2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE
Seamstress of New Orleans,” last year. You may have heard her talking about her craft on National Public Radio’s “The Writing Life.” Diane is easy to spot around town, and (as- suming she has the time) is hap- py to talk about her experiences. You can find her recent release and her debut novel, “The Abolitionist’s Daughter,” at Shakespeare & Company or online. Highlands is the setting of author Christopher Swann’s latest novel, “A Fire in the Night,” in which a retired professor and his estranged niece are on the run across Highlands and Cashiers as a killer closes in. It’s easy to spot the locales that the charac- ters bob and weave through during the story. There’s even an extended scene within Hudson Library that’s wrought with tension. (Hudson Librarian Carlyn Morenus reminds everyone that murder is prohibited at the library and har- rowing situations normally are kept to a minimum.) To learn more about the town’s rich tradition of writers finding their in- spiration here, visit Stuart Ferguson at Shakespeare & Company. Stuart’s a local historian and natural rac- onteur who is skilled at the art of conversation. If you’re not a writer, and you’d like to sample Highlands’ tradition of storytelling, well, that’s pretty easy, too. Just speak and share your story and add to the community’s ongo- ing conversation. It’s the best kind of storytelling!
his wife, writer Cassandra King, who also attended a private event hosted by the Center for Life Enrichment this past August, Revered Appalachian writer Ron Rash, whose 2008 best seller “Serena” became a film, was also part of this weekend retreat. Writers’ camaraderie continues in Highlands, as evidenced by the members of The Highlands Writers Group. These artists – seasoned pros, battle-tested amateurs and novices tentatively tapping out tales – gather each week at The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts. The gregarious group is the natural flowering of a movement that has developed for decades. In the 1980s and 1990s, writers and poets used to gather at Fireside Books for gabfests about the pit- falls and possibilities of their latest projects. (Although, admittedly, a lot just came for the generous pours and the pastries created by Krysti Henderson.) Flocks of writers would also gather at Hudson Library for spirited discus- sions and workshopping manuscripts.
The current iteration of Highlands Writing Group is open to everyone, regardless of skill level. Facilitator Bud Katz extends that invitation to those who live on the plateau year-round, seasonal resi- dents and even those just passing through town. And here’s the astonishing thing – this is a friendly bunch! For some writers’ groups, meetings can be- come uncomfortable arenas where members are encouraged to decon- struct others’ works with barely-con- cealed malice and baffling zero-sum game strategies. Not these guys. An effervescent spirit of collegiality and encourage- ment prevails, and meetings are laced with laughter. Local artist Diane McPhail released her second best-selling novel, “The
For more information about Highlands Writing Group, call The Bascom at 828-526-4949. At the time of this writing, the group met on Tuesdays from 3 – 5 p.m. When the weather is nice, they like to meet outdoors in The Bascom’s Pavilion.
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