Voices of West Virginia
free!
Enjoy deep-dive audio visits with nationally-celebrated West Virginia writers.
Explore writing activities for all ages.
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West Virginia is packed with great storytellers. We all know it. It's part of who we are.
No wonder we so many wonderful writers.
These 14 are just a start, but they're a spectacular start.
This web site will help you get to know them.
They'll surprise you, make you proud ...
and inspire you.
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Someone from West Virginia wrote this book!
I bet I could
write a
story too ...
Teachers:
Download
WVCCRS lists
for this website!
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Real visits with 14 of West Virginia's
greatest writers!
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* This website brings the national award-winning In Their Own Country series to the Web, 24/7. First broadcast on West Virginia Public Radio.
* Language arts, state history, social studies teachers: This website is a great tool for you!
* Each writer has a home page and an hour-long audio
visit: readings, childhood stories, advice about writing
* Each program is divided into short, downloadable audio tracks of 3 - 12 minutes that can be played in class or presentations.
* Play or download a 58-minute program or short passages of 30 seconds to 15 minutes.
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* You can download a complete script for each program, with track numbers.
* Each Table of Contents helps you locate tracks that interest you: readings, advice on writing, childhood memories, etc.
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* The site gives teachers ideas for ways to weave these
writers into the classroom day, to teach skills you're already teaching. See Activities page.
* Advice on Writing from all 14 writers is compiled into one
"Advice on Writing" file. Fourteen-writer files are also available on "Growing up in West Virginia," and "West Virginia history."
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* Teachers: You can find a list of CCR Standards here that you
can cite when you use this
website to teach skills, history, social studies or writing.
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* See the Teachers page for classroom ideas and CCRS links.
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Welcome!
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This website was created to make it easy for all West Virginians - and anyone else - to visit with a great collection of our state's storytellers and poets. They'll inspire you and give you new insights on the history and rich culture of this unique state.
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There are national award-winning children's writers, writers for adults, and people who write for all ages. Click on the "Listen" tab to listen to an hour-long visit with any of them. They offer great readings of their work, stories about growing up in West Virginia, advice about writing and insights on Appalachian culture and history.
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Listen while you cook dinner, clean the house, or any other time when you might listen to radio or TV.
This site is also ideal for book clubs or reading groups. Listen to a writer, then discuss!
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Under the "Activities" tab, you'll find six pages of writing exercises for all ages. Scroll down on this page for notes for teachers.
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For more information, contact voicesofwestvirginia@gmail.com
A quick guide to the menu
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Click on the Writers Home Pages tab at the top of this page to find the introductory page for each writer: bio, writing sample, and a chance to hear the writer speak. A great starting point. These pages work well projected, when you're introducing a writer to a group.
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Click on the Listen / Scripts / Tools tab at the top of each page to hear the conversations with the writers. Each conversation is divided into short tracks, so you can play the whole hour or a few minutes. You can also download a transcript or table of contents.
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Under the Activities tab, you'll find six pages of ideas and writing activities to help you - or students - learn from these writers. The activities are divided by age groups, with a special WV history section
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Teachers pages: Tips for using the site, CCRS standards suggested by WVDE staff for the site, and downloadable posters for your classroom.
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Teachers and parents:
First, enjoy these writers yourself! Browse through their home pages. Listen to some programs. Decide which are age-
appropriate for your students or children.
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Use this website to let young West Virginians know they have a literary heritage to be proud of. When they see the writer pages and hear the writers' voices, you give them role models.
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Use your judgment. This website includes material that's appropriate for kindergartners and material appropriate for adults and older students. Listen/read through a given writer's program to decide what tracks you feel are right for your students.
Research tells us: People are more likely to try things that their people "do" well. Help young West Virginians realize, "I come from a state where people write great stories. They did it, so maybe I can too."
Check out the learning activities: six pages of them!
Check out the Teachers Page. You'll find advice on using the web site, learning activities, and links to WVCCR standards compiled for this web site. You'll also find free, downloadable posters!
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"I wish I'd known about some writers from West Virginia when I was growing up. I really did think it would be fun to be a writer, but I never dreamed I could, because I didn't know of any writers from here. I had no role models."
~ Nationally celebrated writer, McDowell County native Denise Giardina
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History of this project:
The In Their Own Country radio series first aired on West Virginia Public Broadcasting in 2002. It won two national awards.
The perception of West Virginia as a literary backwater was thoroughly demolished by these programs."
~ Graffiti Weekly wrote
The name came from the Bible: "prophets without honor in their own country." In 2004, the Library Commission gave CDs of the series to all West Virginia schools, and many teachers used it in their classrooms.
“The series is timeless," writer Ann Pancake said. "Stories of writers’ lives and work, of West Virginia history and culture, and the writing advice these authors offer—none of these become outdated.”
"Students loved the writing, and they loved hearing the writers' voices," she said. But students no longer have CD players. So she joined other teachers to ask if the series could be put online.
The WV Humanities Council funded this online version. The advisory group includes staff from eight WV higher education institutions, the state Department of Education, Library Commission, and Division of Arts, Culture and History.
With adequate funding, this website could be expanded in the future, to honor more writers. This state has no shortage!
The original project was funded by the WV Humanities Council and the WV Department of Arts, Culture and History. It was produced and edited by Kate Long, with recording and engineering help from Bob Webb and Francis Fisher.
Staff and Advisory Committee
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Kate Long, director, audio producer, web designer
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Patrick Stephens: Web site audio Engineering
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Bob Webb: original recording / music
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Jenna Keesee: Project Intern
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Advisory Committee:
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Sarah Morris. WVU English Department, Coordinator of Undergraduate Writing, NWP coordinator
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Sylvia Shurbutt, Director of Shepherd University Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities
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Marc Harshman, WV Poet Laureate/ retired teacher
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Jana Tigchelaar, Associate Professor of English, Marshall University; Director of Graduate Studies /
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Susie Garrison, 6-12 language arts coordinator, WV Department of Education
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Donna Calvert, Acting Director, WV Library Commission.
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Michael Tierney, Co-CEO, Step by Step WV, founder of Step by Step’s Appalachian literature program
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Jeannie Dalporto, Professor, University of Charleston, Literature
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Lydia Warren, Director Fairmont State Folk Life Center​
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Bill King, Davis and Elkins College Professor of English / poet (deceased)
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Anna Elfenbein, WVU Associate Professor, specializing in American literature and women’s studies
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Sarah Walton, Marshall University, assistat professor
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Jeannie Dalporto, University of Charleston,
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Katie Fox, Fayette County teacher
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Corey Humphrey, Ph.D candidate, University of Pittsburgh
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Carter Seaton, author/teacher, First Vice President, WV Writers Inc.
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Natalie Sypolt, Pierpont College English / teacher and WV fiction writer
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Courtney Shimek, Assistant Professor, WVU / Curriculum Specialist
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Stephanie Burdette, Assistant Professor, Education, West Virginia State University
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Jim Wolfe, Arts in Education director, WV Division of Culture and History
These fine West Virginia musicians provided the wonderful improvised music that threads through each program. They were asked to "play what the writer is saying," and they did it! Bob Webb recorded them all.
The Musicians
Bob Webb
Ron Sowell
Timothy Courts
Robin Kessinger
Steve Hill
John Blisard