The Associated Press

CHAPMANVILLE, W.Va. - A biography of Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield, patriarch of the West Virginia family involved in a legendary feud with the McCoys of Kentucky, is scheduled to be released in August.

Tale of the Devil was written by Hatfield's great-grandson, Coleman C. Hatfield of Stollings, and historian Robert Y. Spence of Justice Addition. It is being published by Woodland Press, a Logan County publisher that focuses on Appalachian authors and stories.

The Hatfield-McCoy feud brought national attention to the region.

A court battle over timber rights escalated the tension in the early 1870s. By 1888, at least 12 lives were lost as a result of the feud.

The 320-page hardcover biography chronicles Hatfield's life from his childhood to the feud and the post-feud years.

It also details his service as a Confederate soldier during the Civil War and features 30 pages of rare photographs, said Keith Davis, co-founder of Woodland Press and general manager of The Logan Banner.

The book is scheduled to be released nationally Aug. 15. It already is available at several places in Logan County, including The Logan Banner's offices, and can be ordered through www.woodlandpress.com.