Books by Laura Hunter

There's a certain energy in the South...that feeling that you can't get anywhere else. Thepeople, the language, the land-they all lend themselves to rich, unforgettable stories.Laura Hunter is a master storyteller who captures not only the romance of life in theSouth, but also the pain and grittiness. The stories in this collection give glimpses into thelives of fascinating characters-stories of life, death, love, and loss, of dreams shattered andhopes rebuilt. Through it all, Hunter weaves a common thread that remains with thereader long after the book is closed. Containing award-winning stories, such as:¿ Moon Shadows Dancing - Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Award¿ A Widow's Mite - Patricia Boatner Award; Tennessee Mountain Writers¿ She (Carter's Woman) - H E Francis Award; University of Alabama, HuntsvilleCampus, Harriet Arnow Award for Short Stories - Appalachian Writers Association¿ Waiting for the Pink - Hackney Award; Birmingham Southern College

A story of the lives of three women, tightly woven together and surviving the harsh societal environment of an Appalachian mining town in the early to mid-1900s. Two religions contrast with each other-the Cherokee spirits of the native people and the Old Testament God of the white settlers-as each woman struggles to find her place. Love and hate, marriage and adultery, childbirth and abortion, all have their parts to play. Beloved Mother accurately portrays the evilness in humanity, in which the wicked corrupt the innocent to create a vicious cycle of abuse, until one person-with a heart of understanding and forgiveness-has the courage to end it.