Every Thursday night at 8 p.m., the Writers Conference of Northern Appalachia holds a livestream that features new authors, and it is accessible to the public through Facebook. WCONA LIVE! has been active since March 31 and is hosted by Damian Dressick and Christina Fisanick.

“Dr. Damian Dressick from Clarion University posed the idea to me at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown,” said co-host Fisanick.

Fisanick is a familiar face to students at Cal U, for she is an associate professor of English at the university.

“I loved the idea and felt that it would serve multiple purposes: to showcase writers from the region and to help our audience make it through the toughest part of the quarantine,” Fisanick said.

WCONA LIVE! specifically features writers from the Northern Appalachia region, or those who write about the region in their works.

“We look for writers whose work is exceptional,” Fisanick said. “Some are writers we know, and some are known to other writers we know.”

Aside from encouraging viewers to write their own works, Fisanick said the live inspires others to, “read more works by northern Appalachian writers, and to feel a sense of belonging within the community.”

Fisanick said writers shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to them.

“We love featuring both new and established writers,” she said.

Dressick was unavailable for comment.

It almost felt like an extension of having class with Dr. Fisanick, just with people I don’t recognize involved,” said Ciera Jones.

Jones is a senior at Cal U where she majors in English literature, and minors in creative writing.

Jones attended last night’s live, in which author Chauna Craig read her flash fiction piece, “The Open Door.”

“It was a futuristic commentary on abortion,” said Jones. “A husband and wife’s daughter shows up at their door, from the future, to convince them not to abort her as part of a government tactic. It was interesting.”

“I took notes, so I had to use my active listening skills to keep track of what was happening and what the author was saying,” Jones said, a habit she contributes to her major.

However, as a writer, she said, “It was cool to see what kinds of opportunities I may have in my future.”