Author Speaks: Deep and Wild on Mountains
Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. – Margaret Fuller Succeed and Soar’s “Authors Speak” series invites writers to answer questions about their artforms and special inspirations. This post welcomes Laura Jackson Laura, what phrase inspires your writing and life? Somewhere someone’s listening to trees talk in a language like song, a song that’s been going on longer than time. —March Harshman, WV Poet Laureate, “Dispatch from the Mountain State” Laura, how do these words help your writing, your life? My writing about West Virginia always comes back to nature. The mountains, the rivers, the trees. They all have a language, and it’s easy to miss the words when we’re disconnected from nature. When my own words fail to come and my life takes a dark turn, I return to wild places to find myself, and once I’ve done that, my writing sharpens and I can push through the noise of everyday life to reach what I want and need to say. I hope I can do a good job of lending nature the human voice it so needs. Sample Text The irony of meeting a familiar face far from home is that, while we’re so excited to be out of state and seeing something new, the sight of another West Virginian strikes the sweetest note. We’ve found someone in this wide world who understands what we’re so unable to convey to the other forty-nine states. Review Winner of the 2023 Nonfiction Prize from Autumn House press About Laura Jackson Laura Jackson is an environmental writer, humorist, and native West Virginian. The author of Deep & Wild: On Mountains, Opossums, & Finding Your Way in West Virginia, she’s been called “one of the true voices of West Virginia.” She writes for Wonderful West Virginia and West Virginia Living Magazines and lives in Wheeling. Web Site: www.Laura-Jackson.com Photo Credit: Heather Kalb Keep in mind, Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary. – Jim Rohn Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. COMMENT. Beautiful and inspiring Succeed & Soar art can be purchased as posters, framed, metal and canvas. Art also available as puzzles, totes, blankets, mugs, greeting cards, notebooks, phone cases, pillows, towels, clothing and more. Shop All Art HERE. Collections change. Visit often. Thanks for your support!