Nobody gets to where they get or becomes who they become without some help along the way.

Maybe a little help, maybe a lot.

So as a writer, I've had a lot of help.

People who taught me whether they knew they were teaching me or not.

When you look back and you think about where you get your ethics, your work ethic, your

ideas and your way of coming up with ideas.

And sometimes you just want to reconnect with those people who helped you and you want

to thank them.

So not long ago, I had the chance to go back to Appalachian State University in Boone,

North Carolina, where I was an undergrad a bunch of years ago and I drag-gooned my three

favorite professors into coming by the radio station there, W-A-S-U, for this conversation.

So I wonder if you guys would take turns introducing yourself Leon, you want to say who you are

and what you do?

I'm Leon Lewis.

I've been a member of the English Department at Appalachian for a long time, at least

since the mid-70s.

Jim?

Okay, Jim Winder's, I taught European intellectual cultural history, especially French history

at Appalachian for 30 years, I retired in 2008.

And Jim?

Hey, I'm Joe Murphy.

I started teaching here in 1975.

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