Vitae
Education
Ph.D. in English/Creative Writing, University of North Carolina--Greensboro
M.A. in English/Creative Writing, Colorado State University
B.A. in English, Mars Hill College, NC
Teaching Experience
Over forty years at the college level
Classes taught: Beginning Creative Writing, Poetry Writing, Wilderness Literature, Literature and the Arts, American and British Literature
Publications
Books
Logic of the Lost (poetry), Longleaf Press
Absolute Faith (poetry), ByLine Press
Anthologies
Kakalak: An Anthology of Carolina Poets, nine times, Main Street Rag Publishing Co.
Pinesong, three times, North Carolina Poetry Society Awards
Luck and Opportunity, Personal Story Publishing Project Series
That Southern Thing, Personal Story Publishing Project Series
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, The Lyricist, Main Street Rag, Naugatuck River Review, North Carolina Literary Review, Ocean State Review, Pisgah Review, Rockvale Review, Sandhills Review, Teach-Write, THINK: A Journal of Poetry, Fiction, and Essays, Weber: The Contemporary West, The Worcester Review, Word Journal.
Recognition
2022 Distinguished Poet, Western Region, Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series, NC Poetry Society
2021 Finalist, Rash Award in Poetry, Broad River Review
2021 Finalist, Narrative Poetry Contest, Naugatuck River Review
2020 Honorable Mention, Poetry of Courage Award, North Carolina Poetry Society
2019 Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference, Truchas NM
2000-2018 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
2015 & 1999 Pushcart Prize nominations
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