Anybody feeling like this leaf today? We’re there with you.
What I like about this image (which is from our website’s Unsplash library) is that it applies to both sides of what I’m feeling—like something small, maybe even lonely, clinging to what is known, but, also, like something delicate and incredibly strong, that won’t move until it’s ready. I carried around an old Rob Brezny horoscope for many years that talked about a huge, old tree that fell and the tiny, perfect bird’s nest that survived. It was exactly this idea that kept it in my wallet. The acknowledgment of the strength that we sometimes overlook. The delicate, the small, and the tender.
Similarly, we’re working to keep our sights on the good as much as possible over here. At the beginning of the year, we made lists of our 2024 highlights and what we’re looking forward to in 2025. This is our road map for the next year and beyond and we’re sharing some of those things below. We’d love to hear from any of you by email, on socials, or otherwise about what made you glow last year and what you are anticipating bringing light in this year.
A small reminder that the best way for you to support us is to support our authors and bookstore friends. Add links to your favorite store(s) and/or Bookshop.org to your site. Buy a book you love for someone else that you think would enjoy it. Tell people about books and authors that you think are knocking it out of the park. You have more power than you know.
If you have questions about the book world or any of our authors or projects, or we can do something to support your work, please reach out. As always, thanks for reading!
—Lauren
2024 Highlights
We had a busy year! These are a few of the things that made the last trip around the sun special for us.
SO. MANY. INCREDIBLE. INVITATIONS! We visited with the fab folks of Charlotte Readers Podcast, Katey Schultz’s Writeability crew, Shelli Johannes’s SCBWI group, our local Creative Mornings gathering (run by the amazing Brandy Bourne), the inaugural Punch Bucket Lit Fest in Asheville, and...
The Western Carolina Spring Literary Festival in Cullowhee. This included a wonderful panel with Robin Miura of Blair, Kate Arden McMullen of Hub City Press, and Laura Traister, plus readings and conversations with Jeremy Jones, Ron Rash, Ann Pancake, Jericho Brown, Lyz Lenz, Maria Zoccola, Whitney Waters, Carter Sickels, and more. Which led to…
Zoccola’s awesome essay “What’s Left Out: The Poems That Haunt a Collection from the Outside,” with its h/t to a conversation with Lauren, in the January/February 2025 issue of Poets & Writers magazine.
The above illustrates another highlight of 2024: connection. We made some fun new connections and got to spend time with many of our existing connections. As you know, being in community with you all is ALWAYS a highlight for us.
Speaking of which, we continued to publish this newsletter regularly, every other month, with wonderful response from you! THANK YOU!
2025 Anticipations
There are a lot of things to be excited about in this coming year, especially watching the books we’re working on enter the world and connect with readers.
Another on our list is the North Carolina Writers Network Spring Conference. One of those great invites we got in 2024 was for the NCWN’s Fall Conference here in Asheville. Then, Helene came through. The amazing team at NCWN hustled to reschedule and re-home the Fall Conference and switch the Asheville visit to Spring. We are beyond thrilled that we still get to see so many great book folks in our hometown and teach about making the most of author events. We’d love to see you there!
Welcome Eliza-Hope!
Thanks to the folks at UNCA’s Career Center, we welcome our latest intern to the Gold Leaf team, Eliza-Hope.
Eliza-Hope is currently working towards a BFA in Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina Asheville. She works in many creative fields, including prose, poetry, visual art, and vocal performance. She is the recipient of the 2024 Topp-Gillot Poetry Award and the Co-Founder of Velvetine Magazine. After years of adventure in Childcare and the service industry, she has arrived in the Literary world with hopes to forge community, connection, and conversation through her work.
For Your Listening Pleasure
ICYMI: some music and book talk (rather than BookTok).
Zack Vernon’s Spotify playlist for Our Bodies Electric.
David Allen Voyles on Asheville’s WordPlay 1/19 (Poe’s birthday!) talking about his novel, Edgar.
Upcoming Events
All times are Eastern, and all events free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Alan Gratz Virtual School Visit
Crowdcast, join from anywhere or watch the replay!
Tuesday, January 21 @ 1pm
Terry Roberts launches The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape
In conversation with Denise Kiernan
Citizen Vinyl, Asheville, NC
Tuesday, January 21 @ 7pm
David Voyles launches Edgar
Malaprop’s, Asheville, NC
Wednesday, January 22 @ 6pm
Andrew Clark and Nathan Ballingrud
City Lights Bookstore, Sylva, NC
Saturday, January 25 @ 3pm
Andrew Clark in conversation with Charles Dodd White
Union Ave. Books, Knoxville, TN
Sunday, January 26 @ 3pm
Alan Gratz Virtual School Visit
Crowdcast, join from anywhere or watch the replay!
Thursday, February 13 @ 11am
As always, please feel free to share this with anyone you think would enjoy it. We appreciate you and our lush literary ecosystem so much!
Connect with us on social media! @goldleafliterary
“In winter, I plot and plan. In spring, I move.” —Henry Rollins