Gary Lloyd grew up in Trussville, Ala. Then a town of fewer than 10,000 people, Trussville today has more than 26,000 residents and has been chosen by multiple outlets as one of the top 10 places to live in Alabama.

Gary graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School in 2006 and went on to attend the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in journalism in December 2009. During college Gary freelanced with The Tuscaloosa News, BleacherReport.com, and CrimsonConfidential.com. Gary covered high school football games near Tuscaloosa and Alabama football games in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Gary was a two-time University of Alabama Journalism Department finalist for the Hearst Journalism Award in the sports writing category.

“I worked with Gary on several projects throughout my undergraduate work at Alabama. Although we were students, we were expected to report at The Tuscaloosa News with the same professionalism as the paid staff. Over and over again I saw his work compete with the level of some of the long-time staff of the paper. Given the proper opportunity, I think he would prove to be one of the next great reporters of our generation.”

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After college, Gary moved to Magee, Miss., to work with The Magee Courier/Simpson County News as a staff writer. Staying there just six months, Gary found that he missed Alabama and moved back to Trussville. He became the managing editor of The Trussville Tribune in November 2010. The weekly newspaper covered three local cities, Trussville, Pinson, and Clay. Gary took a short break from the newspaper from July 2012 to December 2012. During this time he worked with Cahaba Media Group as an associate editor on the Pumps & Systems and Upstream Pumping Solutions magazines and freelanced for The Birmingham News, covering local football games. 

But Gary missed the writing he had such a passion for and returned to The Trussville Tribune in January 2013. In March 2013 Gary was approached by The History Press, now operating as part of Arcadia Publishing. The publishing company was looking for recommendations on someone to write a historical book about Trussville. Gary jumped at the opportunity and spent hours in the Trussville Public Library until the book was finished in February 2014. The book was released in April 2014. Gary continued his work at The Trussville Tribune until April 2015.

Gary published his first two fiction titles, Deep Green and Heart of the Plate, in 2016. His fourth book, Valley Road: Uplifting Stories from Down South, a collection of inspiring stories, was released in 2017. Ray of Hope, the story of Jimmy Ray and the wheelchair ramp ministry he built, was released in early 2018. Sonny Days: Struggles, Scenery and Solace with the World’s Strangest Shelter Dog, was published in 2020.

Gary enjoys watching and playing basketball and golf, Alabama football, and writing during his free time. One of Gary’s most influential people growing up was the “Wizard of Westwood” UCLA head basketball coach John Wooden.

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

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Gary met his wife, Jessica, in March 2012, and the two married in September 2013. Jessica grew up in Pace, Fla., near Pensacola. She graduated from the University of Florida in August 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in family, youth and community sciences and moved to Birmingham, Ala., for a position with United Way of Central Alabama. She obtained her master’s degree in human services from Capella University in September 2014. Gary and Jessica live in Trussville with their two dogs, Abby and Sonny.