The Secret Astronomers And Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Inside Appalachia - Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting True Stories On Player FM podcast

A new novel about two girls and an astronomy textbook draws inspiration from one of the quietest places in West Virginia.

Also, author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle talks about growing up as part of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

And, a Kentucky tattoo artist practices traditional tattooing and traditional music. He says they’re not too different.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

The Secret Astronomers Creates A Mystery In W.Va.
Watching Fall Foliage From The Sky
Appalachian Author Reflects On Heritage, Portrayal Of Cherokee In Literature
Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room
If Lost

The Secret Astronomers Creates A Mystery In W.Va.

A page from a book with text and an illustration of a bridge — A page from *The Secret Astronomers*, in which two high school seniors maintain a correspondence in an old astronomy textbook.
*Photo courtesy of Penguin Random House*

A new novel for young adults captures a slice of life in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. It tells the story of a friendship between two high school students as they unravel a decades-old mystery. It’s the debut novel by Jessica Walker.

Host Mason Adams spoke with her.

Watching Fall Foliage From The Sky

A lot of us experience fall foliage through the windows of our cars or by looking up from the forest floor. But WVPB News Director Eric Douglas brings us another way to experience autumn’s splendor – from the air.

Appalachian Author Reflects On Heritage, Portrayal Of Cherokee In Literature

A woman sits in a field smiling and look up off camera. She has short hair and wears a pink shirt and jeans. — Appalachian author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle.
*Courtesy Photo*

Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle is an acclaimed Appalachian author who lives in Cherokee, North Carolina. Clapsaddle’s debut novel, Even as We Breathe, was the first novel published by an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. She’s also the 2025 Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

WVPB’s Liz McCormick spoke with Clapsaddle about her writing and the importance of reclaiming Cherokee identity through literature.

Traditional Music And Tattoos At The Parlor Room

White man with a tattoo of a woman holding a guitar on his arm. — A traditional pin up-style tattoo by Haywood on friend and client Brad Centers' forearm.
*Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

John Haywood of Whitesburg, Kentucky says he got his first guitar and his first tattoo when he was about 13 years old. These days, Haywood is the proprietor of Parlor Room Art and Tattoo in downtown Whitesburg. It’s a place where some people get inked up and some play traditional string-band music. It’s a place unlike any other. Earlier this year, Folkways Reporter Zack Harold documented his visit.

In this story, we hear from regular Brad Centers, who died in September following a battle with colon cancer. Before Brad's death, Haywood gave a little support toward Brad's treatment with each new tattoo.

If Lost

A young, bearded man in a green baseball cap and a t-shirt stands in the woods. — Poet and poetry organizer, Clint Bowman, says the best way to read poetry in front of people is to read poetry in front of people.
*Courtesy photo*

When Clint Bowman of Black Mountain, North Carolina couldn’t find the writing group he needed, he formed the Dark City Poets Society. Bowman used the group to develop his poetry, some of which explores people and their connection to nature.

Early last fall, Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Bowman about his collection, If Lost.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Charlie Mccoy, Blue Dot Sessions, Hello June and Tim and Dave Bing.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editors Chris Julin and Nicole Musgrave.

You can send us an email: [email protected].

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.