Books by MFA Students & Alumni

	*The Man Who Danced With Dolls* Hannah Dela Cruz Abrams The Man Who Danced with Dolls is a portrait of a family’s legacy—the language of their memories, the secrets of their buried past, and the subway busker whose wordless dancing punctuates their lives. Published by Madras Press, 2011
	*Through the Glorieta Pass* Lavonne J. Adams "Through the Glorieta Pass is like no other collection I've read before. Conceptually, the book is a union of voices: Adams's straight forward and lyrical one, and the voices of women who braved the journey across the Santa Fe Trail. In poem after poem, Adams lets the dead speak to us—and their stories are harrowing. Deadly winter storms. Men crushed by wagons. A woman's breasts carved away by an Indian's knife. It's an apocalyptic view of the Old West where disease was rampant, the innocent were scalped, and buffalo carcasses rose from the landscape 'like trail markers.'" —David Hernandez, 2007 Judge of the Pearl Poetry Prize Published by Pearl Books, March 2009
	At the Mercy of the Queen: A Novel of Anne Boleyn Anne Clinard Barnhill "A fresh take on Henry’s court that even readers exhausted of Tudor historicals will find new and exciting." —Publishers Weekly Published by St. Martin's Press, January 2012
	*What You Long For* Anne Clinard Barnhill Filled with humor and tenderness, Barnhill has written an enormously entertaining group of stories. Whether she is describing country women telling their stories in "The Quilting Bee," or introducing a little boy in love with his best friend’s beer-drinking mother in "Kings and Damsels," Anne Barnhill creates unforgettable characters who feel like people you have encountered in your own life. She describes the interior life of women, in particular, with honesty and wonderfully real details from ordinary life. Simultaneously erotic and down-to-earth, What You Long For, is bound to become a Southern classic. Published by Main Street Rag, May 2009
	At Home in the Land of Oz: Autism, My Sister, and Me Anne Clinard Barnhill Painting a vivid picture of growing up in small-town America during the 1960s, Barnhill describes her sister's and her own painful childhood experiences with compassion and honesty. Today she is accepting of her sister's autism and the impact, both painful and positive, it has had on both their lives. This bittersweet memoir will resonate with families affected by autism and other developmental disorders and will appeal to everyone interested in the condition. Anne Barnhill lives in Dunn, North Carolina; she has published hundreds of features and reviews in a variety of newspapers and magazines. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, June 2007
	*Letter to My Daughter* George Bishop On the eve of her birthday, fifteen-year-old Elizabeth runs away from her Baton Rouge home. Her mother Laura blames herself and seeks reconciliation by setting down in a letter "everything I've always meant to tell you but never have." In recounting her own troubled adolescence, she reveals why her parents sent her away to a Catholic boarding school, how her long-distance love affair with a boy in Vietnam ended in tragedy, and finally, the meaning of an enigmatic tattoo she still wears below her right hip. "Think of this letter as my birthday present to you," Laura writes. "Something which my mother never told me, but which I'll endeavor now with all my heart to tell you: the truth about how a girl grows up. The truth about life." Published by Random House, February 2010
	*The Mariner's Wife* & *How to Recognize a Lady* Emma Bolden "The poems in How to Recognize a Lady seem more than twelve in number because they are not neat little poems tied up with a bow. They bite. They push the reader to pay attention to what drives us to do what we do." —Kyes Stevens for Alabama Writers' Forum The Mariner's Wife, published by Finishing Line Press, 2008 How to Recognize a Lady, published as part of Edge by Edge, the third in Toadlily Press' Quartet Series, 2007
	The Sad Epistles Emma Bolden "Because of Bolden’s authority and her perfect pitch, we accept the more complex outcomes of her invented forms and are drawn towards what Keats might refer to (think negative capability) as “uncertainties, mysteries, [and] doubts.” In The Sad Epistles, Emma Bolden takes subject matter that is well-worn and makes it new; we feel the speaker’s ache in every line and are thrilled by the poet’s innovation in this lively little book." —Alan May for Alabama Writers' Forum Published by Dancing Girl Press, 2008
	*Lies of the Heart* Michelle Boyajian Katie Burelli is living a wife's worst nightmare. Her husband, Nick, a speech therapist, has been killed, shot at point-blank range by Jerry, one of his mentally handicapped patients. Now she sits in the courtroom, playing and replaying the events that led up to the murder. As the trial progresses and Katie searches her own recollections for answers, she begins to confront the truth about her marriage and her own responsibility for its dissolution. In chapters alternating between the past and present, Lies of the Heart unravels the truth behind the mourning widow's grief. Katie—long overshadowed by her beautiful, successful sister—pinned her emotional well-being on Nick, whose unpredictable rampages only fueled Katie's destructive insecurities. As the cracks in their relationship began to appear, both welcomed Jerry into their family, hoping that by fixing him they could fix themselves. A powerful debut novel and a rich tale of psychological suspense, Lies of the Heart masterfully dissects a marriage and explores the path of self-discovery that can sometimes be found in grief. Published by Viking Adult, April 2010
	*Directions for Flying / 36 fits: a young wife's almanac* Emily Carr "An able pilot on the jet streams of marriage, Emily Carr navigates love's wind shears and buffets in this calendar of ecstasy and despair. Her weather forecasts provoke, humour and move us. Untying the grammar of bridalship, she finds sparrow and lyric are verbs, while limbo is present participle and mayfly is adjective. Her companions in poetry hover like friendly ghosts around her crisply inventive language—the whole work a fast-moving evocative zoetrope." —Meredith Quartermain Published by Furniture Press Books, March 2010
	*Far Beyond the Pale* Daren Dean In this darkly comic novel, Nathan “Honey Boy” Kimbrough narrates a boy’s search for a father and his mother’s search for a "good man" in the mid-1970s. Honey Boy is a thirteen-year-old, four-letter-spouting, pistol-packing kid who is determined to learn something about the art of thieving swag from Kingdom County’s own resident outlaw: Vaughn—a man so wicked that he is gone beyond the pale. Published by CreateSpace, August 2010
	Every Time I Talk to Liston Brian Devido "The novel, which proceeds in satisfying vignettes...tends to share the virtues of Fletcher, its likable and observant narrator." "...DeVido's writing shows quiet purpose in every move, carrying its insider knowledge with easy confidence." —Carlo Rotella, The New York Times Book Review Brian DeVido is a former Virginia Golden Gloves heavyweight champion and two-time finalist. His boxing fiction has appeared in Words of Wisdom and Aethlon: The Journal of Sports Literature, and he has been a sportswriter for the San Antonio Express News and the Roanoke Times. He lives in Washington, D.C. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, May 2004
	Every Little Thing in the World Nina de Gramont Sixteen-year-old Sydney Biggs is a "good kid"—smart, pretty, self-aware. No one doubts that she'll go far in life. But lately her mother worries that Sydney is wandering down the wrong path and getting all caught up in petty teenage rebellion and shenanigans. When Sydney and her best friend, Natalia, "borrow" a car to go to a party and then get escorted home by the police, their parents pack them up and ship them off to a hard-love wilderness camp to stop this behavior before it gets out of hand, before things go too far. The problem is, they already have. Sydney the "good kid" is pregnant. In the wilds of Canada—where the girls are to spend the next four weeks canoeing, camping, and foraging for food—time is ticking, because Sydney isn't sure what she wants to do about this baby. And she certainly isn't expecting the other heady issues that will confront her as she forges friendships with her adventure mates, including a guy who makes it no secret that he is a major thug, and a teen television heartthrob with a secret of his own, not to mention her own best friend—who is very adamant about what Sydney should do. Published by Atheneum, March 2010
	Gossip of the Starlings Nina de Gramont "Gramont's debut novel is the kind of smart and riveting read that fans of a certain kind of campus drama—think Donna Tartt's Secret History—will devour. Set at the fictional Esther Percy academy in Massachusetts, it's the story of a doomed friendship between two dangerous girls: Skye, a senator's daughter with charisma and boundary-testing impulses to spare, and the quieter Catherine, a serious equestrian with weaknesses for cocaine and Skye's volatile charms. There's romance, betrayal, a gorgeous scholarship boy and a spot-on rendering of the queasy regret you sometimes feel when friends from separate orbits meet." —People Magazine "Exquisite. Nina de Gramont's prose seems wrought from gold filaments. The story lifts off the page and hovers around you as you read. Real people and real feelings in a performance that is full-bodied and—more impressively—full of real soul. I won't forget this book." —Luis Urrea, author of The Hummingbird's Daughter Published by Algonquin Books, June 2008
	Of Cats and Men Nina de Gramont “Acute perceptions and an intelligent voice are evident throughout De Gramont’s collection. You need not be a cat-lover to appreciate it.” —Newsday “An utterly pleasurable discovery. . .the sort one enjoys in the fiction of Carol Shields, Pam Houston, Melissa Bank.” —The Washington Post Book World Published by Random House, April 2002
	Falling Room Eli Hastings "In Falling Room, Eli Hastings moves beyond mere anger to write with a passion that fuses pain and tenderness, anger and sympathy. I emerged out the other side of this immensely readable book bruised but full of wild hope.” —Sebastian Matthews, author of In My Father’s Footsteps Hastings, a 2004 graduate of nonfiction, has taught creative nonfiction and English courses at UNCW. His work has appeared in many journals, including the Cimarron Review, The Seattle Review, and the Tulane Review. He has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and won the Alligator Juniper nonfiction contest. His story "Out of the Blue" is in pre-production as a short feature film by Westbound Films. Published by Bison Books, September 2006
	Clearly Now, the Rain: A Memoir of Love and Other Trips Eli Hastings A deeply personal rumination on the existential explanations for the desperation and sadness experienced by those suffering from addiction and mental disorder, this nuanced memoir brings to life the troubled, decade-long relationship between Eli Hastings and his friend Serala. At family events, Serala wore saris and ate delicately from plates of curry. But elsewhere, she wore a lip ring, designer shades, and a cowboy hat; would regularly drink frat boys under the table; would sleep less than five hours a week; and would place herself in dangerous situations for another bag of heroin. Serala’s complex character and seemingly haphazard choices are made real, from ill-advised quests for narcotics in Mexican border towns to unplanned 50-hour road trips from L.A. to New York City. Although her dark and traumatic journey concluded tragically at age 27, Eli Hastings writes with hopeful resolution about his unique friendship. Published by ECW Press, May 2013
	Band of Sisters: American Women at War in Iraq Kirsten Holmstedt "Band of Sisters is one of the few truly revealing books written about our military in the past decade—and one of the most fascinating to read. This overdue account of the combat actions of the women who wore our country's uniform in recent wars reads as swiftly as a thriller, but the thrills here come from the real sacrifices and valor of America's fighting women. Author Kirsten Holmstedt earns a salute for honoring these all-American heroes." —Ralph Peters, author of Never Quit The Fight and Wars Of Blood And Faith Kirsten A. Holmstedt graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1985 with a BA in Journalism and from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2006 with a MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing. Over the past twenty years, Ms. Holmstedt has written for newspapers, business, academia, and magazines. She has won awards for her writing at the regional and national levels. Published by Stackpole Books, July 2007
	The Girls Come Marching Home: Stories of Women Warriors Returning from the War in Iraq Kirsten Holmstedt While writing her first book, Band of Sisters, which told the amazing true stories of women on the battlefield, Kirsten Holmstedt developed an unrivaled relationship with female service members. In The Girls Come Marching Home, she follows America's women warriors as they come home from Iraq and explore the other side of war—its painful aftermath, including post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor's guilt, physical wounds, and other challenges. At turns heartbreaking and infuriating, The Girls Come Marching Home covers a compelling assortment of fighting women with a broad range of experiences and backgrounds. Holmstedt tackles controversial issues head-on, from racism, sexual harassment, and drugs to the difficulties of getting treatment from the Veterans Administration. Capturing their unique voices, Holmstedt lets these women speak for themselves about their trials and tribulations, their hopes and dreams, their frustrations and achievements. Published by Stackpole Books, June 2009
	Molly Nancy J. Jones "A beautifully crafted first novel that explores the deep passions of youthful friendship and the dark entrapment of the innocent by a misbegotten love. A moving book, written with rare grace." —Philip Gerard, author of Cape Fear Rising "Molly is an evocative coming-of-age story between two young girls, one the narrator, the other, Molly, an imagined Lolita. What the story says about friendship, loyalty, the strangeness of young girls is both compelling and disturbing." —Susan Richards Shreve, author of Plum & Jaggers Published by Crown, March 2000
	Imposters Shawna Kenney Millions trekking from the near and far ends of the Earth to Los Angeles every year head straight to the heart of Hollywood, with vain hopes for a close encounter of the celebrity kind. And despite the mid-'90s billion-dollar facelift of the "Entertainment District," many are still shocked by Tinseltown’s lackluster façade, finding the Walk of Fame’s slabs of cement displaying imprints of Groucho Marx’s cigar, Betty Grable’s legs, John Wayne’s fist, and R2D2’s feet a little disappointing. But have no fear: entrepreneurial souls live here, so visitors can still go home with one-of-a-kind portraits of themselves with their favorite superhero or movie character. Never mind that some consider these street performers to be panhandlers, or that local businesses have described them as a nuisance. Everyone who comes to Hollywood feels like they really could be somebody. In the meantime, it might just pay better to be somebody else. Published by Mark Batty Publisher, February 2008

	I Was a Teenage Dominatrix Shawna Kenney "Lighthearted but fascinating...her spunk and enthusiasm leave a clear, fiery impression on her readers." —Bust Magazine "Kenney's potboiler approaches its prurient subject matter w/ a refreshing post-feminist Gen X practicality." —New Times Los Angeles Shawna Kenney authored the award-winning memoir, I Was a Teenage Dominatrix (Last Gasp), which has been translated abroad and optioned for film. She has written for Juxtapoz, Swindle Magazine, Transworld Skateboarding, Alternative Press, The Florida Review, the LA Weekly, and Herbivore, among others. Her latest essays appear in anthologies Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class (Seal Press) and Let Fury Have the Hour: The Punk Rock Politics of Joe Strummer (Avalon Publishing Group). Published by Last Gasp of San Francisco, November 2001
	Goat: A Memoir Brad Land "The spring's most promising memoir." —Entertainment Weekly "An incredible memoir—riveting and relentless, shocking, brutal, just savagely good. And yet. Beautiful and brave." —Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors "Brad Land's talent as a writer is his ability to be completely vulnerable on the page, yet command absolute control over his language. " —Terry Tempest Williams Published by Random House, 2005
	Pilgrims Upon the Earth: A Novel Brad Land "Brad Land dials up a dazzling teenage wasteland. Sure, the scenery can be harrowing—displacement, violence, drugs, etc.—but the author paints a beautiful nightmare. Land’s kaleidoscopic minimalism echoes that of two of his idols: Denis Johnson and Cormac McCarthy. Although the structure is sparse, the lyrical sensibility is copious." —UpstateToday.com "Land does a fine job of evoking the trapped quality of adolescence, its oppressive air of alienation and despair. But as the title of his novel suggests, he's after something larger, a more profound statement about humanity—how we are all lost, adrift in the universe with no compass other than our instincts, our own subjective sense of wrong and right." —Los Angeles Times Published by Random House, June 2007
	No Certainty Attached: Steve Kilbey and The Church Robert Dean Lurie "All one could ask for in a biography—an engaging and intricate subject, thoroughly researched; a panoply of riveting interviews; and, best of all, the author’s own passion for lyrics, music, and life." —Philip Furia, author of The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America’s Great Lyricists "Robert Lurie has written the definitive account of The Church and the life of its main protagonist, the ever creative and artistically complex Steve Kilbey. This is more than just a band biography; it’s also the personal journey of one Church fanatic, a journey to which we can all relate." —Ian McFarlane, author of The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop Published by Verse Chorus Press, June 2009
	Lifeguarding: A Memoir of Secrets, Swimming, and the South Catherine McCall Catherine McCall has done regular commentary for regional public radio, and her writing has been published in The New York Times, Louisville's Courier-Journal, Wilmington's StarNews, and the North Carolina Literary Review. In addition to writing, she is a psychiatrist in private practice. Published by Harmony Books, July 2006
	Difficult Beauty: Selected Poems (1987–2006) translated by Yvette Neisser Moreno Nominee for the National Translation Award and for the Pushcart Prize "The translations seem to be idiomatic and well-crafted, delicate but muscular and direct. There is an appealing space around the words.... [The translations are] quite accomplished and natural." —Gigi Bradford, National Endowment for the Arts Published by Cross-Cultural Communications, May 2009
	South Pole/Polo Sur translated by Yvette Neisser Moreno South Pole/Polo Sur is the accomplishment of an unflinching vision, the story of "an average man who treasured a dream of grandeur." It is that rare achievement, a tribute to the passion of life as it is meant to be lived in its fullest. Published by Settlement House Books, December 2011
	*Grip* Yvette Neisser Moreno Winner of the Gival Press Poetry Award Praise: "From the horrors of the Holocaust to the grace of plié, from the pyramids of Egypt to her father’s passing, Yvette Neisser Moreno’s noble voice in Grip explores the 'arc out of thinking' between a dawn that 'trembles with faint prayers' and death like a 'fluidity of grain.' Neisser Moreno’s yearning for comprehension and her pristine sensitivity 'grip' the reader from the start. In her delicate poems she reminds us that strength rises from understanding and that poetry, at its core, is always a way to 'untwist language from dreams.' Enter the 'stillness before snow,' the compelling landscape of this extraordinary collection."--Clifford Bernier, judge and author of The Silent Art
	...Hide Behind Me... Jason Mott "Jason Mott's collection …Hide Behind Me… is formally interesting in its examination of comic book archetypes and questions of morality, mortality, love, and especially the eternal quest by humans for heroism in the every day." —Jeannine Hall-Gailey, author of Becoming the Villainess "A clever use of the superhero metaphor to draw parallels, like Rick Moody did in The Ice Storm, between the fantasy of wholeness and control of the superhero genre and the messy complications of contemporary life." —Peter Coogan, author of Superhero: The Secret Origin of a Genre and Director of the Institute for Comics Studies Published by Main Street Rag, October 2011
	We Call This Thing Between Us Love Jason Mott "We humans may have difficulty forging the romantic and familial intimacy we so desperately desire, but these poems sure don't. They create an intense connection between poet and reader that counteracts the weakness, fear, resentment and loneliness that undermine our failed relationships. Formally varied, but singular in their conversational music, Mott's poems reflect the richness and range of his emotional life; like the redbird in 'Imagery,' they sing the aria of that universe trapped inside. And they sing beautifully." —Mark Cox, author of Smolder and Natural Causes Published by Main Street Rag, December 2009
	Ariana Nadia Nash Instructions for Preparing Your Skin, winner of the Philip Levine Prize in Poetry (Anhinga Press, 2013) Our Blood Is Singing (Damask Press, 2012)
	Pyres Derek Nikitas "Nikitas' stellar first novel isn't just one of the best genre debuts of the year, it's one of the best releases—period." —Chicago Tribune "This is a polished first novel. ...A heartbreaking coming-of-age story and a gripping psychological thriller." —Booklist "I've long been an admirer of Derek Nikitas's unusually engaging, subtly rendered short fiction....Any subject Derek handles, channeled through the lens of his unique sensibility, is likely to be of unusual worth and interest." —Joyce Carol Oates Derek Nikitas earned his MFA in Creative Writing from UNCW in 2000. He is currently pursuing a PhD in English from Georgia State University, and has published stories in The Ontario Review, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and other magazines. Published by St. Martin's Minotaur, December 2008
	The Long Division Derek Nikitas An Atlanta housecleaner flees her nowhere life to reunite with the son she gave up for adoption. The teenage boy joins his long-lost mother on an unlawful road trip that proves how much they both have to lose by finding each other. Elsewhere, a deputy must track down the shooter in a drug-related double murder before other investigators discover the deputy's illicit ties to the case. The killer is an unbalanced college kid hunted by vengeful drug dealers and the police, haunted by loves both dead and forbidden. When the renegade mother and son arrive, past sins and present gambits will ensnare them in the violent endgame between the deputy and the desperate killer. Published by St. Martin's Minotaur, October 2009
	Oyster Flats Dawn Evans Radford Dawn Evans Radford holds master’s degrees in Creative Writing and English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She was the recipient of the prestigious Sherwood Anderson Award in 1993. Published and recognized in a variety of genres including poetry, short story, essay and scholarly research, she has taught in educational, literary, community and professional settings. Her poetry has been translated to Russian and published internationally. Ms. Radford lives on the Florida Panhandle where she is currently at work on a second novel. Published by Pottersville Press, October 2007
	*Boys of the Battleship North Carolina* Cindy Horrell Ramsey In this book, Ramsey tells the story of the battleship through the eyes of the men who served her. After doing research about the ship at the National Archives in 2000, Ramsey spent six days helping the staff of the memorial compile a living-history archive of personal interviews conducted with the surviving crewmembers when they attended the ship's annual reunion. She became fascinated with the stories these men told. For the next few years, she continued talking to the men to flesh out their stories. The result is this narrative about one of the most decorated American battleships in World War II, as seen through the eyes of the young sailors who matured into men while manning this floating fortress. Published by John F. Blair, April 2007
	You Should Get That Looked At & Flirting with Ridicule S. Craig Renfroe, Jr. "Reading the poetry of S. Craig Renfroe, Jr. will do things to you. Before too long, you'll be smiling and despite your best attempts at self control, laughing. This voyage into the land of the ridiculous begins with a dedication that is worthy of quoting..." —Terry Lowenstein S. Craig Renfroe, Jr. is a professor at Queens University and a frequent open-mic participant at Jackson's Java in Charlotte. Works published by the Main Sreet Rag, March 2004 and May 2005.
	34 Pieces of You Carmen Rodrigues A dark and moving novel—reminiscent of Thirteen Reasons Why—about the mystery surrounding a teenage girl’s fatal overdose. There was something about Ellie…Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance—and kept watch. Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are thirty-four clues she left behind. Thirty-four strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. Thirty-four secrets of a brief and painful life.
	Not Anything Carmen Rodrigues Not Anything is a powerful debut novel about a girl living a not-so-glamorous life in a city that’s all about glamour. "Any girl who's ever fumbled her way through changing friendships, first love and real loss will find a friend in Susie Shannon." —Melissa Walker, author of Violet on the Runway Published by Berkley Trade, February 2008
	The Wayward Girls of Samarcan, A True Story Anne Russell The Wayward Girls of Samarcand is the true story of the sensational 1931 Arson Trial in North Carolina. Sixteen poor white teenage girls faced the death penalty for burning down two dormitories at the State Reform School for Girls. Crusading journalist, socialite, and attorney Nell Battle Lewis defended her clients by exposing sadistic treatment, deplorable conditions, and forced sterilization presided over by Samarcand superintendent Agnes B. MacNaughton. In this her first and last trial, Lewis saved the defendants from the electric chair. Published by Bradley Creek Press, 2012
	The House on Dream Street Dana Sachs The House on Dream Street is both the story of a country on the cusp of change and of a woman learning to know her own heart. Born in Memphis, TN, Dana Sachs is a freelance journalist. She has written for magazines and newspapers, including Mother Jones, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Philadelpia Inquirer. She has translated Vietnamese novels into English and co-directed the award-winning documentary, Which Way Is East: Notebooks from Vietnam. A graduate of Wesleyan University and the MFA program at UNC Wilmington, she now teaches journalism and Vietnamese literature and lives in Wilmington. Published by Seal Press, September 2003
	If You Lived Here Dana Sachs At forty-two, Shelley Marino desperately wants a child. Though she and her older husband, Martin, have tried during the course of their marriage, their only hope now is adoption. Martin, who has seen his share of heartbreak, can't reconcile what Shelley wants with what he knows about the world, and as the father of two grown children from a previous marriage, he is not sure he can bear the emotional challenge of fatherhood again. To love is to risk loss and Martin suddenly decides that is a gamble he can't afford to take. "A highly touted debut." —Library Journal Published by HarperCollins, March 2008
	The Secret of the Nightingale Palace: A Novel Dana Sachs Struggling to move on after her husband's death, thirty-five-year-old Anna receives an unexpected phone call from her estranged grandmother, Goldie, summoning her to New York. A demanding woman with a sharp tongue and a devotion to fashion and etiquette, Goldie has not softened in the five years since she and her granddaughter last spoke. Published by William Morrow, February 2013
	Garden Perennials for the Coastal South Barbara Sullivan "A fundamental volume for gardeners in that hot and humid stretch from the Gulf Coast of Texas to Tidewater Virginia. This attractive and authoritative guide covers everything from companion plantings to 'fail-safe' perennials." —American Gardener Published by UNC Press, October 2003
	Waxwings Daniel Nathan Terry "The world of Waxwings is singed with a desire so potent even 'a rumor of fire/could reduce the neighborhood to ash.' Overhead, birds are 'feverish and thin as thorns.' Even the peach orchard burns. Yes, we are led down dangerous paths, but trust the poet will hold our hand through the deepest brush, brush at times ablaze. This is poetry at its hottest and most naked, a gorgeous book wrought from all of our fiercest ardors." -- Kristin Bock, author of Cloisters Published by Lethe Press, July 2012 Show More Show Less
	Capturing the Dead Daniel Nathan Terry Stevens Poetry Manuscript Winner "The language of this stunningly accomplished debut collection is more haunting than the images of the dead in war that it captures. The formal control; the Civil War iconography; the dates, time, and locations are apparitions behind the emotion at the center of these poems. Don't be fooled by the look back into history; these poems are relevant today and resonate with us. Terry's images will burn on your retina like film developing in a dark room and we will remember these poems like we remember the fallen figures it commemorates. Indeed, holding Capturing the Dead in my hands, I echo the words of the poet: 'I cannot look at you and igonore this/light....'" —A. Van Jordan (author of M-A-C-N-O-L-I-A and Quantum Lyrics) Published by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies Press, April 2008
	Nothing Left to Burn Jay Varner A deeply moving story of a young boy (and later, young man) struggling to get closer to his father—the fire chief, a local hero in the small Pennsylvania town in which they lived—who seemed never to be there when he needed him, and who died when he was still only a child. After college he returns home to work on the local newspaper and ends up exploring his blue-collar family's history with and fascination for fire; his father a fire chief; his grandfather a convicted arsonist; himself a reporter assigned to cover the local fire and accident news. Nothing Left to Burn is a memoir about the kinds of secrets we don't even want to tell ourselves. "The flames of Nothing Left to Burn cast darkness as well as light, but Jay Varner has an eye for humanity reminiscent of the late Larry Brown, and redemption—startling and hollow-eyed but redemption nonetheless—is an ember that will not be put out." —Michael Perry, author of Population 485 and Coop: A Family, A Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg Published by Algonquin Books, September 2010
	*Human Resources* Jesse Waters "Human Resources is a collection of brutal honesty shot through with longing. Waters keeps a close eye fixed on the personal while his poems wrestle history, faith, the darkness and absurdity of the human condition. Waters is a wonderful poet—at turns funny and heartbreaking—and certainly one to watch for the long haul." —Julianna Baggott Published by Ink Brush Press, February 2011