110
2017
NORTH CAROLINA L I T E R A R Y RE V I E W
Expanding the North Carolina Literary Community by Margaret D. Bauer, Editor One of NCLR’s missions is to introduce new writers, and in this North Carolina Miscellany section, you’ll read reviews of books by some of those, including Matthew Griffin, whose debut novel is about two men who committed their lives to each other just after World War II, when they had to Hide (the book’s title) the nature of their relationship from their community. The novel’s tensions remind us of how far we’ve come now that gay couples can legally marry – and of a time we do not want to go back to, when some Americans were denied the right to marry whomever they love. The 2017 print issue will include Jim Coby’s interview with Griffin, so don’t forget to subscribe. Here I encourage North Carolina writers not yet covered by NCLR to send us your book for review consideration. And repeating myself (because I don’t think you can say thank you too often), I again express my appreciation of book reviewers and of professors who have recommended their graduate students for these reviews. I relish the opportunity to work with these young scholars, and I encourage other professors to direct their graduate students to my attention. Sometimes these reviews are a step to writing an interview for us, as in the case of Jim Coby. One of my missions, as many know, is to publish new writers – scholars as well as creative writers. Of course, new writers are also excited when their work is reviewed by one of North Carolina’s literary stars. Fred Chappell, for example, has reviewed some of our newest writers over the years. I hope others will follow his example. If you would be willing to review for us – new scholar seeking some publication experience or established writer wanting to give back – do not hesitate to contact me with either your genre of interest or particular books you would like to review. And I welcome interview suggestions, too.
Remember that this section of the print issue is where we publish interviews that do not fit the current or a past special feature section. Usually, you’d also find creative writing by writers new to our pages in this section, but all of the creative writing, since it is paired with samples of North Carolina’s riches in the fine arts, is in the special feature section of this issue. So I’ll take this space to call attention to the new reading period for the Alex Albright Creative Nonfiction Prize competition, which has been moved from summer to spring. (Read one of the finalists in the 2016 competition in this issue’s special feature section.) Our student staff members gain important experience managing the competition submissions, and they are not here in the summer. Working on these competitions, the students witness how excited we are on our end as the number of submissions increases, as finalists are selected, and when a judge sends us the titles of the winner and other submissions to be given special recognition. I think our enthusiasm inspires the student staff members to begin submitting their own writing to appropriate competitions, especially when they see how often finalists – and sometimes even the winner – have never published before. Working with student staff members and new scholars and creative writers, meeting the writers of old and new favorite books – how fortunate I am to have served these past two decades as editor of the North Carolina Literary Review. I will take this opportunity to remind you here that we have launched efforts to raise an endowment to secure the future of this important record of the literary history of the Old North State. Find out how you can become a Friend of NCLR. Every donation amount helps. Thank you for your support. n
Sciences Advancement Council member Judy Whichard (center), hosting an event launching NCLR’s fundraising campaign; pictured here with guest speaker Jill McCorkle (left) and NCLR Editor Margaret Bauer (right), Greenville, 23 Sept. 2016
PHOTOGRAPH BY CLIFF HOLLIS; ECU NEWS SERVICES
RIGHT ECU Harriot College of Arts and