Jim Stratton was born on December 25, 1947 in Hartsville, South Carolina. His parents were James E. and Nellie Stratton. He has one brother, Doyle, who still lives in Hartsville. He has one daughter, Dr. Jennifer Do who lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband, retired U.S. Army captain, Vuong Do. Jim is married to Rebecca, and they reside in Florence, South Carolina. Rebecca has two daughters. Elle Poindexter lives in Portland, Oregon, and Emily Pearson lives in Missouri. Imminent Demise is Jim's sixth book and his first novel. His first book was View from My Easel (poetry and prose) published in 1997. His second was Waist Deep in Broom Sedge (poetry, essays, and short stories) published in 2009. His third was Screams and Whispers; The Life and Times of a Southern Artist (his memoirs) published in 2014. His fourth was Tod the Tadpole Grows Up (a children's book) published in 2018. His fifth was And Another Door Opens (poetry, prose, and songs) published in 2018. Jim graduated from Hartsville High School in 1966. He joined the United States Air Force in 1966 as an illustrator and served until 1970. He graduated from Florence-Darlington Technical College with an Associate Degree in Drafting and Design Technology in 1972, and worked as a sports editor and staff artist at the Darlington County Tribune from 1972 until 1974. He worked for Sonoco Products Co. in Hartsville from 1974 until he retired in 2009. He also has a certificate of graduation from Art Instruction Schools in Commercial Art. During his time at Sonoco, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Coker College in Hartsville. He has been painting in oils on canvas for more than fifty years and taught community interest classes in painting, drawing, and perspective. Jim is a volunteer docent at the Florence County Museum of Art, History, and Science.
