The publication of Another Appalachia is met with widespread celebration, including attention in Ms. Magazine (“timely”), Scalawag (“graceful”), Still: The Journal (“beautifully rendered”), the Pittsburgh Post Gazette (“Avashia’s Appalachia is many things at once”), and Bitch Media (“evocative and thought-provoking”). The book is named to the lists “24 Must-Read LGBTQ Books Out in March” from Book Riot and “March’s Most Anticipated LGBTQIA+ Literature” from Lambda Literary.
Author Neema Avashia is interviewed at Shelf Awareness, Debutiful, Fiction Advocate, Newfound, and the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. Her book tour for Another Appalachia, which receives a mention (and photo!) in the Boston Globe, moves to Pittsburgh, Charleston, Lexington, Washington, New York, and other cities this spring.
Mark Powell’s “emotionally wrenching” novel Lioness gets a starred review in Kirkus: “This politically charged novel is haunting (and haunted) in the best possible way.” Powell, who writes about his experiences in Ukraine for Garden & Gun, will appear on May 5 with Charles Dodd White (author of A Year without Months) at a virtual launch hosted by White Whale Bookstore.
The Harlan Renaissance receives the Weatherford Award for outstanding title in Appalachian studies—the fourth consecutive year that a book from WVU has won in the nonfiction category. Author William H. Turner talks about his book with the podcast Appodlachia.
In other Weatherford news, Nicholas Stump’s Remaking Appalachia is named a finalist in the nonfiction category. Congrats to both authors!
Jason Kapcala’s Hungry Town is excerpted in the Cleveland Review, and praised for its “literary flair” in Kirkus.
Marlon James recommends The Secret Lives of Church Ladies in Elle Magazine, saying: “Not only do I know every single church lady in that book, but I’ve been at least three of them.” With her book headed for HBO Max, author Deesha Philyaw talks with Lambda Literary about adapting fiction for the screen. Philyaw will give a public keynote in Morgantown as part of the Appalachian Studies Association meeting on March 18.
At Inside Higher Ed, Joshua Eyler, author of How Humans Learn, previews work from his forthcoming WVU Press book Scarlet Letters: How Grades Are Harming Children and Young Adults, and What We Can Do About It.
And Jessamyn Neuhaus’s Geeky Pedagogy is reviewed in Recursive Reviews, which asks: “When was the last time you read a book on pedagogy that was both on point and made you laugh?”
Don’t forget that WVU Press is currently celebrating spring conference season with two sales, in Appalachian studies and fiction and literary nonfiction. Many of our new and recent books are 30% off (with free shipping) through April 30!