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The Appalachian Mountain range, one of the oldest on Earth, covers an area from New York State to Georgia. Because the topography of the area made building roads and running electrical wire difficult, the Appalachian Highlands remained isolated until well into the last century despite forays into the mountains and hollows by logging and mining companies. Due to this isolation, the people of Appalachia adhered to an older culture brought over by the first settlers characterized by songs, music, and crafts. They also kept or developed a unique set of ideologies that clashed with the more modern ones of the outside world.
While Dr. Lavelle is not an “Appalachian writer,” the location, with it’s distinctive culture, is a favorite setting for his many short stories and now his new novel OREADS.
He is Associate Professor in the School of Arts and Communication, Florida Institute of Technology. John Lavelle is actively writing and publishing short stories and novels. He is published in Red Rock Review, Spank the Carp, No Record Press, Trajectory, Stone Canoe, and others. His academic book Blue Collar Theoretically: A Post-Marxist Approach to Working Class Literature was published by McFarland & Co. His novel OREADS is from Roundfire Books.
Dr. Lavelle earned his PhD in American Literature, contemporary British literature, and literary theory from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA. 2008; M.A. in Creative Writing, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fl. 2001; M.A. in English, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. 1999; B.A. in English, Cum Laude, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. 1998.
ABOUT THE SETTING OF OREADS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Lavelle welcomes any comments from readers. Write to him by using the “Comments” box below.
Dr. Lavelle has a list of questions for book club readers. Contact him for a copy.