Nora Shalaway Carpenter, Curator and Contributor
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, a new book of essays offers readers insights and inspiration from 30 nationally celebrated authors as well as notable creatives from Western North Carolina. Asheville author Nora Shalaway Carpenter curated and contributed to the collection. “I made sure to ask a substantial number of authors from WNC who were themselves impacted by Helene,” she says. “I also asked authors with whom I taught or collaborated. I know a lot more authors would have contributed if I’d asked, but everyone was so generous that the contributor list filled super-fast.”
One hundred percent of proceeds from the book will support hurricane recovery efforts in the area, with funds directed to BeLoved Asheville, an equity-focused organization turning its resources to those most affected by the storm, and to World Central Kitchen, an organization that was one of the first to arrive in the area after the disaster.
In addition, Shalaway Carpenter hopes the book will raise awareness about ongoing recovery efforts nationwide and boost morale here at home.
“This book is a tangible reminder that Western North Carolinians are still dealing with the devastation and trauma caused by Helene,” she says. “To those of us here, I hope they see the book as a validation of their continued struggle and persistence, and a testament to the incredible power of community.”
Spinning Toward the Sun: Essays on Writing, Resilience & the Creative Life, March, 2025, anthology, paperback, $19.99, curated by Nora Shalaway Carpenter, and published by Burlwood Books, Austin, TX. A reading and signing will be held Monday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Transylvania County Library, in Brevard. To learn more and to purchase a copy, visit BurlwoodBooks.com/spinning.
