Charlotte Realtors Report Monthly Sales Increase for Sept. 2011

Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association reports on the residential
real estate market in this region based on Carolina Multiple Listing
Services, Inc. (CMLS) data. The number of closings for September 2011
(1,970) increased 26 percent compared to September 2010 when closings
totaled 1,564. Compared to August 2011 (2,289), closings were down
13.9 percent.

The average sales price in September 2011 ($196,686) was down 6.5
percent compared to September 2010 ($210,257), and down 4.5 percent
compared to August 2011 ($205,854). The median sales price in
September 2011 ($149,900) decreased 4.5 percent compared to the
September 2010 median sales price of $157,000, and was down 5 percent
compared to the August 2011 median sales price of $158,000.

The average list price in September 2011 ($246,472) increased 5.4
percent from last September's average list price of $233,906, and was
up 4.9 percent from the August 2011 average list price of $235,021.
The residential pending contracts figure for September 2011 (1,913)
was up 14.3 percent compared to September 2010 (1,674). This figure
decreased 15.5 percent compared to August 2011 when pending contracts
totaled 2,263. New residential listings in September 2011 totaled
3,349.

CMLS distressed housing inventory, or the transactions that deal with
distressed sales, continues to decrease, with the number of
foreclosures for sale in the MLS in September 2011 totaling 662.
Distressed properties comprised 15.9 percent of all new listings in
September 2011 and accounted for 21.4 percent of closings, which
indicates that consumers are absorbing these property types faster
than lenders are listing them.

In April 2011, CMLS began using a new reporting tool to create
reports. In order to report the most up-to-date figures each month,
the tool is constantly "updating history" instead of allowing data to
remain static once it's reported. Therefore, with each new month of
reporting there could be slight variances in what was reported in the
previous month as transactions are updated and adjustments are made
within the MLS system.

For more residential-housing market statistics, visit the
association's website at www.CarolinaHome.com and click on "Community
Data." For an interview with 2011 association/CMLS President Laurie
Knudsen, please contact Kim Walker.

The Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association is a trade association
that leads, educates and equips members to be productive. It provides
more than 6,700 Realtor®members with the resources and services needed
to conduct ethical, professional, successful and profitable
businesses. The association is dedicated to being the region's primary
resource for residential real estate information. The association
operates the Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CMLS), which
has approximately 7,300 Subscribers and is the private cooperative
Realtors® use for access to tens of thousands of residential listings
in a 10-county service area, including the high-growth Charlotte area,
as well as listings outside this service area.

Fwd: Calling All Best-Dressed Rockers for Rocktoberfest Race and Costume Contest - Oct. 22

Calling all rock star wannabes! Run For Your Life is bringing some
rockin' fun to Charlotte with the Rocktoberfest Half Marathon and 5K
presented by the Dowd YMCA and 'Best Dressed Rocker' contest on
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011.

Formerly the Dowd YMCA Half Marathon and 5K, the Rocktoberfest Half
Marathon kicks off at 7:40 a.m. and the 5K at 8:00 a.m. at the Dowd
YMCA 400 E. Morehead Street in Charlotte. All are welcome for the
'Best Dressed Rocker Contest' whereby people can come dressed as their
favorite rocker to the 10:15 a.m. Half Marathon Awards ceremony for a
chance to win prizes. One award will be given to the best dressed
runner rocker and one award will be given to the best dressed family/
friend/runner groupie. Each winner will win a pair of tickets to NC
Music Factory's Music Monsters & Mayhem - Charlotte's Largest
Halloween Bash plus tickets to upcoming concerts from 106.5 The End
and 99.7 The Fox.

Rocktoberfest is also teaming up with Mortimer's Café & Pub at the
Epicentre, which will be hosting a post-race party food and drink
specials, and music from the Caleb Davis Band. Also, Mortimer's Cafe &
Pub will be donating $1 to the Dowd YMCA for each 'Better Turkey Pita'
that is sold between now through Oct. 21.

There is also a double medal opportunity for those who run
Rocktoberfest Half Marathon presented by the Dowd YMCA and the Thunder
Road Marathon or Amica Insurance Half Marathon (Saturday, Nov. 12).
Registration for the double medal costs $10 per person and is required
by clicking here or via paper entry form. For more information about
the Thunder Road Marathon or Amica Insurance Half Marathon, please
visit www.runcharlotte.com.

Registration for the Rocktoberfest Half Marathon costs $45 by Friday,
Oct. 21 and $55 on race day. Entry fees for the Rocktoberfest 5K cost
$25 by Friday, Oct. 21 and $35 on race day. Register at one of the
four Run For Your Life locations or online until 11:59 p.m., Thursday,
Oct. 20. For more information, visithttp://www.runforyourlife.com/race/rocktoberfest
.

About Run For Your Life
Founded in 1989, Run For Your Life is Charlotte's oldest running
retailer with four locations in Dilworth, University, Piper Glen and
SouthPark. It is also the official Registration and Timing & Scoring
provider for Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon scheduled for Nov. 12,
2011.

Follow Run For Your Life at http://www.facebook.com/runforyourlife and
at http://twitter.com/RFYL .

Celebrate Halloween at The Duke Mansion's Hallowwen Costume Party and Haunted Mansion

Charlotte – Brew up some fun and support The Duke Mansion on Friday,
October 28.

Join us for a monster of a fun time at our Halloween Costume Party and
Haunted Mansion. Sink your fangs into Chef Harrison Booth's gourmet
food. Our special brews will send a delightful chill down your spine.
Groove with your favorite goblins to the band Bad Daddies.

You can also bid on treats at our auction during the night, with
opportunities to bid on jewelry, trips, art, Panthers tickets, events
at the Mansion, and more.

The festivities start at 6:30 pm and last until the witching hour at
400 Hermitage Road in the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte.
Tickets are $125 per person ($75 is tax deductible). Members of The
Duke Mansion's Preservation Society get in free. Call or email today
to reserve your spot or learn about Preservation Society membership,
if you dare. Call 704/714-4445 or email ecovington@tlwf.org .

The Halloween Costume Party and Haunted Mansion is the annual
fundraiser for the preservation of The Duke Mansion, a non-profit bed-
and-breakfast inn and meeting place.

Built in 1915 and tripled in size by its most famous owner, James
Buchanan Duke, The Duke Mansion has been home and host to leaders of
the 20th century. Duke's most lasting legacies, including Duke
University, Duke Energy, and the Duke Endowment, took shape at the
home. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Mansion
is now operated as a non-profit with all proceeds being used to
preserve and protect this community treasure. Find out more
atwww.dukemansion.org

ATD Donates $170,000 to 3 Causes During 22nd Annual Golf Tourney

American Tire Distributors (ATD) has announced $170,000 in charitable
gifts, including a $100,000 donation to Boundless Playgrounds to
support the creation of two inclusive Tread Town playgrounds, and
$35,000 each to Charlotte-area charities Second Harvest Food Bank of
Metrolina and The Salvation Army Center of Hope.

The gifts were announced at the company's 22nd Annual ATD Charity
Classic golf tournament, an event that has raised more than $1 million
in total funds for local nonprofit organizations. This year's
donations were raised by contributions from vendors participating in
the golf tournament and a contribution from ATD.

"We've been a member of the Charlotte community for over 75 years and
we believe it's absolutely essential to support groups that help
address the important needs of our community," said William E. "Bill"
Berry, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Tire
Distributors Inc. "We want to thank all our vendors whose generous
contributions along with ATD's direct gift have made it possible to
support this year's recipients so that they can assist those who are
in need of help."

Reflecting ATD's position as the nation's largest independent supplier
of replacement tires, each Boundless Playground Tread Town's
foundation is constructed from recycled rubber, creating a universally
accessible surface that allows children and caregivers with and
without disabilities to enjoy the playground freely and safely. The
playground promotes inclusive, unstructured play with ramped
wheelchair access to the highest platforms, features exclusive Tread
Town tire swings, and a multitude of other cutting-edge fitness and
educational-based activities

ATD's donation of $100,000 will go to support the creation of two
Tread Town playgrounds, and potential sites have been identified on
the west coast and in the Southeast. The new playgrounds will resemble
the Tread Towns that ATD and their subsidiary Tire Pros have supported
in the past. The existing playgrounds are located in the Charlotte,
NC, Jackson, MS, and Memphis, TN metro areas.

"Nearly 7 million children nationwide have a disability that prohibits
them from enjoying the full experience of a traditional community
playground," said Fred Leone, Chief Executive Officer of Boundless
Playgrounds. "Our playgrounds are designed to put all children in the
middle of the fun, where they can play together and learn to
appreciate each others' abilities."

ATD also donated $35,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina provides food and other
essential grocery products to the over 405,000 people living at or
below the poverty level in the region, which includes 145,000
children. ATD's donation will assist in the Backpack Program
initiative that provides food for children at risk of hunger on
weekends and holidays when school meals are not available. The
backpacks are distributed every Friday and include soups, fruit,
canned chicken, and several other items.

"We are very pleased to receive this donation from American Tire
Distributors," said Kay Carter, Executive Director of Second Harvest
Food Bank of Metrolina. "This donation comes at a great time. School
has just started back and children who are at risk of hunger are in
need of the backpacks full of nutritious, ready-to-eat foods on the
weekends when subsidized school meals are not available. Donations
like this help us continue our current backpack programs and help
start new ones."

ATD donated another $35,000 to The Salvation Army Center of Hope, an
emergency shelter for homeless women and children. "The Center of Hope
is the place women come to when they have no other options," said
Deronda Metz, director of The Salvation Army's Social Services. ATD's
gift will help Charlotte's only 24/7 year-round emergency shelter
provide lodging, food, professional case management, and a variety of
programs to the 5,600 women and children that stay at the Center of
Hope each year.

American Tire Distributors is the nation's largest independent
supplier of tires to the replacement tire market. The company focuses
on helping tire and wheel retail dealers effectively compete in their
marketplace by offering the most complete, coast-to-coast selection of
tires, wheels and related products and value-added services. American
Tire Distributors employs almost 3,000 employees across its nationwide
distribution center network, including more than 350 people in the
Charlotte region at its Huntersville, N.C. field support center,
Charlotte distribution center and regional hub in Maiden, NC.

Charlotte Area Walmart Stores Offer Promotions for Final Race Week

As the Charlotte area prepares for the upcoming Bank of America 500 on
Oct. 15, Walmart is giving racing fans more reason to get excited with
its new Race Time program. Walmart customers and NASCAR fans can
purchase the Walmart Family Track Pack available exclusively through
Walmart.com/NASCAR for the Bank of America 500. The discount ticket
package includes four race tickets, four hot dogs, four beverages and
one race program for just $99, a savings of nearly $100 for a family
of four.

"We've found that nearly nine out of 10 NASCAR fans chose to shop at
Walmart[i]," said John Jones, Walmart market manager. "We wanted to
provide Charlotte race fans with unbelievable savings on NASCAR
tickets and merchandise and unique Race Time experiences that you can
only find at Walmart."

Race Time at Walmart
Beginning Oct. 11, select Walmart stores in the Charlotte area will
host NASCAR fan events featuring real stock car racing displays and
racing simulator machines – perfect to safely get behind the wheel and
feel the power of NASCAR.

Local radio station WFNZ-AM, "The Fan," will be at Walmart Store #1027
in Concord broadcasting remotely on Friday, Oct. 14 from 12 p.m. to 1
p.m.

Additionally, Walmart stores will feature incredible prices on NASCAR
merchandise such as T-shirts, racing flags, and tailgating food and
beverages with even more selection of exclusive product on Walmart.com/
NASCAR.

Participating stores in the Charlotte area include:

Tuesday, Oct. 11 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Events free and open to the public include the Wrangler Interactive
Pit Box, Cheerios show car, Oreo Ritz show car, Coca-Cola 5-seat
racing simulator, and Pepsi Max/AMP racing simulator at:

Walmart Store #2005
2420 Supercenter Drive NE
Kannapolis, N.C.

Wednesday, Oct. 12 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Events free and open to the public include the Hefty show car
simulator, Wrangler Interactive Pit Box, Cheerios show car, Oreo Ritz
show car, Coca-Cola 5-seat racing simulator, and Pepsi Max/AMP racing
simulator at:

Walmart Store #2134
7735 North Tryon St.
Charlotte, N.C.

Thursday, Oct. 13 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Events free and open to the public include the Hefty show car
simulator, Wrangler Interactive Pit Box, Cheerios show car, Oreo Ritz
show car, Coca-Cola 5-seat racing simulator, and Pepsi Max/AMP racing
simulator at:

Walmart Store #4574
5825 Thunder Road NW
Concord, N.C.

Friday, Oct. 14 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Events free and open to the public include the Hefty show car
simulator, Wrangler Interactive Pit Box, Cheerios show car, Oreo Ritz
show car, Coca-Cola 5-seat racing simulator, and Pepsi Max/AMP racing
simulator at:

Walmart Store #1027
150 Concord Commons
Concord, N.C.

For additional details and a complete listing of participating Walmart
stores, visit Walmart.com/NASCAR.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more
than 200 million times per week at over 9,200 retail units under 69
different banners in 28 countries. With fiscal year 2011 sales of $419
billion, Walmart employs 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart
continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and
employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be
found by visiting http://walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart
. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com
.

Funnel Bacakonator, Danica Patrick Fit Fuel Menu Highlight New Foods at Speedway

Everything from a funnel cake covered with bacon to a "Fit Fuel" menu
endorsed by one of racing's most popular drivers will be offered in
the concession stands when fans come to Charlotte Motor Speedway for
Bank of America 500 Week, Oct. 12-15.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is teaming with Levy Restaurants to offer
fans the following new unique concession items:

• Danica Patrick's Fit Fuel Menu: Danica Patrick's Fit Fuel menu will
make its debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The new menu features
lighter fare and vegetarian items recommended by Patrick. "For me it's
important to always eat healthy and balanced meals so I have enough
energy for the task at hand," said Patrick. "My Fit Fuel menu is
loaded with healthy options, so fans can make smart choices about what
they eat when they're enjoying the races."

The Danica Patrick Fit Fuel menu includes a turkey burger, veggie
burger, a grilled chicken sandwich, a veggie chopped salad, fruit and
veggie cups, trail mix, baked potato chips and Clif and Luna Bars.
Fans can find the fit offerings in Section K of the Ford Grandstand.

• Funnel Bacakonator: On the other end of the fit food spectrum is the
Funnel Bacakonator. Fans who aren't as health conscious but are
looking for a tasty treat at the races will enjoy this serving of a
funnel cake covered in bacon pieces and drizzled with chocolate and
strawberry sauces. The Funnel Bacakonator will be available in the
Levy Restaurants State Fair concession stand near Gate 4 in the
General Motors grandstand.

• Flame and Fuel Burgers: Fans coming to the track for Bank of America
500 Week can also try the new Flame and Fuel menu with one-of-a-kind
burger offerings like the Sunday Night Turkey Burger with cornbread
stuffing, gravy and carrot relish, or the Charlotte Pimento Mac-n-
Cheese Burger, with Angus beef, pimento mac-and-cheese and crumbled
pork rinds. The Flame and Fuel menu offerings will be located in the
in Sections I and J of the General Motors grandstand.

• Gluten-Free: Gluten-intolerant guests can enjoy traditional race-day
fare during Bank of America 500 Week. A portable concession cart,
dedicated exclusively to freshly prepared, gluten-free favorites and
snacks will offer hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pumpkin seeds, and
candies. The gluten-free foods can be found in Sections G and F of the
General Motors grandstand.

"Enjoying fun and unique foods is a big part of the racing
experience," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of
Charlotte Motor Speedway. "We always want to push the envelope when it
comes to our concessions and offer our fans something they can only
enjoy in Charlotte. I've personally tried the Funnel Bacakonator and
it is awesome. I can't wait for our fans to try these new items and
see what they think!"

Tickets for all October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be
purchased online atwww.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the
speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Coca-Cola Four
Pack includes four tickets, four hot dogs and four Coca-Cola drinks
starting at just $39.75 per person.

For daily updates on October race activities, connect with Charlotte
Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/
CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan atwww.facebook.com/
charlottemotorspeedway.

Traffic Advisory: Sharon Road Closed Due To Fatality

Due to a traffic fatality, Sharon Road in between Sharon and Colony
Roads will be closed throughout the early evening, Friday, Oct. 7.
Police ask that drivers seek alternate routes around SouthPark Mall.

Davidson Theatre to Present "Romeo & Juliet" Starting Oct. 22

The Davidson College Theatre Department invites the public to a bold,
original production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet on the weekends
of October 22 and 29.

Performances will be in Duke Family Performance Hall Friday, Oct. 21.
at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 23, at 2 p.m.,
Friday, Oct. 28, at 8:15 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m.
General admission is $15, $11 for seniors and $6 for students. Tickets
can be purchased by calling 704-894-2135 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily,
or online at www.davidson.edu/tickets. The play is recommended for
ages 12 and up.

Director Mark Sutch, assistant professor of theatre, says Davidson's
production of the timeless tale of star-crossed lovers and the
tragedies that befall them will stand out through its special
attention to creative storytelling and non-traditional staging.

Maggie Birgel '14 (Juliet) and Brandon Smalls '12 (Romeo) will both
tackle Shakespeare for the first time in this production and are
excited to give these iconic characters their own unique spin. "It's a
special challenge, since everyone already has an opinion of the story
and text," says Birgel. "But the most important thing is to avoid
playing the stereotype and to make the story our own."

Sutch added, "They both have a great understanding of how to relate to
this story and live out these characters' deepest wants and needs,
which is the most crucial thing in any play."

Sutch believes what makes Romeo and Juliet the most revered love story
of all time has little to do with its historical setting. Therefore,
the Davidson production will avoid all typically applied Shakespearean
styles and mannerisms and focus purely on Shakespeare's compelling
text and beautiful story. In doing so, the production will create a
world for the play free from any time period, highlighting the stark
contrast between Romeo and Juliet's pure, organic love and the
artificiality of world around them.

"What makes their instantaneous love so powerful?" Sutch asked. "Love
becomes their alternative to existing in a rigid, man-made world
that's far gone from our natural wants and impulses as human beings.
They see a love in each other that provides freedom from the
manufactured world, and they realize that this love is far more honest
thananything they've ever known before."

The production will also bring the audience face to face with this
world through use of the physical set. Set designer Joe Gardner,
professor of theatre, is eliminating the first few rows of seating in
Duke Family Performance Hall to extend the stage beyond its normal
boundaries. Multiple platforms and bridges will jut across the open
pit and out into the audience. Sutch says the intention is to place
the performance into the laps of the audience members, producing a
greater sense of overall intimacy and connection. Guest artist
lighting designer David Fillmore will use "larger than life" lighting
to express the huge stakes and heavy emotions encompassed in scenes
throughout the play.

The show will also feature numerous actors' talents with musical
instruments, and Sutch has built opportunities for live music to be
played by actors in the show, rather than by using prerecorded sound
cues.

Romeo and Juliet contains a large number of violent fight scenes that
require preparation and practice. To master the art of stage combat,
Sutch has enlisted the professional help of Dale Girard, a fight
instructor at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.
Smalls, who plays the role of Romeo, commented, "We have to work
diligentlyat making the combat look convincing while making it safe,
especially since we will be working on the extended stage with rapiers
that are potentially dangerous. The close proximity of the sword
fights should be very exciting for audience members."

In addition to the scheduled productions, the Theatre Department will
introduce area youth to Romeo and Juliet during a special matinee
performance specifically for middle and high school students. Some of
the actors will also offer Shakespeare workshops in nearby schools so
students can interact with the actors before they see the show.

In addition to Birgel and Smalls in the title roles, the Romeo and
Juliet cast includes Davidson students Ryan Chiles, Kara Copeland,
Dinah Decker, AudreyGyurgyik, Benjamin Heimfeld, Christa Johnson,
Amelia Lumpkin, Nick McGuire,Allen Rigby, Madison Rigger, and Chance
Ruder.

Buffalo Wild Wings Donates 10% of Sales to United Way of Central Carolinas

Every Wednesday in October, Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar will donate
10% of all sales (pre-tax, less alcohol and promotional discounts) to
United Way of Central Carolinas. Buffalo Wild Wings has four
participating locations including the NASCAR Hall of Fame in
Charlotte, Matthews, Concord, and University City. Participants can
print a coupon from the United Way website at
www.uwcentralcarolinas.org or simply reference the United Way of
Central Carolinas donation to their server.

"We are always looking for ways to give back to our local community
and hopefully help our guests as well," said DeAnna Davis, Buffalo
Wild Wings Charlotte general manager. "By offering 10% of our sales on
Wednesdays in October to United Way of Central Carolinas, Buffalo Wild
Wings and our guests are supporting this community and making the
Charlotte region an even better place to live.

"We're appreciative of the great partnership that's been cultivated
between United Way of Central Carolinas and Buffalo Wild Wings,"
stated Jane McIntyre, executive director of United Way. "This generous
donation allows the community to engage in our work in a new and
exciting way. Best of all, our neighbors most in need throughout our
region will benefit from what we hope will become a lasting creative
relationship."

Davidson's Tony Abbott Will Unveil New Book of Poetry at October 16 Event

Tony Abbott's new book of poems, If Words Could Save Us, continues a
prolific outpouring of lyric verse from this retired Davidson College
English professor. But the volume is also a first for Abbott. "It's
the only book of poems I've written where every poem is part of the
story of the book," he said.

As for a story, Abbott has chosen a big one. "It tells life's story,"
he said. "Not my life story. The universal life story."

Abbott invites the public to attend a premier reading and "celebration
in music, poetry and art" for If Words Could Save Us on Sunday
afternoon, October 16. Abbott's recitation of several of the poems
will be accompanied by live music and projection of images. It will
begin at 3 p.m. in Semans Lecture Hall in the Belk Visual Arts Center
on the Davidson campus. He will also conduct a reading on Wednesday
evening, October 19, at Park Road Books in Charlotte. For more
information on either event call 704-894-2254.

Abbott compiled If Words Could Save from his ever-increasing
collection of individual poems. Last year he began to sift through the
collection in search of commonality and themes. The book's three
section titles – "Providence," "Ordinary Time" and "Grace" were drawn
from that process.

The themes reflect Abbott's interpretation of the stages of life. He
explained, "Providence is about God kicking Adam and Eve from the
Garden of Eden, about young people becoming adults. Ordinary Time is
that long period of life lived in the real world, and Grace concerns
the redemption we finally receive in unexpected and surprising ways at
the conclusion of life."

The book expresses Abbott's gratitude for being blessed with an
enthusiastic passion for language arts, as well as his recognition
that not everyone shares his joy in life's journey. He said, "It's a
tough time for us as a nation, and I hope the book will help some
readers find a little joy, blessing and peace."

If Words Could Save Us has earned high praise from early readers in
the literary community. Joel Connaroe, president of the Guggenheim
Memorial Foundation, wrote on the book jacket, "Charm is difficult to
define but we know it when we see it and we see it on every page of
Anthony Abbott's elegantly crafted, moving poems, whether elegiac,
confessional, allusive, or slyly comic."

Abbott's book includes for the first time in his career a CD of him
reciting about half of the printed poems because, he said, "Most
people do better if they hear poetry."

Abbott is a native of San Francisco who received his undergraduate
degree from Princeton University and his Ph.D. from Harvard. His
teaching career at Davidson began in 1964 and concluded officially
with his retirement in 2001, and unofficially in 2006 when he last
taught a section of Humanities at the college. However, teaching has
continued to be as important in his life as writing. In 2007 he spent
aterm at Lenoir-Rhyne University as "Writer in Residence," and he now
serves as a member of the advisory board of Lenor-Rhyne's visiting
writer series.

His association with Lenoir-Rhyne and literary reputation led to an
invitation that Abbott edit an anthology of work by writers who have
served in the "Visiting Writer" series. The resulting book, What
Writers Do, will debut in late November, contains contributions from
32 of the greatest authors of this era, including Seamus Heaney,
Sharon Olds, John Updike, Nikki Giovanni, Frank McCourt, Reynolds
Price and others. Abbott introduces their work with an essay
explaining the structure of the book and his reflections on the role
of writers in society. "I conclude that what writers do is change
lives," he said. "They bring a new dimension of life to readers."

He presents readings frequently, and teaches writing workshops. He is
currently conducting a poetry workshop at Queens University in
Charlotte, and doing workshops for two churches.

He has published steadily since his first book of poems, The Girl in
the Yellow Raincoat, appeared in 1989. If Words Could Save Us joins
his other volumes of poetry, A Small Thing Like a Breath, The Search
for Wonder in the Cradle of the World, The Man Who and his "greatest
hits" volume of 2009, New and Selected Poems. He has also written two
novels. Leaving Maggie Hope won the 2003 Novello Literary Award, and
was followed in 2007 by a sequel titled The Three Great Secret Things.