What can I say? As the sole author of the first book in this series I was very fortunate in finding other authors with their own stories to share. I am very proud of this book and it's contributors. My cover was done by a most talented artist named Heath Claiborne out of Maryville, Tennessee. He provided "Cobalt Blue" the perfect image for the cover of this book. I could not be happier with it. Karen Hall, an artist from Georgia, contributed an exceptional and deep thinkpiece illustration where Rodin's Thinker is taking a bite from an apple. And the Sara Hayes provided her gifted talents in photography.

Art Salyer, World War II Veteran and Renaissance Man, shares six stories with the reader from how a certain road got it's name to what the Depression Era was like for the already poor - and also stories about his service in WWII.

Herbie Williams, longtime friend of mine, shares 3 stories about his father H.O. Williams from Rogersville, Tennessee. H.O. was nothing short of unique. He's one I miss.

Nakoma Volkman, renowned Native American Lecturer, shares some words of wisdom for the read.

Violet Estep Jones shares a touching tale about growing up hard in the coal camps of Virginia.

80 + year old author Helen Blalock shares three humorous stories about her life growing up in Southwest Virginia.

Military retiree Verlin "Buck" Caudill from Tazewell shares 4 funny tales.

Reverand Katye Fox has written two anecdotes about her great grandfather who was a doctor back before there were big hospitals. Great Reading.

And Pete Dykes has shared two entries from Pug Potter's Journal. Excellent craftsman.

Larry Collins has shared a Korean War Era story about a family reunion.

And then there is eleven year old dynamo Bethany Ruth Moore who has shared three very interesting yarns about her grandparents. She won personal narrative in he middle school and my publisher says "Hey - maybe she'd like to be published. She writes better than you do!" Haha. I am very proud of the talent in this book.

Michael J. Burns, whom wrote the preface for my first book, returns with the preface for Gathering Leaves. And he has also written an afterword called Reflection. With his talent - I look for Mike to have a book of his own within a year or more. Maybe I'll be writing his preface before long.

Paul Dykes passed away in 1989. But before he died he served a long sentence in prison and while there he wrote a book about his life. Paul couldn't get any publishers to touch his manuscript because he names off several of Kingsport's prominent citizens and their and his illegal activities. From his childhood growing up on Long Island to his service in the Navy in WWII, then his rise as a businessman and eventual dealings with what would become NASCAR - I've published the first 14 pages of his book, and I'll publish another excerpt of his writings when the third book comes out as well. Paul Dykes built the Speedway in Kingsport, Appalachian Speedway, and though he doesn't share whose buried between the dirt and beneath the concrete - his tale is a good one.

Henry Jenkins, son of Joe Jenkins who shot Dewey Lee up in Norton and has a Carter Family song about him, is interviewed about his service in Europe during World War Two.

I wrote another 50 for this one.