Years of Wandering

For four decades I have wandered about West Virginia in search of stories for GOLDENSEAL magazine. As I approach my 70th birthday in June 2024 and the 50th anniversary of the magazine in April 2024, I am launching a seven-book series based upon my travels, the fascinating people I’ve met, and their stories.

The first entry in this series will be available on amazon.com in early March. This volume covers a variety of places and topics throughout the state. The second volume, available in April, is also statewide, but focuses on the hard times West Virginians have known and how they turned their lemons into lemonade. Two more statewide volumes will be released by summer. And, early next year, I’ll have volumes dedicated to Tucker and Preston counties. The series wraps up in late 2025 with a book focused on US Route 50 in the mountainous region of the state.

This launch will be marked with an exhibit of photography from the past 35 years of GOLDENSEAL work. The exhibit will be held in the Aurora Project’s Route 50 general store, Aurora, West Virginia. The opening date is May 9; the new books will be available to purchase, along with My Fathers’ Land. It is a fitting location for this exhibit, as my father went to high school right down the road, worked for his relatives in the fields of this community, and lived just over the ridge in Eglon. The opening is 4 p.m. May 9.

A sample chapter from the new book is available now. Click, download and enjoy!