“A haven for books that matter,” UNCW’s Lookout Books stands small in the world of presses, but with just as much heart and bold dreams as the big names in the publishing world. Edith Pearlman and John Rybicki, two of Lookout’s four authors, read on April 15 to an audience of eager listeners who may or may not have been expecting to be in the company of “Two of the best writer’s in the country,” said Ben Georde, Lookout Books co-founder.

The reading was truly awe-inspiring. One couldn’t help but be entranced by Pearlman’s mastery of the short story and Rybicki’s emotional, intimate, in-depth exposures in his poetry.

Edith Pearlman, Lookout’s debut author, has mainly dazzled smaller audiences with her more than 250 pieces in various anthologies and national magazines, but “Binocular Vision” changed any obscurity regarding her talent. Over 25,000 readers have read Lookout’s inaugural and debut publication with worldwide fascination spreading as “Binocular Vision” is now being translated into multiple languages, such as Swedish and Japanese.

UNCW was the first stop in a week-long North Carolina book tour for Pearlman as she makes her way to classrooms, readings and radio shows in places such as Charlotte and Davidson.

Recent winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, “Binocular Vision” is a collection of short stories both new and pulled from Pearlman’s entire writing career. From a fictional suburb of Boston to Manhattan and from London to Jerusalem, Pearlman brings her readers on a globe-crossing literary adventure.

Pearlman charmed the audience with a reading of the story “Mates,” which followed the McGuire family who arrived to town with nothing, raised their three children and vanished without a trace.

“I believe solitude to be not only the unavoidable human condition but also the sensible human preference,” Pearlman reveled from her story. With her soft voice that warmly told each tale, Pearlman truly expressed her humbling personality and passion for the short story.

As the applause subsided after Pearlman’s reading, Ben George stepped up to introduce John Rybicki.

“It’s time to trust our hearts…to walk by faith, not by sight,” George said reflecting on the foundational values of Lookout Books. The publishing world is adapting and small presses, especially, must innovate and continue to exist in order to preserve the publishing culture. Lookout specializes in appreciating the work of pieces that may be overlooked.

Lookout Book’s first poet, John Rybicki has been featured and reprinted in “Best American Poetry”and “The Pushcart Prize,” among many others, and has published two previous collections. His newest collection titled “When All the World is Old” was recently released on April 10 and pays tribute to his late wife, poet Julie Moulds, revealing entries from her journal, stories of their life together and the immense pain he felt during her sixteen-year struggle with cancer.

Let the tears start flowing.

Throughout a majority of Rybicki’s readings of “One Wish” and “One Body,” the audience had to hold back tears along Rybicki.

Julie and John’s nicknames of “my dude” and “my gal” or “dame” for one another were endearing details that followed stories of love notes Julie had written in the steam of the bathroom window. The final one kept reappearing after her death letting her husband and son know she loved them.

“Everything is a poem,” one of Julie’s entries said, and Rybicki said how he “wanted her body to be an Earth that went on and on forever.” The kind of consuming love every girl desires was painted for the entire audience to see.

“I was pulled over by the cops twice for writing while I was driving,” Rybicki laughs. He felt a duty and was honored to translate his love and pain in to a higher language to form a type of “release.”

“An individual is suffused with eloquence when they’re standing next to a loved one who is dying,” Rybicki said.

It was an evening that truly represented the magic of the written word and how powerful “a conversation between writer and reader” can be, said Emily Amith, Lookout co-founder. This event was one of 40 throughout the month of April to showcase innovation, collaboration and success at UNCW in honor of Chancellor Gary L. Miller’s official installation on April 20.