Mike Chitwood is Finalist for Library of Virginia Literary Award

Posted August 29, 2019 by Monica Hoel

Chitwood will speak at Emory & Henry on Sept. 10.

In July 2019, the Library of Virginia announced finalists for the 2019 Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Among this year’s finalists is E&H alumnus Michael Chitwood, Class of 1980.

Only 10 authors are among the finalists for the 22nd annual awards, and finalists are chosen by an independent panel of judges from more than 120 books nominated for the awards. Nominees fall into 3 categories (fiction, non-fiction, poetry) and a winner is selected in each category. Chitwood is nominated for his most recent book of poetry, Search and Rescue.

A native of Rocky Mount, Virginia, Michael earned a BA from Emory & Henry College and an MFA from the University of Virginia. He is known for exploring themes of Appalachia in his work. Additional published works include Salt Works (1992), Whet (1995), The Weave Room (1998), Gospel Road Going (2002), From Whence (2007), Spill (2007), and Poor-Mouth Jubilee (2010).

His collections of essays include Hitting Below the Bible Belt: Baptist Voodoo, Blood Kin, Grandma’s Teeth, and Other Stories from the South (1998) and Finishing Touches (2006). Michael is also a freelance writer and a lecturer in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

His work has received numerous awards including the Roanoke-Chowan Award (twice); Chapman Fellow, Institute of Arts and Humanities; NC Arts Council Writers Fellowship; L.E. Phillabaum Award.

Winners of the awards will be announced at a gala celebration at the Library of Virginia on Saturday, October 19, 2019.

Michael will present a reading of his poetry at the inaugural event of the Larmore Poetry Series on September 10 at 7:30 pm in the McGlothlin Center for the Performing Arts.

Michael Chitwood, E&H Class of 1980.

More News

<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/546-first-ever-online-tailgate" title="First Ever Online Tailgate" aria-label="First Ever Online Tailgate"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/588,0,2988,2400/4734_IMG-0674_2.rev.1538488532.JPG" alt="Prizes were ready for the first ever online tailgate!" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/588,0,2988,2400/4734_IMG-0674_2.rev.1538488532.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/588,0,2988,2400/4734_IMG-0674_2.rev.1538488532.JPG 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2400"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/546-first-ever-online-tailgate" title="First Ever Online Tailgate" aria-label="First Ever Online Tailgate">First Ever Online Tailgate</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Believe it or not...it worked! <a href="/live/news/546-first-ever-online-tailgate" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="First Ever Online Tailgate" aria-label="First Ever Online Tailgate">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/406-kim-cressell-has-the-greatest-shop-on-earth" title="Kim Cressell has the Greatest Shop on Earth" aria-label="Kim Cressell has the Greatest Shop on Earth"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/560,0,2016,1455/4145_IMG_0071.rev.1525982477.jpg" alt="Kim Cressell (E&H '93) at The Reserve in Sarasota, Florida." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/560,0,2016,1455/4145_IMG_0071.rev.1525982477.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/560,0,2016,1455/4145_IMG_0071.rev.1525982477.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2016" data-max-h="1512"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/406-kim-cressell-has-the-greatest-shop-on-earth" title="Kim Cressell has the Greatest Shop on Earth" aria-label="Kim Cressell has the Greatest Shop on Earth">Kim Cressell has the Greatest Shop on Earth</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">It’s a shop that is far more exciting than retail; but what ARE those red buildings? <a href="/live/news/406-kim-cressell-has-the-greatest-shop-on-earth" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Kim Cressell has the Greatest Shop on Earth" aria-label="Kim Cressell has the Greatest Shop on Earth">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/903-headed-to-the-virginia-highlands-festival-this" title="Headed to the Virginia Highlands Festival This Week?" aria-label="Headed to the Virginia Highlands Festival This Week?"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/383,118,1175,910/6560_67371737_644792832707714_971696063926763520_n.rev.1563759429.jpg" alt="Liv Jennings, E&H Class of 2019." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/383,118,1175,910/6560_67371737_644792832707714_971696063926763520_n.rev.1563759429.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/383,118,1175,910/6560_67371737_644792832707714_971696063926763520_n.rev.1563759429.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1440" data-max-h="960"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/903-headed-to-the-virginia-highlands-festival-this" title="Headed to the Virginia Highlands Festival This Week?" aria-label="Headed to the Virginia Highlands Festival This Week?">Headed to the Virginia Highlands Festival This Week?</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Look for a 2019 E&H grad (Liv Jennings) who’s making the event thrive! <a href="/live/news/903-headed-to-the-virginia-highlands-festival-this" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Headed to the Virginia Highlands Festival This Week?" aria-label="Headed to the Virginia Highlands Festival This Week?">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/156-eamph-alumnus-gary-reedy-named-ceo-of-american" title="E&H Alumnus Gary Reedy Is CEO of American Cancer Society" aria-label="E&H Alumnus Gary Reedy Is CEO of American Cancer Society"><img src="/live/image/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/851_alumni-gary-reedy.rev.1507730801.jpg" alt="Reedy, class of 78, speaks on campus." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/851_alumni-gary-reedy.rev.1507730801.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/156-eamph-alumnus-gary-reedy-named-ceo-of-american" title="E&H Alumnus Gary Reedy Is CEO of American Cancer Society" aria-label="E&H Alumnus Gary Reedy Is CEO of American Cancer Society">E&H Alumnus Gary Reedy Is CEO of American Cancer Society</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Gary M. Reedy serves as the chief executive officer of the <a title="American Cancer Society Homepage" href="http://www.cancer.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">American Cancer Society</a>, placing the 1978 Emory & Henry graduate atop one of the most influential non-profit organizations in the nation. <a href="/live/news/156-eamph-alumnus-gary-reedy-named-ceo-of-american" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="E&H Alumnus Gary Reedy Is CEO of American Cancer Society" aria-label="E&H Alumnus Gary Reedy Is CEO of American Cancer Society">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/296-a-st-judes-hero" title="A St. Jude’s Hero" aria-label="A St. Jude’s Hero"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,48,764,812/3319_20180125_123141.rev.1519077228.jpg" alt="Emily Tolley Boyles" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,48,764,812/3319_20180125_123141.rev.1519077228.jpg 2x" data-max-w="764" data-max-h="1018"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/296-a-st-judes-hero" title="A St. Jude’s Hero" aria-label="A St. Jude’s Hero">A St. Jude’s Hero</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Emily Tolley Boyles said she’d NEVER run a full marathon. But that was before she met Mighty Max. <a href="/live/news/296-a-st-judes-hero" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="A St. Jude’s Hero" aria-label="A St. Jude’s Hero">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/479-more-than-a-vacation-turns-25" title="More Than A Vacation Turns 25" aria-label="More Than A Vacation Turns 25"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,720,720/4382_bird_walk.rev.1533755912.jpg" alt="Bill Williams (E&H '69) led a morning bird walk then gave a presentation on birds and bi..." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,720,720/4382_bird_walk.rev.1533755912.jpg 2x" data-max-w="720" data-max-h="960"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/479-more-than-a-vacation-turns-25" title="More Than A Vacation Turns 25" aria-label="More Than A Vacation Turns 25">More Than A Vacation Turns 25</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Emory & Henry’s summer alumni college (More Than A Vacation) celebrated a 25th anniversary this summer. <a href="/live/news/479-more-than-a-vacation-turns-25" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="More Than A Vacation Turns 25" aria-label="More Than A Vacation Turns 25">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/444-eamph-obituaries-updated-july-11-2018" title="E&H Obituaries Updated July 11, 2018" aria-label="E&H Obituaries Updated July 11, 2018"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,453,604/690_fall_at_EH_11.rev.1506525869.jpg" alt="Fall foliage at Emory & Henry College." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="453" data-max-h="604"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/444-eamph-obituaries-updated-july-11-2018" title="E&H Obituaries Updated July 11, 2018" aria-label="E&H Obituaries Updated July 11, 2018">E&H Obituaries Updated July 11, 2018</a></h4></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/70-debb-hirsch-clays-poem-honors-gold-star-mothers" title="Debb Hirsch Clay’s Poem Honors Gold Star Mothers" aria-label="Debb Hirsch Clay’s Poem Honors Gold Star Mothers"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/473,91,879,497/733_debb_clay_jpg.rev.1506976631.jpg" alt="Debb Hirsch Clay's poem about Gold Star Mothers has gotten a lot of attention." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/473,91,879,497/733_debb_clay_jpg.rev.1506976631.jpg 2x" data-max-w="883" data-max-h="851"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/70-debb-hirsch-clays-poem-honors-gold-star-mothers" title="Debb Hirsch Clay’s Poem Honors Gold Star Mothers" aria-label="Debb Hirsch Clay’s Poem Honors Gold Star Mothers">Debb Hirsch Clay’s Poem Honors Gold Star Mothers</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Debb says it’s a poem for people who find themselves with a designation that no mother wants. <a href="/live/news/70-debb-hirsch-clays-poem-honors-gold-star-mothers" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Debb Hirsch Clay’s Poem Honors Gold Star Mothers" aria-label="Debb Hirsch Clay’s Poem Honors Gold Star Mothers">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/50-72-grad-is-champion-horse-trainer" title="’72 Grad is Champion Horse Trainer" aria-label="’72 Grad is Champion Horse Trainer"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,877/563_Joe_Shortt.rev.1505400886.jpg" alt="Joe Shortt at the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia's Hall of Fame" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,877/563_Joe_Shortt.rev.1505400886.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1200,877/563_Joe_Shortt.rev.1505400886.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1200" data-max-h="877"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/50-72-grad-is-champion-horse-trainer" title="’72 Grad is Champion Horse Trainer" aria-label="’72 Grad is Champion Horse Trainer">’72 Grad is Champion Horse Trainer</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Joe Shortt, E&H Class of ’72, was recently inducted into the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia’s Hall of Fame. <a href="/live/news/50-72-grad-is-champion-horse-trainer" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="’72 Grad is Champion Horse Trainer" aria-label="’72 Grad is Champion Horse Trainer">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/519-dogs-best-friend" title="Dog’s Best Friend" aria-label="Dog’s Best Friend"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/4527_IMG-9834.rev.1536347287.JPG" alt="One of the adoptable dogs found at BARK." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/4527_IMG-9834.rev.1536347287.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/4527_IMG-9834.rev.1536347287.JPG 3x" data-max-w="2400" data-max-h="3200"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/519-dogs-best-friend" title="Dog’s Best Friend" aria-label="Dog’s Best Friend">Dog’s Best Friend</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">David “Skip” Harless shows up day after day to make sure the dogs of BARK feel loved. <a href="/live/news/519-dogs-best-friend" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Dog’s Best Friend" aria-label="Dog’s Best Friend">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/580-making-progress-in-treating-als" title="Making Progress in Treating ALS" aria-label="Making Progress in Treating ALS"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,38,714,752/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.jpg" alt="Sutherland, Natalia (E&H Class of 2017)" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,38,714,752/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.jpg 2x" data-max-w="714" data-max-h="1000"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/580-making-progress-in-treating-als" title="Making Progress in Treating ALS" aria-label="Making Progress in Treating ALS">Making Progress in Treating ALS</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Natalia Sutherland is part of a research team making strides. <a href="/live/news/580-making-progress-in-treating-als" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Making Progress in Treating ALS" aria-label="Making Progress in Treating ALS">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/780-jimmy-wilmouth-in-france" title="Jimmy Wilmouth in France" aria-label="Jimmy Wilmouth in France"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,510,991,1501/6178_Jimmy_Wilmouth.rev.1554494489.jpg" alt="Jimmy Wilmouth with his girlfriend at the Eiffel Tower." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,510,991,1501/6178_Jimmy_Wilmouth.rev.1554494489.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,510,991,1501/6178_Jimmy_Wilmouth.rev.1554494489.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1280" data-max-h="1920"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/780-jimmy-wilmouth-in-france" title="Jimmy Wilmouth in France" aria-label="Jimmy Wilmouth in France">Jimmy Wilmouth in France</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">He ended up in France for love…but he’s also doing important cancer research <a href="/live/news/780-jimmy-wilmouth-in-france" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Jimmy Wilmouth in France" aria-label="Jimmy Wilmouth in France">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/76-from-cervesa-to-service" title="From Cervesa to Service" aria-label="From Cervesa to Service"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1152/655_EHCITY_Oregon_2017.rev.1506450342.jpg" alt="Sarah Gillman Whitney and Jo Ann English organized an E&H in the City event in Oregon." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1152/655_EHCITY_Oregon_2017.rev.1506450342.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2048,1152/655_EHCITY_Oregon_2017.rev.1506450342.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1152"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/76-from-cervesa-to-service" title="From Cervesa to Service" aria-label="From Cervesa to Service">From Cervesa to Service</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">These two alumni found each other at an E&H in the City event in Oregon…and learned they had similar service passions! <a href="/live/news/76-from-cervesa-to-service" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="From Cervesa to Service" aria-label="From Cervesa to Service">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/53-the-other-side-of-the-striped-shirt" title="The Other Side of the Striped Shirt" aria-label="The Other Side of the Striped Shirt"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,499,543/565_bronie.rev.1505403379.jpg" alt="Bronie Reynolds (E&H '84) poses with Mike Young (E&H '86)" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="499" data-max-h="543"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/53-the-other-side-of-the-striped-shirt" title="The Other Side of the Striped Shirt" aria-label="The Other Side of the Striped Shirt">The Other Side of the Striped Shirt</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Bronie Reynolds (’84) is one of the people who get to pick the country’s best referees. <a href="/live/news/53-the-other-side-of-the-striped-shirt" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="The Other Side of the Striped Shirt" aria-label="The Other Side of the Striped Shirt">Keep reading</a></div></div>
<div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/723-alumni-couple-rescue-a-bit-of-eamph-history" title="Alumni Couple Rescue a Bit of E&H History" aria-label="Alumni Couple Rescue a Bit of E&H History"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/222,0,944,720/6058_matt_and_steph.rev.1552355313.jpg" alt="Matt ('03) and Stephanie Armbrister ('02) Strutner" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/222,0,944,720/6058_matt_and_steph.rev.1552355313.jpg 2x" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="720"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/723-alumni-couple-rescue-a-bit-of-eamph-history" title="Alumni Couple Rescue a Bit of E&H History" aria-label="Alumni Couple Rescue a Bit of E&H History">Alumni Couple Rescue a Bit of E&H History</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Matt (E&H ’03) and Stephanie Armbrister (E&H ’02) Strutner (Knoxville, TN) snagged a trophy from the jaws of obscurity. <a href="/live/news/723-alumni-couple-rescue-a-bit-of-eamph-history" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Alumni Couple Rescue a Bit of E&H History" aria-label="Alumni Couple Rescue a Bit of E&H History">Keep reading</a></div></div>

Mike Chitwood is Finalist for Library of Virginia Literary Award

Save & Share:

More News

Contact Us