Kimberly Richardson, who has been working at Culpeper Middle School for over 19 years, is currently an 8th-grade English teacher. On August 29, 2023, she released her first novel titled The Sons of Skyland. This book’s setting is during the Great Depression and focuses on Seamus, who works as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps in an attempt to help himself start a new life and create his own path.
This coming-of-age story takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Shenandoah, Virginia, which is the location that gave Richardson the inspiration for writing the story. Additionally, learning about the history of the land’s development helped inspire her, along with her many visits to Shenandoah National Park in her youth. What impacted the author even more was hearing real-life stories from people who actively participated in the CCC, also known as the Tree Army. Through hearing first-hand experiences, as well as conducting extensive research, Richardson strived to provide an accurate depiction of what it was like during the period and setting in which the book takes place.
As a first-time author, Richardson had many eye-opening experiences when it came to publishing a book. One important aspect that was crucial to the making of her book was the need to have connections. As there are many moving parts regarding publishing a book, having a writing coach significantly helps make the logistics of the process happen. Work involving copyright, marketing, and graphic design were aspects that Richardson had not considered when starting the publishing journey. However, Kimberly’s writing coach, All Write Well, was there to help with every step of the process. While Richardson believes strongly in the power of independent authorship, she recommends making connections with a writing coach or publishing team to make a better overall product.
Kimberly never anticipated that if she were to be a writer, she would do historical fiction. Despite that fact, however, she believes she has found a passion for it and wants to tell more stories about unsung heroes of history. For her next piece of literature, Richardson is considering shifting focus to a place higher than the trees of Shenandoah, hoping to write about aircraft aviators from the same era of history.
Interview and article by Emily Wootten