Asheville Poet to Read in Hiawassee

This month, Writers’ Night Out features poet Tracey Schmidt in an evening of literary and musical entertainment. The event takes place at Green to Bean Coffee House in Hiawassee on Friday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. Those who’d like to share their own poetry or fiction can participate in the Open Microphone portion of the program which follows Schmidt’s reading. Music will be provided by hammered dulcimer player Mary Sparks.

Schmidt’s first book of poetry, I Have Fallen in Love with the World, has just been released. She has taught creativity at Julia Cameron’s (author of The Artist's Way) Taos Creativity Camp and continues to teach in the Asheville area, where she now lives. Schmidt attended college in Atlanta, studying literature and photography. At the age of 19, she moved to Japan to live in a Buddhist monastery. Her spiritual practices there awakened a desire to return to the U.S. in search of a tradition that was as authentic and indigenous here as Buddhism has been in Japan. Her photography exhibit, The Awakening of Turtle Island: Portraits of Native Americans was the result. It opened in Atlanta for the Olympics and has toured over 16 museums in the southeast, including the Cherokee Museum of the American Indian. It will begin a national tour in 2012.

Writers’ Night Out takes place the second Friday evening of each month. Green to Bean Coffee House is located at 538 Bell Creek Road in Hiawassee, next to the Humane Society Thrift Shop and across from McDonald’s. Come early to get a seat: The event has been well attended by enthusiastic audiences. The evening is free and open to the public. Light snacks and refreshments, including coffees from freshly roasted beans, are available for purchase.

Those interested in reading at the Open Mic may sign up at the event. Each writer will have three minutes to read. For more information, please contact Karen Holmes at (404) 316-8466 or kpaulholmes@gmail.com, or call Green to Bean at 706-896-4524.