Denise Giardina

State: West Virginia

Born in 1951 in Bluefield, West Virginia, Denise Giardina is a novelist and ordained deacon whose writing is rooted in the coalfields of Appalachia. Her debut, Good King Harry, shook traditional narrative with its Southern voice, while Storming Heaven and The Unquiet Earth delve into labor history and coal mining tragedies, earning major awards. Saints and Villains blends fiction and biography, and Emily’s Ghost reimagines the life of Emily Brontë. Politically active, Giardina once ran for governor based on environmental and social justice platforms. Her novels are marked by vivid regional settings, moral complexity, and strong female voices. She’s a cornerstone of Appalachian literature and a powerful commentator on the intersection of faith, labor, and community.

Genres: Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Nonfiction

Audiences: Adult