Jennie Ivey is a speaker, teacher and freelance writer who lives in Cookeville, Tennessee. She writes a weekly Sunday column for the Cookeville Herald-Citizen newspaper and is the co-author of three non-fiction books: Tennessee Tales the Textbooks Don’t Tell (The Overmountain Press, 2002), E Is For Elvis (Rutledge Hill Press, 2006) and Soldiers, Spies and Spartans: Civil War Stories from Tennessee (The Overmountain Press, 2011).
She also writes inspirational stories for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Guideposts, Angels on Earth and other publications. Jennie holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Emory University. She has worked as a schoolteacher, newspaper reporter, educational consultant, public library administrator, and for a very short time a long time ago drove a SEE THE COUNTRY MUSIC STARS’ HOMES tour bus in Nashville. She has three grown children and five adorable grandchildren.
Jennie has led teacher workshops at several school systems in Tennessee, including Clay, Grundy, Macon, Putnam, Rutherford, Trousdale, and White counties. She has been a presenter at the Southern Festival of Books, East Tennessee Historical Society, Tennessee Board of Regents, Tennessee Association of Middle Schools, Tennessee Social Studies Conference, Tennessee Association of School Librarians, Friends of Tennessee Libraries, International Reading Association, Upper Cumberland Civil War Roundtable, Putnam County Senior Citizens centers, Tennessee Council for History Education, and at numerous civic groups.
She has taught writing classes at the Putnam County Schools Summer Enrichment Program, Putnam County Library, Tennessee Mountain Writers Conference, Alabama Writers Conclave, MTSU Writers Loft, and at First United Methodist Church in Cookeville.
Contact her at [email protected].
Jennie Ivey’s books and stories can be purchased at:
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Overmountain Press
Rutledge Hill Press
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Guideposts
I wanted to leave you a message for some time, but only sat down today to thank you for your wonderful column in the Herald-Citizen. I am a Jewish woman who lives in Cookeville and raised my children here. I was upset with Donald Trump’s negative statements along his campaign years and I worked among people who were unmoved by them. I tried to explain that we are each other’s keepers and protectors and not to be lumped into “groups” to target with hatred. I had been to the Holocaust Museum several times and the quotation of “First they came…” is prominently displayed and it often comes to my mind. And then you used it in your column. I took it to my coworkers to try to see if I could make them understand we are responsible for each other and each other’s safety but essentially it met with deaf ears. There were so many reasons to fear and dislike whole groups of people, and I was told I just didn’t see it. I hope now our nation will come together and the hate speech will end, but I fear we have opened a Pandora’s box. Thank you for being a voice for all people.
Hi Jennie: My husband and I met you on the plane from Orlando to Nashville last Saturday night. I really enjoyed talking with you and hearing about your trip to Cuba. I will check back to find your columns about that trip and your book review about Fire and Fury.
We made it safely to Cleveland where we spent the night before coming home to Uniontown, OH on Sunday. The past two days have been busy with unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping and miscellaneous other tasks.
It’s good to hear from you, Jean. I hope y’all had an uneventful rest-of-the trip. Since returning home, I’ve caught the crud (not sure if it’s actually flu or just a horrible cold). I’m sure ready for spring! Thanks for visiting my website.
Jennie