History Haunts at Historic Smithfield
This October, the past comes alive after dark.
Join Historic Smithfield at the Pavilion on Friday, October 16, from 6:30–8:30 PM for an evening of Appalachian folklore, fireside storytelling, and a chilling literary reading.
Dr. Daniel Wood will explore the folklore, legends, and stories that have haunted the Appalachian region for generations. Then, Amanda McGee will take the evening in a darker direction with a reading from her new novella, A River Wide.
Your ticket includes admission, hot beverages, and heavy appetizers. Bundle up, bring a blanket, and settle in around the fire for a cozy autumn evening filled with stories from the mountains—some of them perhaps better left in the past.
Friday, October 16
6:30–8:30 PM
The Pavilion at Historic Smithfield
More information about the talks and speakers coming soon.
Come for the history. Stay for the haunting.
History Haunts at Historic Smithfield
This October, the past comes alive after dark.
Join Historic Smithfield at the Pavilion on Friday, October 16, from 6:30–8:30 PM for an evening of Appalachian folklore, fireside storytelling, and a chilling literary reading.
Dr. Daniel Wood will dive into the Appalachian legend of Tailypo, a demon-like creature who torments the hungry woodsman who ate his tail. Then, Amanda McGee will take the evening in a darker direction with a reading from her new novella, A River Wide:
“Mountains have deep, dark hearts, and those hearts are carved by water. Deep in the shadowed hollers of Appalachia, Rhia Blackburn has always kept her powers and her heart buried. Around here, the river whispers dark secrets, the earth remembers every cut, and survival is a skill women pass down in blood. But when her cousin Amey is kidnapped up the mountain, Rhia is forced to confront the terror of her home and her own troubled history. To save her, Rhia must trust her powers—and herself—because in Appalachia, family comes first and water always finds a way.
An Appalachian horror novella about family, grief, and the stubborn strength it takes to survive.”
Your ticket includes admission, hot beverages, and heavy appetizers. Bundle up, bring a blanket, and settle in around the fire for a cozy autumn evening filled with stories from the mountains… some of them perhaps better left in the past.
Friday, October 16
6:30–8:30 PM
The Pavilion at Historic Smithfield
More information about the talks and speakers coming soon.
Come for the history. Stay for the haunting.
About the Speakers
Dr. Daniel Woods
Dr. Woods is a Professor of English in the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences. He has been an avid student of all things Appalachia for more than 25 years. This love started when he was an undergrad at RU (Class of ’01), where he participated in many Appalachian Studies courses as well as the Highlander Summer conference. In his high school English classes, he incorporated many Appalachian writers and artists. He fondly remembers an 11 th grade student commenting after the class finished Ron Rash’s The Cove, “this is the first time I’ve ever read a book about where I am from.” Connecting students with their “place” is a true passion of his. Whether it is in his Appalachian Folklore course or his teacher education courses, he works to instill a sense of pride of place in his students so that they may pass that on to their future students.
In service to the academic community of Appalachia, Dr. Woods is a member of the Appalachian Studies Association and previously served for six years as the editor of the Virginia English Journal, publishing poets and researchers from across Appalachia. When not reading or researching Appalachia he is often out exploring its beauty by taking advantage of the endless hiking, biking, and paddling opportunities of the region.
Amanda J. McGee
Amanda J. McGee is a planner by day and a writer by night. She has degrees from Hollins University and Virginia Tech, where she studied languages, identity politics, policy, and infrastructure. She is the author of the dark epic fantasy series The Creation Saga and is an Art Matters Grant recipient, a program of the City of Roanoke and the National Endowment of the Arts. Her novella “Viridian” was published in the anthology A SINISTER QUARTET, which made the 2020 Locus Recommended Reading List. She has a forthcoming novella from Interstellar Flight Press.
When not writing, Amanda can be found reading books or hiking mountains, depending on the season. She lives in Southwest Virginia with the love of her life, her son, two fluffy cats, and a plethora of plants. You can find out more on her website at