Stephen Russell Payne

Stephen Russell Payne is a 4th generation Vermonter from the legendary Northeast Kingdom. He brings an impressive breadth of life experience to his writing, drawing on careers as a former police officer, and general surgeon for over 30 years. Payne's stories are set in the hill country of northern Vermont and on the rugged Coast of Maine, places he knows and loves. His characters are complex and deeply drawn, and it is impossible not to care about them. His stories are immediately engaging, filled with conflict and suspense. They make us think about how we are living our own lives and how we might change them if we could. Payne's first novel, CLIFF WALKING, won the 2017 Bronze Prize for Fiction from the Readers' Favorite Awards.

LIFE ON A CLIFF, The sequel to CLIFF WALKING, was released in 2018 to excellent reviews. Payne is also the author of TIES THAT BIND US- A VERMONT SHORT STORY COLLECTION, and RIDING MY GUITAR-THE RICK NORCROSS STORY, a biography of one an iconic Vermont musician.