1909. Allen was born on a farm near Lexington, Kentucky. As a young boy, he lived the life of the Southern ante-bellum gentry, but by the time he was a teenager the Civil War and Reconstruction had ushered in a new era for both himself and his family. Later, he moved to New York City to pursue writing full time. Many of his works reflect Kentucky themes. The Bride of the Mistletoe is a story about two characters-a middle-aged married couple living in a plain farmhouse; one point on the field of human nature is located; at that point one subject is treated; in the treatment one movement is directed toward one climax; no external event whatsoever is introduced; and the time is about forty hours. Allen's intent was that this would be the first in a series including A Brood of the Eagle and The Christmas Tree: An Interpretation. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.