Author Interview/Calls for Submissions

At the Head of the Holler by Miriam Moyer is a historical fiction book for all ages—middle grade, young adult, and adult. This story is an inspirational and descriptive portrayal of mountain life in the 1880s.

ISBN: 978-0-69201-880-4

Price: $19.80—Book

$35.00—9 Audio CD Album

Today, I’m pleased to have the author, Miriam Moyer, as a guest.

NKA: Miriam, how did you get the idea to write about this fictional family?

MM: The development of family life in the home intrigues me. (I have eight children myself). So when, it is, that Sprout, a nine-year-old boy, runs carefree, avoiding rules and work, there is sure to be repercussions with the siblings. Readers easily love Sprout and his willful ways.

NKA: What was the most difficult part of writing your first novel?

MM: Since the aim was two-fold,

1. preserving the way of life, which is our heritage, and

2. creating our county and country,

I found making the “man talk” and their quarreling to be the most difficult.

NKA: I, too, have difficulty writing dialog for male characters and for characters who are not in my age group. That's why I'm always sneaking around and listening to people talk. I usually grab my notebook and jot down an unusual phrase when I hear it. Then the phrase will pop up in my writing. Your book certainly intrigued me. I really enjoyed it. Where can this book be purchased?

MM: At this point the book is available locally at the following, but the list is ever expanding:

Yoder Bulk Food—Hindman, KY

Appalachian Artisan Center—Hindman, KY

Cozy Corner—Whitesburg, KY

Lighthouse Bookstore—Pikeville, KY

Or an order can be sent to me at mwmoyer@emypeople.net

Call for submissions for adult writers:

Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition.Do you have a winning short story of 1,500 words or fewer? Would you like a shot at national recognition for your work? Imagine the effect winning or ranking in a highly respected story competition could have on your résumé and publishing career.

· Win up to $3,000 cash-Plus, more cash and prizes awarded to the top 25 entries

· Get national exposure for your work-The winner will be featured in Writer's Digest magazine, and the top 25 entries will be published in the 2013 Writer's Digest Short Story Competition Collection

· Win a paid trip to New York City-The first-place winner will be sent to the Writer's Digest Conference in New York City!

Guidelines at The 13th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition

Call for submissions for young writers:

Launch Pad publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by kids and teens ages 6 through 14. We choose stories and poems that are creative and well written. We do not publish all submissions. Read some of our stories and poems to get an idea of the works we like to publish. We also have Writing Tips to help you out.
Guidelines at http://www.launchpadmag.com/write/

Check out more contests on my blog: http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/