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Andrew is a writer from Western North Carolina where his people settled before the Revolutionary War.
His debut novel, Where Dark Things Grow (Cowboy Jamboree Press) was a finalist for the Manly Wade Wellman Award, shortlisted for the Sir Walter Raleigh Fiction Award, and won an IPPY from the Independent Book Publishers Awards.
The sequel, Where Dark Things Rise (Quill and Crow Publishing House) won an IndieReader Discovery Award and was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award.
His third novel, Hollow Folk, was published by Quill & Crow in September of 2026. His poetry collection, Jesus in the Trailer, was published by Main Street Rag Press. His work has appeared in The American Journal of Poetry, UCLA’s Out of Anonymity, Appalachian Review, Rappahannock Review, The Wrath Bearing Tree, and many other journals. He received his MFA from Converse University.
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Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Dylan embarked on a journey that took his solo acoustic performances from the bustling streets of London, across Europe, eventually leading him to settle in Nashville, Tennessee. Now residing in the serene southern highlands of Black Mountain, in western North Carolina, Dylan has carved a niche for himself in the music world, headlining tours across the United States, Europe & the UK.
He has shared the stage with numerous musical pioneers & has toured as the opener for a diverse range of artists including Flogging Molly, The White Buffalo & Avatar. Primarily a singer-songwriter, Dylan also sings traditional songs of the working classes & reinterprets a wide spectrum of songs in his own authentic inimitable style.
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Jamie is the writer and producer of the popular audio drama Palimpsest, the author of the werewolf murder-mystery Barking Mad (Typecast, 2011) and writer and director of the award-winning short horror films Cornerboys, The House of the Yaga, and Ratcatcher. His ghost play Grave Lullaby was a finalist for the Kennedy Center’s David Cohen Playwriting award in 2012.
Jamie’s short fiction and poetry has appeared in Strange Horizons, Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, TheNewerYork, Across the Margins, Mirror Dance, and Architrave, among others, and has been podcast on Pseudopod, Cast of Wonders, and Radio Unbound. His audio drama Highgate Wood debuted in May of 2026.
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Khalisa is an award-winning poet, author, and cultural organizer whose work uplifts and amplifies Black and queer voices in the South.
She is the author of the acclaimed poetry collection Ghost in a Black Girl’s Throat (Red Hen Press, 2021) and the sold-out play Seven Deadly Sins of Being a Woman. An accomplished performer, journalist, and playwright, her writing has appeared in Pinch, PANK, Autumn House, Jezebel, Blavity, NBC-BLK, and numerous other outlets.
Her artistry and activism have been recognized with honors including the Appalachian Arts and Entertainment Award, the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Prize, and multiple Pushcart Prize nominations.
In addition to her creative work, Rae most recently Theater and Literature Director at the North Carolina Arts Council and is the co-founder of the Griot & Grey Owl Black Southern Writers Conference, a nationally recognized platform centering Black Southern artistry.
She has three forthcoming books: Unlearning Eden (a YA novel in verse), Black & Queer in the South, and Knee Length (a poetry collection). Through her community work, Khalisa Rae continues
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Thomas is the author of The Wind Under the Door and the forthcoming novel, The Crave (Regal House Publishing, April 2028). He earned his MFA in creative writing from the University of Houston. His work has appeared in Juked, Tampa Review, Gulf Coast, West Branch, and elsewhere.
He is also a regular contributor to StorySouth. His short fiction was a semifinalist for the 2025 Doris Betts Fiction Prize and his forthcoming novel, The Crave, was a finalist for the 2025 Santa Fe Writers Project Literary Award.
Along with writing fiction, he is the managing editor of Mountain Xpress, an alt-weekly in Asheville, and the co-host of DRAFT: Artistry in Conversation with fellow author Tessa Fontaine. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and daughter.
Join us for an evening of folk horror, gothic romance, and live performance celebrating the release of Andrew K. Clark’s Hollow Folk.
Featuring performances by acclaimed poet Khalisa Rae and singer-songwriter Dylan Walshe, a book chat with Andrew and local author Thomas Calder, audience Q&A, and book signing.
Jamieson Ridenhour (the Highgate Wood Podcast) will emcee.
Costumes encouraged.
Hollow Folk is set in a crumbling mountain resort in Western North Carolina. Appalachian folk horror meets gothic romance, where the mountains are watching and the dark leaves marks.
Malaprop's Bookstore will be on site with copies of the featured authors' books available for purchase.