About the Author
Laura Still is a poet and
playwright who wears many hats. She works regularly as a dental
hygienist, seasonally as a USTA certified tennis umpire, and daily as a
mother of two. She is a contributing editor and contest screener for
New Millennium Writings . A member of the Knoxville Writers' Guild, she
has served as a Peter Taylor Prize screener, workshop instructor, and
judged the guild's Young Writer’s Poetry Prize. Her poetry appears in
many of the KWG anthologies, as well as Growing Up Girl, Knoxville
Bound, and New Millennium Writings. Her first poetry collection,
Guardians, was published by Celtic Cat in October 2009.
Still draws inspiration from her travel, including sailing and kayaking trips, and her service to Church Street United Methodist Church, where she is a Sunday School teacher, labyrinth guide, and Archangel in the church's annual Walk Through Bethlehem. She has written and produced over 50 plays for the church's children's drama workshop. A selection of these plays appears in her teaching manual Acts of the Apostles, Vol. I, published by Stony River Media in March 2010. A second volume is in the planning stages.
Laura Still's Guardians was released this past fall by Celtic Cat Publishing. A work decidedly personal and spiritual in tone, it has proved inspiring, garnering high praise from noted local writers. Marianne Worthington: "Laura Still's debut collection of poems shimmers like a painting; her word canvas is color-driven with themes of light and shadow that contour a sense of wonder and mystery." Marilyn Kallet: "Generous, accessible, and unaffected, these poems are like little phoenixes .... Each one of them celebrates the spirit's victory--art's victory--over loss and sorrow. Each object, moment, and event is wrapped tenderly in the lyrical weave of redemptive song." Don Williams: "This is a beautiful gathering of poems. They lift the heart and eyes to numinous windows lit with voice, spirit, grace."
While working on Guardians, Laura Still embarked upon Acts of the Apostles, which has just been published by Stony River Media. The book features 25 one-act plays for children, all written by Still and based on Bible stories and themes. Complementing this assemblage are various instructional offerings for those who lead theatrical groups for young people. These informative elements encompass the setting up of a drama room, the making of costumes, props and stage sets, and an array of teaching tips.
Laura Still's involvement with children and the theater has been both passionate and longstanding. A mother of two, Still has taught Sunday school for 18 years and she has been a drama workshop leader for the Church Street United Methodist Church the past eight years. Apart from her church, Still has served as a stage manager for the Tennessee Stage Company.
Still's creativity and commitment to the arts have been expressed in a rich and varied manner, extending well beyond the footlights. She is a member of the Knoxville Writers' Guild, having served as its treasurer, a workshop instructor, and a judge of its Young Writers' Poetry Prize. Her poems have been published in numerous Guild anthologies; she has been a frequent contributor to the literary journal New Millennium Writings; and her first feature article, "An Angel Above Us," appeared in the 2009 holiday issue of Cityview magazine.