We are continuing our mini series on the Civic Imagination Incubator! Join us as we sit down with sci-fi author and storyteller Clinton W. Waters. They share with us their vision for a utopic Kentucky known as the Commonwealth.
About Clint
Clinton W. Waters was born and raised in Bowling Green, KY. They are a graduate of Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and the co-founder/lead writer for Sundog Comics. Waters writes science fiction and fantasy stories, focusing on LGBTQIA+ themes and representation within fictional worlds, and has self-published six books to date. Their major creative inspirations are “The Twilight Zone”, “Black Mirror”, and the works of Ray Bradbury. Through events and personal interactions, Waters hopes to foster creativity and acceptance for anyone with the desire to write.
Folklore isn’t entirely new to me as my younger brother has all our family Foxfire books, I took weaving at NGC-UNG-and 4 folklore classes (Irish, American, British, and Ga.) at GSU under Dr. John Burrison, a wonderful professor there. I know he had a chapter in the 8th book. When I took art classes at NGC (1980-’84), I had art ed. and weaving (Tommye Scanlin); art history, pottery, hand building, and sculpture under the late Bob Owen (and John Burrison had a face mug he drank from in class. Are they for sale?). I met Lanier Meader in the early ’80s as well. I also loved music, particularly Celtic music and leaned more about the connections of my own Celtic background and learned to like-and appreciate country music as well. One of friends, Jim Starkey, played fiddle and played in a small band at my church here in Marietta (where I live now) and my best friend Kelly’s sister is married to a Tim Barnett whose father is a fiddler too. My cousin Jack Ball plays banjo. I’ve listened to various Celtic groups over the years before I ever took the folklore classes and also owned Border Collies over the years. I wish I coukdgo up there, burt I’m having to get around in a Zoomer (sort of an electric wheelchair now due to osteo-arthritis now and don’t drive so it’s difficult getting around in places even if I can get there). I think more schools should teach folklore!