Our things literary.
Blacksburg-based sculptor and author Lawrence Reid Bechtel has released the novel, A Partial Sun (BQB Publishing, 2019). The story of Isaac Granger, the work of historical fiction follows the enslaved man from Monticello to Philadelphia when Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson apprentices him to a tinsmith. Bechtel, who has two pieces of sculpture in the City… Continue reading ★ Inhabiting other lives in historical fiction with Lawrence Reid Bechtel
How do we talk with each other about important issues? We're happy to announce that the New Connections Book Club now enjoys the support of a great partner: Roanoke County Public Library. New Connections: Let's Talk is an ongoing discussion series. We read and watch books to understand the issues and language that connect us so that… Continue reading ★ Roanoke County Library to host New Connections Book Club: Let’s Talk
Every summer, friendly seeming faces pop up on the Hollins campus. Some are those of returning students in the Children’s Literature and Children's Book Illustration Program. (The first program of its kind hosts writers, illustrators, teachers and lovers of children’s literature in a corner of the bucolic campus every summer.) As Tinker Creek tinkles… Continue reading ★ Familiar characters visit Hollins campus
BOOK CITY ★ Roanoke is an ongoing exploration of equity and engagement at the intersection of books and place, with a central organizing question: How can our love of literature, our commitment to literacy, and a focus on the written word foster greater equity and a more engaged community?* Book conversations are an important part of… Continue reading ★ Tips for welcoming & inclusive book conversations – or – How to not be a giraffe
Join New Connections Book Club for a discussion of Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. The group will meet twice to discuss the book, which Claudia Rankin says, "brings language to the emotional structures that make true discussions about racial attitudes difficult." The group, which is… Continue reading ★ WHITE FRAGILITY next title for New Connections Book Club – July 25
Roanoke Arts and Culture Coordinator Susan Jennings is retiring at the end of July. She was the first person to take on the role, and indeed, it was built for her. Formerly the executive director of the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, Susan made the move from Arts Commission member to City staff member… Continue reading ★ Art for Everyone: Susan Jennings’ lasting impact
Erika Joyner is an active community building presence in the Roanoke Valley. A native of New York, Joyner has worked in a variety of efforts to create a just and equitable society through anti-war, anti-racism, and cooperative efforts in Detroit and Virginia. A transgender woman, she's been in Roanoke for seven years. During that time,… Continue reading ★ Erika Joyner on the Power of Women Poetry Presence
The New Connections Book Club began meeting on Thursday, June 6, to discuss Parker J. Palmer's Healing the Heart of Democracy. Next meeting:Thursday, 6/27, 6:30 PM - South County Library (chapters 6, 7, and 8). This welcoming group is open to the public and is dedicated to understanding the issues and language that connect and separate… Continue reading ★ Thursdays in June: HEALING THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY
Volume XXVI of ARTEMIS JOURNAL features "On the Maury" by artist and author Sally Mann. Artemis Journal rolls out its 26th issue on Friday, June 7, at the Taubman Museum of Art. In anticipation, we asked Jeri Rogers, the indefatigable lead of the all-volunteer team behind this literary and arts mainstay, what we should expect… Continue reading ★ Jeri Rogers on the 2019 ARTEMIS Launch: June 7 at the Taubman
Being a real fan of something can make life a much richer experience. You study it and learn its intricacies. It's an opening to new worlds. Then when you get together with other like-minded folks, things really start to happen. The energy is infectious. We learn from each other in a common bond. Understanding leaps.… Continue reading ★ On pace with Blue Hippo Poetry Club’s Sam Lafaye
BOOK CITY ★ Roanoke 