Anthony Vinson

Anthony Vinson is the offspring of an earthling and an alien visitor from a planetary system located within what you call the Crab Nebula. He was never told which parent was which, but he has his suspicions. A freelance writer, he lives with thirteen cats, two fish, two dogs, and one wife.

Chetter Galloway

Kanute Rarey

Kanute’s passion is in “bringing stories to life”. Kanute puts a bit of his heart into all his imaginary tales and his stories of life experience. His goal is to inspire and to peak the curiosity and imagination of the listener.

Melanie Knauff

After accidentally setting fire to a gas station, romping around the pyramids on a camel, and hiking a trail 5000 in elevation by hanging onto chains embedded in the mountain wall, Melanie moved from sunny South Florida to Dahlonega, Georgia to lead a more calm life.  Fortunately, she brought crazy with her and it comes through in her stories.  She is loony, loaded with energy and full of pun fun.  Whether she’s telling of her experience losing weight eating dog treats, expounding on her husband’s fears of bears, buffalos and volcanoes, or just describing escapades with her mother-in-law, she’ll make you laugh. She performed for the nationally acclaimed Listen to Your Mother show and was winner of the Big Fibbers contest in Rome,Georgia.  She’s told folk tales, personal tales, and, of course, big lies at numerous festivals and events throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Now retired after twenty-two years of teaching, she is hitting the stage to make tears run down your legs.

Amanda Lawrence

Amanda Lawrence is from Blairsville, Georgia. She taught college courses in writing, literature, and storytelling for 21 years before entering the nonprofit world. She is co-director of the Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival and director of The Haven Project of  Georgia, an organization that serves individuals with disabilities and their families. Amanda grew up in a family of storytellers and enjoys sharing family tales, folktales, and ghost stories. She was a finalist in the Story Slam at the 2018 National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee and has most recently told at the Haunts and Harvest event in Blue Ridge and at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. She can be contacted at  dramlawrence@gmail.com.

Denise Mount

Denise Mount grew up in Western New York and has lived in Georgia for the past twenty-nine years. As members of Southern Order of Storytellers, Denise and her husband, Mike, co-founded Stories on the Square Gwinnett, a monthly open mic storytelling event in Lawrenceville where all are welcome to tell stories and hone the craft. Denise specializes in telling true personal stories many of which she has shared at the Moth Atlanta, Moth Asheville, Peach State Storytelling Festival, Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival, Athens Fringe Festival, Atlanta Fringe Festival, Florida Fringe Festival, Stone Soup Storytelling Festival in South Carolina, Bynum Front Porch Storytelling in North Carolina, National Storytelling Conference in Missouri, Carapace in Atlanta, and Rabbit Box in Athens, Georgia. Denise has also been known to stretch the truth a bit at the annual Big Fibber’s Contest in Rome, Georgia and other opportunities. But it is no lie that she is honored and excited to be invited to tell here at the Red Clay Storytelling Festival!