“She could have been crowned queen of unabashed honesty for even saying those words into a public microphone. Add to it that she’s a regular [at Carapace] and perhaps we should skip the ceremony and go straight to her everlasting reign as Empress.” (Mauree “Mo” Culberson, The Regs Magazine)

Often found at events like Carapace, The Moth, and Ex Fabula, Sarah Beth tells personal stories to eager audiences. She was among the first storytellers invited to perform at Frolona Fest, an annual roots music festival in Franklin, Georgia. Sarah Beth shared the stage with local writers at the Orange County Historical Museum‘s post-Thanksgiving event, Home for the Holidays and has been a repeat performer at Bynum’s monthly Front Porch show at the General Store.

As a Latin scholar and librarian, Sarah Beth also draws inspiration from classical history and mythology. But, Rome isn’t the only place with a few good tales, so Sarah Beth dips into other folk traditions as well.The University of Georgia Classics Department has twice invited Sarah Beth to perform as part of their annual festival, Athenaze, and she has presented at the Annual Conference on Children’s Literature, organized by the University of Georgia’s Department of Language and Literacy Education. Sarah Beth has also been a presenter at Georgia’s State Latin Convention and the National History Fair.

During her first year of marriage, Sarah Beth accompanied her husband to Norwich, UK, which happens to be near the home of her favorite “barbarian,” Boudica.  During her stay abroad, Sarah Beth performed at Ancient House Museum, located in Thetford, and at schools and libraries in Norfolk County. She developed a collection of American picture books for the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library in Norwich, where she also gave programs on American culture.

Sarah Beth is a former board member of Southern Order of Storytellers and National Storytelling Network. Sarah Beth has performed in the Peach State Storytelling Festival, Stone Soup Storytelling Festival, and Whitewater Storytelling Festival. She has portrayed Boudica during a performance of the Women’s Imaginative Guild of Storytellers. Sarah Beth has acted as mistress of ceremonies for Kim Weitkamp and she has performed at the National Storytelling Conference. She has been a Fringe performer in the Classic City Fringe Festival, the Atlanta Fringe Festival,  the Cincy Fringe Festival, the Greensboro Fringe Festival, and the Elgin Fringe Festival. Sarah Beth was chosen to perform in the Story Slam at the National Storytelling Festival in 2022 and won 3rd place. 

From childhood memories to raising children, from space camp to band camp, from studying abroad in Rome to living abroad in Norwich, UK, Sarah Beth shares the stories of her life and beyond with “unabashed honesty.”

“I travel to see Donald Davis. I travel to see Bill Harley and Kevin Kling. Now I will travel to see Sarah Beth Nelson.” – Walter Freeman, story lover