November Feature
Join Patti Clay Miller and Bill Verble for an evening of poetry, conversation, and creative exploration as they share work from their debut collections, A Crooked Spoon and Absence Descending. Together, their poetry examines memory, family, grief, inheritance, and the ways we remain connected to the people who shape our lives. Following the readings, Patti and Bill will discuss their creative processes, the stories behind their collections, and how personal experience can be transformed into compelling poetry.
About the Books
A Crooked Spoon by Patti Clay Miller is a poignant collection that follows a daughter's journey as her father struggles to recover from a stroke. Through memory, storytelling, and reflections on family life, the poems explore caregiving, love, loss, and the enduring bonds between parent and child. Tender and deeply personal, the collection celebrates the power of story to sustain connection in the face of change.
Absence Descending by Bill Verble is a thoughtful meditation on memory, mortality, and the traces people leave behind. Moving through family histories, abandoned places, and moments of transition, the poems confront grief and impermanence while considering how absence itself can become a lasting presence. Rich with reflection and emotional depth, the collection explores what it means to hold on and what it means to let go.
Following the conversation, Patti and Bill will offer generative writing prompts inspired by themes from their work. Participants will spend twenty minutes writing in response before coming back together for an optional sharing session.
Reading, Conversation & Generative Writing (90 minutes)
This interactive event features readings by Patti Clay Miller and Bill Verble, a conversation about craft and the writing life, guided writing prompts, and an opportunity to share new work in a supportive, low-stakes environment. Writers of all genres and experience levels are welcome. Whether you're looking to generate fresh material, connect with fellow writers, or simply spend an evening immersed in poetry, you'll leave with new ideas and inspiration for your creative practice.
Hill Writers Collective
Hill Writers Collective is a writing community and online reading series dedicated to uplifting Appalachian and Southern voices. We believe meaningful engagement with the literary arts should be accessible to everyone, regardless of location, financial barriers, or prior experience. Through free virtual programming, in-person gatherings, and our Masterclass Series featuring accomplished Kentucky authors and skilled practitioners, we create opportunities for writers to learn, connect, and grow within a supportive, low-stakes environment. Our online series features author readings, conversations on craft and the writing life, generative writing prompts, and participant open mics that encourage exploration and creative exchange. With a growing Facebook community of more than 400 members, Hill Writers Collective is much more than a source for writing prompts and publishing opportunities. We connect writers to literary events, resources, and one another while fostering an inclusive creative community. Our mission is to amplify contemporary Southern and Appalachian perspectives, foster creative connection, and expand access to literary culture for writers and readers both within the region and beyond.
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Hill Writers Reading Series would like
to thank our community of featured authors:
2026 Features:
January ||| LeTonia Jones & Suz Spearman
February ||| Mandi Fugate & Karen Salyer McElmurray
UK-GARC Symposium Features
Leo Coffey, Samar Jade,
Willie Carver, & Ariadne Macquarie
March ||| Appalachian Studies Association Conference Features
Jim Minick, Kari Gunter-Seymour, & Matthew Sidney Parsons
April ||| Ariadne Macquarie & Anna Barnes
May ||| Christopher McCurry & Willie Carver
July ||| Samar Johnson & Clinton Waters
August ||| Masterclass 101 Series with Marianne Worthington
October ||| Masterclass 101 Series with Pauletta Hansel
November ||| Patti Miller & Bill Verble
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2025 Features:
January ||| Shaun Turner & Karrington Aliyah
February ||| Jan LaPerle & Patsy Kisner
March ||| Willie Edward Carver Jr. & Amy Le Ann Richardson
April |||Kevin Nance & Jay McCoy
May ||| Pauletta Hansel & JC Mack
June ||| Katerina Stoykova & B Elizabeth Beck
July ||| Dr. Caleb Pendygraft & Shiloh Stump
August ||| Marianne Worthington & Belle Townsend
September ||| George Ella Lyon & Brandon Sun Eagle Jent
October ||| Jeremy Paden & Davis Shoulders
November ||| upfromsumdirt & Torli Bush
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