A native Appalachian with a passion for the written and spoken word, I spent most of my life in SE Kentucky, which inspires much of my writing. After graduating from Berea College, I worked as a journalist and PR coordinator before becoming a high school teacher and theater director, retiring in 2022 to pursue my life-long dream of writing. I now reside in East Tennessee.
My short story “Southbound” won Reedsy contest #168 (Oct. 2022). My poetry has been featured in Pine Mountain Sand and Gravel and Northern Appalachian Review (2023/2025). A one-act play, "The Magic Lounge," won 2nd Place in the Kentucky Theatre Association Roots of the Bluegrass New Play Festival (Nov. 2023): it is based on "Cicero '59," a Reedsy short story featured in contest #186. 2025 Finalist with fellow Reedsy author, Glenda Toews, with their story "God Has a Way of Taking Care of His Own" in the Blue Grass Writer's Coalition's KY Visions Short Story Contest.
Southbound was featured on this Unpublished Not Unknown podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7fPYK3snMFKt2XWpEeqEPm?si=WtrJhWR_Q3Cz4HOiFGwOyg
Please feel free to contact me:
davidmsweet.author@gmail.com