Thomas Calder

“I wanted to somehow capture both the ’20s, with its jazz influence, while at the same time explore the decade’s demise — that pivotal point when things start to go south,” says author Terry Roberts, in discussing his latest novel.

Award-winning poet and Burnsville resident Pat Riviere-Seel speaks with Xpress about her life as a poet and the unique perspectives all writers bring to the page.

“Starting a business is both mentally and physically draining,” says Marjory Rockwell. “You’ll need a solid group of people who will be there for you when obstacles come your way, and when everything seems impossible and you want to quit.”

“If you start worrying about pleasing every single person, you’ll be playing the lowest common denominator of music in no time,” says Annelise Kopp (aka DJ Lil Meow Meow). “I like to focus on just a few people and move from there.”

“Surround yourself with other business owners and start-up types,” says Safi Martin, COO of Hood Huggers International. “Being an entrepreneur means looking at the world through a different lens — you need other people who see through that same lens cheering you on.”

“You have to prepare for growth before it happens,” says Melissa Blaha, owner of The Tax Raven. “It is hard to recruit, hire and train once you are buried under a mound of work.”

“It’s so easy to give up when you’re not getting the customers or clients that you want, or you’re not seeing a return on your investment,” says Tiarra Wilkie, owner of Groundbreaking Financial. “Staying consistent, disciplined and driven will play an integral role in your businesses success.”

“There aren’t a ton of women who offer both photo and video services, but we refuse to let that lack of representation hold us back,” says Eric McGrady, co-founder of Authentic Asheville.

Kaye Bentley, founder and owner of Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours, reminds entrepreneurs that all businesses take time to generate revenue.

Kaye Bentley, founder and owner of Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours, reminds entrepreneurs that all businesses take time to generate revenue.

Asheville Tool Library saw plenty of change in 2022, including a new location, says board member Stephanie Kane.

Despite the many challenges True Ridge has faced over the last 2 ½ years, its founder Lori Garcia-McCammon says the organization remains strong and determined to carry out its work.

In 2020, the Organic Growers School transitioned to a lateral executive team. The move, says Cameron Farlow, the nonprofit’s executive director, has led to a more dynamic approach to leadership.

Though Black Wall Street AVL got its start amid the COVID-19 pandemic, founder J Hackett says the organization continues to grow thanks to support from the community as well as the organization’s dedicated group of volunteers.

Xpress speaks with local writers, visual artists, musicians and other members of the creative community about the benefits humor brings to artistic projects and productions.

In this month’s poetry feature, we speak with Michael Hettich about the way poetry connects readers to the living and the dead, the art forms ability to capture the unsayable and the influential and metaphorical power nature plays in his work.

As the popularity of automobiles grew in Western North Carolina, traffic issues soon followed. One of the earliest problems involved drivers parking their cars on the trolley lines. By 1923, residents and city officials alike began seeking answers to the conundrum.

In 1923, a nursing shortage inspired plenty of discussion in multiple editions of The Asheville Citizen.

Clint Bowman shares his poem “A Real Mountain Man.”

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