Education

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Ph.D. in English/Creative Writing, University of North Carolina--Greensboro

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M.A. in English/Creative Writing, Colorado State University

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B.A. in English, Mars Hill College, NC

 

Teaching Experience

 

Professor of English, Brevard College, Brevard, NC  1978-2018

 

Classes taught: Beginning Creative Writing, Poetry Writing, Wilderness Literature,
    Literature and the Arts,  American and British Literature

 

Publications

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Books

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The Best Material for the Artist in the World: Albert Bierstadt--A Biography in Poems 

      Stephen F. Austin State University Press, 2023

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If Not These Things,  Kelsay Books, 2022

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Logic of the Lost,   Longleaf Press, 2001

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Absolute Faith, ByLine Press, 1999

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Anthologies

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Witness: Appalachia to Hatteras, 2023 & 2022, North Carolina Poetry Society, Gilbert-Chappell
        Distinguished Poet Series

 

Kakalak, nine times, Moonshine Review Press

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Pinesong, three times, North Carolina Poetry Society Awards

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Personal Story Publishing Project Series: That Southern Thing, Luck and Opportunity, 
    Curious Stuff, Twists and Turns, Lost and Found, Sooner or Later, Now or Never

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Old Mountain Press: Webster's Reading Room, Enjoy the Holidays,
    The Cataloochee Bridge, Old Tales, After the Storm, Down By the Sea

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A Gathering of Poets, Jacar Press

 

Runes: Signals, Arctos Press

 

Lights in the Mountains: Stories, Essays, and Poems by Writers Living in and Inspired by

     the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Winding Path Publishing

 

Poetry

 

Poems published in Appalachian Heritage, Asheville Poetry Review, Blueline, Blue Mountain Review, Blue Pitcher, Broad River Review, ByLine Magazine, Canary, A Carolina Literary Companion, Charlotte Poetry Review, Cold Mountain Review, College English, Crucible, Cumberland Poetry Review, Diagram, Ekphrasis, The Ekphrasis Review, Flying South, The Greensboro Review, The GSU Review, I-70 Review, Library Love Letter, Litmosphere, The Lyricist, Main Street Rag,  Montana Mouthful, Naugatuck River Review, North Carolina Literary Review, Ocean State Review, Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Pisgah Review,  Redheaded Stepchild, Rockvale Review, Sandhills Review, Stone Poetry Journal, Tar River Poetry, Teach-Write, Thema, THINK: A Journal of Poetry, Fiction, and Essays, Twelve Winters Journal, Weber: The Contemporary West, Willawaw Journal, Willows Wept Review, The Worcester Review, Word Journal.

 

Recognition

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2024  Winner, Outstanding Poetry Book, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Award

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2024  Honorable Mention, Brockman-Campbell Book Award, North Carolina Poetry Society

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2024, 2023 & 2021  Poetry in Plain Sight selection, North Carolina Poetry Society

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2023  2nd Place in Poetry, Flying South Contest, Winston-Salem Writers

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2023  Finalist, Lit/South Awards, Charlotte LIT

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2023, 2022, 2015 & 1999 Pushcart Prize nominations

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2023 & 2022  Distinguished Poet, Western Region, Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series, NCPS 

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2022 & 2021  Finalist, Rash Award in Poetry, Broad River Review

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2021  Finalist, Narrative Poetry Contest, Naugatuck River Review

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2020  Honorable Mention, Poetry of Courage Award, North Carolina Poetry Society

 

2019 Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference, Truchas NM

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2000 to 2018  I. B. Seese Distinguished Service Professor of English and Creative Writing, Brevard College

 

2018 Honorable Mention, R. T. Smith Narrative Poetry Prize, Cold Mountain Review

 

2017 Finalist, James Applewhite Poetry Prize, North Carolina Literary Review

 

2016 & 2009 Finalist, Iowa Review Poetry Contest

 

2011, 2009 & 2008 Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences residency

 

2004 First Place, Word Journal Poetry Prize

 

2002 & 1999 Vermont Studio Center residency

 

2001 First Prize, Longleaf Press Poetry Chapbook Competition

 

2000 Virginia Center for the Creative Arts residency

 

1999 First Prize, GSU Review (Georgia State) National Writing Award in Poetry

 

1999 First Prize, ByLine Magazine National Poetry Chapbook Competition

 

1999 Writers’ Conferences and Centers scholarship to attend Bread Loaf Writers' Conference

 

Academic Service

 

2016 – 2018  Director, Looking Glass Rock Writers’ Conference, Brevard College

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