Barbara Tells Stories at Song Writers’ Festival

Authors take every opportunity possible to promote their books.  I did.  I told some of my true humorous church stories at the 10th Annual Alabama Song Writers’ Festival in Guntersville, Al on Saturday, July 2, 2011. Although the heat was sweltering, the atmosphere was charged with fun. With a family-fun-filled festival, one has to be […]

Hokes Bluff UMC Spring Gala – a Huge Success

The ladies at Hokes Bluff United Methodist Church certainly know how to do an event.  The purpose of this year’s Spring Gala was to raise money for missions.  At least that was the stated purpose, but all there had great fun. The salad lunch was superb with my favorite – chicken salad.  The room’s decorations […]

Lit Chicks and Easter Bonnets

“In Your Easter Bonnet” – that’s the ticket, I thought.  It was my month to host our literary critique group, the Lit Chicks, and since it was Easter week, an Easter bonnet theme seemed to be appropriate.  Only after emailing the members of our group the idea and getting their approval did I realize the […]

Rewards of Writing

Writing is just plain hardwork.  Often the job seems to offer little reward, except for the intrinsic pleasure of communicating one’s thoughts on paper.  Conferees at writing conferences often hear, “Write what you know, and keep writing, but in all likelihood you won’t get published.  The market is tough.” Well, as I’ve said in other places […]

December Delights

December must be the most exciting month of the year.  This December was no exception.  Even though I find myself totally exhausted each night from special speaking events, shopping, entertaining, pulling out boxes of decoration and filling each room with them, returning boxes to the upstairs storage, and then trying to clean up the mess […]

Food, Family, and Fun Make a Great November

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  His love endures forever.”  (1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV) The Bible is replete with verses to remind us to be thankful.  This year, as with all the many other years of my life, I am thankful for food, family, and fun. Oh, one more f – foilage. On November […]

I am a “Lit Chick”

After teaching English/journalism for 35 years, I didn’t retire; I simply reengaged. My first after-teaching goal was to get my first book published. With the Lord’s help, that was accomplished Dec. 2004 when “Humorous Happenings in Holy Places” (Tate Publishing) hit the market. Not only did that serve to respark my desire to write, it alsoopened up a […]