Podcast appearances and mentions of george ella lyon

Alyson Shelton and Lynn Shattuck join Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about writing about sibling loss, creating an essay anthology as means to advocate for grief, taking care of ourselves while crafting work about loss, helping people tell their stories, laughter and making space for the rest of our lives, coping with rejection, creating a mosaic with essays, feeling empowered, self-acceptance building community, independently publishing as an act of defiance, and their new anthology The Loss of a Lifetime: Advice from Grieving Siblings.   Also in this episode:  -owning out stories -rejecting shame -how no can send us in new directions   Books mentioned in this episode: -Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Viktor Hansen and Amy Newmark -Encyclopedia of an Ordinary LIfe by Amy Krause Rosenthal -The Heart and Other Monsters by Rose Anderon Always a Sibling by Annie Sklaver Orenstein ALYSON SHELTON is an award winning screenwriter and essayist. Her writing is widely published at outlets including The New York Times, Ms. and The Rumpus. She's anthologized in Comics Lit Vol. 1 (Accomplishing Innovation Press), No Contact: 28 Writers on Family Estrangement (Catapult 2026), Root Cause: Stories of Health, Harm and Reclaiming Our Humanity (Editor: Jeannine Ouellette) and The Loss of a Lifetime: Advice from Grieving Siblings (Contributor and Co-Editor). She's best known for her Instagram Live series inspired by George Ella Lyon's poem, Where I'm From where she's hosted close to 200 writers. The poem also provides the spine for her memoir in progress.@byalysonshelton on Instagram, Threads, Youtube. www.alysonshelton.com   Lynn has been publishing essays on the topic of sibling loss for more than a decade. She was a paid columnist at Elephant Journal for ten years; several of her essays on the topic of grief and sibling loss have gone viral. Lynn co-founded the website lossofalifetime.com, a hub of resources for those who've experienced sibling loss. She also co-edited the essay collection, The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss and Hope; the book is expected to be available in June, 2025 https://www.instagram.com/lynn_shattuck/   Connect with Alyson: Alyson Shelton on The Body Myth podcast: https://ronitplank.com/2022/03/22/the-body-myth-from-childhood-gymnastics-to-puberty-to-motherhood-a-body-judgment-story-ft-alyson-shelton/ Website: www.alysonshelton.com   Connect with Lynn: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynn_shattuck/   Get the book: https://www.lossofalifetime.com/book www.lossofalifetime.com – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social   Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll's Fingers

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button. JD Vance first made news when he published his book Hillbilly Elegy in 2016, but he has since become a senator in Ohio and a vice presidential candidate. When his memoir came out, there were many people who had strong negative feelings about his book, namely other people from Appalachia who felt that he misrepresented them and their struggles. When JD Vance was selected as Donald Trump's VP, we thought it might be a good time to look at some other Appalachia-related books that perhaps provide a fuller picture of the region, which spans 206,000 square miles, 423 counties, and six states. A region this large cannot be summed up by one person in one book. So our goal this week is to give you some diverse Appalachian voices to add to your TBR for a broader view of this region. Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance 2- Storyteller by Dave Grohl 3- Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Clare Dederer 4- Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began by Leah Hazard 5- Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis by Emily Willingham 6- The Sirens of Soleil City by Sarah C. Johns 7- A Five Star Recommended by Fellow Book Lover Nikki Lee @nikkileethrillseeker - The Mechanics of Memory by Audrey Lee 8- "A Ribbon for Baldy" by Jesse Stuart (short story) 9- The Beatinest Boy by Jesse Stuart 10- Andy Finds a Way by Jesse Stuart 11- Many-Storied House: Poems by George Ella Lyon 12 - Gay Poems for Red States by Willie Carver Jr. ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/s9-e…-9623/ 13- "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon (poem) 14- Prodigals: A Sister's Memoir of Appalachia and Loss by Sarah Beth Childers 15- Township by Jamie Lyn Smith 16- Water Street by Crystal Wilkinson 17- Affrilachia by Frank X Walker 18- "Burying Albatross" by Frank X. Walker (poem)- poetrysociety.org/poems-essays/ars…a/frank-x-walker 19- "Neoteric Kama no Sutra" by Frank X. Walker (poem)- poets.org/poem/neoteric-kama-no-sutra 20- Where I Can't Follow by Ashley Blooms ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/ep-6…30-20/ 21- Smothermoss by Alisa Alering 22- Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White 23- Clay's Quilt by Silas House 24- The Coal Tattoo by Silas House 25- Parchment of Leaves by Silas House 26- Fair & Tender Ladies by Lee Smith 27 - Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie Chambers ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/ep-3…25-20/ 28- Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place by Neema Avashia ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/s-6-…-6-22/ 29- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson Media mentioned-- 1- The To Read List Podcast 2- Slow Horses (Apple +) 3- The Bear (Hulu) 4- Ripley (Netflix) 5- True Detective: Night Country (HBO MAX, 2024) 6- Steve! (documentary) (Apple +, 2024) 7- Kaos (Netflix, 2024) 8- The Princess Bride (1987) 9- The Tourist (Netflix) 10- The Good Girl's Guide to Murder - (Netflix, 2024) News articles 1- Dave Grohl Announcement - www.usatoday.com/story/life/healt…ock/75176681007/ 2- Neil Gaiman controversy - www.theguardian.com/books/2024/sep/…xual-misconduct      

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button. JD Vance first made news when he published his book Hillbilly Elegy in 2016, but he has since become a senator in Ohio and a vice presidential candidate. When his memoir came out, there were many people who had strong negative feelings about his book, namely other people from Appalachia who felt that he misrepresented them and their struggles. When JD Vance was selected as Donald Trump's VP, we thought it might be a good time to look at some other Appalachia-related books that perhaps provide a fuller picture of the region, which spans 206,000 square miles, 423 counties, and six states. A region this large cannot be summed up by one person in one book. So our goal this week is to give you some diverse Appalachian voices to add to your TBR for a broader view of this region. Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance 2- Storyteller by Dave Grohl 3- Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Clare Dederer 4- Womb: The Inside Story of Where We All Began by Leah Hazard 5- Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis by Emily Willingham 6- The Sirens of Soleil City by Sarah C. Johns 7- A Five Star Recommended by Fellow Book Lover Nikki Lee @nikkileethrillseeker - The Mechanics of Memory by Audrey Lee 8- "A Ribbon for Baldy" by Jesse Stuart (short story) 9- The Beatinest Boy by Jesse Stuart 10- Andy Finds a Way by Jesse Stuart 11-Many-Storied House: Poems by George Ella Lyon 12 - Gay Poems for Red States by Willie Carver Jr. https://ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/s9-ep-187-bluegrass-moon-and-neckbones-with-guest-willie-carver-jr-9623/ 13- "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon (poem) 14- Prodigals: A Sister's Memoir of Appalachia and Loss by Sarah Beth Childers 15- Township by Jamie Lyn Smith 16- Water street by Crystal Wilkinson 17- Affrilachia by Frank X Walker 18- "Burying Albatross" by Frank X. Walker (poem)- https://poetrysociety.org/poems-essays/ars-poetica/frank-x-walker 19- "Neoteric Kama no Sutra" by Frank X. Walker (poem)- https://poets.org/poem/neoteric-kama-no-sutra 20- Where I Can't Follow by Ashley Blooms https://ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/ep-62-mystical-in-the-mountains-with-ashley-blooms-9-30-20/ 21- Smothermoss by Alisa Alering 22- Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White 23- Clay's Quilt by Silas House 24- The Coal Tattoo by Silas House 25- Parchment of Leaves by Silas House 26- Fair & Tender Ladies by Lee Smith 27 - Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie Chambers https://ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/ep-39-mountain-mamas-and-the-meaningful-memoir-with-cassie-chambers-3-25-20/ 28- Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place by Neema Avashia https://ThePerksofBeingaBookLover.podbean.com/e/s-6-ep-129-masala-in-a-mason-jar-with-guest-neema-avashia-4-6-22/ 29- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson Media mentioned-- 1- The To Read List Podcast 2- Slow Horses (Apple +) 3- The Bear (Hulu) 4- Ripley (Netflix) 5- True Detective: Night Country (HBO MAX, 2024) 6- Steve! (documentary) (Apple +, 2024) 7- Kaos (Netflix, 2024) 8- The Princess Bride (1987) 9- The Tourist (Netflix) 10- The Good Girl's Guide to Murder - (Netflix, 2024) News articles 1- Dave Grohl Announcement - https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/09/11/dave-grohl-baby-shock/75176681007/ 2- Neil Gaiman controversy - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/sep/13/neil-gaiman-screen-adaptations-halted-after-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct

This is part 7 of a special series focusing on the community of Honoring Our Experience, and their work with long-term survivors of the HIV/AIDS virus.“I am an educator, listener, advocate, supporter and challenger,” reads Greg Casillas from his version of the George Ella Lyon poem, I Am From. “I am from the belief that it's  never as bad as it is good. I am from a brother that said the only thing that we are given is a chance.” Greg Casillas knows the power of story. The gift of showing up and listening. Of bearing witness to someone else's journey. In April, Honoring Our Experience held it's biannual retreat.  Tucked away in the California hills, long term survivors of HIV/AIDS. gathered with the newly diagnosed and those who support them, for a weekend to remember. A time to share their stories. To  be grateful. To hold each other close. And to heal.It was on that weekend that Greg Casillas came to terms with pain he'd been carrying for far too long. Pain he barely acknowledged was still there. But that's what happens when you bear witness. When you show up for yourself and others. Slowing down allows you to look inside —and come to terms with moments sometimes long forgotten. Pain shared is pain divided. That's the healing power of story.Greg Casillas is a healer. The Strategic Program Director at CRRC (Community Resource and Recreation Center) in Canyon Lake, TX, he provides program development, dissemination, coordination and policy & procedure structure to 4 different programs housed at CRRC.As you listen to this episode, consider:Think about someone in your community who needs support. What is one thing you can do to to lessen their load?Consider writing your own “I Am From” poem. What are the experiences of your own life that make you who you are?It's easy to look outward, seeing the work others need to do. How can we use those opportunities to look inward and challenge ourselves to grow?To learn more about Robert Maggio, the composer of "Where Love is Love," our theme music, please check out his website.To learn more about Suzanne, visit her website. To learn more about the inspiration for this podcast, please check out Suzanne's memoir, Estrellas - Moments of Illumination Along El Camino de SantiagoFollow Suzanne on Social Media Instagram @suzannemaggio_author Facebook @ Suzanne Maggio author Twitter @ bottomofninth

George Ella Lyon, Kentucky Poet Laureate, author and musician joins us to share her story growing up in Harlan, KY and her journey into the craft and world of poetry.  #GeorgeEllaLyon #poets #Appalachia #HarlanKY 

Do you wonder if you have a book inside you? According to Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame member George Ella Lyon, "you have to write to find out." George Ella says writers "have to dwell in uncertainty. Because that's the one thing that's certain, is that you'll be uncertain."George Ella, who writes for all ages in multiple genres, shares the prompt that inspired her to write Many Storied House: Poems. So take out some paper (two sheets of at least 8.5 x 11") and get ready to draw your way into your next story, poem, or essay.About George Ella LyonHarlan County native George Ella Lyon writes in multiple genres for readers of all ages. She has published five poetry collections, a novel and memoir for adults, novels and poetry for young people, and many children's picture books. Her most recent titles include Back to the Light: Poems (Univ. Press of Ky 2021) and Time to Fly (Atheneum 2022). Her poem “Where I'm From” has gone around the world as a writing model. Married to musician and writer Steve Lyon, she served as Kentucky Poet Laureate (2015-2016) and was recently inducted into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame.

Host Silas House and acclaimed writer George Ella Lyon discuss "the deliciousness of words", how to write a picture book, and much more in the second episode of Writing Lessons.

Mother in the Wild reads "What Forest Knows" by George Ella Lyon. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mother-in-the-wild/message

We’re back, after a brief holiday hiatus, with an exciting bonus episode featuring *the* George Ella Lyon. Her poem “Where I’m From” has been used by English Teachers all over the world to invite students to think about who they are and their connections to their own places. George Ella Lyon is an award-winning poetContinue reading "George Ella Lyon | Author Talk"

THANKS TO OUR AFFILIATES!Head to https://one-sec.app?qu=twt to download the One Sec app to reclaim a large chunk of your waking hours by making distracting apps less appealing.Libro.fm Offer: Use the TWTPod CodeReceive 2 audiobook credits for $14.99 USD with your first month of membership. Credits can be used on your choice of more than 275,000 audiobooks on Libro.fm.After your first month, you'll pay $14.99 USD for one audiobook credit per month, and each payment supports local bookstores. Members also receive 30% off when buying audiobooks à la carte. Pause or cancel at anytime and keep your audiobooks.In today's Conversation with a Colleague episode, Betsy Hubbard joins Melanie to talk about poetry and its power to grow writers. Here are several Two Writing Teachers blog posts and past podcast episodes that deal with the topics discussed in this episode:Starting the Year with PoetryStepping Into PoetryPoetry Every Day in 5 Minutes or LessAdditional resources mentioned in the podcast include:George Ella Lyon and the Where I'm From  websiteThe Poem Farm  from Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterPoetry Friday  from Sylvia VardellAll the Small Things and Fourteen More by Valerie WorthPlease subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.

Reinfred Addo is a speech-language pathologist, writer, and graphic/visual artist. He has written health-related poems and stories, conducted memory journals with his speech therapy patients, and selected other people's health-related poems for a literary journal that he edits. In this episode, hear about his journey to becoming a speech therapist and writer, how he incorporates writing with patients into their treatment and how it can aid the healing process. He also guides us through a writing prompt based on George Ella Lyon's poem, "Where I'm From" (http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.h.... The template used for this activity can be found at the link below. You'll hear our co-hosts read their responses to this prompt. We hope you give it a try! Poem prompt template: https://freeology.com/worksheet-creat... To connect with Reinfred, visit his website, https://www.raddocentral.com/, or follow him on Instagram @raddocentral. His books mentioned in this episode include: -Signs of Life (https://www.amazon.com/Signs-Life-ant...) -The Dedicadas (https://store.bookbaby.com/book/thede...) -Washed Over (https://store.bookbaby.com/book/washe...) More about Reinfred: His clinical work currently centers around treating communication, swallowing, and cognitive impairments that arise in adults with health/medical or aging-related conditions. His non-clinical work is focused on a branch of creative writing called literature in medicine or health humanities. Reinfred uses his artistic and speech pathology skills to help people express themselves. He aspires to be a therapeutic creative writing facilitator and help even more people find joy and healing or tell the world their legacy.

Reinfred Addo is a speech-language pathologist, writer, and graphic/visual artist. He has written health-related poems and stories, conducted memory journals with his speech therapy patients, and selected other people's health-related poems for a literary journal that he edits. In this episode, hear about his journey to becoming a speech therapist and writer, how he incorporates writing with patients into their treatment and how it can aid the healing process. He also guides us through a writing prompt based on George Ella Lyon's poem, "Where I'm From" (http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.h.... The template used for this activity can be found at the link below. You'll hear our co-hosts read their responses to this prompt. We hope you give it a try! Poem prompt template: https://freeology.com/worksheet-creat... To connect with Reinfred, visit his website, https://www.raddocentral.com/, or follow him on Instagram @raddocentral. His books mentioned in this episode include: -Signs of Life (https://www.amazon.com/Signs-Life-ant...) -The Dedicadas (https://store.bookbaby.com/book/thede...) -Washed Over (https://store.bookbaby.com/book/washe...) More about Reinfred: His clinical work currently centers around treating communication, swallowing, and cognitive impairments that arise in adults with health/medical or aging-related conditions. His non-clinical work is focused on a branch of creative writing called literature in medicine or health humanities. Reinfred uses his artistic and speech pathology skills to help people express themselves. He aspires to be a therapeutic creative writing facilitator and help even more people find joy and healing or tell the world their legacy.

Reinfred Addo is a speech-language pathologist, writer, and graphic/visual artist. He has written health-related poems and stories, conducted memory journals with his speech therapy patients, and selected other people's health-related poems for a literary journal that he edits. In this episode, hear about his journey to becoming a speech therapist and writer, how he incorporates writing with patients into their treatment and how it can aid the healing process. He also guides us through a writing prompt based on George Ella Lyon's poem, "Where I'm From." The template used for this activity can be found here. You'll hear our co-hosts read their responses to this prompt. We hope you give it a try! To connect with Reinfred, visit his website, https://www.raddocentral.com/, or follow him on Instagram @raddocentral. His books mentioned in this episode include Signs of Life, The Dedicadas, and Washed Over. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/artsforthehealthofit/support

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 231 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. For full show notes check out: www.downcellarstudio.com/231  This week's segments included: Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Brainstorming From the Armchair Some Years Later Knitting in Passing In my Travels KAL News On a Happy Note Quote of the Week Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Wordle Pattern: Wordle by Ham & Eggs (free crochet pattern available on Ravelry) Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Peapod (Green), Loops & Thread Impeccable in True Gray, Rowan Purelife in Alder Buckthorn (Mustard), Red Heart Super Saver in White Hook: D (3.25 mm) Directions tell you exactly how to make the format they show in the pattern or you can create your own. I chose to use one of the Riley's actually Wordle days using a screenshot she sent me. I did the bottom row as one strip instead of five squares. When I joined the columns, I ran a slipped stitch down the existing stitches to match where I seamed up the previous rows I didn't weave in any ends. I tucked them inside snd tied some of them together. I did one round of white to edge the front piece. Then seamed together the front and back together with sc with right sides facing out. I made the back piece in gray. I dont think that's what was called for in the pattern. He has safety eyes and two little white arms. Riley is calling him Stove- after the winning word I based it on. She wants me to embroider STOVE on the back so we don't forget his name Perry's Hat Pattern:Turn a Square by Jared Flood ($4 knitting pattern available on Ravelry & on the Brooklyn Tweed website) Yarn: Berroco Vintage in the Dungaree Colorway Needles: US 5 (4.5 mm) and US 7 (3.75 mm) My Ravelry Project Page I realized i don't do all the decreases correctly. I work them every other round until the end.  On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Wool Ease Hexagon Blanket Pattern: Basic Crochet Hexagon Pattern & Tips from Make Do and Crew Website & YouTube Tutorial Hook: 10 mm (N/P) hook Yarn: Wool Ease Thick & Quick- Solids, Stripes and Prints (colorways used, Wheat, Seaglass, Slate, Fern, Coney Island and  Ravelry Project Page My hexagons are 3 rounds each- 2 with color (earth tones, mostly gray/blue/green), last round with Wheat.  Brainstorming I'm looking for a necktie pattern to knit up for my friend Liz. She'd like one with a squared off bottom (not the V bottom) From the Armchair Weaving the Rainbow written by George Ella Lyon & illustrated by Stephanie Anderson-Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link  If you're looking for a great book for a child in your life- check this out. It's beautiful! Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases. Some Years Later April 2015- I knit the sample for my Trickle Shawl pattern.Ravelry Link. LoveCrafts Link. $5 US Knitting Pattern  Knitting in Passing Riley wore her Everyday Cardigan in Merino Number 5 by Loopy Mango. Click here for my Ravelry Project Page. Aila love her A's Scrappy Dance Shoe Legwarmers My Ravelry Project Page I shared a story about knitting with Eme's roommate Zi. In My Travels Visit to the Berkshires with the kiddos for Riley, Aila & Eme's birthdays We visited Hancock Shaker Village Baby animal petting through May 8, 2022 Riley, Aila and Eme wanted to record a bit to tell you about our adventures. KAL News Splash Pad Party '22  Official Rules- Google Doc Participant Sign Up- Google Form Check out our Sponsors- Google Doc Want to be a Sponsor? Please email me before 5/5- downcellarstudio at gmail dot com On a Happy Note Date night with Dan the local Brewery. Day trip to Visit Eme. Dan drove. I knit on the way there and then was motion sick the whole way home! Easter! Ihecked out nail salon near my house and they were great. Dinner with Mom, Dad & Mom's eBay friends.  Quote of the Week “Sometimes magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect.”  -Raymond Joseph Teller Thank you for tuning in! Contact Information: Check out the Down Cellar Studio Patreon! Ravelry: BostonJen & Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group Instagram: BostonJen1 YouTube: Down Cellar Studio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/downcellarstudio Sign up for my email newsletter to get the latest on everything happening in the Down Cellar Studio Check out my Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel Knit Picks Affiliate Link Bookshop Affiliate Link Yarnable Subscription Box Affiliate Link Music -“Soft Orange Glow” by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/ Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.

Former Kentucky Poet Laureate teaches how to tell the truth in poetry.

(Image: Shutterstock) A special Christmas gift from WEKU and Eastern Standard: Tom Eblen joins Tom Martin in conversations with Kentucky Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson, acclaimed Kentucky novelist Silas House and former Kentucky Poet Laureate Richard Taylor about their contributions to “A Kentucky Christmas”, an anthology edited by George Ella Lyon and published by the University Press of Kentucky. Plus, a reading by Georgia Green Stamper of "Shepherds in Bathrobes," her contribution to the Kentucky Monthly anthology, “The Twelve Days of a Kentucky Christmas.” Find out why Louisville children's author Dee Dee Cummings published a Christmas book featuring African American characters, and what motivated historian Thomas Weyant to explore how the modern Christmas was influenced by the cold war between the US and USSR.   Interviews in order of appearance   Silas House  Crystal WIlkinson  Dee Dee Cummings  Thomas Weyant  Richard Taylor  Georgia Green Stamper

Virginia McKinnie, Tamara Sheen and Susan Madden-Cox welcome you to come hither, come close, to join in our virtual women's circle where we can connect and share authentically for a change!  We've gathered around the kitchen table, of course, to introduce ourselves and talk about what it means to be a Crone and how it feels to bring our voices into what we perceive as a void.  Let's fill up the space where wild abandon and right devotion might meet to discuss all of the pressing topics that matter most to women the world over.Be sure to download each episode for your listening pleasure and let us know what you want to talk about!For the podcast instagram page and to contact us:http:/instagram.com/3cronespodcastFor Virginia, Tamara & Susan on insta:http:/instagram.com/virginiamckinniehttp:/instagram.com/sheentamarahttp:/instagram.com/susanleemaddenFor Stefanie Smith of Double S Consulting:http:/instagram.com/doublesconsultingFor Susan's sanctuary in Chester County, PA:http:/oceanearthwindfire.comProduction credits to Stefanie Smith of Double S Consulting & Tessa Hall.Cover art by Siobhan Bedford.Find the We'Moon Calendar at http./wemoon.wsSome Big Loud Woman  is by George Ella Lyon http:/georgeellalyon.com3 Crones Podcast is the endeavor of a magical trio of womyn dedicated to living essentially, aligned with guidance of their birthright bone wisdom.  May our grown-ass-woman talk inspire women of all ages to be themselves...loudly.Support the show

We review the book "Planes Fly!" by George Ella Lyon.Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Fullbird)

For National Poetry Month, NWP Radio has launched a special limited series called “The Story of a Poem” where we interviewed poets from the NWP Writers Council about their poems, their composing processes, and writers’ craft. This episode features poet and educator George Ella Lyon.

For National Poetry Month, NWP Radio has launched a special limited series called “The Story of a Poem” where we interviewed poets from the NWP Writers Council about their poems, their composing processes, and writers’ craft. This episode features poet and educator George Ella Lyon.

This year's virtual Kentucky Book Festival is already in full swing with Author Happy Hours every Thursday, and a full line up of events from November 9-14. On this week's episode of THINK HUMANITIES, Bill Goodman talks to two featured festival children's writers, George Ella Lyon and Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, who will be featured guests on the Let’s Do the Time Warp (for Kids!) panel on November 10 at 12:00 PM. George Ella Lyon is an award-winning poet and author. She has written more than 35 books for young readers. Her newest book is "Voices of Justice: Poems about People Working for a Better World," which highlights celebrated activists throughout the world and history. Kristin O’Donnell Tubb is the award-winning author of many children's and middle grade books, including her newest, "Zeus: Dog of Chaos" that is perfect for dog lovers everywhere. Think Humanities is made possible by generous funding from Spalding University.

Silas speaks with former Poet Laureate George Ella Lyon about her work and how she is faring through this current pandemic.

April is National Poetry Month, and so, we're bringing you two episodes celebrating Appalachian poetry with women writing in the region. This is Part Two, and in it, we'll hear from Savannah Sipple, Ansel Elkins, and George Ella Lyon!

It's Poetry Month across the country and it's also the month we celebrate Kentucky Writers' Day, April 24. On this episode, Kentucky Arts Council staff member Tamara Coffey talks literature, self-isolation and inspiration with current Kentucky Poet Laureate Jeff Worley and former poets laureate George Ella Lyon and Richard Taylor.  To learn more about Kentucky Writers' Day, visit the Kentucky Writers' Day Facebook event page or the arts council website.  Episode footnotes The Writer's Almanac The Slowdown podcast

Since we're both from the Appalachian Mountain region, we speak with distinctive voices shaped by our people and place. In this episode we explore what George Ella Lyon calls the "voiceplace," as we talk about learning to love our native accents even as we navigate the standardized world of academia.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/southernsalonpodcast)

In this episode we continue our book study of Sara Ahmed's Being the Change by exploring our family and personal histories. Join us as we explore the poem "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon (which can be found at www.georgeellalyon.com) and try our hands at writing our own personal versions.

Lisa's Recent Travels Swedish Genealogical Society in Edina, MN and a side trip to Winthrop, MN. Above: Speaking at the Swedish Genealogical Society   Above: Bill (left) with his new found Larson cousin.  Oslo Norway – MyHeritage Above: Speaking at the MyHeritage conference in Oslo, Norway T with my genealogy crew at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway Read  By Anna Swayne A Visit to Sweden  Above: Lacey in Gothenburg, Sweden Non-Genealogical Recommended Reading: U by   Mailbox High school teacher Lindsey called in to share an unexpected occurrence of genealogy serendipity. Here the original Genealogy Gems Podcast where George Ella Lyon reads her poem. I created for Tom Boyer of his Where I'm From Poem  is the place to make connections with relatives overseas, particularly with those who may still live in your ancestral homeland. : it's free to get started. Give the gift of story with Storyworth StoryWorth gives your loved ones a reason to spend time with their favorite memories and share them with you giving you opportunities to become closer, even when you live far apart. It's an easy and thoughtful gift even at the last minute. Get $20 off by visiting storyworth.com/gems when you subscribe. Visit Followup on GGP 223 I'm organizing and digitizing my Grandmother's old home movies with . I told my uncle about it and now he's sending me the rest of his old home movies! Video Conversion Experts is the company that Dr. Haas used to convert his films. They did an exceptional job in post production restoration, and are known for this work in the film industry. They are the ideal company to go with if you want to invest in the highest quality of restoration.  They are currently running a terrific 35% off sale now through 12/21/18.  I'm digitizing my family's High 8 home movie tapes with . The list of mediums that they can digitize is one of the most extensive I've seen. They are even able to digitize the unmarked audio tape that I found among my grandmother's hoem movies. Kristin and her team are well known in the genealogy community and are based in Utah. They have graciously extended a 15% off to my listeners. Use the coupon code: GenGem Discount is valid on: video tapes, movie film, audio reels, audio tapes, slides, negatives, photos & specialty film. Your feedback on episode 223 On Instagram from Erin: "I loved this episode Lisa! Anna's song is so beautiful too! I learned a lot and the way you shared this story was wonderful. A favorite gem for sure." From Greg in New Zealand: "I'm loving the new narrative/profile episodes and had noticed the evolving voice and style in GGP 223. You and your team are wonderful writers...David Haas' story reminded me of my good friend Mark Holtze. An editor in Toronto, Mark has digitised all of his grandfathers' They are brilliantly presented. Mark is very talented. I think they're worth sharing with your listeners. I don't know Mark's connection to specifically but it's an amazing one on his playlist." I couldn't agree more! Here's the description of the video: A number of 8mm film reels were purchased at a Flea Market in New York City for $10. They ended up being home movies taken in the late 40's and 50's. How they ended up at a Flea Market in Manhattan all those years later is one thing, but most importantly was getting the films reconnected with the family. ...60 years later....   Thank you to our sponsor: I've used for years and love it. You will too!   Organizing the videos you find online After listening to episode 223, Kate was inspired to head to YouTube in search of videos that illustrate her memories. She writes: “I've been trying to set up a collection of my memories on you tube. Do you have any thoughts on to put this together? Is it possible to add clips and not full videos?” My suggestions: YouTube: Organize with playlists You can use Playlists to group the videos you find by topic. You could create playlists for locations, timeframes, people and so on. Sign in with your free Google account which will give you access to your YouTube “channel.” When you find a video, under the title of the video click the plus sign that says “Add to”. Select a playlist from the playlists listed in the dropdown menu. These are playlists you have already created in your account. If it's a long list, use the search box to search for a playlist title. Or create a new Playlist by clicking “Create New Playlist” at the bottom of the menu. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't give you a way to add your own notes. And you can't create clips of videos (at least not as of this writing), but I do know that when you share a video you can mark that it start at a point in the video that you select. Which brings me to my next suggestion… Pinterest: Organize Videos into boards on Pinterest If you would like to have even more control over organizing the videos that you find, and you want to be able to add your own notes and memories, consider using Pinterest. In your free Pinterest account you can create as many boards as you want. Create a board for each topic (much like with the Playlists I suggested previously) and save YouTube videos to them. And of course, you can save any other online content "memories" that you find along with them if you want. The beauty of pinning is that you can add your own notes and memories, plus you can set the video to begin at any point within the video that you want. Simply click “Share” under the video in YouTube, and click to check the box for “Start at.” Next, click on the player timeline that runs across the bottom of the video on the spot where you want the video to begin playing. Finally, click the Pinterest icon in the Share area to pin it to your Pinterest board of choice.   Profile America: TV Tech Thursday, December 13th. The important holiday business of viewing such classics as “It's A Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story” on home TVs owes much to a technological advance this month 80 years ago. In December 1938, Russian-American engineer Vladimir Zworykin was awarded two patents for cathode ray tubes. One was for the iconoscope to capture video images. The other was for the kinescope, which displayed television and computer monitor images for decades until the advent of flat panel screens. Whatever the ills of TV programming, obviously the American people consider it an appliance for a wonderful life. More than 98 percent of American households own at least one set, a percentage that has held steady for years and across all age groups. 

Join us for one of three NWP Radio episodes, as we close out the 2018 National Poetry Month with interviews of NWP Writers Council members who will talk with us about their poetry, their writing, their process, and more. Part one features George Ella Lyon, a poet, teacher, and the 2015-2016 Kentucky Poet Laureate.

This month we’re celebrating Women’s History in the Mountains and beyond. In this episode, we’re drawing from our Archives here at WMMT. In 1995, then WMMT producer Maxine Kenny recorded 15 Appalachian women writers talking about their lives and reading their work. The recordings were edited into an audio series, narrated by Tennessee Poet Nikki Giovanni. The series is made up of interviews with Jo Carson, Lou Crabtree, Denise Giardina, Wilma Dykeman, Michelle Y. Green, Barbara Kingsolver, George Ella Lyon, Bobbie Ann Mason, Sharyn McCrumb, Rita Quillen, Mary Lee Settle, Ann Shelby, and Lee Smith. And with Marilou Awiakta and Nikki Giovanni whose interviews and readings you'll hear in this episode

The Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode #213 with Lisa Louise Cooke NEWS: HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR TO KEYNOTE ROOTSTECH to read about all RootsTech keynote speakers to read about the Genealogy Gems experience at RootsTech 2018 to hear Lisa Louise Cooke's conversation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. in the Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 133 GEMS NEWS: UPDATED PREMIUM VIDEO can now enjoy an updated version of Lisa's Premium video, You'll learn how to use Evernote's: Quick Keys: Help you get things done faster Search Operators: Digging deeper and faster into your notes Shortcuts: Learn how to set them up to accomplish repetitive tasks faster Reminders: Help you track and meet deadlines Note Sharing: Collaboration just got easier Source Citation: Merging notes to include sources; Source Citation with “Info” feature Web Clipper Bookmarklet: a hack for adding it to your mobile tablet's browser   Lisa Louise Cooke uses and recommends . Keep your family history research safely backed up with Backblaze, the official cloud-based computer backup system for Lisa Louise Cooke's Genealogy Gems. Learn more at . .   BONUS CONTENT for Genealogy Gems App Users If you're listening through the Genealogy Gems app, your bonus content for this episode is a lightning-quick tech tip from Lisa Louise Cooke on how to undo that last browser you just closed and didn't mean to! The and is only $2.99 for MILITARY MINUTES: REGULAR, VOLUNTEER OR MILITIA? To gain a better understanding of what life in the military was like for your ancestors, it is essential to know in what capacity someone may have served. Did your ancestor serve in the regulars, or was he a volunteer soldier, or did he have service with the local militia? These terms are generally associated with the records of the United States Army. The other branches enlisted men using different terminology. Free download: by Trevor K. Plante (Reference Information Paper 109) for National Archives reference materials for military acronyms, abbreviations, and dictionaries that will aid genealogists when researching how exactly their ancestors served : One of the best examples of how colonial militias operated (laws, rules, and regulations, and parent organizations). Pennsylvania followed very closely the doings of other colonies during the same period. Samuel Howard in the Civil War Because of his age he wasn't able to enlist until 1865 when he turned 18. He was a volunteer soldier who served as a substitute for another man who was drafted. After his discharge, he again enlisted in the Regular Army in 1866. He was assigned to the 13th U.S. Infantry, where he served one month before deserting at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Samuel was married in 1867 (this may have some relevance to his decision to leave the military). He lived in Pennsylvania from the end of the war until his death in 1913. Shown here in 1876, Lebanon, PA. Both his Regular and Volunteer Army enlistment forms are included here, along with the above photograph of Samuel with his wife circa 1876 from an early tintype. The forms look very similar, as each contains common information asked of a typical recruit. However they are decidedly different as the one covers his Civil War service and the other his post war service when he joined the regular Army after the men who served during the war would have been discharged.   GEM: AN INSPIRING FAMILY HISTORY VIDEO   based on poem by Tom Boyer Learn more about the Where I'm From poetry project and hear a conversation with the original author, Kentucky poet laureate George Ella Lyon in the free . Hannah's Animoto Advice: You'll find when using the video templates, timing the photos to the narration can pose some challenges. Originally, when she put the photos in place and “previewed” the video, the narration didn't line up at all with the images. Hannah explains: “When I was in “creator” mode, I selected a picture that I wanted to appear on the screen for a longer duration then I clicked the “spotlight” button that is on the left-hand side in the editor column. Or If you double click the image, it will open into a larger single view and you can select the “star” button which will do the same thing. I applied this spotlight option to several photos within my gallery. I knew which photos to do this to by previewing the video several times to make sure I liked the timing of it all. Now if your problem is not with just a few photos but the overall timing, then try editing the pace of your photos.  In the top right-hand corner, click the “edit song/trim and pacing” button. Here you can trim you uploaded mp3 audio as well as the pace to which your photos appear. My photos appeared too fast on the screen in comparison to the narration I had, so I moved the pace button to left by one notch and previewed the video. This did the trick and the result was a heart-warming poem, turned into a visually beautiful story.” Do you have a darn good reason to take action right now to get your family history in front of your family? Perhaps: a video of the loving couples in your family tree for Valentine's Day a video of your family's traditional Easter Egg hunt through the years a tribute to the mom's young and old in your family on Mother's Day your child's or grandchild's graduation a video to promote your upcoming family reunion to get folks really visualizing the fun they are going to have Or perhaps it's the story of a genealogy journey you've been on where you finally busted a brick wall and retrieved an ancestor's memory from being lost forever. 5 Steps to Jump-Starting Your Video Project Pick one family history topic Write the topic in one brief sentence – the title of your video Select 12 photos that represent that topic. On a piece of paper, number it 1 – 12 and write one brief sentence about each photo that convey your message. You don't have to have one for every photo, but it doesn't hurt to try. Scan the photos if they aren't already and save them to one folder on your hard drive. And now you are in great shape to take the next step and get your video made in a way that suits your interest, skill, and time. 4 Easy Methods for Creating Video Got an iPhone? iOS 10 now has “Memories” a feature of your Photos app that can instantly create a video of a group of related photos. There's the free Adobe Spark Video app which can you can add photos, video clips and text to, pick a theme and a music track from their collection, and whip up something pretty impressive in a very short time. Visit your device's app store or There's which does everything that Spark does, but gives you even more control over the content, and most importantly the ability to download your video in HD quality. You can even add a button to the end that the viewer can tap and it will take them to a website, like your genealogy society website, a Facebook group for your family reunion or even a document on FamilySearch. And finally, if you have the idea, and pull together the photos, you can book Hannah at Genealogy Gems to create a video with your content. Go to and scroll to the Contact form at the bottom of the home page to request ordering information. The most important thing is that your family history can be treasured and shared so that it brings joy to your life today, and also, to future generations. The thing is, if your kids and grandkids can see the value of your genealogy research, they will be more motivated to preserve and protect it.   PREMIUM INTERVIEW: SYLVIA BROWN In , publishing later this month, Sylvia Brown (of the family connected to Brown University) will join Lisa Louise Cooke to talk about researching her new book, , which traces her family's involvement in philanthropy, Rhode Island history and the institution of slavery hundreds of years. A Kirkus review of this book calls it “an often riveting history of a family that left an indelible impact on the nation.”       PRODUCTION CREDITS Lisa Louise Cooke, Host and Producer Sunny Morton, Editor Vienna Thomas, Associate Producer Hannah Fullerton, Production Assistant Lacey Cooke, Service Manager Disclosure: These show notes contain affiliate links and Genealogy Gems will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on these links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for supporting this free podcast and blog!   FREE NEWSLETTER: Enter your email & get my Google Research e-bookas a thank you gift! to receive a free weekly e-mail newsletter, with tips, inspiration and money-saving deals.    

Kentucky Book Fair authors George Ella Lyon and Shawn Pryor join host Bill Goodman to talk about reading and writing in the Commonwealth, the Kentucky Book Fair, and their work with young readers and writers.

The Genealogy Gems Podcast with Lisa Louise Cooke In this episode: A free webinar! Great comments from you: An inspiring Google Books success story, how one listener gets her shy husband talking about his life story, and a listener's own version of the poem, “Where I'm From” The Archive Lady talks to us about historical scrapbooks at archives that may be packed with genealogy gems for us A genealogy hero who saved a life story Your first look at RootsTech 2018 NEWS: FREE WEBINAR Handouts: from Lisa Louise Cooke from Your DNA Guide Diahan Southard NEWS: FIRST LOOK AT ROOTSTECH 2018 for more on RootsTech 2018 Going to RootsTech for the first time? Read this . MAILBOX: PAT INTERVIEWS HER SHY HUSBAND video Pat's tip: When someone is shy about sharing life stories, interview them informally while traveling. Pat uses her iPad to transcribe his responses, then polishes it up when she gets home and transfers it to her own computer. “Eventually we will have enough to write the story of his life, with lots of pictures. And it's completely painless.” MAILBOX: GOOGLE BOOKS SUCCESS STORY FROM KIM Link image to:  for another inspiring genealogy discovery using Google Books—with how-to tips and a free video preview of Lisa Louise Cooke's Premium video tutorial, “Google Books: The Tool You Need Every Day” MAILBOX: “WHERE I'M FROM” POEM SUBMISSION : Learn more about the “Where I'm From” poetry project and hear a conversation with the original author, Kentucky poet laureate George Ella Lyon. THE ARCHIVE LADY: HISTORICAL SCRAPBOOKS Scrapbooks are one of my favorite record sources to do genealogy research in and to also process in the archives. There are all kinds of scrapbooks; each and every one is unique and one-of-a-kind. They were put together with love and the hope that what was saved and pasted onto those pages will be remembered. The origins of scrapbooking is said to go back to the 15th century in England and it is still a hobby enjoyed by many today. Most archives, libraries, historical and genealogical societies have scrapbooks in their collections. They will most likely be found in the Manuscript Collection as part of a specifically named collection. Scrapbooks contain all kinds of wonderful genealogical records, photographs and ephemera. There is even a scrapbook in the Houston County, Tennessee Archives that has candy bar wrappers pasted in it. This particular scrapbook is one of my absolute favorites. It was compiled and owned by Evelyn Ellis and dates to the 1930's and 1940's. Among the normal newspaper clippings and event programs are interesting pieces such as a Baby Ruth candy bar wrapper with a handwritten note by Evelyn that reads "Always remember June 11, 1938 at Beach Grove at the Ice Cream Supper." There is also an original ticket pasted into the scrapbook from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee where Evelyn Ellis visited and recorded her comments on April 1, 1939. There are scrapbooks for just about any subject. Aside from personal scrapbooks, you can find war scrapbooks, obituary clipping scrapbooks and scrapbooks that collected and recorded local or national events. The obituaries found in scrapbooks could be a real find because sometimes they are the only pieces of the newspaper that survive and can be a treasure trove for any genealogist. Many scrapbooks contain one-of-a-kind documents, photographs and ephemera. To find scrapbooks in an archive, ask the archivist if they have any scrapbooks in their records collections. Many times scrapbooks are housed with a particular manuscript collection and will be listed in the finding aid. Some archives have a collection of just scrapbooks that have been donated to them and can be easily accessed. Most scrapbooks will not be on research shelves and will be stored in back rooms at the archives and will have to be requested. You should also check the archives online catalog for any listings of scrapbooks before you jump in the car and drive to the archives. I encourage all genealogists to check with the archive in the area where your ancestors were from and see if they have any scrapbooks in their archived records collections. Scrapbooks are like time capsules: you don't know what will be found in them until you open them up. BONUS CONTENT for Genealogy Gems App Users If you're listening through the Genealogy Gems app, your bonus content for this episode is a PDF with tips for what to do if your own scrapbook gets wet. The and is only $2.99 for . This episode is sponsored by: Use coupon code STORY17 to save 30% through 10/15/17! Start creating fabulous, irresistible videos about your family history with Animoto.com. You don't need special video-editing skills: just drag and drop your photos and videos, pick a layout and music, add a little text and voila! You've got an awesome video! Try this out for yourself at .    is the place to make connections with relatives overseas, particularly with those who may still live in your ancestral homeland. : it's free to get started. GEM: SAVING A LIFE STORY Original story on SWVA Today: by Margaret Linford, Columnist Genealogy Gems how-to resources to help you: Video record a loved one telling their life stories Digitize and share your research and your own life story: How to Start Blogging series in the free (episodes 38-42) and this article: RootsMagic family history software has publishing tools (for print and online publishing):   This episode is sponsored by: Lisa Louise Cooke uses and recommends family history software. From within RootsMagic, you can search historical records on FamilySearch.org, Findmypast.com and MyHeritage.com. RootsMagic is now fully integrated with Ancestry.com: you can sync your RootsMagic trees with your Ancestry.com trees and search records on the site.   A BRILLIANT WAY TO “MEET” YOUR ANCESTOR Your DNA Guide Diahan Southard shared this story from Christine: “Friday night I brought out large cut out of my Grandmother, Christine Doering, sitting in an easy chair so it looks like she is talking with you, and I played a recording done in 1970's of her talking and giggling about coming to America in 1896 at the age of 9.  For some they had never heard her voice before.”   Learn more about Lisa Louise Cooke's Genealogy Gems Podcast: Explore our website at , Subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter (from the home page on the website) Subscribe to the . PRODUCTION CREDITS Lisa Louise Cooke, Host and Producer Sunny Morton, Editor Diahan Southard, Your DNA Guide, Content Contributor Vienna Thomas, Associate Producer Hannah Fullerton, Production Assistant Lacey Cooke, Service Manager FREE NEWSLETTER: Enter your email & get my Google Research e-bookas a thank you gift! to receive a free weekly e-mail newsletter, with tips, inspiration and money-saving deals.  

Join us for a conversation with George Ella Lyon and Julie Landsman, hosts of the I Am From Project, about countering divisions of race, culture, and equity through poetry, artwork, videos, music and dance around where we are from as a nation.

An act of marking one’s pleasure at an important event or occasion by engaging in enjoyable, typically social, activity… that is the formal definition of a celebration. As we know, sometimes the need for having a celebration precedes the cause. In this episode of Mountain News & World Report, we are looking at – Reasons to Celebrate. Our show begins in Harlan County, where Benny Becker met George Ella Lyon, a native East Kentuckian, who is currently serving as the state’s poet laureate. Her works spans many genres including poetry, novel, picture books, and children’s literature. For our next segment, we visit the small towns nestled along the banks of the Clinch River in Virginia. WMMT Contributor Rich Kirby takes us there to note the celebration of the Clinch River Valley Initiative. A coalition of public and private groups sought to have a patchwork of land spread across 130 miles of the Clinch River declared as a state park in spite of its unconventional layout to help the area realize its potential as a major tourist attraction. Documentary filmmaker, Sellus Wilder, who is running for the democratic nomination for Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat, visited WMMT studios during his recent driving tour of eastern Kentucky. His new documentary, “The End of the Line“ tells the story of how grassroots organizing defeated the proposed Bluegrass Pipeline, and the film celebrates the power of everyday people, working together. WMMT does not endorse political candidates, but as a public service, we welcome interviews with anyone running for political office. Kelli Haywood spoke with Sellus Wilder on April 25th when he passed through Whitesburg to meet with local citizens and community leaders. For the final piece, we add the voice of Elizabeth Ramey as part of WMMT’s ongoing collaboration with Malcolm J. Wilson and Humans of Central Appalachia. Elizabeth’s story brings our exploration of celebration home to family.

This New Year's episode is packed with fresh energy and perspective!  We welcome the  to the podcast. Judy takes on a Genealogy Gems listener's fantastic question about the bounty land his War of 1812 ancestor never claimed. Also: The latest on life after Family Tree Maker software; A fresh look at why family history software is still relevant today; New strategies for using Google to answer your genealogical research questions; The new Genealogy Gems Book Club title; Why I'm so excited about RootsTech 2016, which is coming right up; New records online and up-to-the-moment emails with questions, tips and inspiring successes. NEWS: Family Tree Maker Software Discontinued Here's the announcement and my initial comments that reached nearly 30,000 people on Facebook (at press time):   NEWS: New Records Online AUSTRALIA CIVIL REGISTRATIONS. A new browse-only collection of  (1839-1938) is now online at FamilySearch.org. It includes district registers, counterfoils of marriage certificates and some church records. ENGLAND PARISH AND ELECTORAL. Significantly-updated indexes of Kent  and  (both dating to the 1500s!) are now online at FamilySearch, as Lancashire  to 1538 and another collection of  back to 1603 that include Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire. ITALY CIVIL REGISTRATIONS: More indexed images continue to be added regularly to the free collection at FamilySearch.org! for the current list. PHILIPPINES (MANILA) CIVIL REGISTRATIONS: More than have been added to an existing collection of Philippines civil registrations at FamilySearch.org. WALES ELECTORAL REGISTERS. Over 1.6 million indexed names from  for Glamorgan and West Glamorgan, Wales (1839-1935) are now searchable at FamilySearch.org. BONUS AUDIO ON THE APP: BRITISH IN INDIA. Findmypast has published new record collections relating to British overseas travelers, workers and expatriates. The  includes “British people who either lived, worked or travelled in India from as early as 1664 up to 1961 with an index of births, marriages, divorces and deaths compiled by the Society of Genealogists.” There are also new collections from the India Office:  and . DIGITAL BOOKS. A new FREE collection of 150,000 digitized books is searchable at . Among the titles are family, local and military histories; city and county directories; school and university yearbooks and church and congregational minutes.   GEMS NEWS: RootsTech 2016: February 3-6 in Salt Lake City, Utah Here's the schedule for my official RootsTech lectures and those of our regular Gems contributors: Wednesday: 3:00 YDNA Testing for Every Surname in Your Pedigree, Diahan Southard Thursday: 4:30 Proven Methodology for Using Google for Genealogy, Lisa Louise Cooke Friday: 11:00 Soothe Your Tech Tummy Ache with These 10 Tools, Lisa Louise Cooke 1:30 Proven Methodology for Using Google for Genealogy, Lisa Louise Cooke Saturday: 11:00 Soothe Your Tech Tummy Ache with These 10 Tools, Lisa Louise Cooke 1:30 What's Special About US Special Census Schedules? Sunny Morton If you've been to my booth at a major conference in the past few years, you already know about the “Outside the Box” mini-sessions I've presented along with some of my partners in the past. These sessions have been SO popular that people end up lining the walkways around our booth, several deep, crowding the exhibit hall aisles in to listen and sign up for the free handouts. This year, I'm planning an even richer class experience at the Genealogy Gems booth. There will be 20 sessions, some of them shorter and some longer, taught by myself and my dynamic partners at Genealogy Gems and Family Tree Magazine. I have quadrupled the size of our booth so we can invite many more of you to come in, have a seat and hear these sessions in comfort, without having to stand in the aisles. Here are the FREE classes we're teaching at Genealogy Gems booth #1230 in the RootsTech exhibit hall: Remember, if you , you'll save a LOT on registration (you'll pay $169 instead of $249 for the full 4-day event). Come by and say hello at our booth!   GEMS NEWS: “Where I'm From” Winners: Everyone who entered will receive a year of Genealogy Gems Premium Website Membership! In this episode you'll hear Beverly Field's wonderful poem, and you'll hear from more winners in coming episodes. MAILBOX: Where I'm From Picture books by George Ella Lyon recommended by Katharine: Mama is a Miner Come a Tide Cecil's Story    MAILBOX: Family Tree Maker Sue's email: she decided to use family history software and, following my suggestion, signed up for . to read a blog post that answers Charles' question about why not to continue using Family Tree Maker after it “expires.” to read about specials for Family Tree Maker users and what I do with my master family tree. to access Moving your tree from Family Tree Maker to Reunion, for Reunion 11 (for Mac) software, as recommended by Bill to read which family history software I recommend and why for more Family Tree Maker questions and a couple of bonus questions about keeping Ancestry.com subscriptions or transferring to MyHeritage, which does offer free desktop family history software that syncs with its online trees.   MAILBOX: GOOGLE SEARCHING CORONER'S RECORDS to read a detailed answer to Lydia's question on Google searching coroner's records is available through the store on my website at www.genealogygems.com.     INTERVIEW: Judy Russell Robert from Covington, LA wrote in with this excellent question! Here's the full question and an accompanying image: “We have a copy of our great great grandfather's Warrant from the War of 1812. This has never been redeemed. I expect that the time for redeeming has long since expired but can't find confirmation of this anywhere. I have an affidavit from my grandmother dated 1911 stating the grant was lost or destroyed when she was a little girl being raised by her grandmother, the widow of one of the two brothers listed on the certificate. Her husband, one of those two, died before 1850 and therefore his will has no mention of the Land Grant. The certificate I have is a copy of a re-issue by the Commissioner of Pensions dated 1917. From the wording on the note the Commissioner scribbled on the copy he sent, it appears he hand copied the information on file onto a blank certificate and certified the copy.  I have attached a copy of the certificate we have (above) and a copy of what I have been able to fill in for what is not too legible (below). I have blanked out the family names and certificate number since it is not clear to me if it is or is not redeemable and I don't have any control where this information may end up once committed to the internet. My main interest now is whether or not the certificate could still be good or if these grants have all “timed out” and none could therefore still be redeemable. I spent about a half day researching on the internet but could not find any information indicating grants were still redeemable after all this time.” Listen to the podcast to hear Judy's advice about researching laws or statutes relating to our genealogy questions—and to hear how she answered this fantastic question.   Genealogy Gems Book Club: A New Book! by Tara Austin Weaver Tara Austin Weaver's Tea & Cookies blog: Tara's recipe for Orchard House is one part food, one part gardening and two parts family drama, liberally seasoned with humor and introspection. The “book jacket” summary of Orchard House, from the publishers: “Peeling paint, stained floors, vine-covered windows, a neglected and wild garden—Tara can't get the Seattle real estate listing out of her head. Any sane person would see the abandoned property for what it was: a ramshackle half-acre filled with dead grass, blackberry vines, and trouble. But Tara sees potential and promise—not only for the edible bounty the garden could yield for her family, but for the personal renewal she and her mother might reap along the way. So begins Orchard House, a story of rehabilitation and cultivation—of land and soul. Through bleak winters, springs that sputter with rain and cold, golden days of summer, and autumns full of apples, pears, and pumpkins, this evocative memoir recounts the Weavers' trials and triumphs, what grew and what didn't, the obstacles overcome and the lessons learned. Inexorably, as mother and daughter tend this wild patch and the fruits of their labor begin to flourish, green shoots of hope emerge from the darkness of their past. For anyone who has ever planted something they wished would survive—or tried to mend something that seemed forever broken—Orchard House is a tale of healing and growth, set in the most unlikely place.” In March, we'll play an excerpt from an exclusive interview with Tara Austen Weaver in this podcast. will be able to listen to the full interview in March's Genealogy Gems Premium podcast. RootsTech Book Club Open House: Thurs, Feb 4, 10am-11am at the Genealogy Gems booth #1230 in the Exhibitor Hall. Stop by and chat about books or family history or both! Free bookmarks, display copies of featured titles a win chance to win a great Book Club prize just for suggesting a book.   PROFILE AMERICA:

Genealogy Gems PodcastEpisode 186 This month's episode celebrates upcoming holiday family time with a special segment on interviewing relatives. Diahan Southard offers her thanks for DNA connections that are helping fill holes left by adoption. And you'll hear about: a great new resource from MyHeritage for connecting with other researchers, family history poetry from two Gems listeners, letters from the Gems mailbox and an excerpt from our new Genealogy Gems Book Club interview, which will appear in full later this month in the next Genealogy Gems Premium podcast. NEWS: MyHeritage Search Connect Genealogy companies are getting smarter, there's no doubt about it. The latest smart-searching feature from MyHeritage.com is one great example. MyHeritage recently released . This is new technology that helps you find others who have been searching for the same rare surnames that may be on your family tree. Here's how it works. For several years, MyHeritage has kept a database of who is searching for what ancestors. I can only imagine how huge that database is!  They have now put that database to use as a social networking tool. They whittled it down, at least for now, to just those folks searching for rare surnames. Just that database has 30 million names in it! Now when you search for those rare surnames in the SuperSearch area of MyHeritage, results from the database of other searchers are included in your search results (and they even get translated if needed, thanks to MyHeritage's Global Name Translation tool). You can click to look at their larger search history to see if this is really a match for you, then contact them through the site. You can also search on that database separately . The database will continue to be updated weekly, so it will stay fresh. Also, you can opt-out if you DON'T want your past or current searches to be included in it. All you have to do is log in to your family site and click on your name in the upper right-hand side of the screen. Select ‘My Privacy, then on ‘My member preferences' on the left and uncheck ‘Enable Search Connect™'.”                 GEMS NEWS: Contest Results Recently we ran a contest celebrating our milestone 1000th blog post on the Genealogy Gems website. We counted down our Top 10 posts of 2015 and many of you helped us share those posts on Facebook. Charles Meiser was one person who helped, and he won a copy of the Video course  by our very own Contributing Editor Sunny Morton.                     I do have a nice consolation prize for those who didn't win: a coupon code for 25% off your own copy of . Her class is packed full of strategies to help you finally get your family history written. And her approach really helps you think outside the box about what really constitutes family history writing. She shares some fun and fantastic ways of passing along your family history without writing a 300-page volume.  GEMS NEWS: Write of Your Life Podcast A few months ago I was interviewed on the Write of Your Life podcast. The thrust of what I talked about was the importance of what I call “family founders,” those people we can look to in our tree for inspiration and think of as role models. Family history helps modern families grow and heal. The people we meet on our family tree—people with the same genes we have—inspire and teach and motivate us in ways they never could have imagined, and maybe we never could have, either, until we “met” them. to listen to the interview. And then I'd love to hear from any of you about how family history has meaning in YOUR life.     MAILBOX: Where I'm From Poems On the show I shared two special poems that have come in on the Genealogy Gems voice mail. You may recall that we have invited everyone to write their own version of poet George Ella Lyon's “Where I'm From” poem. Between now and the end of the year, I encourage you write your own poem. Just make a list about where you're from—the places, people, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, phrases, songs and rhythms that are part of your story. Shape it into a poem. Then call in to share it with us on our voicemail at (925) 272-4021. Those who do so by December 30, 2015 will be eligible for a chance to win a one-year Genealogy Gems Premium membership or renewal. Next month, I'll share a couple more of your entries on the podcast. Give it a try! to learn more about this contest.   MAILBOX: The Case of the Missing Parents ContinuesI continue to hear feedback from our response to a reader question in which Sunny and I shared . I read some of your additional suggestions on . Lynn wrote in with her own “missing parents” case. The key strategies I suggested are: Cluster research, in which you try to recognize little migratory groups and use other members of the group to learn more about your own ancestor of primary interest. It's a concept that Contributing Editor Sunny Morton wrote an entire how-to class on. She gave some great tips from that class in the , which I also host. That brick-wall-busting class is called . DNA testing. Depending on which test she takes, her results may lead to common relatives descended from those “missing” parents. I recommended the I offer through the Genealogy Gems website. It's an inexpensive and helpful way to start your DNA journey. As your DNA journey progresses, written by our resident DNA expert, Diahan Southard, can help with next steps.   SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Kathy Hawkins: Interviewing Tips for Older RelativesKathy Hawkins is a music therapist and a Master Trainer for a program that works with memory-impaired adults. I asked her questions about aging and memory and how the severity of Alzheimer's or dementia affect the quality of someone's memories. We talked about strategies for asking questions that will elicit better memories, understanding the possible limitations of those memories and how to how to have more meaningful conversations with someone who suffers from severe memory loss. Here are four tips she shared that I especially appreciated: Cut out the phrase, “Do you remember?” Ask instead specific questions about “who, what”….etc. I've seen people shut down when they feel like it's a memory test. Don't put that kind of pressure on them. Your tone and your approach are so important. Don't be sing-songy or condescending: they're not a child. Treat them like an adult. The emotional integrity of someone's story is still often intact, even with memory-impairment. The emotion attached to a memory or a person will likely be really sincere. But their chronology or details may get confused with other similar events that were also true. From the genealogy researcher's point of view--whenever you can, verify facts (especially dates) with other sources. Don't make everything about what they remember (or don't). Be interested in who they are now: their thoughts and creativity. Kathy shared information about , which teaches caregivers how to have more meaningful, joyful interactions with memory-impaired loved ones. to see a pdf with some creative storytelling and arts materials that Timeslips offers.                 BOOK CLUB: Excerpt from Citizens Creek This month, over on the Genealogy Gems Premium podcast, our Premium members will hear an exclusive interview with Lalita Tademy, author of . In this episode, we also play a brief excerpt for you. If you're enjoying these snippets of interviews and you're not already a Premium website member, consider whether it's finally time to take the plunge. With , one LOW price gets you an entire YEAR's access to current and ALL back episodes of the monthly . That podcast is like this podcast—but on steroids. You get MORE meaty interviews, more fun conversations and exclusive, full-length interviews with the authors of our Book Club selections. You also have access to , which if you were to take them at conferences or purchase something like them from another web site would EACH be more expensive than the entire annual membership price. Why not try it for a year? Get as much out of it as you can—there's definitely a year's worth of materials to watch and listen to. At the end of the year, YOU decide whether to renew—I never auto-renew my subscribers. It's always your choice to continue to enjoy .             DNA GEM: Filling Empty Seats at the Table with DNAAt this time of year when many of us are spending more time with family than we otherwise might, we often reflect on the empty seats at our table. We think of those who weren't able to travel to the family gathering, and back to those who have passed on. For some however, a long empty seat has been filled this year, thanks to the assistance of a DNA test. Earlier this year of Mary McPherson and her cousin Dolores Washington-Fleming who discovered a common connection through Peter Edward Williams. Mary is a descendant of his wife, and Dolores through his slave. Mary and Dolores welcomed this new connection and shared information about their common ancestor.  As they reunited for the first time, perhaps they talked about what life might have been like in the 1850's in the south, and how their ancestors would've never guessed that the two of them would be gathered around the same table. As word spreads of the power of DNA testing to reveal the secrets of the past, many adoptees are flocking to genetic genealogy testing companies with the intention of filling the empty seats at their holiday tables.  The reported a touching story of Khrys Vaughan who felt her identity crumble when she found out she was adopted. Turning to DNA testing she was able to connect with cousins and feel a biological connection she didn't know she had been missing. Even though she still has many open seats at her table, she felt that filling even one meant that she was no longer biologically adrift, but could now look at someone and say, “This is my family.” A similar broke recently out of California. Just days old, Jen Chervin was found outside a hospital in Yuba City, CA. That was 40 years ago. But this year, Jen used the power of the genetic genealogy database in combination with some serious genealogy work to find her parents. While neither is in a position to openly embrace her as a daughter at this time in their lives, Jen now has a name card to place at seats of honor around her holiday table, all thanks to a simple saliva test. This has been a landmark year in my own family. In one seeming miracle after another, I have added the names of maternal grandparents and great grandparents to my family tree as DNA testing has helped my mom fill in some of the missing pieces in her life. We have had a true Texas welcome from some of her paternal second cousins, and an outpouring of kindness from a maternal second cousin. While our place cards for mother and father are only tentatively penciled in, I know as I look around our genetic holiday table, I am excited about the new faces I see and I can't wait to learn more. If you want to get started filling seats at your table, there is no time like the present to give yourself, or someone else, the present of DNA testing! The first rule in DNA testing is to test the oldest generation. So parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles should be first on your list. If you are that oldest generation, then pat yourself on the back and get swabbing! The savvy shopper begins with the test for all interested parties, and the YDNA 37 marker test from Family Tree DNA for all males. Then sit back and wait for the results to roll in! As they do, check back here at Genealogy Gems for tips on how to use that data to fill seats at your holiday table next year. And turn to Diahan Southard's DNA quick reference guides in the Genealogy Gems store at   PROFILE AMERICAThe US Census Bureau's tells us that “111 years ago, Connecticut inventor Harvey Hubbell moved household electricity from “shock it to socket.” In November 1904, he received a patent for the world's first detachable electric plug: the two-, now sometimes three-prong plug familiar to us today. Remarkable as it sounds, at the time electric terminals would extend out from a wall, and any electrical device had to be hardwired to them--a time consuming process with a chance of electrocution. Hubbell was no one-hit wonder, as in the 1890s he created an electric switch and patented the pull-chain electric light socket.”  

This month all of us here at Genealogy Gems are celebrating reaching a milestone 1000 blog posts on our website. But we're not just celebrating our own genealogy writing. We're celebrating YOURS! Today I have a special segment that celebrates what YOU have shared with us about your adventures in family history blogging. I also have a short, fun family history writing challenge to share with everyone, not just those who blog. I'll introduce that challenge with a surprise guest—the poet laureate of Kentucky. Genealogy Gems App Users: Check out the Bonus Content video NEWS: More U.S. Marriage Records OnlineHave you noticed on our blog that every Friday we report new genealogy records online? Well, last week was a doozy in terms of U.S. marriage records. We had heard through the grapevine that FamilySearch had set itself to the task of tracking down every possible marriage record for the U.S. and it looks like they're having some success! At FamilySearch alone last week, they published or updated indexed  marriage records in , , , , , , , , , and . Louisiana's collection alone contains over a million entries, and Pennsylvania's dates to the 1600s! But FamilySearch isn't alone in the marriage record publishing frenzy. We noticed that Ancestry has just added  new marriage indexes for ,  and . Of course, not every ancestor who married stayed that way: Ancestry has also updated its  collection and added a new collection of  records. A lot of these are older but you'll be surprised at how far into the 20th century some of these new marriage record collections are. Use these to recharge your research if you've stalled somewhere on your U.S. family tree! NEWS: National Archives (U.S.) Doing More DigitizingThe U.S. National Archives has signed contracts to digitize more of its historical records. The  are with FamilySearch and , and the records in question will include various items with births, marriages, deaths, immigration and military service information. So the National Archives has partnered with these organizations in the past, but this time around, the contract allows them to get records online faster by uploading digitized and partially-digitized collections before they're even indexed, like FamilySearch already does. There are new provisions to protect personally identifying information, and will have a shorter window of exclusivity with their content. They invest in record digitization and indexing so they will have exclusive access to the images and indexes for a period of time, after which the National Archives can put the material on its site and share it with other partners. It's a win-win even for those who don't subscribe to Ancestry: you'll just have to wait longer to win! And FYI, in case you wonder why FamilySearch and Ancestry seem so favored, the U.S. National Archives does sign content partnerships with other companies. Findmypast has a contract pending, and there's already a contract with military records site Fold3. NEWS: for Mac and More I recently heard two really great pieces of news about genealogy software--for Mac users! First, is now available for FREE!  This is the get-started version of RootsMagic which introduces you to this excellent family history software. If you're still exploring which family history software is best for you, give it a try! If you decide to upgrade to the full, paid version of the software, the transition is seamless and easy. Speaking of a full Mac version of RootsMagic, you may recall that last year they launched MacBridge for RootsMagic. This was really a great step forward, but there was an additional fee and it required extra steps to download and use. But now when you buy RootsMagic 7, you can install it on both Windows and Mac computers in your household....So your single purchase includes licenses for both. Great, right?! So if you already own RootsMagic 7 for Windows, you can head back to their website, and download RootsMagic 7 for Mac any time and use the same registration key that you got with your original purchase. And something I really love about Rootstmagic is the free and easy to access support they provide their users. There's nothing worse than struggling to use your genealogy software when you're hot on the trail of ancestors. Well they have just published two new free PDF RootsMagic user guides – one that's all about installing RootsMagic for Mac, and another guide on how to create a Shareable CD. So now you have lots of new things to do when it comes to Rootsmagic.   MAILBOX  This month we are celebrating 1000 blog posts on the . It's hard to believe we're up to 1000 different posts on family history news, tips, stories and more! Who knew there was so much to say? But our blog is only a drop in the genealogy-blogging bucket! I keep hearing from so many of you about your blogging successes. So here's a taste of what I'm hearing: “I absolutely love blogging about my family,” commented Diane on the . “Once I got serious, 2 years ago, I have really enjoyed it. I've connected with cousins and made many new friends. I write tips to help other researchers and that's also been very rewarding. It's a regular part of my life now. I would really miss it if I couldn't write.” Here's another one. Debra wrote in to say, “I have been reading about blogging for genealogy on your website and finally decided to bite the bullet and start one. Now I am trying to figure out how to get it noticed and remembered that you asked us to send you the link if we started one, so here is the information.” Her blog: , at . I took a quick peek at it. It's still a young blog, but I have to say that Debra is going about this the right way. Her blog posts are packed with family names and locations that can help other relatives find her, if they're searching for those same names and locations online. She's also got great stories and memories in her posts, which she's added documents and photos to. That content will keep interested relatives reading, once they've discovered her, which may take some time—but it's worth it! A new podcast listener and blogger wrote to me recently. Jolanta is a Polish immigrant to Northern Ireland and a professional translator. She says, “I only just discovered podcast as a medium and your podcast in particular. I am loving it! Love the book club, the tips and really everything about it! I drive a lot and it is recorded loud enough to comfortably listen in a car (unlike some other podcasts) and I still have quite a lot of shows to go so I will be occupied for a while!” She goes on to say, “Motivated by your show, I decided to take a plunge and start my own blog…I am not a native English speaker, but this is a way to challenge myself. I only have one post up so far and the next one nearly ready, but the more I listen to your podcasts the more ideas I have.” Since she wrote us, she's added more to her blog at . I'm so pleased that the show is inspiring Jolanta, because she's inspiring me! What a feat, to blog in your second language! She says that as an immigrant, she feels doing her genealogy is even more important, because since she left 11 years ago, her daughter has been born. Jolanta says, “She needs to know where her roots are!” and I couldn't agree more. Good for her! Another Debra wrote in recently with this comment: “I am fairly new to your podcast series; I enjoy listening while I work on my quilting projects. You have inspired me to start a family history blog as a starting base for writing my family history. Last week, I listened to one of your early podcasts on the subject of cold-calling. I was amazed to hear how difficult it is for many people to reach out to others for help with their research into their own family history. I took that topic and wrote a blog entry about the first cold-call that I remember. It has inspired me to write about more cold-calls in the near future. I would like to invite you to read that entry on my site, . Thank you for your excitement and your inspirations.”  Well, you're welcome, Debra, and thank you for sharing your blog post with your experience cold-contacting a distant relative: an experience that actually led to meeting that relative, who introduced her to another relative who lived in the old family home, which had a family burial plot in her back garden! What a great contact and friendship she describes! Mike from Sydney, Australia wrote to say, “Congratulations on a great podcast from Down Under. I listen to every episode during my travels to and from work. I recently watched your 'how to blog your family history' series on YouTube and became motivated to finally 'get on my butt' and do something. Your recent episode 184 with Judy's blogging experience was the clincher. I have now proudly given birth to my first blog at And it wasn't painful. It has only taken about 20 years since blogging has been around! Thank you for inspiring me and all your other listeners.” It feels so good to hear that so many people are getting into the spirit of blogging their family history! It's never too late to start! I'll share one last letter from Chris, who wrote in after we announced the new Chris says, “Since you turned everyone on to this latest resource I thought I'd share the results.” She sent me a link to her about using these, where she reports: “I was very lucky. I knew enough information to make a smart guess at exactly where to look and within half an hour I had baptismal records for three people in my dad's family.” In fact, these relatives she talks about have the surname Cooke, just like my married name. Do you still need more motivation to get blogging? I came across a marketing blog post on the power of blogging for businesses. Well, we as family historians are in the business of sharing our family history stories. So I think about things from that point of view when I hear the following, taken from a post on . First, businesses that blog attract two-thirds more potential customers than those who don't. Likewise, family historians who share their family history online can attract interest from lots of relatives, including those they've never met and those they never knew were interested in family history! Second, blog posts can pull in new customers for businesses whether you wrote them yesterday or years ago. It's worth updating older blog posts with more current information and keeping your current contact information on your blog, even if you're not actively adding to it right now. Third, marketing experts say that by 2020, customers are expected to manage about 85% of business without even talking to a human. Wow! I think we'll see some trending that direction in family history research, too. Increasingly, our relatives are likely looking for their family history online first—not as much by reaching out to distant relatives and relatives-of-relatives by mail or phone, though I still encourage that cold-calling approach that worked so well for Debra. Fourth, the only thing blogging costs is TIME! This speaks for itself. No expensive mailings or printing copies of books and photos, hoping your relatives will pay you back. Fifth, and finally, blogs are considered a highly trusted source for accurate online information. The personal touch of a blog, together with your responsible research and the sources you cite, can help your relatives trust what you're telling them.   GENEALOGY GEMS FOR SOCIETIES A few months ago I heard from Richard. “I have been asked by my local genealogical Society to conduct and present at the meeting in August. My thought for the class was Internet Genealogy and providing a comprehensive overview on how members and non-members can increase their sources and find ‘hidden' records on line. Can I include images of your website and small clips of some of your online free videos as part of the presentation? I would of course include the source information and provide credit for you. I am also planning to hype up your podcast as well since it has given me a number of new outlooks on the best hobby in the world. Thank you again for your continued information and assistance in every media format known.” Thank you, Richard! I'm so glad he wants to share Genealogy Gems with his local society. I've actually heard that from so many of you that I've created a new program to meet this need. Genealogy Gems for Societies is a premium subscription service just for genealogical societies and groups, such as libraries. This is a cost-effective way for groups to enjoy my high-quality family history video presentations their regular meetings. It includes: A year-long license to show video recordings of my most popular classes as group presentations Permission to republish articles and blog posts from our enormous online archive—remember? we're up to 1000 blog posts now!—in your society newsletter. (Your newsletter editor will LOVE this feature!), and Discounts for your society and its members on Genealogy Gems live seminars and purchases from our online store.   INTERVIEW: Where I'm From with George Ella Lyon Today I arranged for a special segment that Contributing Editor Sunny Morton recorded with George Ella Lyon, the poet laureate of Kentucky, George Ella Lyon, whose own poem on family identity has inspired hundreds of people to write their own and has even become an official statewide initiative in Kentucky! One of those who wrote their own version of the poem was Sunny's own 11-year old son Alex. Enjoy the conversation—and listen for that writing invitation I told you was coming! George Ella Lyon is the Poet Laureate for the state of Kentucky and the author of a very popular family history writing exercise based on her poem, “Where I'm From.” She uses her poem to encourage others to make lists about where they're from, and shape them into their own poems. As she says on her , “the poem as a writing prompt has traveled in amazing ways. People have used it at their family reunions, teachers have used it with kids all over the United States, in Ecuador and China; they have taken it to girls in juvenile detention, to men in prison for life, and to refugees in a camp in the Sudan.” The “Where I'm From” poem has inspired a current initiative by the to encourage people to reflect on and document their own heritage. Of course, we hope this conversation will inspire YOU to write about where you're from, too! Here are some of George Ella Lyon's tips on writing your own version of “Where I'm From:” Just list whatever comes to mind to start: food, music, landscapes, people. Be open to whatever you think of. This is a process. It may take several days to craft your list.  Later, as you organize what you write into its final shape, go back and see which lines have the most energy. Read it out loud. What order feels right? The last part of my poem is a reflection, but yours doesn't have to be. Have fun! Don't criticize yourself. You can do this many times over the course of time. I have! You can write “Where I'm From” from your current point of view or looking back. Tell us where you are from!We would love to have you share your version of George Ella Lyon's poem with Genealogy Gems! l invite you to call in and read your version of the poem on my voicemail: (925) 272-4021. Be sure to leave your name, phone number, and email address (phone and email will be kept private and NOT played on the show) so that you can be entered to win 1 year of Genealogy Gems Premium Membership (new or renewal). One lucky winner will be randomly selected on 12/31/15.    DNA GEM: Ethnicity Results: Exciting or Exasperating?Diahan Southard, Your DNA Guide at Genealogy Gems Facebook follower Kate Vaughan recently wrote in expressing her frustration with her ethnicity results provided by . She gets right to the point when she writes, “the way they refer to the results is confusing.” Kate, you are not alone. Many genealogists have been lured into taking the autosomal DNA test at one of the three major DNA testing companies just to get this glimpse into their past. Remember that the autosomal DNA test can reveal information about both your mother's side and your father's side of your family tree. Many take the test hoping for confirmation of a particular ancestral heritage, others are just curious to see what the results will show. Though their purposes in initiating the testing may vary, the feeling of bewilderment and befuddlement upon receiving the results is fairly universal. Kate has some specific questions about her results that I think most will share. Let's take a look at a couple of them. First up, Kate wants to know if our family tree data in any way influences the ethnicity results provided. The answer is an unequivocal “no.” None of the testing companies look at your family tree in any way when determining your ethnicity results. However, the results are dependent on the family trees of the reference population. The reference populations are large numbers of people whose DNA has been tested and THEIR family history has been documented for many generations in that region. The testing companies compare your DNA to theirs and that's how they assign you to an ethnicity (and place of ancestral origin?).  Next Kate asks, “Do they mean England when they report Great Britain?” Or to put it more broadly, how do these testing companies decide to divide up the world? All of the companies handle this a little bit differently. Let's look at Ancestry as an example. When you login to view your ethnicity results, you can click on the “show all regions” box below your results to get a list of all of the possible categories that your DNA could be placed in. These 26 categories include nine African regions, Native American, three Asian regions, eight European regions, two Pacific Island regions, two West Asian regions, and then Jewish, which is not a region, per se, but a genetically distinct group. Clicking on each individual location in the left sidebar will bring up more information on the right about that region. For example, clicking on Great Britain tells us that DNA associated with this region is primarily found in England, Scotland, and Wales, but is also found in Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. Basically, this is telling us that people with generations of ancestry in Great Britain are quite a genetic mix from many areas. The first chart here shows that if we are to test the DNA of 100 natives of one of these primary regions (England, Scotland or Wales) then 50 of them will have the great Britain “pattern” of DNA covering 60% or more of their entire genome, and 50 of them will have that pattern in less than 60% of their DNA. The fact that this half-way number is so low, only 60%, tells us that there is a lot of uncertainty in this ethnicity estimate because there is so much mixture in this region. Kate, for you that means that when you see Great Britain in your ethnicity estimate, it could mean England, or maybe it means Italy- Ancestry can't be certain. But that uncertainty isn't the same for every region. Pictured here is also the ethnicity chart for Ireland. You can see that half the people who are native to Ireland will have 95% or more Irish DNA.  Kate, for us this means that if you have Irish DNA in your results, you can be pretty certain it came from Ireland. From these tables you can see your membership in some regions is more robust than others, and Ancestry is using these tables to try to help us tell the difference. In the end, the ethnicity results reported by each DNA testing company are highly dependent on two factors: the reference populations they use to compare your DNA against, and the statistical algorithms they use to compute your similarities to these populations. Every company is doing both of these things just a little bit differently. Kate, if you want to get another take on your ethnicity results, you can take your data over to Family Tree DNA, or you can be tested at 23andMe. A free option is to head over to Gedmatch and try out their various ethnicity tools. If you need help downloading and transferring, you can head over to my website: .  Most people have found after searching in multiple places that their “true” results are probably somewhere in the middle. While these ethnicity results can be interesting and useful, for most they will just be a novelty; something interesting and exciting. I have found that their most useful application is acting like a fly on a fishing line. They attract our family members into DNA testing where we can then set the hook on the real goal: family history.    PROFILE AMERICA: The Statue of Liberty had a birthday just recently! On October 28, 1886, the now-famous Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor in New York City. Every school child in the U.S. knows this was a gift from France. According to Profile America, “the statue was the first glimpse of America for more than 20 million immigrants who came through nearby Ellis Island, chiefly from Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Poland. In 1910, the year of the greatest influx, some 15 percent of the U.S. population was foreign-born.” Each of those 20 million immigrants to the U.S.—and each of our other ancestors from all over the world—has a unique story. Of migration or change, loss and love, being favored by fate--or not-so-favored. All the stories I find—and all the stories I hear and read from YOU—tell me that we have so much to learn from our ancestors' lives, so much to be inspired by. Their stories shape us and, in so doing, become part of OUR stories. That gives us double the stories to tell! I invite you to get sharing those stories, if you aren't already. Blog if that works for you, because the world is your audience. Or write something else and share it in another way. Put together a short biography of a fascinating ancestor. Transcribe an old diary or interview. Write about your research journey and how your findings inspired you. However you most want to share it: just DO it! Your own legacy will love on. The legacies of those who love from the past will live on. And legacies of those yet to come will benefit from that which you've left for them.

This interview with Amy Clark, director of the Appalachian Writing Project and co-editor of Talking Appalachian: Voice, Identity, and Community, is a conversation about language, identity, and learning. With contributions from well-known authors such as George Ella Lyon and Silas House, Talking Appalachian has been called the most comprehensive, accessible study of Appalachian language available today.