Mary Ickes praises Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, edited by Nancy Simpson, an anthology which features stories, essays and poems by 62 authors who live and write in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Ickes said, "It would make the perfect holiday gift for anyone who loves great writing or who is interested in North Carolina’s culture and history."

NORTH CAROLINA WRITERS'NETWORK getting out the news reported:

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge Reviewed in WNC Women

We just heard a rumor that the December 2011 issue of WNC Womenwill feature an ebullient review of Echoes Across the Blue Ridge: Stories, Essays, and Poems by Writers Living in and Inspired by the Southern Appalachian Mountains (Winding Path Publishing, 2010). In a sneak peak, reviewer Mary Ickes said, “In all sincerity, I’ve never read a collection in which I liked every piece. Deciding which authors to include proved frustrating, because I wanted to mention everybody! GO NETWEST!”

From the book’s description:

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge consists of the work of 62 authors: members of North Carolina Writers’ Network West. The volume includes stories and poems reflecting the everyday lives of mountain people, their experiences, their outlook on life, and their overall philosophies. The subjects range from the mundane to hilarious comic sketches. The reader will laugh, cry, and feel the heart and soul of these writers.

Contributors include former North Carolina Poet Laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer of Cullowhee; Gary Carden of Sylva; and an introduction by Robert Morgan, among many more.

This collection was edited by Nancy Simpson and received blurbs from acclaimed NC authors Ron Rash and Lee Smith. It would make the perfect holiday gift for anyone who loves great writing or who is interested in North Carolina’s culture and history.

Echoes Across the Blue Ridge is available anywhere books are sold, through the NetWest website, and throughwww.ncwriters.org.

Congratulations to NetWest and all who contributed to this important piece of North Carolina heritage.

GIVE GIFTS THAT OUTLAST CARS

Watching a t.v. commercial last Sunday that was selling "the Christmas Car," I felt hit up-side-the-head. The main point the advertiser made on the CBS SUNDAY MORNING ad was don't give your loved one books, not even if they're a book club friend. DON'T GIVE BOOKS?   You've never seen this woman move so fast, yanking the t.v. plug right out of the wall.

Buy books, I say. They make the best gifts of all. I caught myself pulling books off my bookshelf that I had received as gifts from family and friends through the years.  Many cars have been driven into the ground and are long gone to the junk yard.  I still have these books and the hand script messages they carry:

The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens "For my dear Mom, Love always, Jeremy Christmas 1981."  The Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry "For Nancy, for the care taking of the summer of '81. A lifetime of poetry. But no Hugo! Alas. Thanks, thanks, thanks."  Voices From Home edited by Richard Krawiec "to Nancy, my friend, Without your friendship many wonderful things would not have happened including this book. Love, Lynn Drew." The Language of Life A Festival of Poets Edited by Bill Moyer, "for Our Very Dear Friend Poet Nancy Simpson , Doris and Bill, January 1996. " Judith Kitchen's The House on Eccles Road, "for Nancy_May this find you happy & healthy - in friendship, admiration, love to think of you on your mountain! Judith. 12-5-02." Stan Sanvel Rubin's HIDDEN SEQUEL "For Nancy, with wonderful memories - the kind that sustain life! - and warm expectations and with love, Stan Dec. 12, 2006 Happy Birthday!" 


I could go on, but instead of naming books on my bookshelf, I  will make suggestions of books you might want to give as a gift to someone this holiday season.   Or maybe you should say to your loved one, "There are some books I would like to have. Here is the list. " Looking back, I am certain that is how my son Jeremy came to buy me a copy of The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens.  He was too young to get this book delivered to heart of Appalachia back in 1981 without some help from an adult. Now that I think back, I got quite a few of the books on my list that year.  And there was no Amazon.com then.

Books are the easiest gift to buy these days. Amazon.com, if you wish. You can find every book there. Amazon.com  even carries both of my books published this year, but I recommend your  local book store first. If they have the book you are looking for, you can save postage because postage has already been paid by the bookstore. If ordering, you can go straight from the publisher and may get a discount.

Here is another thing you might not have thought about. I know it to be true. Men like getting books as gifts. They especially like it if the book has a personal inscription from you in the front. He might like a car, but trust me, he would want to choose his own car. What would surprise and delight  him would be a book you choose and the message you write to him.

Posted by Nancy Simpson

Watch for newly published books to add to your gift giving list.