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Stories

Virginia poet Sharon Ackerman's Appalachian verses capture Carolina wrens, bloodwort meadows, and climate change in evocative poetry that bridges generations and landscapes.

The Berry Behind the Brambles

Ackerman’s verses—rich in the landscapes of the Blue Ridge—bridge our generations, from a rickety shelf stacked with jelly jars to climate-anxious meadows.

Fleeing for My Life

A South Carolina poet on how we leave a special place—but it never leaves us.

A Toast to Unforgettable Stories and a Call to Join the Family Circle

There isn’t one South. There are 10,000. Join us on our journey to tell the stories of them all.

I Am Not a Rock Star

Sometimes, the haircut you want is not the haircut you need.

Inside the Family Circle

Fiction from Mississippi’s Michael Farris Smith, verses from Ohio’s poet laureate, and a Christmas memory from Deb Bowen prove why we need your support in this membership drive.

There Must Be Light

The poet laureate of Ohio—a ninth-generation Appalachian—on holiness, the murmur of autumn trees, and the anticipation of honeysuckle.

Takin’ Up a Poundin’

You can give just for giving’s sake. Or you can give to fill a need. A Christmas story from coastal North Carolina.

Join Us for a Year of Unity and Hope

Weave yourself into this tapestry of Southern voices—support us now for a front-row seat to captivating stories, a standing discount on exclusive merch, and priority access to the inaugural Salvation South Writing Workshop coming this January!

How It Is Down Here

In Mississippi, in 1963, it took an assassin’s bullet to give a young man a peek behind the curtain of the Lost Cause.

The Squirrels, the Twilight, the Kudzu, and the Mine-Dumps

Six centuries of Appalachian history in four poems.

Used Dishes: A Thanksgiving Story

When he left his native North Carolina to pastor a church in Vermont, he learned a new way in which grace travels back and forth.

Why Salvation South Matters

Testimonials from the storytellers who bring their work to Salvation South

A Refuge for Storytellers, a Haven for Readers

Salvation South has become something special—and, we hope, an essential part of your week. Please help us keep it alive and thriving.