Amy Le Ann Richardson earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University (‘09) and is the author of two poetry chapbooks, Make Believe Worlds We Built Together (Bottlecap Press, 2023) and Who You Grow Into (Finishing Line Press, 2024), as well as a full collection, Out of Places (Pine Row Press, 2025). Her work has been featured in journals such as Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Kentucky Monthly, Untelling, and Still: The Journal. She currently lives and works on her family farm in Carter County, Kentucky, where she writes, grows food, and engages with her community through art and environmental advocacy.
You can find her artwork at www.chickenhousestudio.com and her farm at www.forgottenfoods.com. Also, see her Etsy store here: https://kymtnwriter.etsy.com
Amy Le Ann Richardson – Author, Poet, & Educator
Amy Le Ann Richardson is an Appalachian writer, editor, and educator. Her work explores the intersection of nature, art, and storytelling, with a focus on Appalachian landscapes and women’s resilience. She is the editor of Rooted, Resilient, Rising: Women Growing Food Across the Mountains (University Press of Kentucky, forthcoming) and the author of multiple poetry collections, essays, and anthologies featured in regional and national journals.
Education
- MFA, Creative Writing – Spalding University, 2009
- BA, English – Morehead State University, 2007
- PhD coursework, Professional Writing & Composition – Oklahoma State University, 2010
Selected Professional Experience
- Founder & Director, Bloodroot Young Writers Collective (2025–present)
- Founder & Vice President, Appalachian Literary Arts Festival (2025–present)
- Lecturer & Adjunct Instructor, Morehead State University & Shawnee State University (2018–2025)
- Eastern Kentucky Food System Resiliency Coordinator, Community Farm Alliance (2023–2025)
- English Instructor & Academic Advisor, Morehead State University (2014–2017)
Research & Teaching Interests
- Creative Writing: Fiction, Poetry, Non-fiction
- Appalachian Literature & Environmental Writing
- Interdisciplinary Arts: Ekphrasis, Nature Writing, Outdoor Education
- Courses Prepared to Teach: Composition, Introduction to Literature, Poetry, Fiction, Non-fiction, Appalachian & Environmental Writing
Selected Publications
- Rooted, Resilient, Rising: Women Growing Food Across the Mountains (forthcoming, University Press of Kentucky)
- Out of Places (Pine Row Press, 2025)
- Who You Grow Into (Finishing Line Press, 2024)
- Make Believe Worlds We Built Together (Bottlecap Press, 2023)
- Numerous poems & essays in Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Kentucky Monthly, Northern Appalachian Review, Mountain Movement Magazine, Porchlight, and more
Conferences, Panels & Workshops
- Panelist, AWP Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, 2026
- Keynote, Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference, 2026
- Featured Writer & Presenter, Winter Burrow Literary & Arts Conference, Hindman, KY 2025
- Presenter, Appalachian Studies Association Annual Conference, 2024–2026
- Workshop Leader & Resident Poet, Hindman Settlement School Appalachian Writers Workshop, Ironwood Writers Studio, Kentucky Foundation for Women, 2021–2025
Fellowships, Grants & Residencies
- National Arts Futures Fellowship, 2025–2026
- Kentucky Foundation for Women Artist Enrichment Grant, 2026 & 2021
- James Baker Hall Foundation Partnership Grant, 2025–2026
- Kentucky Foundation for Women Art Meets Activism Grant, 2024
- Writer & Artist-in-Residence, Loretto Motherhouse & Kentucky Foundation for Women, 2022–2023
Awards & Honors
- Winner, Appalachian Literary Arts & Storytelling Festival Foodways Poetry Contest, 2025
- Winner, Penned Poetry Contest, Kentucky Monthly Magazine, 2023 & 2025
- Third Place, Appalachian Literary Arts & Storytelling Festival DENI Fiction Contest, 2025
- Multiple Honorable Mentions & Regional Literary Awards
Professional Affiliations
- Appalachian Studies Association (2023–present)
- Kentucky State Poetry Society (2020–present)
- Association of Writers & Writing Programs (2007–present)
- Carter County Poetry Society (2020–present)
Amy Le Ann Richardson 