West Virginia Center for the Book: Appalachian Heritage Writer-In-Residence Program

The Department of English developed the Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence Program at Shepherd University to celebrate and honor the work of a distinguished contemporary Appalachian Writer.   It is made possible with financial support from the West Virginia Humanities Council, the West Virginia Center for the Book, and the Shepherd University Foundation.

One aspect of the Program is the yearly publication of the <Anthology of Appalachian WritersThis publication encourages a long-established tradition of storytelling, love of language, and creative expression associated broadly with the area of the country known as Appalachia. Though the anthology's principal mission is to provide a venue for the publication of new writers, it also provides a collection of literature and scholarship that contributes to an understanding and appreciation for the region. Poetry, fiction, memoir, heritage writers, and new voices appear in each annual volume of the anthology. The anthology is supported by The Shepherd University Foundation and The West Virginia Center for the Book. The Anthology of Appalachian Writers is part of the Appalachian Heritage WIR and Writers Project and Appalachian Studies Program. 

The volumes of the Anthology of Appalachian Writers can be found in West Virginia public libraries and are available for sale from Shepherd University Bookstore.

Click here for information on the current year's Appalachian Heritage Writer in Residence, as well as resources and teaching materials.