Media Room

BIO (read more at About Belinda)

Belinda Anderson holds a bachelor's degree in news-editorial journalism and a master's of liberal arts studies. She's written for such publications as The West Virginia Encyclopedia, Goldenseal, Wonderful West Virginia, Book Page and Writers' Journal, among others.

She was a recipient of a professional development grant from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Belinda often presents readings and fiction and nonfiction workshops. In 2004, Belinda was inducted into the ranks of those authors and literary figures who appear on the first official Literary Map of West Virginia. Her first collection of award-winning short stories, The Well Ain't Dry Yet, was published in 2001 by Mountain State Press. Her second collection of short stories, The Bingo Cheaters, was published by Mountain State Press in 2006. Her third collection, Buckle Up, Buttercup, has now been published by Mountain State Press.

"With warmth and charm, Belinda Anderson creates a world that lingers long after the last page. Her characters aren't afraid to take up residence in the reader's mind and stay there; they are as real and recognizable as the flesh-and-blood people we know and love."

-- Gretchen Moran Laskas,
The Midwife's Tale and The Miner's Daughter

"In this novel-in-stories, her third major publication, Belinda Anderson offers an attractive panoply of characters rich with nuance and diversity. At times I felt as if Ms. Anderson had moved the ghost of Edgar Lee Masters from Illinois to West Virginia to add that special Spoon River magic to her tale -- a compliment, indeed. Full of humor, under-stated romance, and unexpected suspense -- will the Driver's Ed vehicle really get obliterated? -- this book has something for everyone. But mostly what remains after reading it is a warmth of spirit in which readers with similarly empathetic hearts will take true comfort."

-- Marc Harshman,
The Storm, a Smithsonian notable book.

"To find a delightful writer is a treat; to find an excellent teacher is a treasure. But to find both a capable writer and an inspiring teacher in one person is indeed rare! I have been blessed to find this exceptional combination in Belinda Anderson. She's been a part of my life for four years and I am the richer for it."

--Genevieve Sowards Gillen

"Universal themes resonate in Belinda Anderson's accomplished stories. Her strong characters linger in the mind -- characters such as African-American quilt maker Twilight Dawn Johnson, who can put together the pieces of people's lives in a way that makes sense and meaning for them, or the harassed divorcee who can't quit hauling her dead sister's ashes around in the car until she can come to terms with her own jealousy and shortcomings. Original, lively, poignant, and brimming with life -- Anderson's stories speak to us all."

-- Lee Smith

"Belinda Anderson's characters and settings are clearly Appalachian-West Virginian. Her stories demonstrate, however, that even in the isolation and deprivation that some of her people experience, human beings suffer and celebrate in common. Her characters are individualized and their problems elicit recognition and empathy. This is a book both readable and enlightening."

-- Barbara Smith