Linda Poland, Storyteller

Linda Poland-Poland
Jonesborough's Resident Storyteller

A TRUE story. Sullivan County TN, 1910, a girl, her doll and a fur stole add up to trouble.

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Linda Poland, Jonesborough's Resident Storyteller, also called "The Jonesborough Flame," teaches storytelling at the John C. Campbell Folk School and is a founding member of the Jonesborough Storyteller's Guild. Using her talents as a storyteller she was one of the first in the country to use of the art of storytelling when developing tours to share a town's history. She has created award winning historical storytelling tour programs and directed Tennessee Humanities oral history projects throughout Tennessee and beyond. Because of these accomplishments she was officially honored in 1997 with the title of Resident Storyteller for the Town of Jonesborough, TN. This was and is quite an honor since Jonesborough is the home of the International Storytelling Center and the National Storytelling Festival. A Resident Storyteller is like a public minister in a foreign court that uses the art of storytelling to craft stories about people and places they represent.

Linda not only teaches storytelling, but she conducts a variety of workshops throughout the country that incorporate the use of storytelling for "Opening Doors for Change," "Empowerment Through Stories," and "Building Teams and Enhancing Teamwork Through Stories." She has both original and traditional material, which enables her to custom design programs to fit any agenda. Her repertoire includes a multitude of stories collected over the years while traveling, teaching and telling.

There's so much more to tell…for instance, Linda was born in a Florida avocado grove two weeks early and delivered by her father. That's perhaps one of the reasons people who know her think that she steps to the toot of a different flute…but that's another story.

Quotes shared by some listeners:

"Ms. Poland's use of story creates a positive atmosphere for making necessary changes." L. Mandel, Springer & Associates, Miami, FL
"Linda's dedication, creativity, infectious enthusiasm, and love for the human spirit are evident in everything she does." Katie Doman, Musician & Storyteller
"I can say with confidence that Linda Poland and Positive Solutions Tours have-through the power of the told story-been major forces in "selling" our region to people throughout the nation." Jimmy Neil Smith, President, International Storytelling Center
"When I first heard Linda introduced as "The Flame" I thought it was because of her red hair. I was soon to learn it was because of her style. Her stories burn into your memory and ignite your senses." Pat Corkin, Boone, NC

References available on request.