Suzi “Mama” Whaples offers a unique experience in storytelling. Her unaffected dialect, lightning quick wit and a gentle demeanor perfectly blend stories of her life, her family’s lives, and some that are even larger than life.   The stories she tells are almost all her own experiences and creations. Each tale intertwines the poignant, the encouraging, and, often, the flat-out hilarious! Enjoying her Appalachian heritage will make you treasure your own roots as her themes are universal and multicultural.

Coming from the library world, with 30 years of storytelling experience, she is a great advocate for literacy and her stories reflect a love of reading. She aspires to present story in its purest form whether entertaining at a large festival or educating a small room full of learners. Totally at ease with children of all ages, Suzi soon has them eating out of her hand.  And, she often shares her years of experience as a storyteller through diverse workshops for other storytellers.  She truly is an educator and entertainer for all ages.

Suzi is Past-President of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild, and was the 2007 recipient of the Bob McWhorter Award for excellence in storytelling. She is a favorite wherever she tells, and was honored to perform at the 2010 National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN.  Having a special love for sacred tales, she also tours the country telling at churches, festivals, schools, libraries, theaters, or wherever a group of people share her love of story.

“Steeped in Appalachian tradition and humor.” ~ Johnson City Press

“Suzi Whaples’ storytelling is like a breath of fresh, sweet mountain air,
refreshing your mind, renewing your spirits, making you feel giddy and
childlike, all of this in the breath of a single tale well told.” ~ Lyn Ford