Kentucky native and New York Times bestselling author, Silas House shared his creative process and the inspirations behind his 2022 fiction novel, “Lark Ascending” at Thursday’s Breathitt Lecture at Hopkinsville Community College.
The Breathitt Lecture series began in 2016 as a way to honor Kentucky’s 51st Governor and Hopkinsville native Edward Breathitt. House has written multiple novels and plays inspired by his upbringing in Appalachia and is also the current Kentucky Poet Laureate.
House also teaches at Berea College, and before diving into his lecture, he took some time to talk about his friendship with bell hooks. Gloria Watkins, better known by her pen name bell hooks, is an author native to Hopkinsville who passed away in 2021.
House taught alongside Watkins at Berea and says she largely influenced his writing and thinking. The pair delivered a commencement speech together and have collaborated on other projects.
“Lark Ascending” is House’s most recent novel that takes place in the not-so-distant future where much of the country is impacted by wildfires. The book draws on House’s Appalachian upbringing, his time in Ireland and passing of his Aunt Sis in 2015.
House says the novel is born out of the grief he felt following the passing of his Aunt Sis. He says she was the parent that his mother and father couldn’t always be.
In the novel that grief is explored through the main character, Lark, who is losing their home to natural disasters and political unrest. Lark also faces more grief while fleeing from the U.S. to Ireland in search of refuge.
Ireland became a part of House’s grief, because following his aunt’s death because he signed a contract to be a visiting author at the National University of Ireland. During his time in Ireland, he says hardly remembers delivering lectures and teaching workshops while he was still grieving.
However, House says his time in Ireland was healing. After fulfilling his responsibilities, House says he would go on long walks exploring the country’s natural scenery which are depicted in the novel.
Those who are interested can learn more about House and his work at silas-house.com.