Meherrin Regional
Library System 

Presents

 Authors’ Night 

Richardson Memorial Library

 Thursday, May 8, 2008

 6:00 TO 8:00 PM 

Authors are Presenting throughout the Library

 Refreshments served
 

Connie Clements Ellison

   Any Road: The Story of a Virginia Tobacco Farm by Connie Clements Ellison is a collection of short stories inspired by the lives of the author and her parents.  Archie and Ida Clements lived their lives based on faith, honesty, hard work, and humor as they strived for—and eventually achieved—the American Dream.
   In writing this book, Ms. Ellison states, “It was truly a labor of love, and took me six years to complete.”
   All She Has an original short story by Ms. Ellison was published in 2007 within the book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs.
     Connie Clements Ellison has taught English in Virginia’s public schools for twenty-eight years.  She lives in Elon, Virginia, with her husband, Andrew and two children, Jean Prince and James Moses.

Dr. William H. Jones

  
Dr. William H. Jones describes his book with these words.  “The minister’s image of ministry is woven throughout the fabric of Scripture and in the historical witness of the Church.  The job of ministering in the rural church and community is immense.  It can be discouraging at times, but can also be very rewarding.  My prayer is that this book offers some ways of assuring the readers that Looking for God’s People in Rural Places can be fulfilling and successful.”
    Within the pages of this book, the author hopes that the information contained within these pages might prove useful to those committed ministers and lay Christians who serve in rural places.
    Dr. Jones, a native son, grew up in Freeman, Virginia, and is the Administrative Bishop for The General Assembly of the St. James Churches of the Apostolic Faith and the Senior Pastor of Great Branch United Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic) in Rawlings, Virginia.  Dr. Jones and his wife, Mrs. Queen E. Jones, live in Rawlings, Virginia.

Rudolph Lewis

   
    Rudolph Lewis, born 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland, was raised by his grandparents, William and Ella Lewis of Jarratt, Virginia, and graduated from Central High School in Sussex.
     He has earned three degrees: two degrees in English and a Master’s in Library Science.  He has taught writing and literature at the University of the District of Columbia, the University of Maryland, at Northeast Louisiana University, University of New Orleans, and Coppin State College.  From 1991-1997, Lewis taught in several adult education programs and was a librarian at Enoch Pratt and St. Mary’s Seminary.
    
In November 2001, he founded the black arts and literary website ChickenBones: A Journal for Literary and Artistic African-American Themes, (www.nathanielturner.com), which he continues to edit and which has become one of the most popular African-American websites on the Internet.

Candice Poarch

 


    
Candice Poarch takes pride in crafting believable stories featuring African-American heroes and heroines.  The characters in her books demonstrate a strong sense of community and family support.  She firmly believes that everyday life in America (whether small town or major metropolitan city) has its own rich rewards.  She also likes telling stories that will leave today’s busy reader feeling refreshed and hopeful—not always an easy task, she says, but well worth the challenge.
     Her twenty-first book, Long, Hot Nights, (Dafina, May, 2008) deals with the family pulling together in a crisis and of course, romance.   “I really enjoyed Bittersweet… romance, comedy, mystery, and intrigue…I would definitely recommend Bittersweet as a book club selection.”  --Karen Monroe, Woman2Woman Book Club member. Candice Poarch’s twenty-second book, Once More for Love, will be published by Kimani Press in May, 2009.
     A native of Stony Creek, a small town in Southern Virginia, Candice Poarch holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from Virginia State University.  Formerly a computer systems manager, writing is now her full-time career.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Multicultural Romance Writers, and Washington Romance Writers, where she served as publicity coordinator for three years and worked on market news for two years.  Investing is her favorite hobby.  She particularly wishes to teach children the value of investing, feeling that they can use these skills to help provide them with financial security and confidence in their adult lives.
     Ms. Poarch is married and has three children.  She currently lives in Springfield, Virginia.

Ray R. Sasser

 


    
Ray Sasser is a native of Greensville County, Virginia and graduated from Greensville County High School in 1968.  He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from the College of William and Mary in 1972 and a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from Ball State University in 1978.
     From 1970 to 1980 he was a professional archaeologist and focusing on historical archeology, with some prehistoric archaeology, in New Mexico, Indiana, and Virginia.
     From 1981 until his retirement in 2005, he taught English at Greensville County High School; and from 1985 until his retirement, he was also a member of the adjunct faculty for Southside Virginia Community College.  From 1992 until retirement, he was Chairman of the Language Arts Department at the high school.
     Mr. Sasser has been on the Board of Directors of the Village View Foundation for the past twenty years, and for most of that time has served as the Board’s Recording Secretary.  During the 1990’s he was Editor of the Friends of Village View Newsletter.  Mr. Sasser is currently President and Editor of the Greensville County Genealogy Society, President of the Halifax County (NC) Genealogy Society, and a member of several other genealogical and historical societies.
      Over the past thirty-five years, he has published a number of articles on archaeology, local history, and genealogy.  In the past ten years, he has published five books and five booklets on local history and genealogy.  Several other books are currently in progress.