Village Writer

A Hollywood screenwriter once paid a visit to my father when I was a girl. He was researching the Jesse James gang for his upcoming movie. I sat stunned as the history of the James gang poured out of my dad —like pages from a hidden chapter. One of my father’s relatives, it turned out, had run with Jesse James. Suddenly, I felt like my ordinary life had cracked open. My family history had intersected with something larger, something thrilling. I asked my dad why he’d never told us before. He replied without hesitation: “Never tell anyone we were affiliated with outlaws.” Of course, I told everyone. What eight-year-old wouldn’t? At the time, I thought I’d stumbled onto a buried treasure. But as I got older, I realized something even more surprising—maybe we all have scraps of legend tucked into our stories. We tend to think the lives we’re living right now are too small to matter, too quiet for story value—or, as in my dad’s case, too scandalous to repeat. But what if that’s not tr...

The Emmy Awards, the highest award of achievement for television programming, announced its 2016 winners. To our delight, but not at all our surprise, our son's animation team, Floyd County, won the 2016 EMMY for BEST ANIMATED TV SERIES for their TV series, Archer! (Yes, THAT Archer.) They were nominated in 2014 and 2015 too. Kudos to all of the talented animators at Floyd County and our son, Jared.   Outstanding Animated Program Archer • Archer Vice: The Rules Of Extraction • FX Networks • FX Productions

When I am at the end of words, I jump on my bike and ride until they come back to me. ~ Patricia Hickman

This essay is part of Jessica N. Hickman's final college portfolio found in her belongings following her unexpected death on April 27, 2001. She received a grade of A. I remember reading  The  Velveteen Rabbit  as a child. The moral of the story, as given by the Blue Fairy, is still vivid in my mind: if you love something enough, it becomes real. Aside from fueling my increasing obsession with fairies, it perfectly describes my grandmother's garden, the garden of my childhood. Many people in many parts of the world rise early every morning to tend to the duties of the day. Some rear children; others trade stocks. My grandmother grew flowers. I remember awakening mid-morning in her oversized bed, and as usual, I would be alone. A garden needs attention as soon as the sun rises. The minute the liquid-gold sphere permeated the sky, she would be up, outside, and on her hands and knees weeding, pulling, planting, and watering. I remember the day she showed me my first ...

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And 5-star Reviews coming in on Goodreads: One of the best books I've read this summer...there's a lot of depth to it and it was fascinating all the way through with a lot of unexpected plot twists. Reviews compare it to The Help and The Secret Lives of Bees. It does have similar tones to both of those great reads, but can certainly hold its own. I highly recommend it!  ~ tinyurl.com/lyjrq6c  Amber, Reader Goodreads