George Ella George Ella LyonLyonApril 25, 1949 - April 25, 1949 -

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

Born and raised in Born and raised in Harlan, KYHarlan, KY. Her . Her parents were Robert parents were Robert Vernon, Jr. (a saving Vernon, Jr. (a saving and loan vice and loan vice president) and Gladys president) and Gladys (a secretary and (a secretary and community worker). community worker).

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

““I grew up outside I grew up outside a small coal town a small coal town in the mountains of in the mountains of eastern Kentucky eastern Kentucky (born of mountain (born of mountain parents, with all parents, with all four of my four of my grandparents living grandparents living there, too).”there, too).”

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

The The importance of importance of familfamilyy was was emphasized at an early emphasized at an early age to Ms. Lyons. age to Ms. Lyons. “Family loomed large “Family loomed large as the mountains for as the mountains for me.” All her family me.” All her family members members loved to tell loved to tell stories.stories.

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon““I was born of poor I was born of poor

vision and a good ear vision and a good ear into a southern into a southern mountain family and mountain family and culture rich in stories. culture rich in stories. Early on I wanted to Early on I wanted to be a be a neon sign maker neon sign maker and I still hope to and I still hope to make words that make words that glow.”glow.”She also dreamed of She also dreamed of being a being a tightrope tightrope walker.walker.

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

While in the second While in the second grade, Ms. Lyon’s grade, Ms. Lyon’s teacher noticed her teacher noticed her skills as a writer and skills as a writer and encouraged her to encouraged her to continue her writing. continue her writing. She wrote her first She wrote her first poem in the second poem in the second grade.grade.

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

Education:Education:- - Centre CollegeCentre College, B.A., B.A.

(English) 1971(English) 1971

--Univ. of ArkansasUniv. of Arkansas, M.A. , M.A. (English) 1972(English) 1972

--Indiana UniversityIndiana University, , Ph.D. (English, Ph.D. (English, Creative Writing) Creative Writing) 19781978

Career:Career:- - Univ. of Kentucky Univ. of Kentucky

1977 -1977 -

- - Transylvania Univ.Transylvania Univ.

1982 – 841982 – 84- - Centre CollegeCentre College

1979 – 801979 – 80- - Radford Univ.Radford Univ.

19861986

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

Ms. Lyon’s first book Ms. Lyon’s first book came out in 1983. It came out in 1983. It was titled was titled MountainMountain, , a a collection of collection of poems poems about Appalachian about Appalachian peoplepeople. The book . The book gave her the gave her the description as a description as a local local color writer for the color writer for the Appalachian regionAppalachian region..

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

After reading After reading Mountain, Mountain, a publisher a publisher encouraged her to try encouraged her to try her hand at a new her hand at a new genre of literature, genre of literature, children’s bookschildren’s books. . Her Her first children’s first children’s book was titled book was titled Father Time.Father Time.

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

Her next book, a Her next book, a novel novel called called Borrowed Borrowed ChildrenChildren, , was was published in 1988. published in 1988. The story takes place The story takes place in Goose Creek in Goose Creek ((Clay Clay County), KY and County), KY and Memphis, TN. Memphis, TN.

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

Lyon's literature Lyon's literature is frequently set is frequently set in in poor southern poor southern communitiescommunities. .

George Ella George Ella LyonLyon

TodayToday Ms. Lyon lives in Ms. Lyon lives in Lexington, KY Lexington, KY and is a and is a free lance writer for the free lance writer for the University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky. “One of the . “One of the questions kids ask me when I visit schools questions kids ask me when I visit schools is: ‘Are you rich?’ Yes, I say, but not the is: ‘Are you rich?’ Yes, I say, but not the way you think. I’m rich because I get to do way you think. I’m rich because I get to do what I love to do and find readers who see what I love to do and find readers who see themselves in it.”themselves in it.”

Where I’m From (s1)

I am from clothespins, I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride. from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride. I am from the dirt under the back porch.I am from the dirt under the back porch.(Black, glistening, (Black, glistening, it tasted like beets.) it tasted like beets.) I am from the forsythia bushI am from the forsythia bushthe Dutch elmthe Dutch elmwhose long-gone limbs I rememberwhose long-gone limbs I rememberas if they were my own. as if they were my own.

Where I’m From (s2)

I'm from fudge and eyeglasses, I'm from fudge and eyeglasses,                     from Imogene and Alafair. from Imogene and Alafair. I'm from the know-it-allsI'm from the know-it-alls                    and the pass-it-ons, and the pass-it-ons, from Perk up! and Pipe down! from Perk up! and Pipe down! I'm from He restoreth my soulI'm from He restoreth my soul                    with a cottontail lambwith a cottontail lamb                    and ten verses I can say and ten verses I can say

myself. myself.

Where I’m From (s3)

I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch, I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch,

fried corn and strong coffee. fried corn and strong coffee.

From the finger my grandfather lost From the finger my grandfather lost to the auger, to the auger,

the eye my father shut to keep his the eye my father shut to keep his sight. sight.

Where I’m From (s4)

Under my bed was a dress boxUnder my bed was a dress boxspilling old pictures, spilling old pictures, a sift of lost facesa sift of lost facesto drift beneath my dreams. to drift beneath my dreams. I am from those moments--I am from those moments--snapped before I budded --snapped before I budded --leaf-fall from the family tree. leaf-fall from the family tree.