In 1976, I fell in love with genealogy. Over the next forty-six years, I amassed a collection of thousands of photographs and documents related to my family heritage. Most importantly, I spent countless hours listening to my MamMaw (grandmother), and my great-aunt tell stories about my ancestors.
During that time, I published several Genealogy books. In September of 2022, I completed a book that had been the dream of a cousin. He had inherited Civil War letters that had "lived" in a pillowcase inside a chair cushion for 158 years. Before realizing his dream, he passed away. Hot on the heels of publishing this work came my sixtieth birthday.
Turning sixty may have been the reason I allowed my older sister to shove me out of my wheelhouse. Older sisters can be pretty bossy. She kept encouraging me to try my hand at writing a book. I intended to write a short story based on our great-grandmother and a few events in her life. Two weeks later, I presented her with a 264-page rough draft of Emma. She read it, insisted I let other family members and friends read it, and the next thing you know, here we are.
I enjoyed writing Emma so much and received such positive feedback about the book that I have completed the second volume in the Heritage Series, Celey, and I'm working on Volume 3, Melinda.
Who could have known that a Junior High School History assignment would turn into a passion for genealogy and become a love of writing historical fiction novels?
That which is not written, is lost forever.
