Appalachian Blessings
Learn MoreBlog
How About a Poem?
The hero of my next story is Colman Harpe. I chose the name Colman for two reasons--first, he's inspired by Jonah (the one swallowed by the whale) and both of the names--Jonah and Colman--mean "Dove." The second reason is that I grew up knowing a fellow named Coleman...
Appalachian Thursday – Miracle on Sale
It's been five years since Miracle in a Dry Season first hit store shelves. Giddy days, those! And while I've been fortunate to see more stories published (and others yet to come), that first novel is the one that will always hold a dear place in my heart. And...
The Lies We Tell Ourselves
I'm not someone who goes on diets. Low-carb, no-carb, Mediterranean, Atkins, Whole 30, keto, and on and on. My personal dietary guideline is to eat a wide variety of mostly unprocessed foods. As Michael Pollan wrote, "Eat food. Not too much." Typically, if I need to...
Independence Day at the Museum of Appalachia
My home state's motto is: Mountaineers are always free. There's a serious thread of independence running through the mountains I call home. And what better day to celebrate that than the Fourth of July? And what better way than by shooting off some anvils? Wait. What?...
Book Review – My Dearest Dietrich
When I saw that Amanda Barratt was tackling a novel about Dietrich Bonhoeffer's ill-fated love, I knew I wanted to read it! While I was familiar with the pastor's part in the conspiracy to kill Adolph Hitler and his ultimate martyrdom, I had no idea he'd been engaged....
Appalachian Thursday – WV Quiz Results
Last Thursday was WV Day. To celebrate, I sent out a quiz to help readers determine if they could pass as a Mountaineer. The results were interesting! The first question was whether or not you've ever used an outhouse. I was amazed that almost EVERYONE who took the...
What’s BETTER than a doctor’s excuse?
I was joking around with a librarian friend about how working a day job really cuts into my readerly and writerly activities. A regular job means I have less time to read, write, go to conferences, and just hang out with friends talking about books! She offered to...
Appalachian Thursday – What do diamonds, women who dunk, and stalagmite sitting have in common?
Today is WV Day. But you probably already knew that. My home state is turning 156 and in honor of the day I thought I'd share some unusual facts about the Mountain State. The largest diamond ever found in North America was discovered in Peterson, WV, by the Jones...
Meet Sarah
