Award-Winning Author Janet Steele Holloway Releases A Moving Multi-Generational Story of Identity, Strength, and Survival
Award-winning Kentucky-based author and entrepreneur Janet Steele Holloway unveils her compelling new book, Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do, a stirring collection of linked stories capturing three generations of Appalachian women as they navigate identity, hardship, and resilience in a patriarchal mountain culture.
In richly detailed storytelling rooted in lived experience and family history, Holloway paints an intimate yet sweeping portrait of an Appalachian family shaped by grit, sacrifice, and love. At the heart of the work stands Billie, a bold and unshakeable matriarch who defies convention—running whiskey in the 1920s, serving jail time, building businesses across multiple states, and leading her family with unrestrained yet unwavering love. Her daughter Bess searches for identity beyond the roles expected of her, while granddaughter Janet learns to understand her family’s complexity and find her own strength in its legacy.
“This book celebrates the strength of Appalachian people, especially women,” says Holloway. “It honors the struggles and triumphs of generations who endured hardship, bias, and judgment but persevered with resilience and love. Above all, it preserves the memories of those who came before—especially my grandmother, Rebecca (Billie) Spriggs Gartin.”
Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do offers readers:
A heartfelt tribute to Appalachian culture and womanhood
An inspiring message of self-belief and overcoming adversity
A reminder of the importance of preserving family stories and history
Holloway’s accomplished career spans decades of leadership and public service. She has worked in education, theatre, economic development, and nonprofit leadership, including founding Women Leading Kentucky, a celebrated organization that has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to women pursuing higher education. Her writing has appeared in Entrepreneur Magazine, Business Lexington, and Appalachian Heritage, among others. This is her fourth book.
About the Author
Janet Steele Holloway is a Kentucky-based author, entrepreneur, and founder of Women Leading Kentucky. She has dedicated her life to empowering women, growing communities, and sharing powerful stories rooted in resilience. Her works include A Willful Child (2012), Leaving: Sometimes You Have to Leave (2017), Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do (2023), and Pathlights (2024).
Global Book Network - Janet Steele Holloway, author of Ain't Nobody's Business if I Do
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