Does Modern Literature Have Anything to Say?

What are the compelling stories speaking to our times? One of literature’s great Southern authors addresses the question.

Wiley Cash is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of four novels, the founder of This Is Working, an online creative community, and host of the Our State Book Club podcast. He’s the recipient of many literary awards, including the Thomas Wolfe Book Prize, Southern Book Prize, and the American Library Association Book of the Year.

Published in 2021, Cash’s novel When Ghosts Come Home was a national bestseller and one of Amazon’s top 20 books of the year. The Last Ballad, published in 2017, received numerous awards as best book of the year.

He currently teaches creative writing and literature at the University of North Carolina-Asheville. He holds a Ph.D. in American Literature from UL-Lafayette, an M.A. in English from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and a B.A. in Literature from UNC-Asheville.

Moderated by Judy Goldman

Judy Goldman is the author of seven books – three memoirs, two novels, and two collections of poetry. Her latest memoir, Child: A Memoir was named a must-read by Katie Couric Media. Goldman has been published in The Southern Review and Kenyon Review. She has many literary awards, including the Hobson Award for Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Letters.

Connect. Consider. Ignite. The program runs from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM including time for conversation, connections, and Q&A. Book signing to follow.