Below is a great article about my book written by Joel Barrio in today's Denver (NC) Weekly. If you have a print copy of the paper, the article is on p. 11.

Denver author creates shark tooth hunting guide

By Joel Barrio

DENVER – In a summer when at least eight people have been bitten by sharks off the Tar Heel State’s coast, a Denver resident has released a new book on shark teeth.

Ashley Oliphant’s new book, "Shark Tooth Hunting on the Carolina Coast," is published by Pineapple Press. Inspired by her collection of more than 10,000 shark teeth, Oliphant decided to create a guide to help people identify all the different kinds of shark teeth.

The book became available online at Amazon.com in June and is available in a handful of book stores. Oliphant is currently touring the Carolina coast in order to promote her book and get it available on as many bookshelves as possible. A launch party for the book is set for Aug. 13 at the Charles Jonas R. Library in Lincolnton.

Oliphant is set to appear at the Lincoln County Apple Festival on Sept. 19 for a meet-and-greet and book-signing. She will also appear as a speaker where she teaches at Pfeiffer University to promote her book. Her collection of shark teeth will also be making an appearance at the launch party and the other scheduled events.

Shark teeth hunting has always been enjoyable for Oliphant. The start of her collection goes back to nearly 20 years ago along the North Carolina and South Carolina coastlines.

“Whenever I was out on the beach for family vacations I would always find myself picking up these teeth along the shore,” said Oliphant. “About five to six years ago I had this massive collection of teeth and couldn’t find any way to identify all of them.”

This is when she knew she had to create a resource for shark teeth identification.

She found it hard to identify her collection because of a lack of pictures, so she made sure her book has plenty of crisp, high resolution images for each kind of tooth to make the process easier for readers.

Oliphant has been an associate professor in the English department at Pfeiffer University for the last eight years. Her doctoral dissertation was completed at UNC Greensboro in 2007. During her undergrad and graduate school years, Oliphant worked with the "National Speed Sport News" in Mooresville for 10 years. She said working with the newspaper prepared her for teaching and publishing her book.

Not only is Oliphant a published author, she has also been a large advocate for animal facility reform in the Lincoln County area as one of the founders of the Humane Voters of Lincoln County. Her efforts have succeeded in getting rid of gas-chamber euthanasia within the county, and she’s working to make the region a no-kill zone for rescued animals in shelters.

As for the shark attacks on the Carolina coastline this summer, Oliphant says she thinks the sharks are experiencing a food chain issue. Until the issue settles, beachgoers should stay out of the water and watch out for schools of fish or birds diving into the water. This can be a sign that sharks are close by looking for food. She says it’s not worth panicking over, but take caution.

Michael Walter Photo

We all heard about nine-year-old Kristen Barrick's remarkable finds on the beach at the Cherry Grove Pier in June. I'm hearing from sources who hunt there daily that the good fossil hunting has continued all through the summer. I will be down that way promoting the book very soon, so I will provide a detailed report when I return. 

Our New Logo

The launch party for the book is now scheduled! I am so pleased to announce that the event has been booked at the Charles R. Jonas Library in Lincolnton, the very first place where my love of books was cultivated. The night will start with a quick presentation and a chapter reading. Afterward, I will take questions and open my collection of nearly 10,000 shark teeth for show and tell. Books will be on sale for $10 each (cash or check only), and I will be available to sign them. If you are planning to attend, I would appreciate an RSVP through Facebook or to lincolnvoters@gmail.com. My Pfeiffer University students will tell you that once I get started, there is really no telling where we'll end up. Come on out for a fun time with fossils. What else do you have going on a Thursday night?

Tybee Island, GA, known as "Savannah's Beach" because of its close proximity to the city, is a good place to find small shark teeth. The shell hash looks a lot like the kind found on beaches in the middle part of the NC coast (like Topsail Island and Emerald Isle) and on beaches like Edisto in SC. If you have never been to Savannah, put it at the top of your travel to-do list, and take a day to visit Tybee while you are there.

Real Photo, Wrong Details

This photo is making the rounds on Facebook today, though the details of the catch seem to be wrong. While a radio station's post claims this pregnant hammerhead  was caught recently on St. Simons Island, GA, near the King and Prince, the photo was actually posted by Team Rebel, a group of shark fishermen in Florida, in 2010. Team Rebel claims the shark was released alive, which is always good news. To harvest shark meat, the animal has to be fileted while alive; otherwise the dead animal releases a liquid that taints the meat. Therefore, there is no humane way to get shark meat for consumption. In my opinion, that's nature's way of telling us to eat something else.

Cherry Grove Treasure

I have hunted shark teeth all over the eastern seaboard, but my favorite spot will always be Cherry Grove, SC. The area right around the pier is known for its consistently good fossil hunting. Some great megalodons wash up there from time to time as well. I am hoping to stop there next week. If I find anything worthwhile, I'll be sure to post!

The Big Sharks

Photo credit: St. Simons (GA) Bait and Tackle Facebook Page

The big sharks are biting in St. Simons, GA! 

Kyle Meyer, a regular shark fisherman on the St. Simons pier, hooked this 6.5-foot bull shark yesterday. Every big shark I've ever seen caught on that pier has been tagged and released, as it should be. If you want regular updates about the great catches that happen in that part of the ocean year-round, like St. Simons Bait and Tackle on Facebook. I'll share some of the best posts from that site on my blog from time to time.

Monday Hide and Seek

Today's blog post is courtesy of one of my favorite former Pfeiffer University students, Kaleigh Featherstone, who is now studying to be a doctor. Can you spot the shark tooth in the photograph?

Edisto Island, SC

If you have never visited Edisto Island, SC, book your trip today. I recently found these treasures in one hour at Edisto Beach State Park. Don't forget to take your bug spray; there are biting insects on the beach, and their bites itch for weeks afterward.

Look closely and you'll see the south end of a 4-foot bonnethead shark that swam into very shallow water (less than 12 inches) to feed on St. Simons Island, GA, last week. A few moments later, a 5-footer ventured into the same shallow water. I saw small sharks feeding in the same spot everyday right as the incoming tide starting washing over a sandbar. Remember that when you see feeder fish jumping and birds diving in the water, the food chain is doing its thing. That means it is time to get out of the water for a while.

The early shark tooth hunter gets the ultra-rare modern tooth! We found this lemon shark tooth (only the third modern tooth in my entire collection of 10,000) at the break of dawn one morning this past May on the northern end of Topsail Island, NC. The completely white tooth and root indicate that it is not fossilized but could have actually been in the shark's mouth that morning. As the old song goes, "Only the curious have something to find."

This happy little collection of fossil shark teeth was found under the F.J. Torras Causeway bridge in St. Simons, GA. When the waterway was dredged to construct the big bridge, the spoil pile (all of the sand and debris from the former ocean floor) was dumped on the bank. Treasure hunters can find all kinds of nifty objects, like tortoise shell bits, Native-American pottery shards and rare shells and fossils. I once found a completely intact cow shark tooth while wading in the waterway. This location is also a great place to fish, crab and watch for manatees and dolphins. Just before you arrive on St. Simons, make a right into the Morningstar Marina. Then take an immediate right and drive down to the boat launch. I wouldn't recommend hunting alone here; it is very secluded, and there are some sketchy characters who like to loiter. Be sure to check the tides before you head out; only low tide will do.

The first leg of my book tour is being scheduled now. The first confirmed date is a September 18th, 2015, stop at Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C., to speak to students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members about shark tooth hunting on the beaches of North and South Carolina. There will be a book signing after the 10:00 a.m. event. Copies will be available for $10 - cash or check only.

To order your copy of Shark Tooth Hunting on the Carolina Coast today, please visit Amazon.com.


Be on the lookout, too, for a book launch party in Lincoln County, N.C., in late summer 2015.