West Virginia University Department of English instructor Katie Fallon had her latest essay “Rebirth” published alongside many other new literary works in the latest issue of River Teeth.

River Teeth is a biannual journal combining the best of creative nonfiction, including narrative reportage, essays and memoir, with critical essays that examine the emerging genre and that explore the impact of nonfiction narrative on the lives of its writers, subjects and readers.

Fallon’s essay “Rebirth” is a personal essay about vultures and the birth of her daughter. “I am obsessed with vultures,” said Fallon. “I just had a baby, and the essay helps show the connections between childbirth and vultures.”

In ancient Egypt, Fallon said, vultures were considered a great animal and they were not associated with the common misconceptions that they are now. “Nekhbet was the vulture goddess in ancient Egypt,” said Fallon. “Her role was to protect mothers in childbirth.”

“Rebirth” is part of a book that Fallon is currently working on “about vultures and their place in our culture.”

Fallon said her writing is often inspired by nature. Her writings, she added, center around nature and birds with a connection to what is going on in her life.

Fallon’s essays have been published in numerous magazines and her book “Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird,” was a finalist for the Reed Award for Outstanding Writing on the Southern Environment, and is currently available for purchase on amazon.com or at Barnes & Noble in Morgantown.

In addition to her literary works, Fallon founded the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia in 2012, a non-profit organization that treats and rehabilitates injured, ill, or orphaned wild birds.

For more information on “Rebirth” or Fallon’s other works, please contact her at Katie.Fallon@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

GM 11/20/13

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