The Southwest Virginia Community College (Southwest) Rodd Altizer Poet-in-Residence program will be October 15-16, 2019 with writer Jane Hicks. Hicks will conduct two writing workshops at Richlands High /Middle Schools on Tuesday, October 15 at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. At 10:00 a.m., October 15. Hicks will be the guest of The Writers Group at Southwest, in the Elmes Gallery, King Community Center. That evening at 7:00 p.m. Hicks will give a public reading from her works at the Appalachian Arts Center on Rt. 19 between Claypool Hill and the SWCC campus. Her books will be for sale and available for Hicks to autograph following her reading and during the reception. On Wednesday, October 16 at 10:50 a.m., Hicks will read from her works to students, faculty and staff at Southwest in Ratliff Commons in Dellinger Hall. The public is invited to attend all these events at no charge.
Jane Hicks is a teacher, poet and fiber artist from upper East Tennessee. Her book, Blood & Bone Remember, was published by the Jesse Stuart Foundation, which won the Poetry Book of the Year 2006 Award from the Appalachian Writers Association. The Cosmic One is the inspiration for the name of a mythical Appalachian Trail hikers’ hostel in Sharyn McCrumb’s ballad novel, The Songcatcher. Hicks also served as McCrumb’s NASCAR mentor for St. Dale
Hicks’ newest book, Driving with the Dead, was a finalist for the Weatherford Award and won the Poetry Book of the Year from the Appalachian Writers Association in 2015.
The Rodd Altizer Poet-in-Residence program began when Rodd was teaching at Tazewell County Schools. A lover of poetry, Rodd wanted others to experience poetry as it is written and presented by poets. The Friends of the Richlands Library sponsored the program for many years after which the SWCC Educational Foundation, Inc. assumed sponsorship of it. John Willis continues to be instrumental in identifying poets and writers to sponsor and assists with the details of the residency. For residency information, please contact Mary W. Lawson, 276-964-7348 or mary.lawson@sw.edu or www.sw.edu.