“Long before I wrote stories, I listened for stories. Listening for them is something more acute than listening to them. I suppose it’s an early form of participation in what goes on.” Eudora Welty
Hello, my name is Katy McWhirter. Like Welty, my fascination with stories began in a Mississippi town, my father a small business owner, my mother staying home with her children. In a family of introverts, stories were our greatest treasure, our countless memories of evenings spent round the old oak table in the home my father built from the ground up. The oversized bookcases framing our study held treasures gathered through time, with each of us contributing our favorites. My parents filled our home with beautiful antiques – not the rarified possessions of wealthy stock, but the primitive pieces used by similarly practical families that came before our own. It was in this atmosphere that my love for stories emerging from history first grew. Whether it was the unaccounted for gashes in our pub table or the mysterious ending to a box of letters between lost lovers, we listened for the stories of our well-worn possessions.
These days, my work as a writer and historian finds me undertaking a variety of assignments. Recent projects include:
- Researching and writing Fierce Rivalries & Enduring Friendships: 75 Years of the Iroquois Steeplechase, a popular history of the Iroquois Steeplechase due out May 12, 2016.
- Researching and conducting oral history project on Nashville’s iconic Music Row in conjunction with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Music Industry Coalition
- Serving as the lead historian and scriptwriter for a 1,200+ attendee event
highlighting Nashville’s history during times of military conflict - Undertaking research for a community preservation initiative
- Consulting on language used in governmental policy documents
- Editing a historical nonfiction manuscript
- Developing educational content for postsecondary institutions
Samples of my work can be found throughout the site; if you have a project in mind, I welcome you to get in touch.
All enquiries can be sent directly to katy@thenative.me.
As ever,
Katy
