News & Events

Ruth Dickey is the executive director of the National Book Foundation and has spent more than twenty-five years working at the intersection of community building, writing, and art. Prior to the Foundation, she served as executive director of Seattle Arts & Lectures. A builder and believer in big dreams, Dickey has had the pleasure of … Continued

Shelia Turnage grew up on a family farm in North Carolina near Tupelo Landing, where the Mo & Dale Mysteries are set, and a couple hours from Hatteras Island, where Island of Spies takes place. She decided to become a writer in first grade, when she wrote her first story. She attended East Carolina University … Continued

Sheila Sundar is a visiting assistant professor of English at the University of Mississippi and author of the forthcoming novel Habitations.

Cathy Fussell has been a practicing fiber artist for more than fifty years. She has been sewing and working with textiles since her early childhood in Buena Vista, Georgia, her hometown. Today, she maintains a studio in Columbus, Georgia, where she specializes in making art quilts and related works in fabric. Cathy retired from Columbus … Continued

Jerid P. Woods, also known as Akili Nzuri, is a writer, educator, PhD candidate, and literary influencer. He was born and raised in Natchez, Mississippi, and survives on an unwavering commitment to ignite a passion for reading in youth. He also exists as a living testimony to the power of shared stories and knowing one’s … Continued