THE STORYTELLER

Carter Taylor Seaton

Author

SUPERPOWER: Encourager of others

Carter Taylor Seaton always had books as a child, receiving them often as birthday or Christmas gifts from her grandparents and aunts. “Books have always been a part of my life. I can’t remember a time I couldn’t and didn’t read.”

Her career as an author came later in life after time spent marketing in the hospitality industry and directing a rural Appalachia cooperative for low-income women—and it started with a dare. “I had told a friend of mine the bare bones of what is now my first novel. She told me I should write it, but I wrote press releases—not novels. She just said, ‘Well, it’s time you started!’” Seaton says. She now has seven books on the market with more to come, her novels covering topics from generational trauma to the injustice of the justice system. “It is a part of oral tradition that we tell these stories. I think we do it unconsciously sometimes. That is what makes people writers—we are storytellers. We’ve always done that.” Her latest novel, Guilt, hits shelves October 20.

In addition to her writing exploits, Seaton became a licensed scuba diver and ran three marathons after the age of 50. “In running, you envision yourself crossing the finish line. When you’re writing, you do the same thing: seeing the book in your hand. The two are pretty synonymous with each other.” For Seaton, it’s all about persevering. “It’s the mantra of my life.”

She served as host of Writers Can Read, a monthly series for writers to read from and showcase their own work. She has also hosted the television program “Chapters,” a series promoting authors, editors, and publishers in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. “I think it is part of your responsibility as a writer to encourage others.”

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Since 2014 WV Living magazine has been honoring West Virginia Wonder Women, amazing women who are raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries, and forcing change for the greater good. WV Living is proud to celebrate these Appalachian mothers, millennials, and mavens proving that in a time full of uncertainty, divisiveness, and hate, love for one another is all we really need. No need for bulletproof bracelets or a golden lasso of truth—these women are creating a better West Virginia with their can-do attitudes and Mountain State spirit.