Monsters and Magic in the Blue Ridge Mountains invites young readers on an enchanting journey through the folklore and traditions of the Appalachian region, sharing a blend of cultural insights, local superstitions, weather-predicting methods, and even paranormal legends. Why was this an important book for you to write?

My last living grandparent passed away last year and I realized as my own children are getting older that all of the knowledge, stories, and culture that I grew up with would be gone as well if I didn’t take a moment to write it all down. I wanted to create a memoir to honor their memories and also highlight the culture I loved as much as my own grandparents. They were very good to me and I miss them terribly. This non fiction memoir captures the essence of what I learned from them growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains and hopefully captures a snapshot in time for future generations. 

What educational aspects were important for you to include in this children’s book?

I wanted readers to understand how the culture of Appalachia was formed and all the people groups who contributed. It is very diverse and unique culture within the United States with its own folklore, superstitions, and knowledge. I wanted readers to get a sense of the people with a positive portrayal of the culture.

Did you find anything in your research of this book that surprised you?

When I was researching about the folklore stories I heard, I was surprised how many real investigations and even times when national geographic got involved look into these stories. Many of them were reported in the newspaper and gained attention across the nation, even ending up portrayed in movies. 

What next book are you working on and when can your fans expect it to be out?

I am currently working on a picture book about a little swamp creature who wants to learn how to be a monster. Its a very cute tale and will be a fiction story with hand lettering for the script. It is a bit more labor intensive than some of my past books, but I am enjoying the process. I hope to have the pages illustrated and ready to print by the end of the year. I am aiming for Halloween time in my head so it will correlate with the holiday season! 

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