Folly Beach, SC - Wesley Moore, III, a retired English teacher, author, and digital artist, is proving that creativity knows no age limits. After 34 years teaching at one of South Carolina’s most prestigious independent schools, Moore has thrown himself—head, heart, and humor—into a second act that’s turning heads both in literary circles and the local art scene.

Moore’s journey into storytelling began in the fourth grade, when he first recognized a writer’s spark that’s burned brightly ever since. Today, he grins at calling his visual work “fake art,” though it’s anything but. “They’re digital collages,” Moore explains. Using high-resolution photos (often captured in lively bar scenes on Folly Beach), he blends found imagery, cult magazine figures, and painterly filters to create striking, conversation-starting prints, now spotted on canvases, merchandise, and even the backs of hoodies at the Folly Beach bar Lowlife.

A Sharp Eye on the South—Past and Present

Moore’s literary work sings with the same wit and observational power. His first novel, “Today, Oh Boy,” is a riff on James Joyce’s "Ulysses," but with a distinctly Southern flavor. Set during one day in his hometown of Summerville, South Carolina, the novel deals with adolescence, cultural upheaval, and the peculiar hilarities of growing up in the early seventies. Kirkus Reviews described it as “dazzling” and “a quietly sublime period piece,” and the book has since inspired a 15-minute short film from a local filmmaker. Moore is currently at work on a sequel set two years later as his characters return home from college during the Christmas holidays.

If the cover art looks a tad like the Hardy Boys on a psychedelic adventure, that’s intentional. “People think it’s a YA novel, but it’s really for adults and baby boomers,” Moore laughs. “I’m so grateful to the artist David Boatwright, the Charleston muralist who painted the cover. David also wrote and directed "Summerville 70," the short film inspired by "Today, Oh Boy."

A Mosaic Memoir: Memory, Modernism, and a Brush with a Serial Killer

Not content to stop at fiction, Moore’s memoir, “Long Ago Last Summer,” is a kaleidoscopic blend of short stories, poems, and reminiscences. While the pieces stand alone, together they form a mosaic portrait of the South and its enduring complexities. The book addresses everything from the legacy of slavery to the region’s Gothic eccentricities. One chapter in particular has garnered attention: as a teenager, Moore was picked up hitchhiking by infamous South Carolina serial killer Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins—a chilling encounter that’s captured readers' imaginations and piqued the interest of true crime enthusiasts.

As Moore puts it, “I’ve always been interested in modernism, Joyce, Picasso, Eliot, and the way they pick up the shattered pieces of civilization to rearrange them. That’s what I try to do, whether it’s with words or images.”

The Classroom: A Front Row Seat to Change

Moore’s three decades in education provided him a unique vantage point from which to observe shifting generational tides. “Students have gotten less worldly, but nicer,” he muses, chalking the change up to increasing parental protection and the omnipresence of technology. Ever the experimenter, Moore implemented his own device policy, collecting students’ phones in a basket at the start of class, which raised eyebrows at the time.

Plagiarism detection software, multimedia lectures, and attention-span challenges were all part of Moore’s toolkit. “Even in my own writing, I find myself quick-cutting scenes now, like a film editor, to account for shrinking attention spans,” he shares.

Now 73, Moore is determined that retirement is just the beginning. “I published my first novel at 71. I had my first art show at 69. If there’s anything I’d tell retirees, it’s to stay active and keep creating,” he says. “Old people sometimes project their own decline onto the world and become bitter. I’m not going to do that, even during these crazy times.”

What’s Next

With a new novel and possibly a film adaptation in the works, and a growing reputation as a Southern voice unafraid to poke fun at himself or the world around him, Wesley Moore, III is a name to watch from Summerville to Folly Beach and beyond.

About Wesley Moore, III

Wesley Moore, III is a retired English professor, author, and digital artist based in Folly Beach, South Carolina. Over a 34-year teaching career, Moore became known for his wit, experimental teaching methods, and keen observations about generational change. Since retirement, he has published two books: “Today, Oh Boy” and “Long Ago Last Summer,” and is earning attention for his digital collage art capturing both the charm and complexity of Southern culture.

About “Today, Oh Boy” and “Long Ago Last Summer”

“Today, Oh Boy” narrates a single day in 1970 through the eyes of Summerville High School juniors Rusty Boykin and Ollie Wyborn. Against the backdrop of a conservative Southern community caught in the throes of social upheaval, a colorful cast of characters navigates preppie, jock, hippie, and country boy divides.

“Long Ago Last Summer” is a Southern Gothic collection blending short stories, poems, and memoir. Moore’s writing brings to life a cast of village eccentrics, beloved pets, and at least one serial killer, all set against a backdrop of antebellum plantations, shotgun shacks, suburban neighborhoods, Pentecostal churches, and juke joints.

For more information about Wesley Moore, III, retired Teacher and Author, please visit https://wlm3.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesley-moore-23a0aa34/