Former HCTC student’s book will publish on Oct. 7

Published on Sep 23, 2024

Tashia Fugate will release "Silver and Aconite (A Prophecy of Blood and Flowers)" on Oct. 7, 2024. 

The book's fictional town of Glenwood resembles the greater Breathitt County community in southeastern Kentucky, which surrounds Hazard Community & Technical College's (HCTC's) Lees College Campus, where Fugate studied. 

"My book is paranormal fiction, but I used it as an opportunity to put stuff that we do around here in it," she said. "It's my goal for more people from other places to understand our life. This is a special place." 

During her time at HCTC, she pursued both sonography and radiology before pursuing other professional opportunities in the medical field. 

"I had planned to become a radiographer, then a cross-trained sonographer after someone had suggested that to me. I now work in medical registration," she said. "I've been in the medical field for about 15 years."

She began her current job at a Wolfe County clinic in 2017. There, her coworkers encouraged her to evolve as an author. 

"In 2017,  my coworkers found out about the book I'd shelved, and they encouraged me … by telling me, 'You've got to finish it,'" she said. "I started looking for publishers — how to get it published." 

She eventually decided on New York-based Wild Rose Press, a publisher with over 500 authors and 3,500 titles. Fugate began writing at random moments with "little" ideas, like character names, locations and descriptions. Wild Rose Press will bring those ideas to life.

"I've always loved to write — I've always had an imagination. I've been told that setting a scene is a strength of mine," she said. 

Before writing her book, Fugate said she enjoyed creating fanfiction, including combining characters from different stories. She found her writing interest to be enjoyable as a student. 

"My love for writing goes back to high school and college," Fugate recalled.

Tonya Gross Raines, who has served as an adjunct instructor at HCTC and as an English instructor at Breathitt High School in Jackson, Ky., inspired Fugate. 

"I remember her saying, 'This is a good story, but your ending just ended,' to which I replied about the word count. She said, 'I suggest writing it anyway,'" Fugate recalled. "And I really just kept writing from there." 

During her time at Sullivan University prior to her time at HCTC, Fugate learned about sharing detailed thoughts within the confines of word counts. 

"I had to learn to be detailed in my scenes, even in confined spaces," she said. "But those lessons really helped me in my journey." 

Fugate also said that faculty members at HCTC played an essential part in that journey. 

"Randy Bryant, my psychology teacher, told the best stories. Those stories inspired me," she said. "Without [Dr.] Amanda Spencer Barnes, I never would've found my publisher."

She recalled a statement from her mother's favorite author, Mary Higgins Clark, that she heard as a child. This passage partly inspired her journey.

"That book said something like 'If you want to be a good author, read, read, read," she said. "My mom loves reading. She would take me to the library, check books out — I remember using my library card a lot." 

Fugate resides in Breathitt County. She plans to host book signing events across the region, for which information is forthcoming.