Finding Comfort in the Written Word
Amber’s journey into writing was profoundly shaped by her early life in the Appalachian region of Maryland and West Virginia. After her father passed away when she was 12, her mother moved them to Hedgesville in Berkeley County, West Virginia, living out in the middle of nowhere. In the aftermath of that loss, and without the means for counseling, Amber began retreating into literature.
“My writing got me through a lot of things because my mother didn’t have the money or the means to put me through counseling or anything like that, so I was kind of left on my own to deal with the aftermath.”
She had been telling stories since she was a very small child, even before she understood sentence mechanics. Her love for the macabre started young; one Christmas, her dad gave her a record player, and she would check out records of Vincent Price reading Edgar Allan Poe stories from the library. This early obsession with horror and dark storytelling laid the groundwork for her eventual shift toward poetry in high school.
Edgar Allan Poe: More Than Just “Nevermore”
Amber’s first love remains poetry. While studying the classics in high school, she was drawn back to Edgar Allan Poe. She found a deep kinship with Poe, particularly when dealing with her own grief after her mother passed away in 2021. Poe was only three when his mother died, and his life was characterized by contention, financial struggle, and a “sense of desperation”.
“I felt a real kinship with Poe in that regard because he was three when his mother passed away. He was kind of shuffled around to different families.”
Poe’s work, like “The Mask of the Red Death” and “The Cask of Amontillado,” uses incredibly descriptive language and atmosphere, engaging the senses of color, shape, texture, and smell. Amber also admires the musical quality and clear rhythm in his poems, such as “The Raven”. The poem, written after the death of his wife Virginia, centers on a grieving man arguing with a raven whose only reply is “Nevermore,” essentially confirming everything awful the man feels about himself.
Appalachian Gothic: Love, Loss, and the Mountain Identity
Amber’s upcoming collection, Appalachian Gothic, serves as a cohesive mess of creative energy that connects the historical struggles of Poe with the modern experience of the Appalachian region. The book explores regional pride, poverty, and how the culture and landscape shape a person’s identity. Interestingly, Poe himself once proposed that America should be renamed “Appalachia,” believing it best represented the ideals of the nation.
Amber found a way to weave Poe into a contemporary Appalachian environment. For example, she placed him in Boone County, West Virginia, where he is depicted as a person growing up in poverty, dealing with sickness and loss. The book is not entirely focused on Poe; it is also a personal exploration of her mother, her husband, and her deep dedication to her home state. Amber often reads her poem “Dear West Virginia” to audiences outside the state to challenge common stereotypes.
“They want to shame you because they don’t know you like I do.”
The poem concludes with an assertion of the state’s fierce independence and resilience, recognizing its struggles while highlighting its beauty. Appalachian Gothic is due out this coming January.
This barely scratches the surface of the conversation, including the shocking details of Edgar Allan Poe’s death theories, the overview of his darkest stories, and Amber’s incredible reading of “Dear West Virginia.” Be sure to check out the original video for the full discussion!
