Appalachian State University professor and former North Carolina Poet Laureate (2012-14) Joseph Bathanti has been named to this year's class of the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame (NCLHOF) — an honor reserved for five of the state's most beloved and accomplished writers.

Established in 1996 under the leadership of Poet Laureate Sam Ragan, the NCLHOF is a program of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. The program celebrates and promotes the state’s rich literary heritage by commemorating its leading authors and encouraging the continued flourishing of great literature. The Hall of Fame is located at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities in Southern Pines.