We are chugging our way around the Commonwealth with Kentucky Writers On The Road with the next stop in Louisville at Carmichael’s Bookstore on Frankfort Avenue, Saturday, September 27 from 3-4 P.M. The event is free and open to the public.

On the bill on that day will be Katerina Stoykova and Wesley Houp, the Foundation’s 2024 Book Award winner. By this time everyone knows about Wesley’s Strung Out Along the Endless Branch—he rocked his reading at Roebling Books & Coffee in August. But we are very excited to add our friend Katerina to the program.

In partnership with the James Baker Hall Foundation, Workhorse Mentors started their mentoring program in August. Young writers and their mentors can apply for a one-time stipend to facilitate their mentor/menteeship.

The objectives of the program are:

● Foster collaboration and connection among the writing community’s developing and established writers

● Help young writers transition from their writing programs/classes into the professional world of writing and publishing.

● Provide financial support to the work of the numerous mentors throughout the program.

Author, poet and teacher Tony Crunk was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, but he is a well-traveled man. His academic career began at Centre College where he departed with a degree in English, then on to the University of Kentucky where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Philosophy. He then ventured to the University of Virginia where he sought a Master’s in Fine Arts.

While at Virginia, he worked in the business school and taught a business writing class and discovered how much he really enjoyed teaching. That led to stints in Montana, Alabama and a few other stops to teach writing.

On August 21st, Kentucky Writers on the Road is heading up I-75 to Newport for a rousing night of poetry at the Place Keepers Wide Open Mic Night. There is a great lineup of poets for the night and we are excited to share the mic with some pretty incredible talent.

The Foundation was created several years ago to honor the legacy of James Baker Hall. As the Foundation has grown and reached more people, we have come into contact with students of Jim’s during his time at the University of Kentucky as director of the Creative Writing Program. We have learned through their stories that he mentored quite a few—not only to be better writers, but also to be devoted to whatever life threw at them. Our first Legacy Corner profile is with Melissa Pitts, a student of Jim’s at UK from 2002-2003.

In the spring, the James Baker Hall Foundation announced the partnership between the Foundation and Workhorse, a community and publishing company located in Lexington. We will be working with Workhorse on several projects to include a mentoring program, Lexington Poetry Month and their literary journal, Yearling.