Appalachian Writers Workshop

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Remembering Harriette Simpson Arnow (1908-1986)
2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Harriette Simpson Arnow's birthday. This year's Writers Workshop is dedicated to her memory. A native Kentuckian and prize-winning novelist, she was one of six children who grew up in Burnside, in a family of storytellers who could trace both sides of the family back to the American Revolution. She served on the staff of Writers Workshop during its early years.

Harriette graduated from Burnside High School (1924), earned a teaching certificate from Berea College (1926), and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Louisville (1931). Her first teaching job was in a one-room school in Pulaski County, Kentucky, an experience which inspired her first novel, Mountain Path (1936), published by John Steinbeck’s publisher.

While working for the W.P.A. as a researcher and writer in Cincinnati, she met Harold Arnow and married him in 1939. They bought a farm at the edge of the Cumberland National Forest in Keno, Kentucky, where she began her novel Hunter’s Horn, a bestseller named by The New York Times and Saturday Review as one of the best novels of 1949.

The Arnows raised their children, Marcella and Thomas, in Detroit, a place which inspired her best-known novel The Dollmaker, recognized by Saturday Review as “Best Novel of the Year,” in competition with novels by Orwell and Faulkner.

Harriette Arnow wrote eight books that were published during her lifetime. A collection of her short stories has recently been published. But more important than her number of publications and the prestige of her literary awards, Harriette Simpson Arnow’s work continues to inspire authors and readers who turn to it for authentic descriptions of life in Appalachia. Her writing still resonates with those who understand this place, or who want too.

2008 Writers Workshop Staff

Sharyn McCrumb is an award-winning Southern writer whose books have been on the New York Times’ best sellers list. She is best known for her Appalachian “ballad” novels.  A film based on her novel, The Rosewood Casket, is being made. Some of her recent works have dealt with NASCAR, including St. Dale and Once Around the Track.

Silas House is a novelist, short story writer and playwright. His short stories have been published in numerous publications including several anthologies. In 2009 his books, Something’s Rising and Eli the Good and his play The Cool of the Day will be released.
He serves as writer-in-residence at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee.

Chris Holbrook teaches creative writing at Morehead State University in Kentucky. Gnomon Press published his first book of short stories, Hell and Ohio. His second
book of short stories is scheduled for publication by the University Press of Kentucky in 2009. His writings have been published in a variety of literary journals.

Sharon Hatfield is an award-winning author of Never Seen the Moon:  The Trials of Edith Maxwell. She also has co-edited a collection of critical essays on Appalachian Literature with Gurney Norman and Danny Miller. She grew up in Lee County, Virginia.

Frank X. Walker is a poet, visual artist and educator whose works include, Black Box Buffalo Dance:  the Journey of York, and Affrilachia. His awards include the Lillian Smith Book Award and the Thomas D. Clark Award for Literary Excellence. His most recent literary venture is a new literary journal, PLUCK!

Gretchen Moran Laskas is a novelist from West Virginia. Her novel, The Midwife’s Tale (2003) was the winner of the Best Appalachian Novel and the Weatherford Prize in fiction. Her second novel, The Miner’s Daughter (2007) received awards for being a best book for younger readers.

George Ella Lyon’s poetry is at the heart of her many books for children and adults.  Mountain (1983) won the Lamont Hall Award and Catalpa (1993, 2007) was chosen as the Appalachian Book of the Year. Her work was featured in the PBS series: “The United States of Poetry” and “Where I’m From, Where Poems Come From” (1999).

Mark Powell is the author of the novels Prodigals and Blood Kin, which won the 2005 Peter Taylor Prize. He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Breadloaf Writers Conference. He is currently the visiting Writer-in-Residence at Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina.

Kitty Lagorio writes fiction for children, stories for newspapers and screenplays. She received her MFA in Writing for Children from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA where she now teaches. She has published several children’s books and her next book,
“The Ride:  The Legend of Betsy Dowdy,” will be published by Atheneum in 2009.

Barbara Smith is a free-lance writer/editor and medical ethicist. Her most recent books are:  Demonstrative Pronouns (poetry), Judge Ira Robinson:  West Virginia Statesman and Man of Letters (biography). She is an Emeriti Professor of Literature and Writing at
Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, West Virginia.

Kate Larken is a musician, songwriter and book publisher. She has been playing guitar and writing songs for more than 40 years. She is a founding member of Public Outcry, a musical group that uses music and images to explain the ravages of mountaintop removal coal mining. She will be in charge of the music for the week.

Dana Wildsmith is a poet and her most recent book; One Good Hand (Iris Press, 2005) was a SIBA Poetry of the Year Nominee. Her poems have been anthologized in Listen Here: Women Writing in Appalachia, The Southern Poetry Anthology and Women, Period. She will be introducing the staff during the evening readings.

Sandy Ballard is writing a biography of Harriette Arnow. She is co-editor of The Collected Short Stories of Harriett Simpson Arnow and the literary anthology Listen Here:  Women Writing in Appalachia. She has also contributed work on Arnow to several other publications. She is the editor of Appalachian Journal.

Linda DeRosier is the author of two award-winning memoirs, Creeker:  A Woman’s Journey and Songs of Life and Grace. She has been writer-in-residence at Union and Pikeville College and the University of Mary in North Dakota. She has received many awards for her writings including the Thomas D. Clark Award for Literary Excellence.

Jo Carson is an award-winning playwright who has written over 20 performance projects. She also writes short fiction and children’s books. In an interview, she was referred to as the quintessential community artist. Some of her works include; Daytrips, Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet, Whispering Horses and her most recent, Teller Tales.

Gurney Norman has been a major force in the Appalachian writing community for many years. An accomplished writer and teacher, he serves as Senior Writer-In-Residence for the Appalachian Writers Workshop. He teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky.

Authors at the 2004 Writers Workshop
(L) to (R) Sheila Kay Adams, Silas House, Leatha Kendrick, George Ella Lyon, Sharon McCrumb, Lee Smith, Hal Crowther and Linda DeRosier  

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