Pisgah Press Authors Reading at Grateful Steps Bookstore

Grateful Steps, the Asheville bookstore and publishing imprint on S. Lexington Avenue, will present three authors from another Asheville-based publisher, Pisgah Press (www.pisgahpress.com), reading from their works on December 1 from 5:30-7 p.m.

Acclaimed Asheville writer Michael Hopping, Fairview-based poet Donna Lisle Burton, and Spartanburg novelist Sarah-Ann Smith will read, discuss their books, and sign copies at the reading and reception, which is free and open to the public.

Pisgah Press editor in chief A.D. Reed says, “We’re all grateful to Grateful Steps for opening their doors for this joint reading highlighting these authors. It’s an ideal opportunity for area readers to hear local writers read from their work, and of course we hope folks will want to buy books for their holiday gift lists.”

Sarah-Ann Smith

Sarah-Ann Smith

Smith, a retired Foreign Service officer, wrote the international novel Trang Sen over a period of two decades. While set primarily in Vietnam and Washington, DC during the 1970s, Trang Sen has been described as a historical novel, a classic romance, and a timeless coming-of-age novel. It is literary fiction at its best and is becoming a popular choice for book clubs.

Reviewers say: “a historical novel that rings true to that troubling time.” (Carol Currie, Citizen-Times); “The Vietnamese setting and characters are brought sharply to life.” (Mary Beth Mills, author of Thai Women in the Global Labor Force.” “…will give American readers a fuller understanding of the people we fought among for so many years but never really knew.” (Arnold R. Isaacs, author of Without Honor and Vietnam Shadows. (Trang Sen – Pisgah Press, May 2012; $19.50)

Michael Hopping

Michael Hopping

Hopping is the author of MacTiernan’s Bottle, a short-story collection described by reviewers as “a rich mix of story gems and intellectual amalgams” (Rob Neufeld); “[T]he mother lode” (Elizabeth Lutyens, editor of The Great Smokies Review); and “lean, unpredictable, compassionate and edgy” (Marcianne Miller, Rapid River).

After a career as a psychiatrist and medical director for a community mental health center, Hopping turned to writing fulltime. His work has appeared in Spoiled Ink, The Great Smokies Review, fresh, and the Mad Hatters’ Review blog. A novel, Meet Me In Paradise, was published in 2007. His website is www.michaelhopping.com. (MacTiernan’s BottlePisgah Press, December 2011; $14.95)

Donna Lisle Burton

Renowned poets who have read Donna Burton’s Letting Go: Collected Poems 1983-2003 have described it in glowing terms. NC Poet Laureate Cathy Smith Bowers writes, “Reading the poems of Donna Lisle Burton is like happening upon a cache of tender and beautifully crafted love letters.” Pat Riviere-Seel, winner of the 2009 Roanoke-Chowan Award for Poetry adds, “Do not be misled by the title: once you start reading, there will be no Letting Go.”

Trudy Barreras, in her review on Amazon.com, wrote, “Poetry, by its very nature, is to be lived and absorbed, and reflected on privately and shared lovingly and not critically… The wisdom of maturity and life experience is what makes Donna Burton’s work…so rich, textured and poignant. Anyone who wants a heartfelt glimpse into both painful reality and joy, and loves poetry, should definitely read it.”

Burton grew up in eastern Ohio but has lived in the South for most of her life, working as a special education teacher in Montgomery and Tuskegee, Alabama, and in Greenville, SC. Her poems have appeared in Atlanta Review, Illuminations, Potpourri, Main Street Rag, Kalliope and The Licking River Review. An accomplished painter, portraitist, and photographer, she lives in Fairview with her husband, Alan. (Letting Go – Pisgah Press, Feb. 2012; $14.95)

A.D. Reed

Reed will also be on hand with his reference text, Reed’s Homophones, described by renowned author David Madden as “the handiest, quick reference on the subject.” Sharon Shervington, former editor of the International Edition of The Wall Street Journal, writes, “This slim gem of a book belongs on every reference shelf, whether for the professional writer or those who write simply for pleasure. This is an invaluable addition for those who love accuracy and polish in their writing. Written with a deft touch and flourishes of humor, this book should not be missed.” (Reed’s Homophones – Pisgah Press, August 2012; $10.00)

The reading and reception is free and open to all. For more details, call or visit Grateful Steps Bookshop, 159 South Lexington Avenue, downtown Asheville, at (828) 277-0998; or contact Pisgah Press by email at [email protected] or by phone at (828) 301-8968.