Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Public libraries are such a staple of American communities, but how did this system come to be? Celebrate (and investigate) the history of our public libraries! Join us for a screening + community-driven conversation of @IndependentLens’ Free for All: The Public Library at the Black Mountain Public Library. This one-hour documentary explores the transformative power of public libraries in America—from their pioneering origins to their enduring role as sanctuaries in the face of modern challenges like closures and book bans.

A Q&A session follows with Buncombe County Public Library Director Jason Hyatt and members of the Trust Fund for Buncombe County Public Libraries. Together, they’ll explore the issues raised in the film and discuss their relevance to libraries in our local community.

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Storytelling is not just entertainment: it’s a fundamental part of being human. Ales & Tales is a live storytelling open mic, akin to The Moth, but without the competitive aspect. Tellers take the mic to share personal stories, true-as-remembered, in six minutes or less with no notes. There are few rules: beyond the time limit and truth requirement, stories must follow the night’s theme, which is typically a one- to two-word prompt with LOTS of flexibility (like Dirt, Winter, Sunshine or Rigid).

Stories don’t have to be funny, but they can be. Stories should have an arc – a beginning, middle, and end – and perhaps a lesson snuck in there, too. Food and drinks, including alcohol, will be available for purchase; and the crowd is always friendly. Come relate to strangers, and turn them into pals!

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Join us for the 16th annual Authors for Literacy Fundraiser featuring New York Times bestselling author, David Baldacci. The evening will feature testimonials from the students and staff at Literacy Together, as well as a keynote address from David Baldacci. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. for mixing and mingling and heavy hors d’oeuvres. You’ll have an opportunity to hear from our team about the work we do to support more than 7,200 individuals throughout Buncombe County. Our seated program begins promptly at 6:30 p.m., and we’ll close the evening with a book signing managed by Malaprop’s Bookstore.
Tickets are on sale now!

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College. A King size quilt-set (with matching pillows and wall hanging) raffle is also offered.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Nook, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

Saturday, June 7 10am-7pm
Sunday, June 8 noon- 7pm
Monday, June 9 10am-7pm
Tuesday, June 10 10am-3pm – half price day
Wednesday, June 11 10am-3pm – fill a box for $5 day
**Wednesday, June 11 (only 12-4pm) – Free books for local teachers and non-profits**

– 30,000 well organized books in all genres, plus puzzles, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, vinyl
– Ample parking, free admission, dealers welcome
– Prices range from 50 cents and up
– Assistance provided to load books into cars
– Cash, checks with ID, or cards accepted

Nourish your body, mind, and soul by experiencing a variety of offerings to bring balance and peace to your life during these times. Ample free time allows participants to nap, hike around the lake, journal, or explore Kanuga. Led by Chantal McKinney, a life-long seeker of the Divine. She is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, consultant, practitioner of community development, and former church planter who walks among the two worlds of faith and spirituality.

Join us on Thursday, July 10th, from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Asheville Museum of History (AMoH) for a special History Hour program: The Story of Asheville’s Water, with Michael Holcombe. Light refreshments will be available. Also, Michael’s newly published book, The Story of Asheville’s Water: Before and Beyond Hurricane Helene, will be available for purchase before and after the program.

Michael Holcombe’s presentation will introduce attendees to his research and the story of the Asheville, North Carolina water system, and focus on the water sources for the city, from 1883 through to the present day (Along with interesting factoids!).

Elon Green presents The Man Nobody Killed, in conversation with Carrie Frye

Poet Quartet: Chris Arvidson, Andy Young, Caroline M. Mar, Paul Jones

Join us for The Black Experience Book Club, a monthly gathering held every fourth Thursday at either the YMI Cultural Center’s Art Gallery or just around the corner at Noir Collective AVL. This community-centered series is hosted by alexandria ravenel, YMI’s Director of Community Engagement, and is designed to explore literature that centers the voices, histories, and futures of the African Diaspora.

For location details or to RSVP, please contact alexandria ravenel directly at [email protected].

All Hallows’ Eve is a new Asheville children’s book about kids who dress in costume on Halloween and visit Riverside Cemetery to tell ghost stories and visit the graves of Asheville’s most prominent residents, including Thomas Wolfe, Isaac Dickson, George Masa, and O. Henry. Up in the clouds, they see the ghosts of Zelda Fitzgerald and the Pink Lady. Please join Dana and Chris at 3 pm, with special guest and main character: Adelaide the Witch, for a special reading of the story. Also, Constance Lombardo will be presenting her new children’s monster book, itty bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash!
Kids love stories that are a little spooky. Come with us on an eerie adventure through Riverside Cemetery… if you dare!

Dark City LIT! A Literary Festival at the Black Mountain Public Library
105 N. Dougherty St. Black Mountain NC 28711

Saturday, November 8

Join us for the inaugural Dark City LIT! Literary Festival!

Write Local, Read Local Author Fair is back for its fourth year! 20 local authors will be handselling books from 9-11 a.m. and reading from their works from Noon to 1 p.m.

Free Workshops Follow:
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The Fun, Fascinating, and Fabulous World of Research with Dr. Susan Eischeid
In this engaging workshop, you’ll learn practical strategies for harnessing research—whether historical, personal, or primary sources—to elevate your fiction and non-fiction writing with vivid detail and universal resonance.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Publishing as Collective Practice with Andrew Mack of Loblolly Press
Discover how vibrant communities and collaborative efforts—from writers’ groups to small presses—are reviving literature today and leave with your own personalized “community map” to sustain your creative journey.

Followed by An Evening with Tessa Fontaine!
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Author of The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts and The Red Grove, longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Tessa will be reading from her work and signing copies of her books.

The North Carolina Writers Network and The Brandy Bar + Cocktails present VIVIAN I BIKULEDGE & MICHAEL HETTICH as next in their series “In the Company of Writers”
The program offers a series of personal and conversational dialogues featuring guest writers/poets followed by an open mic forum. These inspirational gatherings will elucidate and entertain those attending. The guest authors speak from 7-8 PM with an open mic from 8 -9 PM. The original music of Bob Sherrill welcomes you, continues during intermission, and closes the evening. Sign-ups for the open mic sheet are posted at the entry.
Vivian I. Bikulege is a poet and essayist. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in the North Carolina Literary Review, The Fourth River, and Broad River Review. A semi-finalist for the 2023 James Applewhite Prize, she also earned honorable mention in the 2022 Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition. Vivian was the 2022 Gilbert-Chappell emerging adult poet for western North Carolina under the mentorship of Ken Chamlee.

Jimmy X & Nan K. Chase launch How I Got You Your Ounce, with Marilyn Ball

The Black Mountain Public Library is excited to announce that registration is now open for the fourth annual “Write Local Read Local Author & Illustrator Fair” taking place Saturday, November 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
This beloved community event brings together authors, illustrators, and book lovers from across the Swannanoa Valley for a morning of conversation, connection, and creativity. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the public face-to-face, hand-sell their books, and share their stories in a welcoming, literary atmosphere.
The fair is more than just a book signing—it’s a celebration of the incredible talent in our valley and an invitation for our neighbors to discover and support it.
Each registered participant will receive table space for the drop-in event at no cost. Whether you’re an emerging author, an established illustrator, or somewhere in between, this is your chance to be part of the vibrant Swannanoa Valley literary community. (If you participated in the 2024 event, we ask you to wait until next year unless you have published work since 11/2024. We appreciate your understanding.)

Alabama Poets Garrett Ashley & Salaam Green to Headline Asheville Poetry Reading & Book Signing with Holiday Artisan Market

• Garrett Ashley – Author of A Field Guide to North American Trees (Good Printed Things / Loblolly Press, 2025) and Habitats (Loblolly Press, 2026). His limited-run chapbook features poems named after Southeastern trees, weaving ecological awareness with human transformation.
• Salaam Green – Birmingham’s first Poet Laureate (2024–2026), storyteller, and teaching artist. Her forthcoming collection The Other Revival (Pulley Press, Juneteenth 2025) excavates generational memory from the Wallace Plantation, uniting descendants of enslaved people and slaveholders through poetry as a tool for racial healing.