It wasn’t until 2004 I decided to get serious about giving back to the mountain people – my people. The only way I could think of doing that was to begin documenting their lives and giving them a voice. I wanted to tell the world about mountain coalminers, farmers, musicians, quilters, doctors and all the rest of the people who make up the coal camps. I began with a website but that wasn’t enough, nor was it permanent, so my first book came together and was self- published in May 2004 under my pen name of B. L. Dotson-Lewis.
My friend, Jim Branscome, came up with the upbeat title for t more...
