Appalachian Blessings
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WV Writers Conference
I'm SO excited to be presenting at this year's WV Writers Summer Conference! I so enjoy talking writing and sharing what I've learned thus far, but to do it back home in West Virginia . . . well, you can't beat that with a stick! PLUS, I'm hoping I can sit in on...
Appalachian Thursday – Mountain Monsters
North America has Bigfoot. Nepal has the Abominable Snowman. Ireland their Banshees. Everywhere you go, there are monster stories. Well, West Virginia is not one to be left out. My home state has several mythical monsters of its own. Our uniquely Appalachian monsters...
Finding Inspiration – Smith, Rash & Cash
The Appalachian Studies Association held their annual conference in Asheville this past weekend. Can you believe it? An entire association dedicated to the study of Appalachia. While I didn't have a chance to go to the full conference, I was able to attend the keynote...
Appalachian Thursday – Onion Sets & Sweet Peas
It's officially the time of year when seed catalogs become irresistible. I pore over gaudy pictures of corn with luxurious silks, scandalously red tomatoes, strawberries glinting like jewels, and squash that make me wonder why I don't eat vegetables ALL the time. And...
Show Don’t Tell (a new take)
It's a common refrain among writers. Don't tell readers what's happening--show them. Imagine the difference between watching a movie and having someone tell you about it. The telling can get tedious fast, but watching it . . . And so, when writing a story, the trick...
Appalachian Thursday – Misty Mornings
I got to spend a few days last week back home at the farm in West Virginia. While trips are usually steeped in family time, I did have a solitary morning to soak in the peace. I thought you might like a little dose of that as well . . . Just me, the morning mist, and...
How to Celebrate the Lenten Season
Okay, so not many folks think of Lent, which starts this Wednesday, as a celebration. This is, after all, a serious time when we're meant to reflect, repent, and ponder Christ's sacrifice for us. But I love Lent and, for me, it's a somber celebration. I relish the...
Appalachian Thursday – Family Stories
There’s no shortage of great story ideas in the hills and hollers of Appalachia. But my favorite place to mine for stories is my own family. A few years ago, I used Ancestry.com to research Dad’s side of the family. We knew our farm had come down through the Phillips...
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