From her home on Halcyon Ridge, in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, JC Walkup writes of mystery, murder and madness in short stories, novels and stage plays. This beautiful setting inspires JC and serves as a valuable source of story ideas and pictures.

• Her short story, Grown Up, won first place in the University of Texas short fiction contest. Other prizes won include first and second places in The Senior Games Arts category several years. This year her short story, “Storm Trash” took second place in the Mountain Writers of North Carolina Short Fiction Contest.

• She writes feature articles and book reviews for The Mountaineer, The Smoky Mountain News, and magazines.

• Longer projects include the full length stage play Womankind, and a trilogy of historical novels: Family of Strangers, set in post-Civil War Texas through the 1920’s, followed by Grace, (in progress) which carries the family through WW II, and concludes with Black Cover, bringing the McPhallen family to the present.

• “The Book Corner,” her column, is published weekly in The Guide, a regional magazine. She reviews books from the best seller lists of The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Economist as well as works by local and regional authors. The magazine Countryside published her test for successful retirement living in the US, Canada and Mexico.

To escape the solitary life of a writer, JC is teamed with Buffy Queen to plan events such as weddings, birthday parties, company retreats and other theme occasions complete with entertainment and catering, and lodging. For details and pictures click on Event Planning.