Authors List

Gail Galloway Adams

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Fiction

The Purchase of Order: Stories by Gail Galloway Adams Flannery O'Connor Award/Short Fiction (1988)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Holmes Moss Alexander

Parkersburg/Wood County

Fiction

American Nabob Breadloaf Fellow (1939)

Dustcover photo

Belinda Anderson

Dry Pond/Monroe County

Fiction

The Well Ain't Dry Yet Southwest Florida Writers' Conference First Novel Award (1999)

Photo provided by author

Maggie Anderson*

Keyser/Mineral County

Poetry

Cold Comfort; Windfall: New and Selected Poems; American Library Assoc. Best Small Press Book (1979): The Great Horned Owl; NEA Fellowships (1991, 1994); Ohio Arts Council Poetry Fellowship (2000)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Tom Andrews

Charleston/Kanawha County

Poetry

Random Symmetries: The Collected Poems of Tom Andrews American Academy of Poets Fellow in Rome (1999)

Dust cover photo

Allen Appel

Parkersburg/Wood County

Fiction

In Time of War: An Alex Balfour Novel ALA Best Books (1986)

Bob Henry Baber

Richwood/Nicholas County

Poetry

A Picture from Life's Other Side W. K. Kellogg Foundation Fellow (1993)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Julie Baker

Clay/Clay County

Young Adult Literature

Up Molasses Mountain Parents' Choice Award (2002)

Photo provided by the author

Kimball/McDowell County

Drama

Terror of the Tug Eugene O'Neill Finalist (1990): #8

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Clair Bee

Grafton/Taylor County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

Chip Hilton Sports Series Twenty-three best-selling novels (1948-1967)

Sandra Belton

Beckley/Raleigh County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

From Miss Ida's Porch Friends of American Writers (1994): Young People's Literature Award

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Pinckney Benedict*

Lewisburg/Greenbrier County

Fiction, Screenwriting

Town Smokes; The Wrecking Yard; Four Days; Nelson Algren Award (1986); Britain's John Steinbeck Award (1995): Dogs of God; NEA Fellowship (2000); Three New York Times Notable Books

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

June Langford Berkley

Harrisville/Ritchie County

Fiction

Shannageny Blue Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fiction Grant (1983-84)

Photo by Earl English

John Billheimer

Huntington/Cabell County

Fiction

The Contrary Blues Drood Review/Ten Best Mystery List (1988)

Photo provided by the author

John Peale Bishop

Charles Town/Jefferson County

Fiction, Poetry

Many Thousands Gone; The Collected Poems of John Peale Bishop Scribner's Magazine Short Story Contest Winner (1931)

Dust cover photo

W. E. Blackhurst

Cass/Pocahontas County

Fiction

Riders of the Flood Adapted as an outdoor drama (2002)

Dust cover photo

Elaine Blue

Huntington/Cabell County

Drama

Angels on the Head of a Pin Casey Award (1998)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Daniel "Danny" Boyd

Charleston/Kanawha County

Screenwriting

Paradise Park also released as Heroes of the Heart Houston International Film Festival First Place (1992)

Photo provided by the author

Irene Brand

Southside/Mason County

Christian Romance, Fiction

To Love and Honor Christian Writers' Fellowship International Award in Fiction (1991)

Photo provided by the author

Mark Brazaitis

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Fiction

The River of Lost Voices: Stories from Guatemala Iowa Short Fiction Award (1998)

Photo by Sheila Loftus

Jeanne Bryner

Cameron/Marshall County

Poetry

Breathless Wick Poetry Chapbook Series Winner (1995)

Dust cover photo 

Pearl S. Buck*

[pseudonym John Sedges]

Hillsboro/Pocahontas County

Fiction, Memoir

The Good Earth; My Several Worlds: Howells Medal (1935); Pulitzer Prize/ Fiction (1935); Nobel Prize/ Literature (1938);WV roots addressed in Fighting Angel, The Exile, and My Mother's House

Joseph Bundy

Bluefield/Mercer County

Drama

A Tribute to James Weldon Johnson West Virginia Department of Culture and History Showcase Competition Winner (1980)

Betsy Byars*

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

Goodbye, Chicken Little Newbery Medal (1971): The Summer of the Swans; ALA Notable Book (1974): After the Goat Man; National Book Award (NBA) (1981): The Night Swimmers; The Edgar (1992): Wanted…Mud Blossom

Edward J. Cabbell

Eckman/McDowell County

Poetry

Mountain Blues Vanguard African-American poet who captures the "Afro-Appalachian" experience

Photo by Jim Moore

Bernard "Bernie" Casey

Wyco/Wyoming County

Screenwriting

The Dinner Montreal World Film Festival Grand Prix des Ameriques Nominee (1997)

Dust cover photo

Grace Cavalieri

Hedgesville/Berkeley County

Drama, Poetry

Pinecrest Rest Haven WV Commission on the Arts Grants (2000) Literature and (2003) Drama

Photo by Ken Flynn

Eleanor Carroll Chilton

Charleston/Kanawha County

Fiction

Follow the Furies Breadloaf Faculty (1937-1940)

Stephen Coonts*

Buckhannon/Upshur County

Fiction

Flight of the Intruder; Hong Kong United States Naval Institute's Author of the Year (1986); Thirteen novels/New York Times best-sellers including Under Siege

Photo by Brooke Haymond

Richard Currey*

Parkersburg/Wood County

Fiction, Poetry

Crossing Over: The Vietnam Stories; The Wars of Heaven NEA Fellowships (1982) Poetry and (1987) Fiction; Special Citation Ernest Hemingway Foundation (1988): Fatal Light; Pushcart Prize (1990)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Danske Dandridge

Shepherdstown/Jefferson County

Poetry

Rose Brake Joy and other Poems (1888) adapted as an audio performance (2002)

Julia Davis (Julia Davis Adams)*

[pseudonym F. Draco]

Charles Town/Jefferson County

Fiction, Memoir, Young Adult Literature

Legacy of Love; Cloud on the Land Newbery Honors (1930): Vaino: A Boy of New Finland and (1931): Mountains are Free

Mark DeFoe

Buckhannon/Upshur County

Poetry

The Green Chair WV Commission on the Arts Fellowships (1998, 2003)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Martin R. Delany*

Charles Town/Jefferson County

Fiction

Blake or the Huts of America African-American fiction pioneer; First black male to publish a novel in USA (serialized)

William Demby

Clarksburg /Harrison County

Fiction

Beetlecreek Benchmark novel in African-American existential literature

Photo by Millie Merchant

Victor Depta

Accoville/Logan County

Drama

Plays from Blair Mountain: Four Comedies West Coast Ensemble Finalist (1992)

Photo provided by author

John Douglas

Berkeley Springs/Morgan County

Fiction

Shawnee Alley Fire: A Novel Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award (1988): Best First Novel

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Robyn Eversole (Robyn Harbert Eversole)*

Bridgeport/Harrison County

Children's Literature

The Magic House; The Flute Player/LaFlautista Junior Library Guild Selection (1995): Flood Fish; Appalachian Gold Medallion (1998)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Wendy Wakefield Ferrin

Salem/Harrison County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

Girl Who Didn't Mind/Caileag A Bha Coma Featured at Kennedy Center's Multicultural Book Festival (2001)

Photo provided by author

George "Douglas" Fetherling

Wheeling/Ohio County

Memoir

Travels by Night: A Memoir of the Sixties Harbourfront Festival Prize for substantial contribution to Canadian letters (1988)

Photo provided by author

Ann Kathryn Flagg

Charleston/Kanawha County

Drama

Great Gettin' Up Morning WV Department of Culture and History Black Cultural Festival held in her honor (1984)

Seseen Francis

Mannington/Marion County

Drama

Pricketts Fort: An American Frontier Musical

WV Italian Heritage Festival Drama Contest First Place (1989): An American Dream: A New Musical

Photo by Jim Moore

Frank Gagliano

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Drama

The Total Immersion of Madeleine Favorini International Ernest Hemingway Playwriting Competition Winner (1999)

Photo from WVU web site

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.*

Piedmont/Mineral County

Memoir

Colored People: A Memoir MacArthur Foundation Fellow (1981); Lillian Smith Book Award and Weatherford Award (1994): Colored People: A Memoir

Photo by Jim Moore

Denise Giardina*

Charleston/Kanawha County

Fiction, Screenwriting

Saints and Villians; The Gift Horse Appalachian Book of the Year (1988): Storming Heaven: A Novel; Lillian Smith Book Award (1992): The Unquiet Earth: A Novel; ABA (1993): The Unquiet Earth: A Novel

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Davis Grubb*

Moundsville/Marshall County

Fiction

The Night of the Hunter; Fools' Parade NBA Finalist (1955): The Night of the Hunter; WV Arts and Humanities Council and NEA Grants (1977-1979); WV Writers, Inc. (1978-1980): Honorary President

Photo provided by Merle Moore

Granville Davisson Hall

Shinnston/Harrison County

Fiction

Old Gold Daughter of the Elm: A Tale of Western Virginia before the War (1899 best-seller) produced as an audiobook (2002)

Dust cover photo

Alberta Pierson Hannum

Wheeling/Ohio County

Fiction, Screenwriting

Thursday April; Roseanna McCoy First Recipient WV Writers Inc. JUG Award for Just Uncommonly Good writing (1983)

Photo courtesy of Jim Comstock

Rebecca Harding Davis (Rebecca Harding)*

Wheeling/Ohio County

Fiction

Life in the Iron Mills; Waiting for the Verdict American literary realism pioneer; Women's Studies standard bearer

Drawing from Wheeling-News Register

James Harms

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Poetry

Quarters Pushcart Prizes (1993, 1998)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Marc Harshman*

Wheeling/Ohio County

Children's Literature, Poetry

Uncle James; Turning Out the Stones Junior Library Guild Selection and Smithsonian Notable Children's Book (1995): The Storm; Reading Rainbow Review Title: Only One; WV Commission on the Arts Poetry Fellowship (2002)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Homer H. Hickam, Jr.*

Coalwood/McDowell County

Memoir

Rocket Boys: A Memoir also published as October Sky: A Memoir New York Times Best Books and #1 Best-Seller (1998): October Sky: A Memoir ; Weatherford Award (1998); National Book Critics Circle Nominee (1998): "Best Biography"

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Ellesa Clay High

Bruceton Mills/Preston County

Fiction

Past Titan Rock: Journeys into an Appalachian Valley Appalachian Award in Literature (1983)

William Hoffman

Charleston/Kanawha County

Fiction

Tidewater Blood Fellowship of Southern Writers' Hillsdale Prize for Fiction (1995)

John Hoppenthaler

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Poetry

Lives of Water WV Commission on the Arts Grant (1999)

Photo by Michael Paul Thomas

Kermit Hunter

Welch/McDowell County

Drama

Honey in the Rock; Unto These Hills Guggenheim Fellowship (1995)

Christopher G. Janus

Montgomery/Kanawha County

Fiction, Young Adult Literature

Miss 4th of July, Goodbye Carl Sandburg Award/Best Fiction (1989): What They Always Wanted

Photo by Valerie Valentine

J. McHenry Jones

Wheeling/Ohio County

Fiction

Hearts of Gold First African-American novel published in WV

Norman Jordan

[pseudonym Peterr Jesus]

Ansted/Fayette County

Drama, Poetry

In the Last Days; The Poet: The Dreamer (audio poems) First Recipient Karamu House Harriet Eells Performing Arts Fellowship (1970)

Photo by Ann Williams 

Kirk Judd

Huntington/Cabell County

Poetry

Tao-Billy: A Collection of Poems Ireland tour with Allegheny Echoes combined poetry and old time music (2001)

Photo provided by the author

Lawrence "Larry" Kasdan*

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Screenwriting

The Empire Strikes Back; The Big Chill Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror (1982): Best Writer; Oscar nominee: 1983, 1984, 1988, 1991; Golden Bear Award/Best Film (1992): Grand Canyon

Photo provided by the author

Earl R. Keener

Bethany/Brooke County

Poetry

Paper Lanterns Shiki Internet Haiku Salon Winner (2001)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Chuck Kinder

Huntington/Cabell County

Fiction

Snakehunter; The Silver Ghost New York Times Notable Books (2001): Honeymooners: A Cautionary Tale

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Wallace E. Knight

Sissonville/Kanawha County

Fiction

Lightstruck The Atlantic Best First Story (1972): "The Way We Went"

Dust cover photo

John Knowles*

Fairmont/Marion County

Fiction

A Separate Peace; A Vein of Riches NBA Finalist and William Faulkner Foundation Award (1961): A Separate Peace

Lisa Koger

Ellis Fork/Gilmer County

Fiction

Farlenburg Stories James Michener Award (1989)

Tom Kromer

Huntington/Cabell County

Fiction

Waiting for Nothing Classic Depression Era novel

Photo from West Virginia Hillbilly

Millard Lampell*

[pseudonym H. Partnow]

Henshaw Hollow/Fayette County

Drama, Fiction, Screenwriting

The Lonesome Train: A Musical Legend; The Hero - British Academy Award/Best Screenplay (1959): Blind Date ; Emmy Award (1966): Eagle in a Cage

Photo provided by Ramona Lampell

P. J. Laska

Farmington/Marion County

Poetry

D.C. Images and Other Poems NBA Poetry Finalist (1975)

Photo provided by the author

Gretchen Moran Laskas

Philippi/Barbour County

Fiction

The Midwife's Tale Weatherford Award (2003)

Photo provided by the author

Jean Lee Latham*

[pseudonym Janice Gard]

Buckhannon/Upshur County

Children's Literature, Drama, Young Adult Literature

Old Doc: A Comedy Drama in Three Acts - Newbery Medal and International Board on Books for Youth Honor Book (1956): Carry On, Mr. Bowditch; Boy's Clubs of America Junior Book Award (1957): Trail Blazers of the Sea

Photo provided by the author

Maryat Lee

Hinton/Summers County

Drama

Dope! Best Short Plays of 1952-53: Dope! (1953)

J. T. LeRoy

[pseudonym Terminator]

Undisclosed WV birthplace

Fiction

The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things Publishers Weekly Notable Books (2001)

Cleta M. Long

Hendricks/Tucker County

Poetry

Pass With Care Folk poet honored by Augusta Heritage Center (1987)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Kate Long

Oak Hill/Fayette County

Fiction

Johnny's Such a Bright Boy, What a Shame He's Retarded Delta Kappa Gamma International Educators Award (1978)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Pare Lorentz

Clarksburg /Harrison County

Memoir, Screenwriting

The River; FDR's Moviemaker: Memoirs and Scripts Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences "Special Salute" (1981): The Plow That Broke the Plains and The River; National Film Registry (1990): The River

Dust cover photo

Keith Maillard*

Wheeling/Ohio County

Fiction, Poetry

Raysburg Septet; British Columbia's Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize (1989): Motet; Gerald Lampert Poetry Award (1995): Dementia Americana

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Jeff Mann

Hinton/Summers County

Poetry

Mountain Fireflies Stonewall Chapbook Competition Winner (1997): Bliss

Photo provided by the author

Russell Marano

Clarksburg /Harrison County

Poetry

Poems from a Mountain Ghetto Literary voice for WV's Italian immigrants

Photo by Merle Moore

Catherine Marshall*

Keyser/Mineral County

Fiction

Christy; Julie Christy a New York Times best-seller

Catherine Marshall was born in 1915 to parents Reverend John Ambrose Wood and Leonora Whitaker Wood. In the 1940's she was married to Peter Marshall, Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. She soon gave birth to their son, Peter Jr. In 1949, Catherine's devoted husband died of a tragic heart attack. She was left to care for their 9-year-old son. Soon afterwards, she began writing the very first of her more than 20 books, which have sold over sixteen million copies and include several collections of sermons and prayers by her late husband. By far, Catherine's biggest success was her 1967 novel, Christy, which was inspired by the story of her own mother's journey to the mountains to teach the impoverished children of Appalachia.

In 1959, Catherine married Leonard LeSourd, who was the editor of Guideposts Magazine for twenty-eight years. She stepped into the role of mother for his three children. In 1974, the LeSourds joined John and Elizabeth Sherill to form Chosen Books Publishing Company in Lincoln, Virginia.

Even through the deaths of two of her own grandchildren, in 1966 and 1971, Catherine never let go of her faith in God. Those who knew her say that she was best known for her intense desire for intimacy with Jesus Christ--whom she loved more than any husband. Through reading her books, thousands were led to experience God in a new and exciting way.

Catherine Marshall passed away in March of 1983.

Other Works by Catherine Marshall:

Light In My Darkest Night, Julie, A Man Called Peter, A Closer Walk: A Spiritual Lifeline To God, To Live Again, Beyond Ourselves, Something More, The Helper

More Works: Friends With God God Loves You Adventures in Prayer Meeting God at Every Turn Catherine Marshall's Story Bible

Dust cover photo

David Lozell Martin

Alderson/Monroe County

Fiction

The Crying Heart Tattoo New York Times Notable Books (1982)

Dust cover photo

John F. Matheus

Keyser/Mineral County

Drama, Fiction

Ouanga: A Musical Drama of Haiti Performed at the Metropolitan Opera House (1956); Opportunity (1925): First Place/Short Story "Fog"; Crisis (1926): First Place/Short Story "Swamp Moccasin"

Photo by WV State College

Lee Maynard

Crum/Wayne County

Fiction

Crum; Screaming with the Cannibals NEA Fellowship in Fiction (1995)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Joe McCabe

Falling Waters/Berkeley County

Drama

Two Chickens and a Violin; The Sphinx WV Writers, Inc. Drama Competitions (2001, 2003): First Place

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

John McKernan

Barboursville/Cabell County

Poetry

Postcard from Dublin National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship (2003)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Llewellyn McKernan

Barboursville/Cabell County

Poetry

Many Waters: Poems from West Virginia WV Commission on the Arts Fellowship (1999)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Irene McKinney*

Belington/Barbour County

Poetry

Quick Fire and Slow Fire: Six O'Clock Mine Report Breadloaf Scholar (1985); NEA Fellowship/Poetry (1995); WV Poet Laureate (1993 to present); WV Commission on the Arts Fellowship (2000)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

G. D. McNeill

Buckeye/Pocahontas County

Fiction

The Last Forest: Tales of the Allegheny Woods Adapted for WV Public Radio and WV Mountain Radio (2003)

Dust cover photo

Louise McNeill*

Buckeye/Pocahontas County

Memoir, Poetry

Gauley Mountain; Paradox Hill: From Appalachia to Lunar Shore; The Milkweed Ladies The Atlantic Monthly Poetry Prize (1938); Breadloaf School of English Prize (1942): Time Is Our House; WV Library Association Book Award (1977); WV Poet Laureate (1979-1993)

Photo by Jim Moore

Margaret Prescott Montague*

[pseudonym Jane Steger]

White Sulfur Springs/Greenbrier County

Fiction

The Sowing of Alderson Cree; Up Eel River; Closed Doors Nation's First O. Henry Memorial Award (1919): "England to America"

Photo by Jim Moore

Florence Musgrave

Harrisville/Ritchie County

Young Adult Literature

Mary Lizzy Early author of "issues" books for youth

Walter Dean Myers*

Martinsburg/Berkeley County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

The Glory Field Coretta Scott King Awards (1980, 1985, 1989, 1992, 2000); Newbery Honor (1989): Scorpions and (1993): Somewhere in the Darkness; NBA Finalist (1999): Monster

Photo by Jim Moore

Valerie Nieman (Valerie Nieman Colander)

Fairmont/Marion County

Fiction

Survivors: A Novel NEA Fellowship in Fiction (1991)

Dust cover photo

John O'Brien

Franklin/Pendleton County

Memoir

At Home in the Heart of Appalachia Weatherford Award (2001)

Photo provided by the author

Sean O'Leary

Harpers Ferry/Jefferson County

Drama

Rain in the Hollows Pittsburgh New Play Festival Winner (2003)

Photo provided by the author

Ann Pancake

Romney/Hampshire County

Fiction

Given Ground Breadloaf Bakeless

Photo by Jim Moore

Breece D'J Pancake*

Milton/Cabell County

Fiction

The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake (posthumous) Published in The Atlantic (1977, 1978, 1981, 1982); WV Library Association Annual Book Award (1983)

Photo provided by Helen Pancake

Edwina "Eddy" Pendarvis

Huntington/Cabell County

Poetry

Like the Mountains of China WV Writers, Inc. Poetry Collection First Place (1995): Coruscations

Photo provided by the author

Jayne Anne Phillips*

Buckhannon/Upshur County

Fiction, Poetry

Sweethearts; Black Tickets; Shelter New York Times Best Books (1984): Machine Dreams; Guggenheim Fellowship (1988); American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Academy Award for Literature (1994)

Photo by Phyllis Wilson Moore

Melville Davisson Post*

Romines Mills/Harrison County

Fiction

Dwellers in The Hills; Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries; The Mountain School-Teacher O. Henry Memorial Awards Prize Stories Finalist (1919): "Five Thousand Dollars Reward;" Anthologized in "The World's 100 Best Short Stories (1927) and The World's Best 100 Detective Stories (1929

Dust cover photo

Eugenia Price

Charleston/Kanawha County

Christian Romance, Fiction

Maria; Savannah Series Christian Romance best-sellers

Dust cover photo

Sara Pritchard

[pseudonym Delta B. Horne]

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Fiction

Crackpots New York Times Notable Books (2003)

Johnny Quarles

Carbon/Kanawha County

Fiction

Black Creek Eleven novels adapted as audiobooks: westerns, thrillers, and stories set in the coal fields

Carlos Rubio (Carlos Rubio Albet)

Martinsburg/Berkeley County

Fiction

Quadrivium Nuevo León International Prize for Novels (1987)

Timothy Russell

Weirton/Hancock County

Poetry

Adversaria Shiki Internet Haiku Salon Winner (1999)

Cheryl Ryan

Wheeling/Ohio County

Children's Literature

Sally Arnold Featured author for WV Humanities Council "Circuit Writer" Program (1999)

Mary Ann Samyn

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Poetry

Rooms by the Sea Wick Poetry Chapbook Series Winner (1994)

Brenda Seabrooke

Hedgesville/Berkeley County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

The Vampire in My Bathtub NEA Fellowship in Fiction (1994)

Alvena Seckar

McMechen/Marshall County

Young Adult Literature

Zuska of the Burning Hills New York Times 100 Best Books for Children (1952)

David Selby

Morgantown/Monongalia County

Drama

Final Assault (2003) WV University College of Creative Arts Lifetime Achievement Award (1998): First recipient

Mary Lee Settle*

Cedar Grove/Kanawha County

Fiction, Memoir

Beulah Quintet; Addie: A Memoir Guggenheim Fellowship (1957, 1959); NBA (1978): Blood Tie; American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Academy Award for Literature (1984); Lillian Smith Book Award (1995)

Susan Sheppard

Parkersburg/Wood County

Poetry

Book of Shadow... Book of Dreams WV Commission on the Arts Fellowship in Poetry (1998)

Ellen Harvey Showell

Alderson/Greenbrier County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

Cecelia and the Blue Mountain Boy Parents' Choice Award (1991)

Hobert Skidmore

Webster Springs/Webster County

Fiction

O Careless Love Junior Literary Guild Selection (1954): Valley of the Sky

Hubert Skidmore

Webster Springs/Webster County

Fiction

Hawk's Nest; Hill Lawyer Junior Literary Guild Selection (1940): Hill Doctor

Joseph Slate

Weirton/Brooke County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

Crossing the Trestle; Miss Bindergarten series New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-sellers include Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten

Agnes Smith

Fairmont/Marion County

Young Adult Literature

An Edge of the Forest Herald Tribune Children's Book Award (1959); ALA Aurianne Award (1959); Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (1959)

Barbara Smith

Philippi/Barbour County

Fiction

The Circumstance of Death James Still Fellowship (1986)

Anna Egan Smucker*

Weirton/Brooke County

Children's Literature

No Star Nights; Outside the Window ALA Notable Book (1989) and International Reading Association's Children's Book Award/Younger Reader's Category (1990): No Star Nights; WVLA Literary Merit Award (1994)

Anne Spencer

Bramwell/Mercer County

Poetry

Anthologized in The Book of American Negro Poetry and The Poetry of the Negro 1746-1949 Harlem Renaissance poet and activist published in Crisis and Opportunity

Richard Spilman

Milton/Cabell County

Fiction

Hot Fudge New York Times Notable Books (1990)

Kevin Stewart

Princeton/Mercer County

Fiction

Margot Texas Review Press Novella Prize (1999): Margot

Frank R. Stockton

Charles Town/Jefferson County

Fiction

"The Griffin and the Minor Canon;" "The Lady and the Tiger" WV PBS Adaptation/National Educational Telecommunication Association Best of Show: "The Griffin and the Minor Canon" (2001)

A.E. "Art" Stringer

Huntington/Cabell County

Poetry

Channel Markers University of Massachusetts (1978): Academy of American Poets Prize

David Hunter Strother*

[pseudonym Porte Crayon]

Berkeley Springs/Morgan County

Fiction, Memoir

"Personal Recollections of the War" Local color writer and noted illustrator; Harper's New Monthly (1866-1868); Riverside Magazine (during 1870): "The Young Virginians"

John F. Suter

Charleston/Kanawha County

Fiction

Old Land, Dark Land, Strange Land: Stories by John F. Suter Ellery Queen Special Award (1953): "A Break in the Film"

Felix Sutton

Sutton/Braxton County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

Adventures of the Range Riders Published in Colliers, Argosy, and The Saturday Evening Post

Carlene Thompson

Point Pleasant/Mason County

Fiction

Black for Remembrance: A Novel Best-selling mystery in Braille and audio book

Carolyn Thorman

Berkeley Springs/Morgan County

Fiction

Holy Orders West Virginia Commission on the Arts Grant (1999)

Cheryl Ware

Elkins/Randolph County

Children's Literature, Young Adult Literature

Catty-Cornered Featured author in Hillchild: A Children's Folklore Chapbook (2002)

Clyde Ware

West Union/Doddridge County

Fiction, Screenwriting

No Drums, No Bugles; The Innocents; Episodes for Gunsmoke, The Hitchcock Hour, Bonanza WV International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (2002)

Booker T. Washington*

Malden/Kanawha County

Memoir

Up From Slavery; First former slave to receive Honorary Master of Arts, Harvard University (1896)

Don West

Pipestem/Summers County

Poetry

Clods of Southern Earth Appalachian Writers Association Award/Outstanding Contribution to Appalachian Letters (1987)

Billy Edd Wheeler*

Whitesville/Boone County

Drama, Poetry

Hatfields and McCoys; Songs of a Woods Colt Appalachian Gold Medallion (1973); Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame (2000); Billboard Magazine Pacesetter Award: Music & Drama

Meredith Sue Willis*

Shinnston/Harrison County

Children's Literature, Fiction

In the Mountains of America; Higher Ground Breadloaf Fellow and NEA Fellowship (1978); NEA/PEN Fiction Contest Winner (1983, 1984); 14th Literary Festival/Emory and Henry College (1995): Honoree

John R. "Jack" Zierold

Weirton/Hancock County

Drama

His Terrible Swift Sword; Captain in Crinoline WV Writers, Inc., Dramatic Writing (1984, 1994): First Place