Ernest Herndon  1955
Major Works
- Paddling The Pascagoula, 2005 (with Scott
B. Williams)
- Nature Trails and Gospel Tales: Stories of Grace
from the Wilds of Mississippi 2004
- Canoeing Louisiana 2003
- Canoeing Mississippi, 2001 (non-fiction)
- In the Hearts of Wild Men, 1997; republished
in 1998 (non-fiction)
- "Eric Sterling: Secret Agent" series --including
The Secret of Lizard Island, Double-Crossed in Gator Country,
Night of the Jungle Cat and Smugglers on Grizzly
Mountain, 1994; Sisters of the Wolf and
Trouble at Bamboo Bay, 1996; Deathbird to Paradise,
and Little People of the Lost Coast, 1997.
(fiction)
- Backwater Blues, 1991 (fiction)
- Island Quarry, 1990 (fiction)
- Morning Morning True: A Novel of Intrigue in
New Guinea 1988 (fiction)
- Self-Defense: A Body-Mind Approach, 1987
(non-fiction)
----------------------------------------------------------
Biography of
Ernest Herndon (2001)
By Stephanie Ward (SHS)
On the 29th of December in 1955, Ernest Herndon was born in
Memphis, Tennessee. When Ernest reached the third grade,
he moved to Millington, Tennessee. The next year, he moved
to Okinawa, Tennessee, where he lived from 1968 to 1970.
He then moved back to Memphis where he lived for eight years
(Herndon). In 1978, Ernest moved to Amite County, Mississippi,
where he still resides with his wife, Angelyn. Herndon received
his master's degree from the University of Memphis in Memphis,
Tennessee (Publishing History).
Herndon has written numerous books, eight of which are part
of a children's series about three pre-teen detectives who are
sent on various outdoor adventures throughout the world.
The other books he has written includeCanoeing Mississippi,
a book about canoeing and camping in Mississippi; Self-Defense:
A Body-Mind Approach, a college textbook; In the
 Hearts
of Wild Men, an account of a missionary adventure in
Papua, New Guinea; and three adult suspense novels Backwater
Blues, Island Quarry, and Morning Morning
True. Herndon has written articles for many newspapers
and magazines including American Karate, Black Belt, Bowhunter,
Boy's Life, Canoe & Kayak, Escape, Frets, Fur-Fish-Game,
Inside Kung Fu, Interest, Mississippi Game & Fish, Paddler,
Sea Kayaker, and Sports Afield (Publishing
History). He has also received multiple awards,
including five first places in Louisiana-Mississippi Associated
Press annual contests, six first places in Mississippi Press
Association Better Newspaper Contests, two firsts from the Mississippi
Sportswriters Association, the 1995 Special Merit Award from
the Mississippi Wildlife Federation, one first place in the
eleven-state Outdoor Press Association and two honors from the
Mississippi Humanities Coucil/Mississippi Press Association
Newspaper Project (Publishing History). Ernest currently
lives in McComb, Mississippi, where he is the outdoors
editor and religion editor for Enterprise-Journal, a
newspaper to which he has been contributing since
1979. He enjoys worldwide traveling with his wife Angelyn.
Herndon's book, Canoeing Mississippi, was published
in spring 2001.
2008 UPDATE: Since 2001, Herndon has published
Canoeing Louisiana in 2003, Nature
Trails and Gospel Tales: Stories of Grace from the Wilds of
Mississippi in 2004, and most recently Paddling
The Pascagoula in 2005 with Scott B. Williams.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timeline
1955--December 29, Ernest Herndon born in Memphis, Tennessee
1979--Began working at the McComb Enterprise-Journal
1987--Published Self-Defense: A Body-Mind Approach-Zondervan
Publishing Company
1987--Published In the Hearts of Wild Men-Enterprise
Journal
1988--Published Morning Morning True-Zondervan
Publishing Company
1990--Published Island Quarry-Zondervan Publishing
Company
1991--Published Backwater Blues-Zondervan Publishing
Company
1994--Published The Secret of Lizard Island, Double-Crossed
in Gator Country, Night of the Jungle Cat and Smugglers on Grizzly Mountain-Zondervan
Publishing Company 
1996--Published Sisters of the Wolf and
Trouble at Bamboo Bay-Zondervan Publishing Company
1997--Published Deathbird to Paradise and Little
People of the Lost Coast-Zondervan Publishing Company
1998--Republished In the Hearts of Wild Men-Grace
& Truth Books
2001--Published Canoeing Mississippi-University
Press of Mississippi
2003--Published Canoeing Louisiana
2004--Nature Trails and Gospel Tales: Stories of
Grace from the Wilds of Mississippi
2005--Published Paddling The Pascagoula (with
Scott B. Williams)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Review
of Eric Sterling: Secret Agent: Smugglers on Grizzly Mountain
by Stehanie Ward (SHS)
"Eric Sterling: Secret Agent" Smugglers on Grizzly Mountain, by Ernest Herndon, is a charming book for children aged eight to twelve. It is about three pre-teen special agents for Wildlife Special Investigations (WSI), who are assigned a case involving mushroom smugglers. The three children, Eric C., Erik K., and Erik's sister Sharon, are sent off to Alaska where they meet with Martin Bull, who shows them what they are to do. After a brief overview of their case, the three are sent to climb Bear Ridge Mountain armed with camping supplies, a telescope, and bear mace. As soon as they reach the summit, the three detectives spot the mushroom smugglers and radio down to Mr. Bull. Mr. Bull tells Eric to come back down the mountain first thing the next morning. As soon as Eric wakes up, he packs up all of his supplies and heads down the mountain. After his long hike down the mountain, poor, tired Eric is greeted by an unfamiliar man who tells him that there is an emergency and that Mr. Bull had to head home. However, Eric smells something fishy. He knows something is not right. But I won't tell you what it is, you will have to read this book for yourself to know what the exciting ending is to this great book of outdoor expeditions. I recommend this book to all pre-teens interested in outdoorsy fiction novels. It is an interesting story that creates a smile on your face and even makes you root for the "bad guys."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interview with Ernest Herndon by phone April 9, 2001
by Stephanie Ward (SHS)
1) When and where were you born?
December 29, 1955, in Memphis, Tennessee.
2) Where have you lived?
I moved to Millington, Tennessee, for a year when I was in the third grade. Then I lived in Okinawa, Tennessee from 1968-1970. I then moved back to Memphis where I lived for eight years. In 1978 I moved to Amite County, Mississippi, where I still reside.
3) How many books do you have published?
Fourteen
4) Is there anyone who inspired you to become a writer?
No, not really,
it had always been a hobby of mine since I was old enough to
put the letters together and write. 
5) What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I canoe, and I play the banjo for a Bluegrass gospel group at Woodland United Methodist Church.
6) Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Learn correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation; these are the tools of the trade.
--------------------------------------------------------
Related Websites
Home
page of Scott Williams provides information about Herndon.
Library
site lists all eight Eric Sterling, Secret Agent book.
Article
called A piece of history: Archaeologist checks
out local fish weirs
by Ernest Herndon in the McComb Enterprise-Journal,
printed Monday, November 19, 2007.
This is a web site where you can purchase Herndon's book Canoeing
Mississippi.
At this web site, you can purchase the only adult novel of
Herndon's that is still in print: In
the Hearts of Wild Men.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bibliography
- "Ernest Herndon: Publishing History" Provided by Ernest Herndon. April 2001.
- Herndon, Ernest, Eric Sterling: Secret Agent "Smugglers on Grizzly Mountain." Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994.
- Herndon, Ernest. Telephone interview. 9 April 2001.
---------------------------------------------------------
|
