St. Albans Writes – Author Speaker Series – Bill Currey

The St. Albans Writes Author Speaker Series is a dynamic event hosted at the St. Albans branch of the Kanawha County Public Library. On the first Tuesday of each month, from November 1, 2022, to June 6, 2023, a different local author will be featured and will speak about their recently published books. These authors either live in St. Albans or have graduated from Saint Albans High School.  Attendees will be able to meet and greet the authors, ask questions about their writing process, and purchase copies of their books. In addition to the book talk, library staff will provide copies of the featured books for checkout.

St. Albans Writes Speaker Series Line Up

Bill Currey – January 3 – Postponed/Cancelled

Please note: Due to the recent fire at the St. Albans Library and ongoing clean-up work, our January 3 event has been postponed until further notice.  We will resume our series with our February 7th event.

The speaker for St. Albans Writes on January 3 at 6:00 is Bill Currey. Bill Currey is the author of two books, It’s A Road Trip and Coal River Rising: The Coal River Group Story. Bill Currey established the volunteer-run nonprofit organization, The Coal River Group, in 2004. Since its inception, the Coal River Group has blossomed into one of West Virginia’s most prominent watershed organizations. The state of West Virginia recognized the group’s achievements by awarding it the West Virginia Watershed of the
Year in 2009 and again in 2011.

Bill Currey has been the driving force behind this fantastic project and currently serves as the group’s president emeritus. In the book Coal River Rising, Bill tells the story of the Coal Rivers and a group of people who decided to make a difference in the world.

Deb Austin Brown – February 7

Deb Austin Brown grew up in a big family on College Hill in Saint Albans and spent her time doing two things—playing basketball and writing. Early on, Deb chose to live here, raise her sons here, work here, and give back to her community. Deb is the author of six books: Lessons from the Rocking Chair, Lessons from the Beach Chair, More Lessons from the Beach Chair, Even More Lessons from the Beach Chair, Growing Character, and The Success Strategies.

Deb graduated from SAHS in 1968 and went on to WVU to study to become a teacher. She taught school in Saint Albans for 37 years and was the author of The Success Project, which garnered national and global acclaim. The Saint Albans Success Club grew from that project, and Deb directed it for nine years. Deb traveled the country speaking about character education to teachers, students, community members, and business leaders in 34 states. After retirement, she became the Communications Director for the Saint Albans Area Chamber of Commerce. Deb loves writing the monthly My Saint Albans newsletter, mastering the chamber website, and working with businesses and community members. It has been said that home is where the heart is, and Deb’s heart is undoubtedly here in Saint Albans.

Dr. Joseph Wyatt – March 7

Dr. Joseph Wyatt will discuss his forensic psychology career when he serves as a presenter with the St. Albans Public Library speakers series at 6:oo on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. His presentation will include a slide show with photos from several of his more notable murder cases, described in his book The Breaking Point Killing. Each case occurred in West Virginia, with several from the Charleston and Huntington areas. “The presentation will appeal to people who enjoy crime programs such as the CSI series, as well as those with interest in the mental health issues that arise within criminal cases,” he said. Copies of his book will be on sale for $15 following his presentation. Joe Wyatt is a native of St. Albans and is an emeritus professor at Marshall University.  In his retirement, he writes weekly opinion pieces for the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

Matthew Perry – April 4th

Dr. Hunter O’Hara – May 2

Dr. Hunter O’Hara is professor emeritus at The University of Tampa. Hunter’s book, Transcendent Teacher Learner Relationships: The Way of the Shamanic Teacher, now in its second edition, was published by one of Europe’s oldest international academic houses, Brill of Rotterdam, Holland (since 1683) and translated into many languages, including Mandarin Chinese. His perspective as a writer is informed by his decades of experience as a teacher, his background as a teaching-learning philosopher, and his status as a long-term trauma survivor.
O’Hara’s book derives from over thirty years of research. It reveals the power of transcendent teachers to teach content extraordinarily well and transform and heal learners in ways that last a lifetime.

Dr. O’Hara has also published various articles in peer-reviewed academic journals and regional, national, and international conference proceedings. He recently judged the West Virginia Writers, Pearl S. Buck Award, ”Writing for Social Change” competition. His Loving Our Way Home: A Memoir of Transcendence is forthcoming. A West Virginia native, he lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida, with his husband, Larry Poulakis.

Nick Roberts – June 6

Nick Roberts is a St. Albans native and a graduate of Marshall University, where he earned a BA in English, an MA in Teaching, and an EdD in Leadership Studies. He attended St. Albans High School and taught there for three years until moving to South Carolina. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Horror Authors Guild. His short works have appeared in The Blue Mountain Review, Falling Star Magazine, Stonecrop Magazine, The Fiction Pool, other literary magazines, and anthologies by publishers such as J. Ellington Ashton Press and Sinister Smile Press. His novel, Anathema, won Debut Novel of the Year at the 2020-2021 Horror Authors Guild Awards. His second novel, The Exorcist’s House, was released in May of 2022 by Crystal Lake Publishing and is now their best-selling novel to date.

Make sure you come out for these unforgettable events at the St. Albans branch library throughout 2022-2023, featuring local St. Albans authors sure to inspire you through beautiful stories with core themes involving courage, hope, and endurance.