Don’t miss these unforgettable moments!

The Rockfish Valley Community Center is hosting an event series celebrating the stories and voices of local writers.

Join us for Meet Your Local Authors, an afternoon featuring authors who will share the inspiration behind their books and the journeys that led them to write and publish.

Following the discussion, guests will have the opportunity to meet the authors, purchase books, and enjoy book signings.

Wine and light refreshments will be available during the reception.

This event is part of an ongoing RVCC series highlighting local authors.

Five authors will share the stories behind their books during a moderated discussion led by Tiffany Keaton.

Featured Authors in September

• R. Morgan Armstrong

• Doug Hornig

• Tricia LaRochelle

• Jean Pugh Shipman

• Joanne White

Free Community Event in the RVCC Auditorium

190 Rockfish School Lane, Afton, VA 22920

Authors in October

Deborah Burghardt

Deborah Burghardt writes creative nonfiction after directing the Women and Gender Studies program at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. The experience compelled her to explore how being spared while witnessing the chronic illness that affected her mother, sister, and daughter shaped her life. Her essays have appeared in the Challenge into Change and Bodies of Truth anthologies, Intima: Journal of Narrative Medicine, The Sun, Fort Myers Magazine, bioStories, Shark Reef, Globejotting.com, The Bridge Journal, and The Watershed Journal. Her first book, The Quiet Car: A Kaleidoscopic Memoir, is forthcoming from Quimby, Pickford and Cheshire Publishing in Spring 2027.

Contact: dburghardt@pennwest.edu

Sample: “Leaving Mum Behind”

Francesca Flood

Francesca Flood, a native of Brooklyn, New York, has carved her path in the world of writing through a crucible of life experiences. Her award-winning work focuses on evocative speculative fiction that pushes the boundaries of imagination and explores spiritual realms. Her narratives create a tapestry of the metaphysical, mystical, and the mundane, inviting readers to delve into profound questions about life, choices, and reality. Crafting intricate plots and profound philosophical insights, Francesca’s work has garnered a diverse and dedicated following.

Dr. Flood is second-place winner of the 2025 Virginia State Golden Nib Writer’s award for nonfiction and first-place winner in the Blue Nib Writer’s award in both fiction and nonfiction. She has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals and serves as an editor for Springer-Meteor. She has also been an editor/author for the American Bar Association’s book on suicide. Francesca holds a Master’s in Pastoral Theology and a Doctor of Education.

Link to Books:

https://amazon.com/stores/author/B01CMLH8HW/allbooks

Website:

https://hopeverdad.com/

Dory Hulse

Dory Hulse lives surrounded by woods just outside of Charlottesville where she and her husband, Murray, built their home in 2002 after moving from New Jersey.

She hopes to publish her first book after a lengthy career in public relations and marketing communications that included a wide variety of writing assignments.

She was Director of Communications for the North Jersey March of Dimes and later created the position at the University of Virginia School of Nursing.  In addition, she formed a consulting practice with clients who ranged from a French chef to U.S. and U.K. companies that organized large international trade shows and U.S. pavilions within such exhibitions as the Paris Air Show.

Multiple volunteer positions have ranged from photojournalist for a Rotary International medical mission in Argentina to a church mission construction team in post-Katrina New Orleans.

All these experiences have presented great material for stories. Dory’s long interest in healthcare combined with her professional experience has made her especially attuned to the effect of communication in those situations.  The book she hopes to publish, View from the Gurney, is a compilation of stories as a patient, caregiver, bystander drawn into a medical emergency, and observer of broader healthcare issues.

Several years ago, she was preparing to pursue publication when a series of medical crises led her to become the full-time caregiver for her recently deceased husband.  She’s now turning her attention back to the book project that he enthusiastically supported.

James Oglethorpe

James Oglethorpe was born and educated in England (with a BA from Oxford Brooks University). He is a self-published novelist and poet who is currently focused on writing lyrics. His song, Good Girls, co-written with Caitlin Evanson, appears on her EP, Never My Fault. James has lived and worked in southern Africa and Nepal. In addition to his experience as a technical writer and editor of educational material he was, for fifteen years, an at-home-dad supporting his wife Judy and their two boys. James is currently co-teaching a course, “Short Form Narrative Workshop,” at UVA Olli with Brent Kitching. He lives in Nellysford, Virginia. He has written the novel, Reprisal, Swan (a Novella), and Wide to the Ocean, a book of poetry.

Reprisal https://a.co/d/0516sRrz
Swan – https://a.co/d/0gt4Wfcs

Authors in September

Morgan Armstrong

Morgan Armstrong, a retired General District Court judge, now resides at Wintergreen Resort with his wife, Jo Ann. He was a Virginia prosecutor for 9 1/2 years and an attorney in general practice with his brother for 12 years. Armstrong served as a General District Court Judge for the Counties of Henry and Patrick and the City of Martinsville from 1995 to 2012.

A Serving of Revenge, a mystery novel, was published in 2020, sold out, and was reprinted in 2025. His second publication, A Serving of Deceit, was published in March 2023. A third novel, published in 2024, titled A Murder at Cubley’s Coze, is a prequel to the four-novel series. A Serving of Prejudice, number four in the series, was published in 2025. One additional novel is written and is being readied for publication: A Serving of Loyalty.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/R.-Morgan-Armstrong/author/B0FNS3Y2XN

Doug Hornig

Doug Hornig has published 12 books, 8 under his own name, with the others ghost written over his 45-year career.  He has also published hundreds of stories, poems and articles in both legacy media and online, and he is a past winner of the VA Governor’s Screenwriting Competition.  Doug is currently working on a memoir.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001HOGXTA

Tricia T. LaRochelle

Tricia T. LaRochelle is the award-winning author of the Sara Browne Series, a gripping romantic suspense, along with Sun in My Heart, A Collision with Love, Let Me Go, and her latest, Burning Vengeance, which launched on March 24th. Gut-wrenching romances with unforeseen plot twists are where she thrives. Her apologies in advance for the tears.

Coming from a background and education in marketing, Tricia has spent years pursuing her author endeavors. She now lives in Virginia with her husband and new pup, Daisy, who keeps her on her toes. She enjoys long walks with her hubby, time with her two grown sons and DILs, and board games that bring out the silly.

Subscribe to her newsletter at tricialarochelle.com, where you can receive updates on her work and win prizes. You can also find her on social media.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tricia-T.-LaRochelle/author/B0B2X2R19R

Jean Pugh Shipman

Jean Pugh Shipman spent nearly 40 years as a medical librarian and scholar before turning to fiction. Her debut novel, One Tragic June, draws on authentic family letters and stories from her mother’s family history. Raised in a small Pennsylvania town steeped in Plain religious traditions, Jean now lives in the foothills of Virginia with her husband, Mark, and their cat. Check out her website at: http://www.jeanpughshipman.com

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jean-Pugh-Shipman/author/B0FY4KRHGG

Joanne White

Joanne White is a writer and longtime member of the Wintergreen community, where she has been a property owner since 1988 and a resident since 1999. She shares her work on Substack and has been an active member of the Wintergreen Here to Stay writing group since 2021.

Tiffany Keaton – Moderator

With nearly three decades of marketing leadership spanning startups to global enterprises, Tiffany has built her career on one core belief: deeply grounded marketing strategy combined with consistent execution to create transformational business results. As Founder of Avinity Advisors, she dedicates her expertise exclusively to helping ambitious startups navigate their most critical growth phases.

Authors in June

Susan Burke

Susan Burke left the corporate world and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, 25 years ago. It was her intention to spend her retirement years acting in the local theatres, as she had done at night in Off-Off-Off Broadway theatres in New York. Within three years she performed in seven shows. But then disaster struck! Diagnosed with a rare condition that causes imbalance, she could no longer act. So, she decided to try writing. It was poetry at first, but then she learned about the work done by The Division of Perceptual Studies at UVA. Intrigued by the notion of one’s consciousness living on after the death of the body, she dove into further research and came up with three books over the course of six years. Each are fiction, but they incorporate factual information about the following subjects:  reincarnation, out-of-body and near-death experiences, and communication between the living and the dead. They are available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Susan-Burke/author/B0994RF2CD

Patrick Kelly

Patrick Kelly has written six books comprising the Wintergreen Mystery Series. He has deep roots in Virginia. His mother grew up in Crozet, and he fondly remembers feeding chickens and picking peaches on his grandparents’ farm. Later, he graduated from the University of Virginia. Patrick and his wife spend their summers in Wintergreen, hiking mountain trails, sampling local wines, and marveling at nature’s beauty. The Blue Ridge Mountains provide the perfect setting for retired detective Bill O’Shea to match wits with scheming murderers.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Patrick-Kelly/author/B00I1KAQN2

Brent Kitching

Ironically in high school, Brent Kitching hated reading and writing. He attended Duke University on a basketball scholarship and gradually discovered a genuine love for learning. He taught high school English for forty-two years, mostly enjoying the daily challenge of helping young people think more deeply about the world and their personal realities. Stimulated by the Dodge Poetry sessions in the nineties, he helped establish “The Other Poets” and has embraced writing and sharing poetry as an important part of his life. He has written several books, including A Bicycle without a Chain and The Grendel Project.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brent-Kitching/author/B00JBRM9H0

Marta Anne Tice

Marta Anne Tice was inspired to write her first historical romance, Allegiance to Alsace, when she discovered her ancestral village of Leisel, Germany in 2006. As a licensed interior design of ASID, with a Degree in Decorative Arts, she became fascinated with the styles and fashions of the Napoleonic era. Recalling a former trip to Germany with her parents when she was fourteen, she experienced déjà vu feelings both in Alsace Lorraine and the Pfalz in Germany.

The author lives just outside of Albemarle County and Charlottesville, VA. Marta was influenced living in this area and the sequel; From Alsace To America, will have much of Virginia’s history highlighted during the War of 1812, including inspiration drawn from the Adams side of her mother’s lineage.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marta-Anne-Tice/author/B09SQZMFQH

Jean Pugh Shipman – Moderator and Author

Jean Pugh Shipman spent nearly 40 years as a medical librarian and scholar before turning to fiction. Her debut novel, One Tragic June, draws on authentic family letters and stories from her mother’s family history.

Raised in a small Pennsylvania town steeped in Plain religious traditions, Jean now lives in the foothills of Virginia with her husband, Mark, and their cat.
Books:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jean-Pugh-Shipman/author/B0FY4KRHGG

Guests are welcome to purchase books ahead of time using the author links above. Limited copies may be available at the event.

Authors in May

Jan Hogle

Retired anthropologist Jan Hogle lives near the southern end of Shenandoah National Park. Her writing reflects a life shaped by curiosity, travel, and storytelling. Her books include Risking Wreckage, a memoir about personal transformation, and Seven Yrs in Africa, an epistolary memoir drawn from letters, journals, and reflections from her years abroad.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jan-Hogle/author/B096WCCB5Y

Mary Jo Russell

Mary Jo’s three mystery novels reflect her passion for history, music, and delectable food. Set in the years 1907 and 1908, her stories follow her daring heroine, Anna Baines, as she solves murders first in Yellowstone National Part and later in St. Louis and Cape Breton.

Mary Jo loves the research part of writing, and her plots evolve around unexpected nuggets of history that she happens upon in her reading.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mary-Jo-Russell/author/B0DMWVSVF1

Linda Thornburg

Linda Thornburg is a Virginia author whose work explores powerful personal and historical themes. Her writing reflects a deep curiosity about human experience and storytelling.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Linda-Thornburg/author/B001K8HEZU

Petra Monaco

Petra Monaco is a published author, creativity coach, and artist who challenges the status quo. Raised in foster care in Germany, she immigrated to the United States as a young mother and later worked her way to becoming a Master’s-level therapist.

After watching her youngest son fight for his life through a rare genetic disorder and three liver transplants, Petra redirected her life toward helping creatives and multi-passionate people stop waiting for “someday” and start building the life they want now.

Her books include the memoir Betrayal: The Journey – Childhood Memories and the Adult Awakening and the inspirational story Lennon Steps, based on her son’s journey through illness and recovery.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B018W73C4S

Jean Pugh Shipman

Jean Pugh Shipman spent nearly 40 years as a medical librarian and scholar before turning to fiction. Her debut novel, One Tragic June, draws on authentic family letters and stories from her mother’s family history.

Raised in a small Pennsylvania town steeped in Plain religious traditions, Jean now lives in the foothills of Virginia with her husband, Mark, and their cat.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jean-Pugh-Shipman/author/B0FY4KRHGG

Moderator: Tiffany Keaton

Guests are welcome to purchase books ahead of time using the author links above. Limited copies may be available at the event.