Silas

House

Bestselling Novelist

2023 Southern Book Prize

Travels from: Lexington, KY

“In sly and subtle ways, House skillfully beckons readers to dig deep into their own hearts and minds.” – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Silas House is the nationally bestselling author of the novels Clay’s Quilt, 2001; A Parchment of Leaves, 2003; The Coal Tattoo, 2005; Eli the Good, 2009; and Same Sun Here (co-authored with Neela Vaswani) 2012, Southernmost (June 2018), and Lark Ascending (September 2022), as well as a book of creative nonfiction Something’s Rising, co-authored with Jason Howard, 2009; and three plays. Lark Ascending, a novel set in the near future about a young Appalachian man walking across Ireland with a dog and a mysterious woman after an environmental catastrophe. The novel was a SIBA bestseller and has also been chosen as a Booklist Editor’s Choice, one of Salon’s favorite books of the year, one of Garden and Gun’s selections for Best Southern Books of 2022, and as a top ten most recommended book by independent booksellers across the entire nation in the monthly Indie Next List.

House is a former commentator for NPR’s “All Things Considered.” His writing has appeared recently in Time, The Atlantic, Ecotone, The Advocate, Garden and Gun, and Oxford American. He is a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the recipient of three honorary doctorates, and is the winner of the Nautilus Award, an EB White Award, the Appalachian Book of the Year, the Storylines Prize from the New York Public Library/NAV Foundation, the Lee Smith Award, and many other honors, including an invitation to read at the Library of Congress. Southernmost was a longest finalist for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and appeared on several Best of 2018 lists including The Advocate, Booklist, Paste, Southern Living, Garden and Gun, and others. The book was given the Weatherford Award as well as the Judy Gaines Young Award.

House was an executive producer and one of the subjects of the documentary Hillbilly, which is now available on Hulu. The film won the Audience Award from the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Media Award from the Foreign Press Association. As a music journalist House has worked with artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Jason Isbell, Senora May, Leann Womack, Charley Crockett, John R. Miller, and many others. House is also host of the popular podcast “On the Porch”. In 2021 he was the recipient of the Governor’s Award from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear for his service to the arts in his home state. Most recently, Silas House has been awarded the 2023 Southern Book Prize in Fiction for his novel, Lark Ascending.

House was chosen for the Duggins Prize, the largest award for an LGBT writer in the nation, and in 2020 he was chosen as the Appalachian of the Year in a nationwide poll and given the Artist Award by Governor Andy Beshear as part of the Governor’s Awards in the Arts. House serves as the NEH Chair of Appalachian Studies at Berea College, on the fiction faculty at the Naslund-Mann School of Creative Writing at Spalding University in Louisville, and as a series editor for Fireside Industries at the University Press of Kentucky. He is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and Spalding University. House, a native of Whitley County and Laurel County, Kentucky, now lives in Lexington.

Silas's Featured Titles

Lark Ascending

Algonquin Books |

September 27, 2022

Novel

As fires devastate most of the United States, Lark and his family secure a place on a refugee boat headed to Ireland, the last country not yet overrun by extremists and rumored to be accepting American refugees. But Lark is the only one to survive the trip, and once ashore, he doesn’t find the safe haven he’d hoped for. As he runs for his life, Lark finds an abandoned dog who becomes his closest companion, and then a woman in search of her lost son. Together they form a makeshift family and attempt to reach Glendalough, a place they believe will offer protection. But can any community provide the safety that they seek?

For readers of novels such as Station Eleven, The Dog Stars, and Migrations, Lark Ascending is a moving and unforgettable story of friendship, family, and healing.

Fantasy, Speculative & Science Fiction, Fiction, Friendship & Community

Southernmost

Algonquin Books |

June 5, 2018

Novel

In this stunning novel about judgment, courage, heartbreak, and change, author Silas House wrestles with the limits of belief and the infinite ways to love.

In the aftermath of a flood that washes away much of a small Tennessee town, evangelical preacher Asher Sharp offers shelter to two gay men. In doing so, he starts to see his life anew—and risks losing everything: his wife, locked into her religious prejudices; his congregation, which shuns Asher after he delivers a passionate sermon in defense of tolerance; and his young son, Justin, caught in the middle of what turns into a bitter custody battle.

With no way out but ahead, Asher takes Justin and flees to Key West, where he hopes to find his brother, Luke, whom he’d turned against years ago after Luke came out. And it is there, at the southernmost point of the country, that Asher and Justin discover a new way of thinking about the world, and a new way of understanding love.

Southernmost is a tender and affecting book, a meditation on love and its consequences.

American South / Appalachia, Community Reads, Fiction, LGBTQI+ Concerns & Perspectives

Clay’s Quilt

Blair |

April 7, 2011

Novel

Clay Sizemore loves his home in Free Creek, but he longs for more. Since the death of his mother when he was four, he has felt the absence of family. His father left, and he has no siblings. But finally, through the love of others, he is able to create a place of his own.

American South / Appalachia, Fiction, Grief & Loss

Eli The Good

Candlewick |

September 22, 2009

Middle/YA

For ten-year-old Eli Book, the summer of 1976 is the one that threatened to tear his family apart. There is his distant mother; his traumatized Vietnam vet dad; his wild sister; his former war protester aunt; and his tough yet troubled best friend, Edie, the only person with whom he can be himself. As tempers flare and his father’s nightmares rage, Eli cannot escape the current of conflict. From Silas House comes a tender look at the complexities of childhood and the realities of war — a novel filled with nostalgic detail and a powerful sense of place.

American South / Appalachia, Kid-Lit: Middle Grade, Kid-Lit: Young Adult

The Coal Tattoo

Algonquin Books |

September 24, 2004

Novel

Two sisters can’t stand to live together, but can’t bear to be apart. One worships the flashy world of Nashville, the other is a devout Pentecostal. One falls into the lap of any man, the other is afraid to even date. One gets pregnant in a flash, the other desperately wants to have child.

This is what’s at the heart of Silas House’s third, masterful novel, which tells the story of Easter and Anneth, tragically left parentles as children, who must raise themselves and each other in their small coal-mining town. Easter is deeply religious, keeps a good home, believes in tradition, and is intent on rearing her wild younger sister properly. Anneth is untamable, full of passion, determined to live hard and fast. It’s only a matter of time before their predilections split their paths and nearly undo their bond. How these two women learn to overcome their past, sacrifice deeply for each other, and live together again in the only place that matters is the story of The Coal Tattoo.

Silas House’s work has been described as compelling, seamless, breathtaking, heartbreaking, eloquent, stunningly beautiful, and exquisite. In The Coal Tattoo, he raises the bar once again.

American South / Appalachia, Fiction, Grief & Loss

Containing Multitudes

This talk will focus on they way Silas’s many facets–especially being rural, gay, working class, and a person of faith–have carried him through and fed his writing.

Environmental Issues

Rural & LGBTQ Identity

Working Class Issues/Poverty

Music Journalism

Appalachian Issues

Education/First Generation College Graduates

The Changing South/The New South

Intersectionality (Queer/Christian/Working Class)

EX-vangelical: Retaining Faith After Fundamentalist Trauma

“Silas House isn’t simply genuine, caring, and socially just in his insights about his work, life, and society; he is evocative, always gesturing toward the human-affirming act of artistic creation. Silas represents Appalachia as Appalachia must be represented: as a universally relevant place of human love, toil, and righteous rage.” — UTC Honors College, 2025

“Silas House’s writing resonates deeply with me because of his ability to capture the heart and soul of Appalachia with such authenticity and compassion. His characters feel like real people, their struggles and triumphs echoing long after I’ve turned the last page. Silas’ storytelling is rich, lyrical, and deeply human, making every novel an immersive experience. Whether he’s exploring themes of family, identity, or resilience, his words always feel honest and necessary. His work isn’t just literature—it’s a window into a world that deserves to be seen and understood. I might add that Silas’ commitment to making this world we live in a better place is incomparable to any writer I know.” — Northeast Alabama Community College, 2025

“Silas House was an incredibly gracious with his time as we planned our event. The ‘table read’ format of “Another Country” was new to many of the staff involved with the program so he arrived earlier in the day in order to rehearse. It turned out to be a magical afternoon with our guests. Silas gave us insight into his current work and future books to look forward to. We consider ourselves so lucky to have him as part of the Lexington literary community.” — Lexington Public Library, 2024

“It can be difficult to encourage students to attend author events, but Silas is a well-known and beloved author, and students were excited to interact with him. Silas House is an excellent speaker and his book, Lark Ascending deals with dark and scary, but timely events. His presentation was moving, and students were engaged…. He is warm, thoughtful, and connects with students and readers on a very deep level. We were honored that he was a part of this event and would love to host a future event with Silas.” — Centre College, 2024

“Silas was wonderful with our students–actually with everyone, the faculty, staff, and community members too. Several local 6-12 schools brought students and he posed for picture and was very generous with his time. We loved watching him interact during book signing and also at the reception. Silas doesn’t just “play” at being the “real deal”–he just is. People all week have commented on what a great choice he was for the 20th Anniversary and we all agreed. Thanks so much for all the work from your end to make the visit happen!” — Owensboro Community and Technical College, 2024

“Silas House is a compassionate and thoughtful speaker who manages to engage and inspire the audience, while remaining relatable. We were all charmed by his presence!” — Kentucky Organization of Student Success, 2024

“I am in agreement with other members of our staff and faculty: his compassion and empathy resonated in all formal and informal conversations shared during his visit to campus. His willingness to share the sometimes excruciating steps of a spiritual journey is an important witness for others, particularly for our students. Multiple faculty, staff, and students have shared with me their gratitude for his visit and their own resonance with his story.” — Hanover College, 2024

“Silas is an authentic and powerful voice for those who live in and appreciate Appalachia. His presentation is meaningful and thought provoking.” — Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, 2024

“Silas House was a pure delight to work with and he was able to connect with our audience in a big way at our event.” — Kentucky College of Art + Design, 2024

“I never had Plan B. I knew Silas House would be the absolute best keynote speaker for our first Called to Write conference, so I prayerfully reached out to AU and trusted God with the outcome. To say Silas exceeded our high expectations is an understatement. He won our hearts from the moment he arrived. His honesty, his humility, his deep regard for people, his kindness, his wisdom, and his sheer talent as a writer are just some of the qualities that were on full display that Saturday morning. The best Plan A ever. We could not have been more thrilled!” — Christ Church United Methodist, 2024

“Yesterday’s event was wonderful! As I made my way to the book signing line, I had several people stop me to ask what I thought of the event and to share their thoughts. Everything I heard was positive. In fact, many shared that it was such a positive experience that they wished we could do more of these. I must confess that I didn’t know of Silas House until seeing the flier for this event. I am reading Southernmost now and will start Lark Ascending when I’m done. He is such a talented author. Though I’m not a novelist, I loved hearing his approach to writing. I wish I had taken notes because I think his process could help me as I prepare sermons and write poetry. I should have been more prepared.” — Community Member, Lindsey Wilson College, 2024

“Silas House is so gracious and genuine. His strong sense of place and the way that he conveyed that to our students will be so memorable for them. His stories were engaging and told in a way that all who were present could identify with. them and be carried away to a time in their own childhood.” — Partners for Rural Impact, 2024

“Our patrons thoroughly enjoyed hearing from Silas House. He gave two presentations at our library, and was equally engaging in both the small, afternoon gathering where he read poetry and spoke about inspiration, and the larger evening event where he talked in-depth about Kentucky’s influence on his writings and what it’s like to be a Southern Author. He was great with our patrons questions and drew a large crowd after the event when signing books.” — Campbell County Library, 2023

“Southernmost engages my most deeply hidden fears and hopes . . . I love this book, and for it, I love Silas House.” — Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina

“An urgent and beautifully written literary thriller about a man on the run that explores themes like the pain of atonement and the necessity of reconciliation, being published at a time when understanding across cultural and political divides seems wider than ever.” — Salon.com

“A master storyteller, Silas House shows a keen understanding of the modern South wrestling with change.” — Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Silas House’s Upcoming Events

On the Porch (podcast) with Silas House

Teaching Resources

Honors, Awards & Recognition

2023 Southern Book Prize
Duggins Prize
SIBA Bestseller
Booklist Editor’s Choice
A Salon favorite book of the year
A Garden and Gun’s selection for Best Southern Books of 2022,
Indie Next List Top 10
New York Times Bestseller
Andrew Carnegie Medal Finalist
Appalachian Book of the Year