This Goodly Land

Darren J. Butler (September 20, 1967–Present)

Alabama Connections

Biographical Information

As an author, Butler has written four books in the Abbie, Girl Spy series - The Case of the Missing Locket, The Ducks and Diamonds Mystery, The Secret of Crybaby Hollow, and The Masterpiece. Additionally, he published a children’s fantasy novel entitled Merlin’s Curse and Helen Keller - Leader Without Sight or Sound for Seacoast Publishing. His professional book Countdown to Assessment trained teachers how to prepare students for the Alabama Direct Assessment on Writing for 5th, 7th, and 10th grade students. In addition to his books, Butler published two monologues in Contemporary Monologues for Women II. In July, 2013, Butler released RIP & Write - Integrating Reading Comprehension and Writing Using Common Core. His novel, A Whistle in the Night has just been released along with his first picture book, Excuse Me! There’s a Monster in My Closet!

Butler co-wrote a teleplay with Caroline Self (Real Housewives of New Jersey, Project Runway, Hell’s Kitchen) entitled Succession. The project was optioned by NBC/Universal for the USA Network.

In 2008, Butler wrote and directed a short film entitled, A Fix starring Emmy nominee Julianna Mauriello (Nickelodeon’s Lazytown) and film actress Skye Bartusiak (The Patriot, Love Comes Softly, Against the Ropes, House, Frasier). The short filmed premiered at the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham.

Butler is the playwright behind many original plays and musicals as well as adaptions. In 2006, he partnered with award winning song writer and vocalist Judy Rodman of Nashville to write Runaway Home and We The People.

Butler founded Virtual Village Classroom, an online curriculum resource for teachers, and serves as the CEO of Creative Development. He is married with four children. Butler is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Authors Guild, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. He is represented by Premiere Speakers.

Interests and Themes

Butler’s Abbie, Girl Spy novels and A Whistle in the Night are rooted in Alabama. In the Abbie, Girl Spy series, the main character resides in Albany, which is a fictional city fashioned after his hometown of Decatur. In A Whistle in the Night, Butler set the story in 1955 rural Alabama not far from Birmingham in a fictional city called Rumsfield. The city is a mixture of towns Butler discovered during his research. When Seacoast Publishing asked Butler to author Helen Keller - Leader Without Sight or Sound, Butler jumped on the opportunity. As the artistic director for The Miracle Worker at Helen Keller’s Birthplace, he was anxious to bring a unique insight to Helen and Annie’s story.

As a child, Butler grew up in a nurturing home and school environment, where reading was key. In fourth grade, Alabama author, Kathryn Tucker Windham visited his elementary school and inspired him to put his thoughts on paper. The author and Butler pen paled for over four years.

For More Information

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Reference Web Sites

Last updated on Jan 24, 2014.

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