Final answer:
James Lane Allen was the author who wrote about his experiences as a rural teacher in Kentucky.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author who wrote about his experiences as a rural teacher in Kentucky was James Lane Allen. Allen, along with other Southern writers such as Kate Chopin and Ellen Glasgow, broke away from the traditional "moonlight and magnolias" style of Southern literature and explored edgy topics in their works. One of Allen's notable works is "A Kentucky Cardinal," which is a collection of stories based on his experiences as a teacher in rural Kentucky.