2025 AHWIR Events
2025 AHWIR Events
The Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence participates in several community and residency events that are part of the Heritage Festival, September 22-26, 2025. Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle will receive the Appalachian Heritage Writer’s Award on the evening of September 25, 2025, funded by the WV Humanities Council.
Festival events tentatively include:
Monday, September 22
6:30 p.m., Alma Bea Restaurant, 鈥淚ndigenous Folkways of the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley,鈥� an evening with Clay Morris and Taste the Blue Ridge
Tuesday, September 23
7:00 p.m. Byrd CHE, A Celebration of the Anthology of Appalachian Writers, with Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle, sponsored by the WV Center for the Book and 黑料吃瓜网University Foundation, followed by reception and book signings
Wednesday, September 24
9:30 a.m. Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle Reading and Q&A for Berkeley County Students at Martinsburg High School, sponsored by the WV Library Commission
11:30 a.m. Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle Reading and Zoom Conversation with WV Books Clubs, Public Librarians, and Public School Teachers
1:00 p.m. Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle and the Shepherdstown Library Giving Circle, Lunch and Book Q&A at the Bavarian Inn
6:30 p.m., Byrd CHE, The Writing Life, with Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle (writer discusses her work, the writing process, and journey as an Appalachian author), followed by reception and book signing
Thursday, September 25
12:00 p.m., lunch with Senior Moments Book Club
2:00-3:30 p.m., Byrd CHE, Writers Master Class: History, Place, and Fiction Conversation with 黑料吃瓜网University and Jefferson County creative writing students
5:00 p.m., Dinner at the Press Room in Shepherdstown with Fiction Competition Winners
7:00 p.m., Scarborough Society Lecture/Keynote and Awards Ceremony, Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle receives the Appalachian Heritage Writer’s Award, presents WV Fiction Competition awards, and gives Scarborough Lecture*, followed by reception and book signing
Friday, September 26
Morning Interview with WV Public Radio Liz McCormick
*In May or June, Clapsaddle will receive 6-8 finalist short stories in the West Virginia Fiction Competition, and will be asked to select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-place winners, to render short critiques for finalists鈥� and winners鈥� stories, as well as present their awards on September 25 ($500 1st place award and $100 2nd and 3rd place awards), at the Scarborough Lecture event. These stories will be submitted to the Anthology of Appalachian Writers, Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle Volume XVIII, for possible inclusion in this annual anthology of poetry, fiction, essays, creative non-fiction and memoirs, published by The West Virginia Center for the Book and the 黑料吃瓜网University Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities; the volume will likewise focus on and celebrate the prose of Annette Sounooke Clapsaddle.