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April 23-25, 2027

Word of South

Sarah Potenza

Sarah Potenza writes and sings roots rock n’ roll music. Rolling Stone describes Potenza as “Janis Joplin-Aretha Franklin hybrid with a mic … but a Lucinda Williams-Bonnie Raitt hybrid with a pen.” She was introduced to many as a contestant on season 8 of The Voice. Her critically praised debut album, Monster, was released in 2016. […]

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Christine Poreba

Christine Poreba’s book Rough Knowledge won the 2014 Philip Levine Prize. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. Recent honors include The Florida Review’s 2015 Editors’ Prize, a Florida Individual Artist’s Grant, and a nomination for a 2017 Pushcart Prize. Originally from New York City, she currently lives in Tallahassee with her husband and their young son. […]

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Eric Paslay

Eric Paslay delivers a powerful punch as a renowned, Platinum-selling, hit songwriter and dynamic performer. Paslay has celebrated five No. 1 hits including “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (Eli Young Band), “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” (Jake Owen), “Angel Eyes” (Love & Theft), “Rewind” (Rascal Flatts) and “Friday Night,” the smash lead single from his […]

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Nnedi Okorafor

Nnedi Okorafor is a novelist of African-based science fiction, fantasy and magical realism for both children and adults. Born in the United States to Nigerian immigrant parents, Nnedi is known for weaving African culture into creative evocative settings and memorable characters. In a profile of Okorafor’s work titled, “Weapons of Mass Creation”, the New York Times called […]

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Lydia Netzer

Lydia Netzer’s debut novel Shine Shine Shine was a New York Times Notable Book for 2012, an Amazon Spotlight Book of the Month, a Target Book Club Pick, and was shortlisted for the LA Times Book Prize in Fiction. Her most recent book, How to Tell Toledo From the Night Sky, is about fate and determinism, science and faith, and […]

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Natalie Nelson

Natalie Nelson is an illustrator and collage artist who draws, paints, bikes, and eats in Atlanta, Georgia. Her work has appeared in publications large and small. Her first picture book, The King of the Birds, was published Fall 2016 with Groundwood Books. It was illustrated by Nelson and written by Acree Macam. Her forthcoming picture book, Uncle Holland, written […]

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Mount Moriah

The North Carolina-based band Mount Moriah—composed of Heather McEntire (lead vocals, guitar), Jenks Miller (lead guitar, keys), and Casey Toll (bass, keys)—seem insistent to grow. If Mount Moriah’s self-titled debut showed them standing with sea legs, determined to dream their way free from the dark crevices and corners of alt-country’s stiff template; and if Miracle Temple, […]

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Gary Monroe

Gary Monroe, a native of Miami Beach, is professor of fine arts at Daytona State College. He has photographed throughout Brazil, Israel, Cuba, India, Trinidad, Poland, and Egypt, among other international destinations. He is best known for his long-term photographic involvements with the elderly’s old world culture of South Beach, Haiti during the end of […]

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Laura Minor

Laura Minor is the recipient of the 2016 Emerging Writers Spotlight Award at Florida State University, chosen by D.A. Powell. Her poetry has most recently appeared in Berfrois, Queen Mob’s Tea House, Hobart, and Spring Gun Press. She was a Teacher’s College Fellow at Columbia University, the recipient of the Sarah Lawrence Poetry Award, and […]

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