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Writer’s Biographies |
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Silas House |
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Lynwood Montell
Dr. William Lynwood Montell, professor emeritus of folk studies at Western Kentucky University after 27 years there, along with six years at Campbellsville College (now university), and three years at the University of Notre Dame, is the author of 23 books published by university presses, including Kentucky Ghosts, Ghosts Across Kentucky, Haunted Houses and Family Ghosts of Kentucky, Tales from Kentucky Lawyers, Tales from Tennessee Lawyers, Grassroots Music in the Kentucky-Tennessee Upper Cumberland, and Tales from Kentucky Doctors, which will be available at the Redbud Festival & Quilt Workshop’s Book Fair.
In Tales from Kentucky Doctors, author William Lynwood Montell has assembled a fascination collection of oral memories from Kentucky’s medical providers. Ranging from humorous to heartwarming to tragic, tales in this book are authentic and totally captivating. This collection of oral narratives personally told by doctors across the state about themselves and other doctors, including those now deceased, is essential for understanding and preserving the culture and tradition of Kentucky medical practice. For many years, Dr. Montell has been featured as one of the statewide speakers/storytellers sponsored by the Kentucky Humanities Council, Lexington |
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Virginia Smith
Virginia Smith left her twenty-year career as a corporate director in the summer of 2006 to launch her first novel, Just As I Am. Since that time she has received contracts for eight humorous novels aimed primarily at Christian readers. Her humorous mysteries, which include Murder by Mushroom and Bluegrass Peril, have received 4-star ratings from Romantic Times Bookclub Maaqazine. Stuck in the Middle, the first of the Sister-to-Sister Series, has been hailed as a “warm relationship drama...a fine inspirational chick lit tale” by Genre Go Round Revies, and Publisher’s Weekly promises, “Readers won’t be disappointed. The sisters are spirited and fun…” A native Kentuckian, Ms. Smith sets all her books right here in the Bluegrass State. www.virginiasmith.org |
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Russell A. Vassallo
A retired attorney, living on a farm in south-central Kentucky where he and his wife rescue animals, Russell A. Vassallo writes about the animals he has rescued and has received numerous awards. Tears and Tales, a collection of stories about the rescued animals, is the winner of the USA Booknews Best Book Award, the Indies Excellence Five Hundred Best Book, and the Reader’s Views Best Short Story Collection Award, and The Horse with the Golden Mane, both reviewed in Kentucky Monthly magazine and both highlighted in the Kentucky Book Fair. Accompanying him will be his wife, Virginia, who offered her own story of her grandfather’s fight to publish and print the Stars and Stripes newspaper. Unsung Patriot: How the Stars and Stipes Began is an enthralling account of the grandfather she knew only through his deeds. Visit them at www.krazyduck.com for more information |
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Nancy Kelly Allen
Nancy Kelly Allen’s journey toward the world of writing has been uphill and taken twists and turns like a winding mountain road. She started her career as a social worker, later became a middle school social studies teacher before becoming an elementary school librarian. Her former profession as a school librarian together with her daily ritual of writing or pondering her next children’s story has provided the perfect creative atmosphere. She fondly recalls childhood evening story times and credits her father’s never-ending supply of humorous stories for her love of reading and writing. She has a master’s degree in Education from Morehead State University and master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Kentucky. Nancy lives in Kentucky, in the very same log cabin in which she grew up in Knott County. She shares this home with her husband Larry and two canine writer assistants, Pippen and Harrietta.
Nancy’s publishing credits include: Once Upon a Dime; On the Banks of the Amazon, which was Appalachian Book of the Year in Children’s Literature; Whose Noise Is This?; Whose Food Is This?; Whose House Is This?; Daniel Boone: Trail Blazer; The Munched-Up Flower Garden; A Little Ditty; and Read to Me! I Will Listen |
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John Sparks
Not much into “tooting his own horn,” John Sparks is a part-time writer who spent ten years researching and writing the history of the Old Time Baptists in southern Appalachia. His interests include history, biography, theology, philosophy, prose, poetry, southern rock, blues, and bluegrass. His works include Raccoon John Smith: Frontier Kentucky’s Most Famous Preacher (Religion in the South) and The Roots of Appalachian Christianity: The Life and Legacy of Elder Shubal Stearns (Religion in the South, 8) |
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Ray Adkins Ray Adkins, resident of Artemus, Kentucky is a history buff – especially local history. He feels the most interesting details of our local history is yet to be told. A ten-year War Between the States re-enactor, Mr. Adkins moved to Knox County in 1980 and founded the popular “Battle of Barbourville, Inc.” and is the current CEO. His first book, entitled Battle of Barbourville, Kentucky, is his first novel and tells the story of “Zeke” Evans, a member of the Barbourville Home Guard explores the struggles of the times from 1840-1861. Mr. Adkins dedicated this book to the staff, faculty and students of Boone Elementary School, where he is employed. Mr. Adkins’ latest book, Into Barbourville: To Destroy Camp Andy, will be out in the fall of 2008 |
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Harry Brown Collections of Poetry: Felt Along the Blood, Paint Lick Idyll, Measuring Man, Ego’s Eye & Everything is its Opposite. |
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Faith & Eric Eastridge: The Dream, Queen of Hearts, Sandy Art & Oakhurst.
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Steven R. Cope: Collections Of Poetry: In Killdeer’s Field, Clover’s Log & Furrbawl Poems. |
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Mary Ellen Klatte: Author of Kentucky Women |
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Sue Scalf: Collection of Poems: Bearing the Print |
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Redbud Trail Festival & Quilt Workshop |
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Debbie Hobson |
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Don Dampier |
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Teresa Reasor |
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Melissa Burton |
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David Chaltas David Chaltas is a published author, teacher, ordained minister, and living historian who presents in the persona of General Robert E. Lee. He is a sought after speaker, having presented nationally on several topics. He has portrayed General Lee at numerous re-enactments, dedications, living history presentations, book signing, school and church educational events. David is the Commander of the SCV Colonel Ben E. Caudill Camp No. 1629. He is an accomplished writer and playwright. His play entitled, The Shadow of Gettysburg, has been praised and acclaimed by the media and audience. The play entitled, Three Women: One War, has received grand reviews. He has authored over 18 books, with the Legend and Legacy of Lee destined to be a classic. He has published several articles in national, state, local, magazines, and newspapers. David is a Kentucky State Humanities Speaker and has been awarded the honor of being a Kentucky Colonel. He won the Kentucky EBD Teacher of the Year Award and the International Association of Directors of Pupil Personnel recognized his Educational Center as the 2001 International Program of the Year.
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Silas House is the author of the novels Clay’s Quilt (2001), A Parchment of Leaves (2002), The Coal Tattoo (2004), and the play The Hurting Part (2005). His writing has been widely acclaimed and is known for its keen insights into the natural world and human nature. His work is the recipient of two Kentucky Novel of the Year Awards, the Award for Special Achievement from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the Appalachian Book of the Year, the Chaffin Award, and many others. He is a two-time finalist for both the Southeast Booksellers Award and the Southern Book Critics Circle Prize. House recently collaborated with producer Alex Rose (Norma Rae, Overboard, etc.) on a film that should begin shooting early next year. He serves as writer-in-resident at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, where he also directs the Mountain Heritage Literary Festival. House is a contributing editor for No Depression magazine, where he has done long features or cover stories on such artists as Darrell Scott, Nickel Creek, Lucinda Williams, Delbert McClinton, Hank Williams III, Kelly Willis, Buddy Miller, and many others. One of Nashville’s most in-demand press kit writers, House has written the bios for Kris Kristofferson, Leann Womack, Tim O’Brien, Lucinda Williams, Del McCoury, Tim Krekel, and many others. House was recently chosen to edit the posthumous manuscript of beloved Appalachian writer James Still and is also co-editing Something’s Rising, a collection of oral histories on mountaintop removal mining. House is also a member of the traditional music duo The Doolittles, as well as a member of the band Public Outcry, a group of writers and activists who visit universities to educate people about mountaintop removal mining. House is currently working on two novels and has recently been commissioned to write a new play, which will premiere in 2008. He lives in Eastern Kentucky. |
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