Self-publishing: A Modern Avenue for Appalachian Authors

By Dac Collins Self-publishing is on the rise in today’s progressive literary scene, and quite a few writers in Appalachia have foregone the traditional process of submitting their work to publishers in favor of publishing it themselves. Julie E. Calestro-McDonald and Peggy Calestro self-published “Lost and Found in Appalachia” with the help of the CreateSpace…

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The Girls of Atomic City

The Untold Story of Women Who Helped Win World War II By Denise Kiernan Back when African Americans and Caucasian Americans couldn’t drink from the same water fountains and women were an anomaly in the workforce, a team of young women unknowingly helped enrich fuel for the world’s first atomic bomb in the hills of…

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Appalachian Toys and Games from A to Z

By Linda Hager Pack and Pat Banks This colorful and educational book teaches children about a simpler time when dolls were made out of corn husks and apples, and games relied more on imagination than electricity. With the help of Pat Banks’ watercolor illustrations, Linda Hager Pack introduces some of the games that were played…

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The Secret Wisdom of the Earth

The debut novel by Christopher Scotton is a coming-of-age story that takes familiar themes — tragedy and the quest to find healing — and explores them with the backdrop of a central Appalachian community beset by mountaintop removal coal mining.

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Joe Potato’s Real Life Recipes

Rooted in rural Appalachia, these tales feature animals, humans and plants that celebrate country living while being brave — or perhaps stubborn — enough to stand unflinching in the face of hardscrabble realities.

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Breaking Boundaries: Contemporary Appalachian Art

No solid boundaries define the work of contemporary Appalachian artists. Some pull from the narratives and imagery embedded in the region’s landscape and culture, while others reject tradition and embrace globalized approaches to their work. Yet what unites all of these artists are the stories they each hold, waiting to be told.

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From farm to fork to mountain trails: summer edition of The Appalachian Voice

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Dive into summer with the June/July issue of The Appalachian Voice, featuring ecotourism attractions in southwest Virginia, destination farmers markets and environmental news coverage. Learn about genetically modified organisms and what some common labels really mean about your food. Investigate the issues surrounding coal, coal ash and carbon dioxide. This latest mountain news reporting encourages you to get out and explore your community.

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Handing Off and Holding On: Melungeon Identity and Appalachia

By Kimber Ray Attempting to trace the origin of the Melungeon people is akin to pursuing the source of the Cumberland River coursing through their historical territory. Like the waters of the Cumberland Gap, where neighboring streams weave through Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia to meet among the rolling crests of the Appalachian Mountains, the Melungeons…

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