Iraq War veteran Sam Blackman with his prosthetic leg and his no-nonsense private eye partner Nakayla Robertson love their investigations which always carry a thread from the past–and they love each other. An interracial couple in the new South, the Asheville, NC, pair has surrounded themselves with a terrific support team including an unorthodox lawyer and a veteran cop. They deploy humor both to bind them together and to deflect insults. Plus, it helps deal with the tragedies their work uncovers.

Such a tragedy interrupts a meeting between the PIs and the neighboring law office when a body is unearthed from the grounds of the nearby Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute. During the Cold War it monitored developing space programs. Today it plays a vital role gathering weather and climate data. The body has been in the ground a long time. Why would its discovery spark off a new murder in Asheville’s mountain music scene, the victim found amid the garbage of dark, dank Rat Alley?

She was the fiancée of the man murdered long ago. But surely this case is more than a domestic drama playing out over time….

The Blackman Agency Investigations excel at merging past and present, bringing little-known history to light, and are perfect for fans of James Lee Burke, Stephen Mack Jones, Margaret Maron, and Robert B. Parker.

Mark de Castrique grew up in the mountains of western North Carolina where many of his novels are set. He’s a veteran of the television and film production industry, has served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte teaching The American Mystery, and he’s a frequent speaker and workshop leader. He and his wife, Linda, live in Charlotte, North Carolina. www.markdecastrique.com

This event is free and open to the public. We ask that you purchase the books you want to be signed at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Can’t make it to the store for the event? Call us or order the book on our website in advance, and we’ll get it signed for you. Make sure you write your preferences in the comments if you purchase online.

Beginners can learn a basic pattern. Those with experience are welcome to work on a project and share your knowledge. Supplies will be available for beginners. Come “spin some yarn” at the library! 

The Friends of Fairview Library welcome Robin Russell Gaiser, author of ‘Open for Lunch’, on Tuesday, January 7th at 7pm.

In her book, Gaiser writes of her encounters with a dozen strangers in casual lunch spots from upstate New York to Asheville, North Carolina. She began these encounters almost by chance when she invited someone in line with her at a Subway restaurant to share her table. But as she pursued such encounters over the years, she gradually became “the reporter reporting on myself. Soon the stunning stories of my lunch mates took me deeply into my own narrative.”

Please join us for this lively discussion. Books can be signed and purchased at the event.

Refreshments to be served after by the Friends of Fairview Library.

In the spirit of You Are a Badass and The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck, a helpful and humorous guide to shedding our anxious habits and building a more solid sense of self in our increasingly anxiety-inducing world.
Licensed therapist and mental health writer Dr. Kathleen Smith offers a smart, practical antidote to our anxiety-ridden times. Everything Isn’t Terrible is an informative and practical guide — featuring a healthy dose of humor — for people who want to become beacons of calmness in their families, at work, and in our anxious world. Everything Isn’t Terrible will inspire you to confront your anxious self, take charge of your anxiety, and increase your own capacity to choose how you respond to it. Comprised of short chapters containing anecdotal examples from Smith’s work with her clients, in addition to engaging, actionable exercises for readers, Everything Isn’t Terrible will give anyone suffering from anxiety all the tools they need to finally…calm…down.
Ultimately, living a calmer, less anxious life — one that isn’t terrible — is possible, and with this book, you’ll learn how to do it.

Kathleen Smith is a licensed therapist and mental health writer who lives in Washington, DC. She has written for popular publications such as Slate, Salon, New York Magazine, Lifehacker, Bustle, and Counseling Today, among many others. She is an associate faculty member at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family and hosts the show Family Matters, a production of the University of the District of Columbia. She will be in conversation with Joanne O’Sullivan, author of Between Two Skies.

This event is free and open to the public. We ask that you purchase the books you want to be signed at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Can’t make it to the store for the event? Call us or order the book on our website in advance, and we’ll get it signed for you. Make sure you write your preferences in the comments if you purchase online.

Beautiful Gorges State Park near Cashiers was narrowly spared from hydroelectric projects planned to create pumped storage for use by Duke Energy. Bill Thomas, former Chair of the North Carolina Chapter of Sierra Club, is widely credited with leading the successful campaign to halt the projects. He was also essential in the creation of Dupont State Forest and the Horsepasture Scenic River. Come see his beautiful photos of the wonders in Gorges, learn how it was preserved and help us recognize a true environmental hero.

Bill will be introduced by Will Harlan, editor of Blue Ridge Outdoors, and by Dan Dewitt, author of “How Gorges was Saved” in the August edition.

Gorges State Park and Bill are also honored in the current issue of The Laurel of Asheville.

Would you like to learn more about how literacy changes our students’ lives?

Please join us for coffee and a one-hour tour of the Literacy Council.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES for 2020

Friday, January 10 – 9am | Monday, February 10 – 4pm | Friday, March 13 – 9am
Monday, April 13 – 4pm | Friday, May 8 – 9am | Monday, June 8 – 4pm

Ready to go WILD? Join us for a trip “off the eaten path.” You’ll learn how to safely gather edible wild plants, mushrooms, and other “extreme cuisine.” Stay for a stunning view of the sunset and enjoy dinner at Vue 1913 featuring a free appetizer with the edibles you met on your tour. Suitable for all ages and abilities. To register or for more info, see here. Three-hour foraging tours also available, year-round, by arrangement.

Wild food is the ultimate natural food: ultra-local, fresher, more flavorful, 10 to 100 times more nutritious than its garden-variety descendants, AND it’s free! With over 300 wild edibles, Western North Carolina is the richest temperate ecosystem on Earth. For a taste of the wild life, forage ahead and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand. It’s a unique experience in self-catering, a memorable lesson in high-class survival.

Join the MA in Critical Craft Studies for public conversations about research and projects connected to craft studies.

Craft Conversations is a five-part series organized by the MA in Critical Craft Studies, Warren Wilson College, and hosted at the Center for Craft in the heart of downtown Asheville.

These are not formal lectures. Instead, we invite you into the evening classroom of the MA in Critical and Historical Craft Studies, Warren Wilson College, where you can hear how people conduct, analyze, share, and discuss their work on craft history and theory. Each presenter shares their work for 30 minutes each, followed by a discussion between presenters, MA students, and the audience for 60 minutes.

Programs begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Programs are free and open to the public; reservations requested.

Monday, January 6 – Yasmeen Siddiqui and Shannon Stratton

Friday, January 10 – Student Pecha Kucha

Saturday, January 11 – Jen Delos Reyes and Namita Wiggers

Monday, January 13 – Sarah Khan and Ben Lignel

Friday, January 17 – Marilyn Zapf and Alicia Ory DeNicola

In Her Shoes is a program to inspire young women to be future leaders! In Her Shoes will provide an opportunity for young ladies to hear from local women that are leaders in their male dominated careers. The event includes the program, refreshments and the Furman Lady Paladins Basketball game. Tickets are available for purchase at the GSP International Airport Box Office at Bon Secours Wellness Arena and HERE, using the password LEADER.

Join the MA in Critical Craft Studies for public conversations about research and projects connected to craft studies.

Craft Conversations is a five-part series organized by the MA in Critical Craft Studies, Warren Wilson College, and hosted at the Center for Craft in the heart of downtown Asheville.

These are not formal lectures. Instead, we invite you into the evening classroom of the MA in Critical and Historical Craft Studies, Warren Wilson College, where you can hear how people conduct, analyze, share, and discuss their work on craft history and theory. Each presenter shares their work for 30 minutes each, followed by a discussion between presenters, MA students, and the audience for 60 minutes.

Programs begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Programs are free and open to the public; reservations requested.

Monday, January 6 – Yasmeen Siddiqui and Shannon Stratton

Friday, January 10 – Student Pecha Kucha

Saturday, January 11 – Jen Delos Reyes and Namita Wiggers

Monday, January 13 – Sarah Khan and Ben Lignel

Friday, January 17 – Marilyn Zapf and Alicia Ory DeNicola

Effective communication is essential, and can be transformative for your farm operation. In this two day long interactive workshop, Improving Farm Communication, participants will address real life situations to learn about communication styles, ways to have better conversations, and have a chance to practice new skills. In this workshop we will cover the basics of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), aka, Compassionate Communication, and how it can be applied to your personal as well as your farm life and business. On-farm communication is critical for farm viability, and is one of the most common sources of conflict and frustration for farmers, family members, business partners, employees, and customers.

NVC has been used around the world for decades in all areas of people’s lives and has one of the most proven track records for reducing conflict and creating teamwork, increasing efficiency, and boosting morale.

By using examples from participants’ lives we will create a highly interactive learning environment and learn skills that can be immediately applied to your home and work life.

Come if you:

1. Are part of a farm family or farm team
2. See the benefit of improved communication skills
3. Would like to have conversations that aren’t so awkward
4. Are ready to tackle difficult conversations
5. Find the stress of farm life difficult to express to others

Join Andrew Clark, Eric Nelson, Meagan Smith Lucas, and Benjamin Cutler, as they celebrate the launch of Clark’s book, Jesus in the Trailer. They will be joined by event MC, Lockie Hunter.

Jesus in the Trailer is an intimate and sobering look at the South, at faith, at youth and aging. Clark’s poems are as tangible as red clay, with an appreciation for the rustic and reverence for time. From start to finish, this is a truly captivating collection. You’ll return to it again and again. ~Ariel Felton, writer and editor in Savannah, Georgia

This is a work about moths, Savannah, teeth, Prince, lipstick, churches, tombstones and everything in between. This is a poetry book that will take you places you don’t expect, with precise language. This is an author at the top of his talent, in beautiful form. This is a book for you. For us. Thank you, Andrew. ~Marcus Amaker, award-winning graphic designer and Poet Laureate of Charleston, SC

Andrew K. Clark is a writer and poet whose work has appeared recently in Out of Anonymity–The UCLA Writing Project, Good Juju, Zingara, and NO:1, Number One journals. He is the recipient of the Georgia Southern University Roy F. Powell Creative Writing Award. He grew up in the small town of Alexander, North Carolina, outside of Asheville, where he now resides. An excerpt from his forthcoming novel, The Day Thief, was selected to appear in the Blue Mountain Review in March 2019.

This event is free and open to the public. We ask that you purchase the books you want to be signed at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Can’t make it to the store for the event? Call us or order the book on our website in advance, and we’ll get it signed for you. Make sure you write your preferences in the comments if you purchase online.

For more than 20 years, wildlife photographer Brian Skerry has captured “the soul of the sea” for National Geographic. His images celebrate the mystery of the depths and offer portraits of creatures so intimate they sometimes appear to have been shot in a studio. Skerry dives eight months of the year and has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater, often in extreme conditions beneath Arctic ice or in predator-infested waters, and has even lived at the bottom of the sea to get close to his subjects.

His book, Ocean Soul, is a stunning tribute to our seas. In this presentation of the same name, Skerry takes us from the glacial waters of the North Atlantic, where harp seals face off with commercial hunters, to the balmy central Pacific, where he photographed damaged coral ecosystems rebuilding themselves. In Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence, he searches for the “thoroughbreds of the sea”—Atlantic blue fin tuna. And in the Bahamas, he joins researchers studying dolphin intelligence.

A passionate spokesman for the oceans he loves to photograph, Skerry inspires reverence for the marine realm and offers hope for protecting it.

Recommended Grade Levels: K-12
Genre: Science
Curricular Connections: Marine Biology, Conservation, Photography

Learn about how their hogs are pasture raised from their farm director Asher Wright.  He will discuss heritage breeds, health benefits of pasture raised pork and how various inputs on the production side impact the quality of the meat. Enjoy a beautiful spread of their in-house made charcuterie & a locally crafted adult beverage of your choice. Watch head butcher Brian Bermingham demonstrate how to break down each part of a Heritage breed hog, explaining each step of the process along the way. Class is $100 per person.

For more than 20 years, wildlife photographer Brian Skerry has captured “the soul of the sea” for National Geographic. His images celebrate the mystery of the depths and offer portraits of creatures so intimate they sometimes appear to have been shot in a studio. Skerry dives eight months of the year and has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater, often in extreme conditions beneath Arctic ice or in predator-infested waters, and has even lived at the bottom of the sea to get close to his subjects.

His book, Ocean Soul, is a stunning tribute to our seas. In this presentation of the same name, Skerry takes us from the glacial waters of the North Atlantic, where harp seals face off with commercial hunters, to the balmy central Pacific, where he photographed damaged coral ecosystems rebuilding themselves. In Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence, he searches for the “thoroughbreds of the sea”—Atlantic blue fin tuna. And in the Bahamas, he joins researchers studying dolphin intelligence.

A passionate spokesman for the oceans he loves to photograph, Skerry inspires reverence for the marine realm and offers hope for protecting it.

Recommended Grade Levels: K-12
Genre: Science
Curricular Connections: Marine Biology, Conservation, Photography

Join the MA in Critical Craft Studies for public conversations about research and projects connected to craft studies.

Craft Conversations is a five-part series organized by the MA in Critical Craft Studies, Warren Wilson College, and hosted at the Center for Craft in the heart of downtown Asheville.

These are not formal lectures. Instead, we invite you into the evening classroom of the MA in Critical and Historical Craft Studies, Warren Wilson College, where you can hear how people conduct, analyze, share, and discuss their work on craft history and theory. Each presenter shares their work for 30 minutes each, followed by a discussion between presenters, MA students, and the audience for 60 minutes.

Programs begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Programs are free and open to the public; reservations requested.

Monday, January 6 – Yasmeen Siddiqui and Shannon Stratton

Friday, January 10 – Student Pecha Kucha

Saturday, January 11 – Jen Delos Reyes and Namita Wiggers

Monday, January 13 – Sarah Khan and Ben Lignel

Friday, January 17 – Marilyn Zapf and Alicia Ory DeNicola

This course covers the fundamentals of improvisational acting with emphasis on comedy; such as listing, commitment, adding information, agreement, intuitive reaction over desperate invention, as well as recognizing and capitalizing on emerging patterns.