L.L. Wyatt was recruited, at age 21, to Greene County during Prohibition of the 1920s to break up a thriving moonshine industry. Known as the moonshine capital of Georgia, this little area east of Atlanta was the source of liquor for the best hotels in Atlanta and across the South. Young Wyatt’s battles with the bootleggers soon made him a larger than life figure. Stories of his fearlessness, his agility, his honesty and his fairness in enforcing the law rippled throughout the county Greene and swept all citizens up into the aura of L.L. Wyatt.  Bolstered by a sense that God was protecting him, Wyatt was totally fearless. He was “shot at, spit upon, bitten, and cursed,” but in five years, he transformed the reputation of Greene County to one of the most crime free in Georgia. For 52 years, he was on the job confronting the ongoing battle between good and evil.  Wyatt, at 70, received national acclaim and the attention of Hollywood when he stopped the car of armed bank robbers and freed two hostages.
 
 More than a story out of the past, Sheriff Wyatt shows the reader that one person can change his/her culture.  His ideals challenge law enforcement and society alike to hold a firm respect for the law while enforcing it in a manner that preserves dignity. Long before integration, Wyatt was known as “the black peoples’ friend” and the “white people’ friend.” He was a community-oriented lawman before anyone ever heard of one.
 
This story is set in an area rich in Georgia history described well by the author.  

Upcoming Fall/Winter Author Events … Pass the Word!

• Friday, November 9, 11:00 am – 12:00 Noon, The Doug Dahlgren Show, live interview on internet radio at www.ArtistFirst.com/dahlgren.htm.  If you happen to miss the live show, the podcast will be posted there and may be accessed later.
  
• Wednesday, November 14, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm,The Plantation Ladies Club Christmas Bazaar, Lake Oconee, Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, GA.
  
• Friday, Dec. 7, 7:15 pm – 8:30 pm, Author Panel with Doug Dahlgren, Decatur Library Auditorium, Decatur, GA. Doors open at 6:45. Bring a sweater or wrap. Free event.
  
• Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Book-Signing, The Book Worm, Louisville, GA (Jefferson County is featured in Chapter 17 of The High Sheriff as Wyatt rescues two hostages taken in a bank robbery in Wrens.)
  

2019 Events

• Wednesday, January 16, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, The DeKalb History Center features Hertzler highlighting The High Sheriff of Greene followed by a short video and panel discussion with Hertzler and Decatur’s Mayor Emeritus, Elizabeth Wilson, on growing up in Greene during the Wyatt era.  7:00 pm – 7:30pm – Book Signing for The High Sheriff of Greene. Tickets for this wine event may be purchased through The DeKalb History Center at $10.00 each. The event will be held on the second floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse.
  

Though this is her first book, Claire is uniquely qualified to write The High Sheriff of Greene as she grew up in the Wyatt culture of Greene County, GA. “There goes Wyatt and Taylor,” she remembers hearing as the sheriff whizzed by in a cloud of dust with his deputy.  Claire has written the story of this legendary sheriff  from over 30 oral interviews and numerous newspaper accounts.  She has brought Wyatt alive again to those who knew him and for those who wished they had. In this little gem of a book, Claire Hertzler has preserved a story sure to captivate and inspire.
    
A blogger, Claire’s blog site: www.justclairefying.com deals with current issues, observations about living, and profiles of folks inspiring others.

Her other writings include the following published articles:

•  “Backing Into Letting Go” and “It Was Christmastime and I Couldn’t Find Jesus,” Pens in the Piedmont, an Anthology, released, 2016.
• “Travel Insurance Tips,” Transitions Abroad Magazine, July-August, 2004.
• “Easter at Flat Rock,” Georgia Magazine, April-May, 1968
• “Encounter With God,” Church Recreation Magazine, April-May-June, 1964.

In addition to writing, Claire enjoys cooking, gardening, fashions, and travel.  She holds degrees from Mercer University, Southwestern Seminary, and GA State University.  She has professional experience in the fields of public education, Christian education, volunteer services administration, and non-profits.  She was one of the first activists fighting human trafficking in Atlanta, an interest she maintains.  She is active in the North Avenue Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. 
Claire enjoys living in Decatur, GA with her husband, Eugene.  She especially enjoys the mornings they go for cappuccino at one of their favorite coffee shops in Decatur.  And the Decatur Book Festival.

Claire delights in the people she has met on her author’s journey. 
She is available to book clubs, book-signings, author panels, media interviews.

Claire Underwood Hertzler,
129 Mimosa Drive,
Decatur, GA 30030