Dr. Annette Sisson Publishes New Book, ‘Winter Sharp with Apples’

What inspired Sisson’s collection of poetry and how she is inspiring others 

English Graduate Program Director and Professor Dr. Annette Sisson has been a pillar of Belmont’s College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences for 35 years, inspiring students with her passion for Victorian literature, creative expression and cultural exploration.

Sisson has helped transform the English department by introducing a variety of literature and writing classes, as well as study abroad programs that span continents and centuries. 

While always encouraging her students to discover their own inspiration, it was not until the last decade that Sisson was inspired by her mother — and a literary hero — to delve seriously into her own poetry career, resulting in publishing her book “Winter Sharp with Apples,” Oct. 1. 

Inspiring through Creative Classes and Global Experiences 

Initially hired part-time in 1989 in Belmont’s writing center as she finished her dissertation, Sisson has introduced classes that challenge students to approach literature and writing in engaging ways. The Postmodern Takes on Victorian Culture course requires students to analyze modern works through a 19th century lens. Sisson also developed the Mystery, Magic and Mayhem class, which explores Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Rebus and Agatha Christie’s writings. 

For 20 years, Sisson has taught a linked interdisciplinary class with Paul Gatrell, professor of theatre, in which Sisson teaches Literature and the Stage while Gatrell teaches The Theatre Experience. The class allows students to write their own scripts and perform at the Troutt Theatre. 

Sisson has also led six study abroad trips to England. “My most amazing teaching experiences have been in England. I’ve done a Maymester in London, a semester with the Honors Program in Lincolnshire — the things I have been able to do over there have been very exciting.”  

The Seed of Inspiration for Winter Sharp with Apples 

Sisson's work extends beyond higher education and into poetry, where she found inspiration in two key places: her mother, and Mary Ann Evans, the subject of her 1989 Belmont dissertation, who is better known by her pen name George Eliot. 

Twice in her life, Sisson’s mother battled cancer and fought it into remission. In 2017, she was diagnosed with a third type of cancer and was told it was terminal. To process her mother’s diagnosis, Sisson wrote poetry. 

Her mother began taking herself seriously as a painter in her early 1950s, serving as an ambitious example for her daughter. Likewise, Evans did not begin publishing novels until she was in her 40s. 

The book’s title, “Winter Sharp with Apples,” was inspired by cleft grafting, a common practice for reproducing apple trees. In this method, a tree is cut or injured, a limb from another tree is inserted into the cut, and a new type of tree grows. 

“That’s how humans grow — we sustain damage,” said Sisson. “I wanted to use that as a metaphor for the ups and downs of human existence and relationships. Most of the poems are about my relationship with my mother and my children. Some are more topical and references to current events, but they still center around damage and growth.” 

On Oct. 1, “Winter Sharp with Apples” was published by Terrapin Books, Sisson’s second major publication.

Inspiring Connection and Reflection Through Literature 

Sisson’s love for theatre extends beyond the classroom as she served on the board of directors for Nashville Children’s Theatre for nine years. Theatre, she believes, is a gateway to reading for children — one that piques their curiosity and reaches those who show little interest in books alone. 

“I bought my son books about sports, dinosaurs, cars, everything to try to make a reader out of him, but it wasn’t working,” she laughed. “One day, he came home from school and told me a storyteller visited their class and read from The Hobbit. I told him that was a hard book, but he insisted we go to the bookstore to get a copy. It was the theatrical presentation of the story that captured his attention.” 

English in all its forms — novels, poetry, theatre, etc. — is a fundamental aspect of education, according to Sisson. It is why she has dedicated the last 35 years to teaching and inspiring students at Belmont to engage with and analyze literature. 

“Language is fundamental to who we are, and it leads people,” she said. “Lots of people look at education as a dollars and cents world, but that will not sustain people when life gets difficult. You must be resilient, reflect and understand yourself in the larger context of other people.” 

Now in her second of three years of phased retirement, Sisson’s contributions to Belmont will resonate long after she leaves. Through her classes, her poetry and community involvement, she has inspired countless others to explore the greater context of literature and apply it to themselves in a way that encourages, heals and motivates.