Brandon Ray Kirk, author of Blood in West Virginia: Brumfield v. McCoy (Pelican, 2014) and a descendent of feudists from Lincoln County, West Virginia, is an enthusiast of Appalachian feuds, Southern violence, timber history, and traditional Appalachian music. An assistant professor of American history at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, Kirk gives daily lectures about Appalachian history. In addition to having written scores of Appalachian-themed articles for regional newspapers and books, including the West Virginia Encyclopedia, The Kentucky Explorer, and Goldenseal magazine, Kirk has contributed to the PBS series West Virginia and offered expertise for participants in the History Channel series Hatfields and McCoys.