John Doriot and Oreo
John Doriot wanted to be a writer since he was in the second grade and says he’s ‘fulfilling a dream’ every day when he sits down to write. Arts Alliance Mountain Empire presents Doriot sharing his writings with the public at the Bristol Public Library Nov. 14. He reads from his children’s books at 10 a.m. and from his adult fiction books at 6 p.m.
He has published 13 books. Two of his books, “Litter” and “Grimmer Folk Stories,” received the Georgia Independent Author of the Year Awards in 2022, for best Horror/Thriller and collection of short stories. Two of his books recently received the Georgia Independent Author of the Year Awards for 2023 – “The Cures” for best in Science Fiction and “From Sorrow to Tomorrow” for the best in poetry.
Doriot was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and grew up in Bristol, Tennessee. A graduate of The University of Tennessee, he has lived in Augusta, Georgia, for 32 years, where he retired after a long career in health care. He has been married for 43 years and has one son, one granddaughter, and a dog, Oreo. When he’s not writing, he loves reading, working in the garden, or traveling with his wife and dog, especially to visit his new granddaughter.
“When I was very young, I wrote poems about my family, trying to become another Dr. Seuss, one of my favorite authors then and still so today. In the fourth grade, my father introduced me to Edgar Allan Poe, and I have been a lover of horror stories ever since. I think writers become writers because we love to read. My work reflects those I admire, and I hope that even though I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me, my literary voice is unique and continues to evolve.
“My children’s books reflect a love for animals and nature, with the intent of helping children not only learn to read but also learn to love reading. My poetry is driven by the spiritual essence of nature and the awe and wonderment inspired by its beauty. My horror stories and ghost stories are often morality tales at their core and can be sentimental reflections of the past, stories that will make you want to keep a light on at night when you go to bed, or horror stories that are a shock to the senses. Whether it is a collection of short stories or a novel and regardless of the genre, the tales will take the reader through many surprising twists and turns, providing them with an entertaining journey for their mind’s imagination and emotions.
“Though I live in Augusta, Georgia, now, I am a Tennessean at heart. I grew up in Bristol, graduated from Bristol Tennessee High School, and played on the National Championship football team. I still have lifelong friends in Bristol and always love returning there to see the beauty of East Tennessee and all my friends,” he says.
For more information about his adult books visit https://minddriftbooks.com. For more information about his children’s books, visit https://oreodoriotbooks.com.
