WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Sept. 21, 2015 — West Liberty University welcomes Kentucky’s Poet Laureate George Ella Lyon to campus at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Lyon will read from her works and talk about her background as an Appalachian writer during the special presentation, which will take place in the Alumni Room of the College Union.
“The Elbin Library is pleased to work with the Ohio County Public Library in bringing this fine poet to campus. She’s a fabulous writer and a good speaker,” said Elbin Library Director Cheryl Harshman, who is married to West Virginia Poet Laureate Marc Harshman. “She is a kind, generous person and an excellent poet.”
Photo of George Ella Lyon by Ann W. Olson.
Lyon also will be the guest speaker at Ohio County Public Library’s noon, Sept. 29 Lunch with Books program and will conclude her visit with a 7 p.m. presentation at the Blue Church performance venue, 1206 Byron St., Wheeling, later that day.
WLU students will attend the campus presentation, however all Lyon presentations also are open to the public.
Appointed as Kentucky’s poet laureate this past April, Lyon is a writer of stories for children as well as poetry about growing up in Appalachia. Writing in many genres for readers of all ages, she has published over forty books.
Of her new poetry collection “She Let Herself Go,” the Washington Independent Review of Books said, “Lyon, with joy and conviction, teaches us how to write. The trick is to make life right so each day is energized, restoring the writer to herself . . . Each poem makes you feel better than the one before.”
Kirkus Reviews calls her newest novel for young adults, “Holding on to Zoe,” “an intriguing window into the life of a damaged teen.”
Often rooted in Appalachia, Lyon’s work speaks to a broad audience. Her novel “With a Hammer for My Heart,” has been said to give readers a story rich in precise language that glows like a sword on the forge and cuts as deep. She weaves tragedies old and new in the tiny Kentucky town into the center of the universe.
Publishers Weekly called her picture book “Which Side Are You On? The Story of a Song” a high-stakes account of grace under pressure.
Lyon’s books have received many awards, including American Library Association’s Schneider Family Book Award, a Jane Addams Honor, a Golden Kite, the Appalachian Book of the Year, and the Bluegrass Award.
She’s had numerous Notable and Best Book citations, and her poem, “Where I’m From,” is used as a writing model around the world.
Lyon holds a doctoral degree in English from Indiana University, where she studied with poet Ruth Stone. She has taught writing on many campuses and spoken at hundreds of schools, libraries, and conferences throughout the country.
She attended Centre College and the University of Arkansas. Also a freelance writer and teacher, she is based in Lexington, Ky. With her husband, musician and writer Steve Lyon, she has reared two sons.
The Friends of the Elbin Library will have several of her titles available for purchase and autographing. For more information contact Harshman at 304.336.8183 or cheryl.harshman@westliberty.edu.
Named for a past WLU president, the Elbin Library is the heart of WLU academics. Its collection features over 150,000 items in print, audio, and video formats; plus two special collections – The Henry Lash Sheet Music Collection, and the Nelle M. Krise Rare Books Collection. For complete information, call 304.336.8035.
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