By Mark Rutledge | The majestic peaks, deep valleys, and peaceful blue haze of Western North Carolina are home to a network of faith-based mountain retreats and conference centers established during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of the complexes experienced damage to their historic facilities when Hurricane Helene dumped record-breaking and catastrophic amounts of rain on the region on Sept. 27, 2024 ...

By Ted Olson  | In the aftermath of the September 2024 flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, one thing was clear: Ashevillians, whether natives, longtime residents, or recent arrivals, collectively praised their city’s stunning mountain landscape and rich cultural legacy, including a distinctive music heritage. A year after Helene, officials representing the City of Asheville alongside a small team of music scholars and promoters collaborated on telling a story heretofore unto

By Miriam McEwen | This is a flash fiction piece, a first for Appalachian Places. Flash fiction is characterized by its short word count — usually under 1,000 words — but still offers plot and character development. The writer describes this piece as “dealing in themes of religious trauma, rural isolation, and ableism common to the Blue Ridge.”

By Lacy Snapp | Every October, poets from around the Tri-Cities region of East Tennessee gather on one of the first cool nights of fall to celebrate community, creativity, and craft beer. For the past five years, Atlantic Ale House, a tap room in downtown Johnson City with mostly outdoor-patio seating, has hosted the opening-ceremony toast of the Johnson City Poets Collective’s annual Poetry Contest and Pub Crawl ...

By Joseph R. Goodall | Joseph R. Goodall is a writer and civil engineer whose fiction, essays, and poetry explore the intersection of human communities and natural landscapes. His short story collection, What the Bird Sees in Flight, examines the unraveling and reunion of a strong-willed farming family. Born in New Zealand and now based in Atlanta, he draws inspiration from watersheds, local history and a diverse range of storytellers. His work has appeared in publications su