Local Author Bring Stories of Lake Murray to Life in New Book

In Columbia, South Carolina, an IT professional by day and author by night, Marjorie Kneece uses her dual passions of photography and storytelling to bring the beauty and history of Lake Murray to life in her newest self-published book.

Marjorie Kneece’s Background

Drawing inspiration from her journalist father and artist grandmother, Kneece has embraced a creative streak in a rather unique way. Beyond her full-time job as an information technology specialist, she has also made a name for herself as a local author.

Kneece completed her education at the University of South Carolina, where she studied Information Technology and Graphic Design. A part-time job at real estate guidebook producer McLeod Publishing further cultivated her interest in publishing. Marjorie has since taken this experience and applied it towards self-publishing her own travel destination books.

Work and Aspirations

Kneece considers herself a ‘one-woman show’, handling both the creation and the promotion of her work. Along with designing the books, she also gathers local history and stories, clicks photographs, and uses Blurb, a self-publishing site, to create her masterpieces. Marjorie has managed to produce five books in a span of three to four years.

Boasting a portfolio that includes books about Yellowstone National park, Grant Teton Park, Charleston and the Low Country, it is her book about Lake Murray, her home, that is closest to her heart.

I Love Lake Murray

The Lake Murray book, titled ‘I Love Lake Murray,’ opens with stories from Kneece’s family and their experiences living on the lake. She vividly brings to life the spectacle of gorgeous sunrises they witness each day from their backyard in a chapter aptly called, “Backyard Blessings.”

Beyond just her family’s connection, Kneece delves into the rich ecosystem surrounding Lake Murray, covering the flora and fauna including flowers and trees, deer, snakes, hawks and even an occasional bald eagle. An entire chapter has been dedicated to a family of owls living in her backyard, the most notable of which she has affectionately named “Elizabeth Owl.”

True to her ethos, I Love Lake Murray includes a wealth of local history and anecdotes about the lake from someone whose family has called it home for generations. Brought alive by no less than decades worth of her original photographs, the book serves as a perfect coffee table companion for fans of beautiful photography, interesting stories, and historical facts.

To learn more about Kneece’s future book signings and her work, readers can visit her Facebook page, “Marjorie Kneece—Author and Photographer.”

Where to Purchase

Marjorie Kneece’s books can be purchased online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.