Tis the Season: A Poetry and Prose Anthology 

70 pages perfect bound featuring 51 writers from across the country: $15.00 + $2.75 P&H add an additional $.50 per additional book.

    Old Mountain Press
    85 John Allman Ln.
    Sylva, NC 28779

Now available in Kindle format for $2.99.


 


 
 

Upcoming Anthologies

 

About the book

Anything about Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, or Valentine's Day or winter/fall in general.

Sample of the work:

SUMMER’S END

     Shelby Stephenson

 

Now summer weighs the balance of the year,

And fall seems more than a swirling of leaves;

From the Plankhouse on the hill three rooms breathe

Different light, a darkness crystal clear,

Like blanket-cover beds wear to sleep warm

And promote sweet dreams the whole night long.

 

I’ve felt the turning of the seasons draw

The dogwood to April’s rain where it grew

And bloomed in white as Jesus in that coup

Which pierced the springtime through to climb the cross;

Braved on the wood in anguish of Hanged Man,

He was its own most suffering Serviceman.

 

There was resurrection in Cow Mire’s ferns

Which shed their fringy fronds against big oaks

Long time ago. Wild turkeys do not poke

Their heads in composure to make us yearn

For throw-downs, picking parlors, the old-time

Ways the cultural gains sway to hold tight

 

The big red fox jumped to run dogs come fall,

All thirty-five, yow-yowing, padding feet

Finding fallen leaves complete, and with neat,

Slobbery music with open eyes all

Red to keep the hunters blowing their horns

Like orchestras, fabulous sunny morns.

 

The season’s end for sure does make the cause

We seek along the climate changes now,

But for the past’s always imagined prowl.

"And comes that other fall we name the fall."

It can come out of a preacher’s sermon

In pulpits with grace to be determined.

 


Shelby Stephenson, former Poet Laureate of North Carolina, lives on Paul's Hill, about ten miles northwest of Benson, NC. Stephenson's latest book is Nin’s Poem (St.Andrews University Press).

 

 

O Christmas Tree

Barbara Ledford Wright

 

IT WAS THE third Tuesday before Christmas. In the kitchen we peeped around the red gingham curtains. Snow sprinkled the ground on Swaims Road. It clung like a dusting of powdered sugar on the magnificent pyramid-shaped hemlock trees that resembled large Christmas trees. Even the brown cones that hung from branches looked like small ornaments. These beautiful trees contributed greatly to the enjoyment of all of us. Some of them, on the ridge behind our house, reached 200 feet.

     But the hemlocks were in danger, and Swaims Road neighbors intended to do something about it. That evening the Master Gardeners would meet at my parents’ home. Velma Moore was to speak about saving the hemlocks. She was Clay County’s extension agent. She wanted to make the public aware of what the county would look like without our favorite trees. The trees were dying because of an infestation of an invasive insect that had been accidentally brought in from Asia.

     By all means Mama said we should bake Christmas cookies for the meeting, and have spiced tea. So my sister, Brenda Kay, Mama, and I went through the recipes and pulled out the ingredients. We created our own snowstorm. White flour, baking powder, and soda sifted all over the place, but enough into the mixing bowl. Brenda Kay robbed the hen house and added fresh eggs to the batter. Scents filled the air: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, lemon and vanilla. The electric mixer hummed. Mama instructed us, stopped some missteps, such as when I started to pour salt into the mixture instead of sugar. Cookies baked like a production line.

     Meanwhile, a car crunched on the snow. Velma Moore threw open the door, and followed her nose. She chomped several cookies, and brought good news. She said, "As a consequence of this meeting, we’ll save the hemlocks." We joined in singing "O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches’"


BARBARA LEDFORD WRIGHT’S work appears in several Old Mountain Press anthologies (two Pushcart Prize nominations: Looking for Santa and Holiday Celebrations.) Her work is in several anthologies and journals, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, Express Yourself 101 Vol 2 For Your Eyes Only, Kaleidoscope, Fireflies and June Bugs, Yesterdays Magazette, Carolina Country, Field Mules and Buttermilk Cornbread ,Guidepost: Angles on Earth, and others. Barbara presently resides in Shelby, NC.

 

 


About the Authors 


A

JoAnna Arnold, an enthusiastic French and Spanish teacher, is a regular contributor to anthologies for Old Mountain Press. She earned a Master of French Studies from Auburn University and a Master of Education from UAB. She also holds certifications in Spanish, English, and ESOL.  When not teaching, she prefers to nurture her insatiable love for travel throughout Europe and Latin America. Arnold lives in Americus, Georgia, with her husband Bob and their three children.

 

Penny L. Arrowood is a paper artist, art instructor, event designer, and poet residing in southeastern, NC among the whisper of pine trees and the rustling of paper. She routinely examines the world around her through the lens of “handfuls of haiku.” Penny is a regular contributor/reader at local Open Mic events, and has an eternal gratitude for the home crowd at The Coffee Scene. Her art and words can be viewed at her website: www.artpaperlove.com She lives just outside of Fayetteville, NC.

B

Marcia Hawley Barnes’ publishing credits include “Tightrope” in Stone, River, Sky: An Anthology of Georgia Poems, Negative Capability Press.  Ms. Barnes’ published a heritage cookbook, The Little Book of Secret Family Recipes in 2007.  Tobijah, a children’s book was published in 2016 by Catch the Spirit of Appalachia Press which earned Ms. Barnes the Georgia Author of the Year Award in the Children’s Book Category in 2017.  The author lives in Towns County, GA.

 

Frederick W. Bassett found a new life in creative writing after retiring from academia. In addition to writing a few new poems this year, he has finished the third novel of a trilogy he started years ago. His current plan is to publish the second and third novel (Honey from a Lion and The Winter is Past) under the title A Time to Love Anew. Together, they extend the story of the coming-of-age protagonist of South Wind Rising into middle age. Yes, it’s a love story but much more in a number of ways. Fred lives in Greenwood, SC.

 

Marcie Behm-Bultz is a population scientist who bases her poetry in human geography and exotic locations. Her literary work has been featured in multiple publications, including seven Old Mountain Press anthologies, Borderlines, and the South Carolina Writer’s Association 2018 Petigru Review. She resides near the Savannah River in SC.

 

Joann Bishop resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina.  She is trying to finish up the remainder of her poem books titled "Family and Wildlife Critters", "Family Picture Poems", and "Nature in Her Elements" in between care giver for her youngest granddaughter.  Joann also is an avid mystery reader.

C

Vicki Collins teaches English at the University of South Carolina Aiken where she is the director of the writing center. Her passion is Appalachian literature, and she is currently working on a book about the work of Charles Frazier. She lives in Graniteville, SC.

D

Phebe Davidson’s most recent book, What Holds Him to this World,(96 Press, 2013) is the winner of that year’s South Carolina Poetry Archives Prize. She is a contributing editor at Tar River Poetry and a staff writer for The Asheville Poetry Review. She holds a number of poetry awards, among them the Kinloch Rivers, Amelia, Soundpost Press and Ledge Press manuscript prizes. Still up to her neck in poems, she lives in Greenville, South Carolina.

 

Tom Davis’s publishing credits include Poets Forum, The Carolina Runner, Triathlon Today, Georgia Athlete, The Fayetteville Observer’s Saturday Extra, A Loving Voice Vol. I and II, Special Warfare., and Winston- Salem Writers’ POETRY IN PLAIN SIGHT program for May 2013 (poetry month). He’s authored the following books: The Life and Times of Rip Jackson; A children’s coloring book, Pickaberry Pig’s First Day of School, The Patrol Order; and an action adventure novel, The R-complex. Tom has recently completed his memoir. He lives in Webster, NC.

 

Nancy Dillingham’s poetry, short fiction, and commentaries have appeared in many publications. She is the author of eleven books and chapbooks, co-editor of four anthologies of WNC women writers, collaborator on Reflections in a River: Photographs by Joan Medlicott Haiku by Nancy Dillingham, and a fictional memoir Buried Lives: Memoir of a Survivor. Her latest book is Like Headlines: New and Selected Poems. Her poetry book Home was nominated for a SIBA. Nancy lives in Asheville, NC.

F

Dena M. Ferrari is a regular contributor to OMP, Dena’s poetry are featured in Westchester Community College of NY Phoenix (1975), Writers Alliance Poets World-Wide anthologies has many of her published works. Dena’s own books, Poems From the Hearth (2010) Come Closer My Dearies (2013), Charmed Times Three (2015), and her newest book Wyld Earth Magick (2018) shows diversified writing styles, leaving a Living Legacy for her grandchildren. She and her husband, Peter live in Vass, NC.

 

Ann Fogelman , has a graduate degree in Public Health Nutrition. During WWII she served in the WAVES. Her work has appeared in The Noble Generation, That Thing You Do, Pets Across America, Texas Poetry Calendar , Boundless , OMP Anthologies and school publications. Ann is a member of Bay Area Writers League , Poetry Society of Texas  and Osher Lifetime Learning Institute at UTMB, Galveston, TX. Ann lives in Friendswood, TX.

 

Joanne Kennedy Frazer is a retired peace and justice director and educator for faith-based organizations at state, diocesan and national levels. Penning life’s passions into poetry is the delight of her silvering years. Her work has appeared in several Old Mountain Press anthologies, Poetic Portions 2015 anthology, Soul-lit Journal of Spiritual Poetry, Postcard Poems and Prose Magazine, Panoply Literary Zine, Snapdragon Journal, Whirlwind Magazine, Spank the Carp,and Kakalak 2017. She lives in Durham. NC.

 

Lynda Fredsell enjoys writing personal essays for Old Mountain Press and OLLI quarterly journals. She is presently compiling a memoir for her grandchildren. When not writing, Lynda enjoys attending OLLI classes at Furman University, playing chess, volunteering in her church and community, and cat-sitting for her sons in Charleston and Atlanta. Lynda lives in Greenville, SC, with a yard full of birds and white squirrels.

 

Peggy Dugan French is a California girl with Minnesota roots. She has been the editor of the small print zine Shemom since 1997. Her work has appeared in Lilliput, bear creek haiku, Shemom and Whispers. She has worn many hats over the years, but raising her children has been one of her greatest pleasures. Peggy lives in Cardiff, CA, with her husband, cat and wild garden and blogs at peggyduganfrench.com

G

James Gibson, Northville, Michigan, featured Native American culture in the five novels in his “Anasazi Quest” series. His eighth novel, To Live or Die in Taiwan was published in February, 2018. Review all his books at www.PentacleSPresS.com. Anasazi Princess and Anasazi Journey are now available as E-Books on Amazon.com.

 

Marian Gowan is author of Notes from the Trunk, published by Old Mountain Press. Her work has appeared in many Old Mountain Press anthologies and southern regional publications. She retired to the NC mountains from western NY in 2001, but in 2017, returned to western NY to be near family.  (mariangowan1@bellsouth.net)

 

Farley Granger thinks more than he writes, and he writes more than he sees other people. He grew up in a depressed country town and understands the struggles of poor, heartland folks. But he has a lot of hope. Farley lives in La Grange, NC.

 

Robin Greene is Director of the Writing Center, and Professor of English and Writing at Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC. She is co-founder and editor of Longleaf Press, publishes regularly in literary journals, and her latest novel, The Shelf Life of Fire, is due out April 2019. Greene’s collection of birthing narratives, Real Birth: Women Share Their Stories, is available through Amazon.

H

Kerri Mai Habben is a writer in Raleigh, NC. She is a graduate of Peace College and North Carolina State University. Her work has been included in the News and Observer and regularly appears in publications throughout the United States and Canada. She enjoys writing fiction and creative nonfiction in addition to her love of poetry.

 

Catherine Murphy Smith Haymore is a native of Columbus, OH. She attended Whitehall-Yearling HS and Ohio State U. She presently lives in North Carolina where she is active in the Writers' Ink Guild. She devotes most of her spare time to quilting, rock-hounding, and poetry.

 

Joseph Haymore is a wannabe poet near Fayetteville, NC. His inclusion in this anthology cleverly uses the haiku format for the title and the poem is a sonnet. These are his attempts at illustrating his poetic acumen to the Old Mountain Press.

K

Jo Koster lives, writes, and teaches in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She hopes that a new chapbook of her poems will appear next year. As she approaches retirement, she looks forward to spending more time working on her poetry and less on bureaucracy. Her cat Max approves of this plan.

L

Cindy Larson, a native of Fargo, North Dakota, lived with her husband, Jerry, in Connecticut for 33 years. They found Glassy Mountain, Landrum, South Carolina, to be their favorite location for the past 17 years and are now residents of The Woodlands at Furman, Greenville, SC.

 

Blanche L. Ledford resides in Hayesville, NC. Her work has appeared in many Old Mountain Press anthologies and other journals. Her book, Planting by the Signs, won the Paul Green Multimedia Award from NC Society of Historians.

 

Brenda Kay Ledford resides in Hayesville, NC. Her work has appeared in many journals and 37 Old Mountain Press anthologies. Her latest poetry book, Red Plank House, is upcoming with Kelsay Books.

M

Al Manning is a retired Naval Officer and a retired college instructor. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the North Carolina Writers’ Network and is the network representative for Chatham and Lee counties. Al lives in Pittsboro, NC.

Mona Miracle, before settling in Asheville, NC,  was a featured presenter at South Florida Poetry Society, and a four-category winner in Florida Freelance Writers Annual Competition.  www.monaraemiracle.com  displays excerpts of her published works, including the novel Wesley’s Gift, for reading; and Amazon has available her books in both ebook and print formats. Developing a non-fiction book for next spring, Mona is currently researching elder-ager woes and wows.

 

Celia Hooper Miles, a native of Jackson County in western NC, lives in Asheville. She attended Brevard and Berea colleges and has graduate degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and IUP in Pennsylvania. She taught at Brevard College and retired from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. She writes in various genres; her women-oriented fiction reflects her interest in old grist mills and Neolithic sites around the world. Her published works include nine novels and two short story collections. www.celiamiles.com

O

Linda Odom began her journey in Macon, GA, and currently lives in Nashville, TN, where she is a clinical psychologist in private practice. She recently published her memoir, What Love Is. Visit her web site, www.lindaodom.com

 

Bev Ohler’s life has been focused on the theater—teaching, designing, producing festivals, creating art in one form or another. She grew up in the Northeast, but most of her life has been spent on the campus of Warren Wilson College. She has written five books. Her stories have been included in many anthologies, magazines and publications, including this one. She lives in Black Mountain.

 

Karen O’Leary is a writer and editor from West Fargo, ND. She has published poetry, short stories, and articles in a variety of venues including, Frogpond, A Hundred Gourds, bear creek haiku, Shemom, Creative Inspirations and NeverEnding Story. She edited an international online journal called Whispers http://whispersinthewind333.blogspot.com  for 5 ½ years. She enjoys sharing the gift of words.

 

Martha O’Quinn has been a regular contributor to OMP anthologies for over ten years.  Her creative non-fiction and poetry originate from a true southern heritage.  In addition to OMP anthologies, her work has appeared in both print and online publications, including four anthologies edited by Celia Miles and Nancy Dillingham.  Martha and her husband recently moved from Hendersonville, NC to Loganville, GA, to be near family, including four great-grandchildren.

P

Carol Passmore lives in Durham, NC, where she is retired from working the reference desk at the Durham County Library. She enjoys reading, gardening, yoga and writing poetry. She contributed to and co-edited a book of Quaker children's stories which was translated into Russian.

 

Michael Potts is Professor of Philosophy, Methodist University, Fayetteville, North Carolina. A native of Smyrna, Tennessee, he has published three novels, two collections of poetry, and two nonfiction books as well as two short stories and numerous poems. Michael, his wife, Karen, and their eight cats live in Coats, North Carolina.

R

Estelle Darrow Rice grew up in Charlotte, NC now lives in Marble, NC  She is poet and prose writer. She is author of Quiet Times a book of spiritual poems. and co-author with Glenda Beall of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers, and Fins. Her work is widely published.  

 

Mary Ricketson, Murphy NC, inspired by nature and her work as a mental health counselor, has poetry published in Wild Goose Poetry Review, Future Cycle Press, Journal of Kentucky Studies, Lights in the Mountains, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, Red Fox Run, It’s All Relative, Old Mountain Press, Whispers, Voices, and her chapbook I Hear the River Call My Name, and two full-length collections, Hanging Dog Creek, and Shade and Shelter.

 

Lisa Rodriguez works in the marketing department of, Triad Financial Services of Jacksonville, FL. She is of Puerto Rican descent, speaks, reads and writes in both Spanish and English. Her long-time hobby has been committing her thoughts into poetry. This is her first published poem.

 

Dwight Roth is a retired elementary school teacher of 29 years, who grew up in the mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania. He enjoys writing, poetry, painting, and music. He had his work in several OMP anthologies. He has self-published four memoirs and three books of poetry and three children’s books. He has nine books or booklets on Amazon Kindle. Dwight and his wife Ruth live near Monroe, NC. He writes daily on his blog: https://rothpoetry.wordpress.com 

S

Dr. Lynn Veach Sadler, of Burlington, NC, a former college president and a Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet 2013-2015, has published 5+ academic books and 72 articles, edited 22 books and 3 national journals, and written 3 newspaper columns (1 now). Her creative writing publications are 11 poetry chapbooks and 5 full-length collections, 125+ short stories, 4 novels, a novella, 5 short story collections, and 2 nonfiction collections. Volume I (of 41 plays) was just published.

 

Marian Kaplun Shapiro, a previous contributor, is the author of a professional book, Second Childhood (Norton, 1988), a poetry book, Players In The Dream, Dreamers In The Play (Plain View Press, 2007) and two chapbooks: Your Third Wish, (Finishing Line, 2007); and The End Of The World, Announced On Wednesday (Pudding House, 2007). A Quaker, she is a practicing psychologist, specializing in the treatment of trauma. A resident of Lexington, MA, she is a five-time Senior Poet Laureate of Massachusetts. She was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2012.

 

Rishan Singh, a South African, is recognized internationally as a poet. As a writer of poems, he has contributed poetry to journals and books in South Africa and overseas. He received the Golden Key International Award for his outstanding academic accomplishments in 2008. He has also written essays, one of which made him win an award at the 2014 eThekwini Municipality Library Awards held in Durban, South Africa. He has also had science articles published.

 

Shelby Stephenson, former Poet Laureate of North Carolina, lives on Paul’s Hill, about ten miles northwest of Benson, NC. Stephenson's latest book is Nin’s Poem (St.Andrews University Press).

Lois Greene Stone, writer and poet, has been syndicated worldwide. Poetry and personal essays have been included in hard & softcover book anthologies. Collections of her personal items/ photos/memorabilia are in major museums including twelve different divisions of The Smithsonian. The Smithsonian selected her photo to represent all teens from the 1940's-50's. She lives in Pittsford, New York.

 

Nancy Swanson is a retired educator living outside Brevard, NC. Her poetry has been published in Comstock Review, Chattahoochee Review, English Journal, and South Carolina Review, among others. She and her husband share four children, a grandchild, and a love for mountain trails.

T

Barbara Tate is an award winning artist & writer. She has won the Gulf Coast Writers Assoc., (poetry division), 2nd in the United Haiku and Tanka Society’s Samurai Haibun Contest, finalist in the United Poets Laureate International Alexander Fui Sak Chang Award for free verse in Chinese or English, and most recently had a Haiku selected as one of the 6 runners up for the Museum of Haiku Literature Award and was included this year in old song The Red Moon Anthology of English Language Haiku. She currently resides in Winchester, TN.

 

Rebekah Timms lives in Greenwood, SC, and has become a regular contributor to OMP anthologies. She has four sons, seven grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. In her retirement years she has published a memoir about her mother, as well as a collection of poems entitled My Daily Walk, Finding My Place in the Soul of the Universe.

V

Gene Vickers is about to have another birthday. The novel he has completed is desperately looking for someone to publish it. The collection of short stories are also in the wings, waiting their turn. He still lives in Young Harris, GA and will unofficially retire very soon. He has no hobbies, other than work and writing. So, with work taking a back seat, the novel is excited, and the short stories are beside themselves at the thought of finally finding a home with a front and back cover.

 

W

Elizabeth Watson and husband Doug send Holiday Greetings from Greenville, SC. Their home— north or south— was the hub for feasts at all seasons. Traditions change. Now their table expands only on Christmas Eve. Her appreciation of tables dates to Thanksgivings in Cambridge, MA at her grandmother’s. That magic table was made by her talented grandfather, whom she never knew. This anthology is a gift for family now scattered making new traditions.

 

Glenda S. Wilkins grew up on a North Carolina tobacco farm, and believed she’d never live beyond the county line. Decades later, she moved with her husband to Europe for a dozen years. Her poems have been published in Europe, Great Britain, & North America. Thus far, she appreciates several poetry awards. She lives on an air strip, Winterville, NC.

 

Barbara Ledford Wright’s work appears in several Old Mountain Press anthologies (two Pushcart Prize nominations: Looking for Santa and Holiday Celebrations.) Her work is in several anthologies and journals, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, Express Yourself 101 Vol 2 For Your Eyes Only, Kaleidoscope, Fireflies and June Bugs, Yesterdays Magazette, Carolina Country, Field Mules and Buttermilk Cornbread, Guidepost: Angles on Earth, and others. Barbara presently resides in Shelby, NC.


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