"Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole, and once it has done so, he [she] will have to accept that his [her] life will be radically changed."  -Ralph Waldo Emerson
 

"A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself." - Marilyn Monroe

"Only kings, presidents, editors and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'" -Mark Twain

"Nothing goes by luck in composition. It allows of no tricks. The best [one] can write will be the best [he/she is]." -Henry David Thoreau

I am from Bristol, VA but now live in Bristol, TN.  I graduated from King College in 1985 (BA) and then earned my MA degree from ETSU in 1987 (MA). I have taught English since 1986. I am married and have one son. My quote from Emerson reflects my love and passion for horses. The quote from Marilyn Monroe reflects my interest in her and her life. I was born October after she was murdered in August 1962. Then the quotes from Twain and Thoreau reflect my career and love for writing and reading.

I earned my Graduate Certificate in Professional Communication in 2014 from Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN.

I began teaching at King 20 years after I graduated from King (1985-2005). I have taught Freshmen composition here for the duration, although I also taught Reading for the first two years. I now also teach Research and Writing. I really love what I do, but I love the "kids" more.

My interests include snow skiing, horses, writing, cooking/baking and family. My son and I snow ski competitively with Team Beech, Beech Mountain, NC and NASTAR. Think of Bode Miller, Ted Ligety and Lindsey Vonn (Olympic alpine skiers), if you will. I have hunted hogs and ducks in the past, but now I leave the hunting to my husband and son. I write poetry and short stories, and I have been published several times.

Graduate Certificate in Communication Studies from MNSU, Mankato (2014)

M.A. in English from East Tennessee State University (1987)

B.A. in English from King College (1985)

 I have published most recently the short story "Gumption" in the anthology Wild Daisies. I have a poem "Asleep" and a short story "The News" in The Clinch Mountain Review (2017).  I have a short story "The News" in Easter Lilies, a short story "Apples to Apples" in Broken Petals, three poems in the Civil War literature anthology Filtered Through Time and three articles in Carolina Mountain Life Magazine. I also have some poetry and recipes published on ezines (online magazines). I have a recipe for Oysters Rockefeller included in The Beech Mountain Club Cookbook, as well. 

Appalachian studies

Basic writing

Composition