About this item
Troylyn Ball and her husband, Charlie, an engineer and real estate investor, had spent their entire lives in Texas. But after a near fatal trip to the emergency room with their mute, wheelchair-bound son Coulton, they admitted the dust and the heat were too dangerous. To save their boys, the Balls cashed out, sold their beloved farm, and moved to Asheville, North Carolina.Nearing fifty, Troy thought her chance at adventure had passed. But in this booming little Appalachian Mountain city of hippies, farmers, artisans, and retirees, she unexpectedly discovered a support network and something she'd never had in twenty-five years of providing round-the-clock care for her special needs boys: the freedom to pursue her own dreams. She struck up a friendship with a legendary eighty-year-old raconteur from the mountains, met his friends, and soon found herself in a rickety country shack with an ingeniously inventive retired farmer trying to create the best recipe ever for traditional mountain moonshine.
About the Author
Troy Ball is the founder and principal owner of Asheville Distilling Company in Asheville, North Carolina, makers of Troy & Sons Platinum Whiskey, Troy & Sons Oak Reserve Whiskey, and Blonde Whiskey. Troy & Sons Platinum recently received a gold medal for moonshine, the highest possible rating. Troy's whiskies are handmade in Asheville, North Carolina and made from the pure heart of each distillation. Blonde Whiskey and Troy & Sons Oak Reserve have been rated 92 and 95 points.
Troy is the mother of best selling arthor Marshall Ball, whose book Kiss of God was featured on the Oprah Winfrey child prodigy show in 1999. Marshall, and his brother Coulton, are disabled with an undiagnosed genetic disorder.
In 2004, Troy cofounded the Thoughtful House Center for Children in Austin, Texas, which has recently changed its name to the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development. Today, the center sees over 2,500 children with autism and spectrum disorders and coordinates international medical research studies. Troy lives outside Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, Charlie, and two of their three grown sons, Marshall and Coulton, who have special needs.
