By Shannon Neu, Staff Writer

Published in print Apr. 8, 2015

Authors, poets, storytellers and story lovers packed into Scuppernong Books last weekend to partake in its 24-hour prose and poetry reading marathon, WORDSOMNIA.

Starting on Apr. 3 at 6:00 p.m., each registered participant was granted a ten-minute time slot to share his or her work with an attentive audience. Sets of five readers shared each hour, followed by a ten minute break before the next set. The event ended at 6 p.m. the next day. Participants who stayed for certain lengths of time through WORDSOMNIA received door prizes.

Those who read included writers of various levels of experience. Both published and unpublished writers shared their original works. Participants shared pieces including heartfelt poetry, short stories with inspiring morals, engaging novel excerpts, and nonfiction readings.

Some of the audience crowded into the front half of the store and café, while others milled around the shop. They were kept absorbed with fascinating works of literature throughout the entire event. The many works that were shared in the first few hours included historical nonfiction pieces, a series of poems based on interviews with Vietnam War veterans, and a set of short stories based on the author’s experiences with raising one of the first pick-it-yourself organic blueberry farms.

Later works included enticing stories and inspiring poems, as well as a theatrical monologue, a short play, songs and a presentation by children’s book “Mr. Pants” author Scott McCormick.

One participant during the 2:00 a.m. round made sure audience members were awake by sharing his work through a megaphone. Participants on Saturday afternoon included writers from Press 53 and UNCG’s MFA faculty.

The atmosphere in Scuppernong was warm and encouraging throughout the event. Food, drinks, conversation, and a love of literature laid the foundation for WORDSOMNIA’s strong sense of community.

Works shared throughout WORDSOMNIA’s generated a wide range of reactions from audience members. The writers moved listeners to laughter as well as to introspective silence with their beautiful words and excellent presentations.

Stories strengthen our connection to others by helping us construct meaning in the complicated human experience. They add embellishment to our everyday lives. Those who participated and listened in during WORDSOMNIA soaked in what others had to say and were moved by those who shared their experiences through different mediums.

Overall, WORDSOMNIA was a delightfully exhausting and inspiring experience for participants and listeners alike.

Scuppernong Books is an independent bookstore that has been contributing significantly to the culture of downtown Greensboro since 2013. The books they feature include fiction, poetry, children’s books* and other general interest titles. The shop also contains a café that serves a delicious variety of organic foods and beverages.

The store also frequently hosts a variety of interesting events, bringing in locally and nationally-known authors. Events throughout this upcoming week will feature authors Sri Anada Sarvasri, Ladene Hayes, Eddie Huffman and Jennifer Bean Bower. They will also feature poets Mark Smith-Soto and Terry Kennedy as well as musician Abigail Grace.

To learn more about Scuppernong Books and its events, visit http://www.scuppernongbooks.com.