Loblolly Press: In Conversation

About Loblolly Press: In Conversation

Loblolly Press In Conversation is a literary podcast rooted in the American South and reaching beyond. Each episode features an intimate interview or original reading from writers published by Loblolly Press, with conversations focused on craft, influence, identity, and place. We are not here to define Southern literature. We are here to expand what it can hold. loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Andrew Mack

Category

arts · fiction

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Jan 2025

Latest episode

25 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Aug 2026

   “Beauty Right Beside Horror”: Spencer K.M. Brown on Southern Gothic and Slow Fire

   About the book From award-winning author Spencer K.M. Brown, SLOW FIRE is a collection of Southern stories about people living at the edge of belief—religious, familial, and personal—where grace is rare, suffering is ordinary, and endurance becomes a quiet form of love. Set among frozen hollers, decaying motels, burning fields, and small towns hungry for spectacle, these stories follow mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, preachers and murderers, and outcasts and wanderers confronting loss, disability, violence, and moral uncertainty. A woman watches her past collapse beneath the blade of a bulldozer. A self-anointed preacher nails himself to a cross, convinced the end has arrived, only to discover that the world, indifferent and unrepentant, continues without him. Fire and snow recur as elemental forces throughout the collection, promising cleansing, preservation, or erasure. Animals move through the margins as witnesses. Children observe with unsettling clarity. Families and communities strain under inherited pressure, while would-be heroes falter. What endures are small acts of care, practiced without audience or reward. Written in a clean and lyrical voice, SLOW FIRE examines faith without romance, suffering without self-pity, and love as something practiced daily rather than proclaimed. Redemption here is not spectacle. It arrives through survival, attention, and the stubborn refusal to abandon grace—or one another. Published by Loblolly Press, August 6, 2026. Get the book: https://www.loblollypress.com/products/slow-fire (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/slow-fire) About the guests Spencer K.M. Brown is an award-winning novelist and poet from the foothills of North Carolina. A finalist for the CMA National Book Awards and winner of the Penelope Niven Award and the Flying South Fiction Prize, he’s been nominated five times for the Pushcart Prize. He’s the author of the novels Move Over Mountain and Hold Fast and the poetry chapbook Cicada Rex. His Southern Gothic novel Recommendations for a Departing Soul is forthcoming from Regal House. He lives with his wife and three sons. Slow Fire is his first collection of stories. Bradley Sides is the author of the short story collections Those Fantastic Lives and Crocodile Tears Didn’t Cause the Flood, a 2024 Book of the Year finalist at Southern Literary Review. His fiction has been featured on LeVar Burton Reads, and his reviews, interviews, and essays appear at Chapter 16, Electric Literature, The Millions, The Rumpus, and Southern Review of Books, where he hosts “The Southern Summer Book Club.” His novella The Volcano Keeper is forthcoming from Regal House. He lives in Madison, Alabama, and teaches writing and literature at Calhoun Community College. Listen & subscribe Loblolly Press: In Conversation is a literary podcast rooted in the American South and reaching beyond. We are not here to define Southern literature. We are here to expand what it can hold. Watch the video version on the Southern Review of Books YouTube channel: Recorded for The Southern Summer Book Club at Southern Review of Books. Hosted by Bradley Sides. Guest: Spencer K.M. Brown. Get full access to Loblolly Press on Substack at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe (https://loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   26 Jun 2026

   Nathan Spainhour Reads the Signs

   Loblolly Press: In Conversation Nathan Spainhour Reads the Signs The South Carolina BBQ Project — the perfect summer book Andrew sits down with Nathan Spainhour, designer and author of The South Carolina BBQ Project: Signs, Symbols, & Stories from the Pit, and Lib Ramos, founder of its publisher, Good Printed Things. We drop straight into the hardest part of the story — Maurice's Piggie Park, the Confederate flag, and the racism woven through South Carolina barbecue — and follow it all the way to a quieter, more beautiful place: whole hog's Black roots, hand-poured maps, and the food memories a single plate can hold. It's our pick for the perfect summer book. In this episode We start in the difficult part on purpose, because you can't tell the truth about South Carolina barbecue without it. From there the conversation opens outward — whole hog as a Black Southern tradition, barbecue as the clearest lens on a state's history, and Nathan's idea of "graphic design as a mode of inquiry." We get into the source map he made by pouring real sauce onto newsprint, why a book this analog had to stay in print, the open-source ethos of the pit, hash and the I-26 hash corridor, and the difference between a polished logo and a ramshackle stand the locals swear by. Topics covered Diving straight into the hard part: Maurice's Piggie Park, the Confederate flag, and reckoning with the racism in barbecue's history Whole hog and its Black Southern roots — from Rodney Scott back to its origins in Hemingway, SC Why food is the clearest lens on a state's history — "we can't just pretend that's not the case" "Graphic design as a mode of inquiry": why this is a design study, not a straight history book The source map: South Carolina's four official sauces, hand-poured in real sauce on newsprint (process photo and all) Print, analog, and no shortcuts — a record of barbecue artifacts in a craft that still takes 14–16 hours and can't be faked "Open source" barbecue, by way of Ryan Fertel's The One True Barbecue: what pitmasters gladly share, and the one thing they never will Hash, the "thick meat gravy," the I-26 hash corridor, and the vanished hash houses Polished branding vs. the ramshackle roadside stand — the upstate pig-logo "map," and which one the locals trust Polished places as an entry point that leads back to the roots; Nicholas Carr on culture renewed by every generation Change, preservation, and a vanished small-town "coffee shop" — ending on food memory and why everybody has a barbecue story About the book The South Carolina BBQ Project: Signs, Symbols, & Stories from the Pit is part history, part design study, and part love letter to the state's most treasured foodway. Through hand-painted signs, roadside architecture, styrofoam plates, and everyday ephemera, Spainhour reveals how design shapes our sense of authenticity, memory, and tradition. Published by Good Printed Things. 5.5" x 8", ISBN 9798992199352. As featured on Walter Edgar's Journal, GDUSA, and Vessel Magazine. Get the book: https://goodprintedthings.com/products/the-south-carolina-bbq-project (https://goodprintedthings.com/products/the-south-carolina-bbq-project) About the guests Nathan Spainhour is a designer, artist, and lifelong enthusiast of visual culture from Anderson, SC. He's the founder of Spainhour Creative Work, a studio focused on brand and creative strategy, and the author of The South Carolina BBQ Project, which began as his MFA thesis in graphic design. He has led creative work for national brands and taught graphic design as a full-time college professor, and he keeps circling the intersection of design, storytelling, and place — with a soft spot for architecture, maps, and analog practices like screenprinting. He lives in South Carolina with his wife, Jess, and two very persuasive small dogs. Lib Ramos is the designer and founder of Good Printed Things, a small press in Greenville, SC, that publishes meaningful, small-batch books celebrating connection and creativity. Founded in 2021, the press grew out of her love for art, reading, and good design, and her belief that good things belong in print. She's also a co-founder of the Indie Craft Parade. She lives in Greenville with her husband and two kids. Mentioned in this episode The One True Barbecue by Ryan Fertel — the pitmaster road-trip book that inspired this project's case-study approach Robert Moss, barbecue historian — source of the definitive "thick meat gravy" description of hash Nicholas Carr, on culture needing to be renewed and honored by every generation Places along the way: Maurice's Piggie Park, Rodney Scott's BBQ (Charleston & Hemingway, SC), Lewis Barbecue (Charleston), Henry's Smokehouse (Greenville), Buxton Hall / Elliott Moss (Asheville), Easton Barbecue Co., Bear's Barbecue (Asheville), Midway Barbecue, and Sticky Fingers Listen & subscribe Loblolly Press: In Conversation is a literary podcast rooted in the American South and reaching beyond. We are not here to define Southern literature. We are here to expand what it can hold. Listen on Substack: https://loblollypress.substack.com/podcast (https://loblollypress.substack.com/podcast) Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/loblolly-press-in-conversation/id1788898683 (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/loblolly-press-in-conversation/id1788898683) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/101gUujLtBEpA74fND2jDH (https://open.spotify.com/show/101gUujLtBEpA74fND2jDH) Hosted by Andrew Mack. Guests: Nathan Spainhour and Lib Ramos. Get full access to Loblolly Press on Substack at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe (https://loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   23 Feb 2026

   Willie Carver Jr. is Tore All to Pieces: Joy, Advocacy, and Appalachian Voice in the Culture War

   Loblolly Press In Conversation: Willie Carver Jr. In this episode, we’re joined by Willie Carver Jr. for a conversation about writing and teaching in a time when it feels like everything is on fire. We talk about joy, not as a performance or a slogan, but as something you protect day to day. Willie shares how he steps out of guilt, how he shifts toward love and concern for other people, and how writing keeps him in community. We also talk about what happened when Willie was named Kentucky Teacher of the Year, and how quickly that public recognition turned into backlash in the middle of the culture war. He walks us through what it meant to defend queer, Black, and brown students in a system that often would rather quiet the conflict than do the right thing, and why he ultimately left the classroom. From there, we get into language and place, and what it means to protect Appalachian English instead of sanding it down. Willie talks about the pressure to “correct” a Southern accent, why “you might could” says something standard English can’t, and how voice becomes an ethical choice on the page. He also introduces Tore All to Pieces, explains the phrase, and reads from the book, including “Sometimes I miss these hills” and a section centered on Keisha. In this episode, we talk aboutJoy without performance, and refusing guiltWriting as community and conversationKentucky Teacher of the Year, backlash, and leaving the classroomAdvocacy as calling out and trusting people to respondAppalachian English, accents, and what gets erased“You might could” and the humility built into the languageTore All to Pieces, and why the stories needed the voice they haveReading: “Sometimes I miss these hills” and a Keisha excerpt Books mentionedGay Poems for Red Stateshttps://bookshop.org/a/113834/9780813198125 (https://bookshop.org/a/113834/9780813198125) Tore All to Pieceshttps://bookshop.org/a/113834/9781985903708 (https://bookshop.org/a/113834/9781985903708) Article mentioned“I’m Afraid to Return to the Classroom”: A Gay Teacher of the Year Speaks Out (Education Week)https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/im-afraid-to-return-to-the-classroom-a-gay-teacher-of-the-year-speaks-out/2022/05 (https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/im-afraid-to-return-to-the-classroom-a-gay-teacher-of-the-year-speaks-out/2022/05) Episode Credits Hosted by: Andrew Mack Guest: Willie Carver Jr. Produced by: Loblolly Press Music: Summersteen by Tony Sopiano Get full access to Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe (https://loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

4. 

   6 Oct 2025

   7th Heaven, Limewire, Babyland: Emma Ensley’s "The Computer Room" and the Internet South

   In this episode of Loblolly Press: In Conversation, guest host Matt Sawyer sits down with Emma Ensley, author of The Computer Room (Loblolly Press, September 4, 2025). Recorded live at City Lights Bookstore, this conversation traces how Ensley’s work captures what it meant to grow up both online and in small-town Georgia. “I think a lot about the two places I grew up — the South, and the internet. Those shaped me as much as anything else.”— Emma Ensley Ensley reads from her stories “Babyland” and “The Computer Room,” offering glimpses into Cabbage Patch “births,” Sims pregnancies, and the surreal, tender ways childhood imagination collides with digital spaces as we grow into adulthood. The discussion digs into how the book balances humor with heartbreak, the design instincts that shaped her prose, and the role of religion, nostalgia, and constraint in short story craft. What we cover in this conversation * Why Ensley set her stories in the hybrid space of Georgia and the early internet * Using the Wayback Machine to research message boards, Seventh Heaven fanfiction, and 2000s pop culture * The challenge (and joy) of structuring short stories like contained plays or designs * How religion, mission trips, and youth group culture surface in subtle but powerful ways * The role of nurture and unreal “births” across the collection * What she misses most about growing up online, from LimeWire misfires to Napster paranoia * Creating the Computer Room audio zine with musician Lorg, mixing Sims sound effects, dial-up tones, and Ensley’s narration Ensley also talks about the darker side of internet culture in stories like “You’re Such an Inspiration” and “Cave Girl,” which trace the beginnings of influencer culture, online body image, and retreat from digital life. Fall at Loblolly Press * The Computer Room by Emma Ensley — debuted Sept 4, reviewed in Hood of Bone Review (https://www.hoodofbonereview.org/the-computer-room-review). Dispatch from Launch Party in Zona Motel (https://substack.com/profile/337432560-zona-motel): And this thoughtful essay on Emma’s audiozine (https://emmaensley.gumroad.com/l/thecomputerroom) for The Computer Room: * Proud Roads (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/book-bundler-proud-roads-understory#:~:text=Choose%20variants,the%20stubborn%20pulse%20of%20community.) by Kelly Riedesel (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/book-bundler-proud-roads-understory#:~:text=Choose%20variants,the%20stubborn%20pulse%20of%20community.) — poems on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, out Sept 27 * A Field Guide to North American Trees (https://goodprintedthings.com/products/field-guide) by Garrett Ashley (with Good Printed Things) — chapbook out Oct 7; full-length Habitats coming April 2026 💌 Support the podcast and Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com. Paid subscribers get early access to books, discounts, and behind-the-scenes updates. Episode Credits 🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack & Matt Sawyer 👥 Guest: Emma Ensley 🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press 🎶 Music: Summersteen by Tony Sopiano Get full access to Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe (https://loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

5. 

   16 Sept 2025

   A Field Guide to North American Trees: Exploring Roots Through Poetry and Memoir

   In this episode of Loblolly Press In Conversation, Andrew Mack is joined by Garrett Ashley, author of A Field Guide to North American Trees (Good Printed Things x Loblolly Press, October 7, 2025), and Lib Ramos, founder of Good Printed Things. We talk about how Field Guide began as the center section of Ashley’s full-length manuscript Habitats (forthcoming from Loblolly Press in April 2026) before taking on a life of its own as this debut chapbook. Each poem adopts the form of a field guide entry — from leaves and bark to cones and range — but shifts unexpectedly into memoir, weaving trees together with moments from Ashley’s childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. What we cover in this conversation: * Why poetry can feel more vulnerable than prose — and why Ashley leans into that discomfort * How Habitats grew out of years of writing between fiction projects, and the creative arc that gave it shape * The origins of Field Guide as a “palate cleanser” that became its own fully realized book * The craft challenge of structuring poems around “habitat” and “range” as hinge points * How teaching, community, and even AI are shaping the writing and publishing landscape Ashley also reads “Loblolly Pine,” a poem from the chapbook, and talks about the joy and difficulty of writing poems that hold both ecological detail and personal memory. ––– 📚 Fall at Loblolly Press: * The Computer Room by Emma Ensley (stories) debuted September 4, and has already been reviewed in Hood of Bone Review. Read it here (https://www.hoodofbonereview.org/the-computer-room-review). * Proud Roads (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/proud-roads-poems-from-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-helene) by Kelly Riedesel (poems on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene) available for pre-order now. Release on September 27, 2025). * A Field Guide to North American Trees by Garrett Ashley (poetry chapbook in partnership with Good Printed Things) out October 7, 2025 —pre-order now from Good Printed Things. Plus: we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of If Lost by Clint Bowman with a fall tour —Clint is out on the road now. Follow along: @clintbowman (https://www.instagram.com/clint_bowman/) on Instagram. 💌 Support the podcast and Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com). Paid subscribers hear episodes like this first and get early access to books, discounts, and behind-the-scenes updates. Episode Credits 🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack & Lib Ramos👥 Guests: Garrett Ashley🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press🎶 Music: Summersteen by Tony Sopiano Get full access to Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe (https://loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

6. 

   1 Aug 2025

   Making Good Printed Things: Lib Ramos on Chapbooks, Collaboration, and Running a Southern Indie Press

   In this episode of Loblolly Press In Conversation, we sit down with Lib Ramos, founder of Good Printed Things, an indie press based in Greenville, South Carolina. This episode dives into what it means to build something meaningful from scratch—how chapbooks, collaboration, and Southern design sensibilities can create space for voices that deserve permanence in print. We talk about the creative and logistical challenges of running a press, how collaboration between small publishers can push us to do better work, and the story behind our first joint project: A Field Guide to North American Trees by Garrett Ashley, a poetry chapbook that serves as a companion to his forthcoming full-length collection Habitats. We also explore what makes a chapbook special, the ripple effect of beautiful small things, and how poetry rooted in place opens us up to new ways of seeing and feeling. Whether you’re a writer, a reader, or someone dreaming of starting your own press, this one’s for you. ––– 📚 September and October are big months for Loblolly Press!We’ve got three new titles in the world: * The Computer Room by Emma Ensley (short stories, Asheville-based debut) * Proud Roads by Kelly Riedesel (poems on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Helene) * A Field Guide to North American Trees by Garrett Ashley (poetry chapbook in partnership with Good Printed Things) Plus: It’s the one-year anniversary of If Lost by Clint Bowman, and we’re kicking off a fall tour to celebrate. Stay tuned for upcoming event announcements. 💌 Support the podcast and Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com). Paid subscribers hear episodes like this first and get early access to books, discounts, and behind-the-scenes updates. Episode Credits: 🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack 👥 Guest: Lib Ramos 🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press 🎶 Music: Summersteen by Tony Sopiano Get full access to Loblolly Press at loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe (https://loblollypress.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

7. 

   7 Jul 2025

   The South We Know: Robert Busby on Boyhood, Masculinity, and the Politics of Place

   Author Robert Busby discusses his short story collection, Bodock, and explores Southern identity through masculinity, family, and the impact of place, in an interview with Andrew Mack.

8. 

   19 Jun 2025

   "Weary, wore out, but alive": Greenville, SC poet laureate Glenis Redmond on listening to what comes before us

   Greenville poet laureate Glenis Redmond reflects on family, chronic illness, and preserving memory across generations as a poet in an interview, exploring nature, systemic oppression, and honoring Black women thinkers.

9. 

   2 Jun 2025

   Dispatches from the Couch: Dr. Stacey Hettes on Therapy, Neuroscience, and the Long Work of Healing

   Andrew Mack interviews Dr. Stacey Hettes, neuroscientist and author, about her memoir exploring healing from childhood sexual abuse through therapy and neuroscience, highlighting the power of language in reclaiming one's story.

10. 

    5 May 2025

    "Be in my mouth memory": How Memory Speaks in Cheryl Whitehead's Distant Relations

    In this episode of Loblolly Press: In Conversation, we sit down with poet Cheryl Whitehead to talk about her debut collection, Distant Relations (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/distant-relations), published April 3rd, 2025 by us, Loblolly Press. We don’t begin with poetry—and that’s intentional. This conversation moves through family, memory, rural life, and the language that holds it all. From a horse named Oliver to tin buckets and wind, Cheryl shows how poetry can emerge from what we inherit and what we’re still trying to name. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Cheryl read “Landscape of the Spangle Mind,” “Landscape with Fog,” “Band of Tambourines,” “Closer to the Ground,” and “God Is Plenty” from Distant Relations. * How Cheryl’s mother shaped her voice, values, and creative life * What it means to return home—and write from that distance * The landscapes and people of rural North Carolina as poetic source material * How music, especially Coltrane, informs the rhythm and structure of her work * The long journey to publishing Distant Relations at age 61 * Why Oliver the horse shows up again and again in her poems * Teaching, mentorship, and how students impact her writing practice * The politics of staying rooted in the South—and writing through it * The role of silence, fragmentation, and jazz-like movement in her poetic form 🔗 Links & Resources: 📚 Distant Relations (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/distant-relations) by Cheryl Whitehead 🐻 Beasts of Chase (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/beasts-of-chase) — new chapbook from Andrew Mack 📦 The Poet Trio (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/bundles/products/poet-trio) Bundle (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/bundles/products/poet-trio) — 3 books for $42 (save $8) + free shipping on orders $25+ 📰 Subscribe on Substack: loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com). Get a free ebook download of Weekend Revival when you subscribe. 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @loblolly_press (https://instagram.com/loblolly_press) 🎧 Loblolly Press: In Conversation is a monthly podcast spotlighting writers from the American South—especially queer, BIPOC, and rural voices. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and leave a review to help more people discover the voices of Loblolly Press. Episode Credits: 🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack📖 Guest: Cheryl Whitehead🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press🎶 Intro/Outro Music: Rooftop Sunsets by Alexey Anisimov via Tune Tank This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

11. 

    25 Apr 2025

    Clint Bowman reads James Tate's "The Promotion" + Indie bookstore day this weekend

    This Saturday, April 26, is Independent Bookstore Day, and while a certain mega-retailer is throwing a big sale 🙄, we’re celebrating something more meaningful: the indie bookstores that make space for our writers and help Southern literature thrive. 📍 Six Southern Bookstores We Adore Here are a few of our favorite shops—places that have welcomed us, supported our titles, and created stages (and shelves) for emerging voices across the South: * City Lights Bookstore (Sylva, NC) – A cornerstone of Appalachian literature with a big heart and a deep bench of Southern authors. * Union Ave Books (Knoxville, TN) – A bright light in downtown Knoxville with a community-first approach to books and events. * Bagatelle Books (Asheville, NC) – The best poetry section in town, tucked next to a garden shop and always full of surprises. * Sassafras on Sutton (Black Mountain, NC) – Thoughtfully curated, beautifully arranged, and always ready to support local presses. * Highland Books (Brevard, NC) – A beloved community shop with a long-standing love for regional writing and independent voices. * Firestorm Books (Asheville, NC) – Worker-owned, radically welcoming, and consistently ahead of the curve in the books they champion. * Bonus: Downtown Books & News (Asheville, NC) – Where you can find all of our titles on the shelves—right where they belong. If you're able, consider skipping the algorithm this week and buying your next read from a place that truly believes in the power of story to connect us. These stores are more than just points of sale—they’re part of the reason Loblolly exists at all. 🎙️ Clint Bowman Reads James Tate We’re still thinking about Clint’s recent episode on Loblolly In Conversation. This month, we’re sharing a bonus clip: Clint reads “The Promotion” by James Tate—a gem of a poem.→ Listen above, here on Substack or where you get your podcasts! Clint’s audiobook of If Lost was recorded locally at The Talking Book Studios, and it’s out now:🎧 Get the audiobook (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/if-lost?variant=41771142447178)📚 Paperback (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/if-lost?srsltid=AfmBOor3aGpUHv-gbqAgMl-tGTvvrvM50Fq8WarViIA2_GtSHUnE8FUA)📱 Ebook (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/if-lost?variant=41771142414410) 📦 Loblolly Poets to Read Right Now 💚 Distant Relations by Cheryl WhiteheadWe’d love to get 20 more copies of this gorgeous debut into the world this month. It’s lyrical, sharp, and filled with tension and grace. Free shipping if enter the green heart emoji 💚 at checkout.→ Order now (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/distant-relations) 🐻 Beasts of Chase by Andrew MackThis chapbook explores black bear hunting in Appalachia with intimacy and bite. Personal, political, and grounded in the wild.→ Pick up your copy (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/beasts-of-chase) Thanks for being part of our community. Whether you’re listening to a poet read in your headphones or browsing your local indie bookstore, we hope you find something that stays with you. — Andrew This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

12. 

    10 Apr 2025

    What To Do If Lost: On Poetry, Place, and Wayfinding with Clint Bowman

    Welcome to Loblolly Press: In Conversation, our monthly podcast where we bring you engaging interviews with our writers as they delve into their creative process, share their inspirations, and explore the southern influences that shape their work. In this episode, I sit down with Clint Bowman, poet and co-founder of the Dark City Poets Society in Black Mountain, NC. We recorded this episode in Clint’s home, surrounded by overflowing bookshelves, Sharpies, sticky notes, and the comforting chaos of a working writer’s space. Our conversation meanders, as conversations between friends often do. We talk about dogs (Penny and Hugo are officially besties), about our partners (shout out to Garrison and B), and about what it means to write as a local, not just about a place. We dig into what it means to be acknowledged by your peers, to build a literary community from the ground up, and how Loblolly Press fits into that wider effort. Clint reflects on the path to publishing his first full-length collection, If Lost, what surprised him along the way, and what ultimately didn’t make it into the final manuscript. He shares generously about how poetry moved from the margins to the center of his life—and how he's working to make room for others to do the same. Clint Bowman📍 Instagram: @clint_bowman (https://www.instagram.com/clint_bowman/) Clint Bowman is a native of Davidson County, North Carolina. His debut chapbook, Pretty Sh!t, was published in May 2023 by Bottlecap Press. He’s the co-founder and facilitator of the Dark City Poets Society (DCPS), a thriving poetry community in Black Mountain, NC, where he currently lives with his family. When he’s not writing or organizing readings, Clint works as a recreation coordinator, leading hikes, cleanups, and other outdoor adventures in Western North Carolina. 📖 Purchase Pretty Sh!t (https://bottlecap.press/products/pretty) If Lost Bowman’s debut full-length collection, If Lost, is a raw, lyrical map of place and displacement. Inspired by the mountains, forests, and lives of the South, these poems explore a region where resilience and ruin often walk hand in hand. Think invasive species and abandoned churches, truckers in empty lots and deer beside the highway. If Lost is perfect for fans of Sharon Olds, Ada Limón, Ross Gay, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and bell hooks. 📖 Purchase If Lost (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/if-lost) Upcoming Events 📅 April 11, 2025 – 7:00pm – The Dark City Speaks (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-dark-city-speaks-tickets-1254687958459)Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 West State Street, Black Mountain, NCAn evening of poetry featuring Glenis Redmond, Lee Stockdale, and Mildred Barya, plus students and poets from the Dark City Poets Society. 📅 April 12, 2025 – 3:00pm – Loblolly Press Poetry Reading (https://www.citylightsnc.com/event/loblolly-press-poetry-reading)City Lights Bookstore, 3 E Jackson St, Sylva, NCReadings from Cheryl Whitehead, Clint Bowman, Andrew Mack, and Garrett Ashley. Free and open to the public. 🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack📖 Guest: Clint Bowman🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press🎶 Intro/Outro Music: Rooftop Sunsets by Alexey Anisimov via Tune Tank Beasts of Chase (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/beasts-of-chase)- New Chapbook from Andrew Mack Distant Relations (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/distant-relations) - New Poetry from Cheryl Whitehead 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts—don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and leave a review to help others discover the voices of Loblolly Press. 📚 Follow us on Instagram: @loblolly_press (https://www.instagram.com/loblolly_press) 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for updates on new episodes, book releases, and more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

13. 

    3 Mar 2025

    Poetry as a Small Gesture: Finding Meaning in the Everyday

    Welcome to Loblolly Press: In Conversation, where we explore the voices shaping contemporary Southern literature. In this episode, I sit down with Candice M. Kelsey, a poet, educator, and activist whose work captures the fleeting nature of time, the power of language, and the deep need for connection. We talk about the ways poetry functions in both personal and public spaces—how it preserves what might otherwise slip away, how it provides a lens for understanding the world, and how it offers an antidote to loneliness. Candice shares her journey into poetry, the ways teaching continues to shape her writing, and the role of creativity in navigating grief, change, and belonging. We also talk about Jackie and Shadow, two bald eagles nesting in Big Bear Valley, whose live feed has been a quiet presence in our days (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE&ab_channel=FOBBVCAM)—a reminder of the patience and persistence required in both poetry and life. Candice’s Work 📚 Postcards from the Masthead, boats against the current – Read More (https://www.candicemkelseypoet.com/postcards-from-the-masthead)📚 The Poet Dreams of Driving a Ding-a-Ling Ice Cream Truck & Other Means of Escape (Pine Row Press) – Read More (https://www.candicemkelseypoet.com/the-poet-dreams-of-driving-a-ding-a-ling-ice-cream-truck-other-means-of-escape)📖 Forthcoming: Another Place Altogether (Kelsay Books, December 2025) – Read More (https://kelsaybooks.com/) 🎨 Cover art for her chapbook was created by Matt Kish – Explore His Work (https://www.matt-kish.com/) Connect with Candice 💻 Website: candicemkelseypoet.com (http://www.candicemkelseypoet.com)📍 Instagram: @Feed_Me_Poetry (https://www.instagram.com/feed_me_poetry/) Up Next on the Podcast Next month, I’ll be talking with Cheryl Whitehead about her debut collection of poems, Distant Relations, which comes out April 3, 2025 from Loblolly Press. 📖 Preorder Now – loblollypress.com/products/distant-relations (https://www.loblollypress.com/products/distant-relations) 🎤 Hosted by: Andrew Mack📖 Guest: Candice M. Kelsey🎧 Produced by: Loblolly Press 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts—don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and leave a review to help others discover the voices of Loblolly Press. 📚 Follow us on Instagram: @loblolly_press (https://www.instagram.com/loblolly_press)📰 Subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for updates on new episodes, book releases, and more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

14. 

    3 Feb 2025

    In Conversation with Earl J. Wilcox on The Surfacing of Joy and the Foundations of Loblolly Press

    Welcome to Loblolly Press: In Conversation, a podcast exploring the voices shaping contemporary Southern literature. In this episode, I sit down with poet Earl J. Wilcox to discuss his debut collection, The Surfacing of Joy, and the role it played in launching Loblolly Press. Recorded on Christmas Eve in Earl’s Rock Hill, South Carolina apartment, our conversation also moves through the heart of his work — We discuss the evolution of his creative process, the impact of his vision loss and aging, and the ways his writing continues to shift in response to life’s changes. Since Earl no longer reads his own work aloud, I had the honor of reading selections from his book, alongside a new poem, “Love in Hurricane Season”, he recently published in Understory: A Digital Zine for Relief in Western North Carolina (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/anthologies/products/understory-a-digital-zine-for-relief-in-western-north-carolina). We also reflect on the beginnings of Loblolly Press—how Earl’s trust in this endeavor, both as a writer and as our first investor financially, helped make the Press possible. Without him, Loblolly wouldn’t exist in the way it does today. This episode is not just about poetry—it’s about our sense of place, the persistence of joy despite the very real challenges of our time, and the relationships and community that help us move forward. Exclusive Offer:To celebrate, we’re offering The Surfacing of Joy (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-surfacing-of-joy) at 20% off for a limited time. And in April, we’ll open preorders for Earl’s second collection, arriving in June 2025, just in time for National Poetry Month. Credits: 🎤 Hosted by Andrew Mack📖 Guest: Earl J. Wilcox🎧 Produced by Loblolly Press Listen & Subscribe: 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts—don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and leave a review to help others discover the voices of Loblolly Press.📚 Get (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-surfacing-of-joy)The Surfacing of Joy (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-surfacing-of-joy) at 20% Off (https://www.loblollypress.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-surfacing-of-joy)🌳 Tag us on social media with your thoughts on the episode! Use #LoblollyPressPodcast to join the conversation. Follow Us:📍 Instagram: @loblolly_press (https://www.instagram.com/loblolly_press)💻 Website: loblollypress.com (https://www.loblollypress.com)📰 Subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for updates on upcoming episodes, new book releases, and more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit loblollypress.substack.com (https://loblollypress.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

15. 

    6 Jan 2025

    Introducing: Loblolly Press in Conversation

    Join Andrew Mack for authentic, in-depth interviews with Southern writers, exploring the complexities of Southern storytelling and amplifying often-overlooked voices in the region's literary landscape.

Who has been a guest on Loblolly Press: In Conversation

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Robert Busby
• Glenis Redmond
• Dr Stacey Hettes
• Earl J. Wilcox

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

92

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

61

Social presence

0

YouTube

63

Engagement

32

Contact Loblolly Press: In Conversation

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Loblolly Press: In Conversation