You can order a physical copy of this anthology zine via mail here for a $15 donation!

This October 2024 micropublication produced in conjunction with our first MidMountain Fest and was made possible by support from Mid Atlantic Art's Central Appalachian Living Traditions program. Cover art by Katherine Fahey with editing, layout, and interior linocuts by Andy "River" Peterson. You can also download a script with chords for the historical musical live show, Fatal Femme Agency by Peterson that was performed at MidMountain Fest, also support by the grant program, available for free here.

Physical zines assembled by MidMountain are 8.5x5.5" with 20 interior pages and a cardstock cover, featuring black ribbon binding. 

INDEX of Zine Contributors

Sitting Up Is Holy Time: Southern Appalachia Death Rites - Sarafina Landis: 1-5
Inaugural MidMountain Fest Poster - Andrea “River” Peterson: 6

Songs of the Knife - Anna Lena Phillips Bell: 7-8

Appalachian Murder Ballad - Kelsey Buckner: 8

Connection - Katherine Fahey: 9

Felicity - Elsa Howell: 10

I was barefooted - Elsa Howell: 11

River James Reprieve - Sarah J. Gill: 12

Our Daddy’s First Son - Clover Lynn: 13

Rescue Ballad - Lesley Wheeler: 14

Not Much - Kelsey Buckner: 15

Untitled - Miriam Julianna: 16

Things I can’t say as a man - Raven Mack: 17-19

Songs of the Inner Room - Anna Lena Phillips Bell: 20

You can find a print your own copy, formatted for duplex printing with the short edge option, here. 

Listen to "Murder,  She Sang," the Our Connected Culture audio documentary season about Murder Ballads

Murder, She Sang episode 1: Murder Ballads, Southern Gothic Horror, and Reclaiming Haunted Regional History

The Murder Ballads, Southern Gothic Horror, and Reclaiming Haunted Regional History Panel was originally hosted at Rockbridge Regional Library Glasgow with moderation by Debi Ratcliff in October 2024. The panel included MidMountain co-curator and creator of the Fatal Femme Agency musical history show Andy “River” Peterson; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill PhD candidate focused on gothic horror and colonization narratives Anna Blackburn; musician and creator of The Ballad of Dena & Andrea podcast+album Becky Poole; regional balladeer Elsa Howell, multimedia artist Marie Anderson, and writer Sarah Gill. 

You can view the video for "It'll just Take the One" here. 

This episode also featured clips from Elizabeth LaPrelle, Andy "River" Peterson, and Betsy Podsiadlo performing during MidMountain Fest in October of 2024, as well as a clip from the Ballad of Dena & Andrea by Becky Poole.

Murder, She Sang: Using Creativity to Process Grief from Murder Ballads to Helene Mutual Aid

This episode was produced with support from Mid Atlantic Arts' Central Appalachian Living Traditions Program.

Two threads that wove through all of last year for us: coming together in creative community in the face of looming climate disaster and reclaiming Appalachian murder ballads.

Those might seem like radically different subjects, but the overlap – for us, at least – was using art to grow resilience in the face of grief. Especially with the climate disaster that was Helene hitting so many of our neighbors.

This episode features interviews with musician Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses), artist and climate organizer Denali Nalamalapu, Jason Duncan from the Wilkes County Historical Museum, and discussions with MidMountain Fellows Heather Adams, Sarah Gill, Katherine Fahey, Dan Van Allen, Becky Poole, Miriam Juliana, Elsa Howell, and Marie Anderson.

This episode also featured a clip of the Kingston Trio's version of "Tom Dooley" and instrumentals from Betsy Podsiadlo's performance in Fatal Femme Agency during MidMountain Fest in October of 2024.

This episode was produced with support from Mid Atlantic Arts' Central Appalachian Living Traditions Program.