, relaxation station courtesy of Mood House, and, of course, our sponsor Lowe’s will be on site and knows how to do summer right. Tickets are on sale now.

Now when my dad babysits my daughter, he’ll pick her up and say “look at those strong legs! She’s going to be a great softball player.” I am looking forward to making new moments with my daughter at the ballpark … and the Library.

I thank Jenni for sharing her family memories of playing softball, and I thank the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation and the SouthPark Regional Library for organizing this special event. When it comes to Storied Charlotte’s sportswriters, Joe Posnanski is in a league of his own.

Tags: Baseball Books

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