As a child, Stephanie Ellison struggled to dream about a bright future because her world was so dark. If she had, her dreams probably wouldn’t have been as good as her present reality–a solid marriage with five children, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, founder of a nonprofit to encourage others with similar experiences, community involvement and a gift for writing. It all came … [Read more...]
Abilene Author: Greg Young
Singer, songwriter, poet and pharmacist – Greg Young grew up picking the guitar and singing on a friend’s front porch eight miles outside of Hamlin. That experience eventually led to Greg’s side career as a songwriter and performer. Another experience, growing up in the Nazarene Church in Hamlin, led to an original song, The Old Church, which was recorded in 1989. Greg is … [Read more...]
Abilene Author: Samantha Keith
An old saying goes, “write what you know.” Samantha Keith knows her subjects inside and out. Her current book, "The Stephens’ Stories: Our Changing Family" is about a blended family told through the eyes of two children, Lane and Kassidy. Samantha checked the “write what you know” box when she got married 28 years ago to a man with two children, Seth, 4 at the time, and … [Read more...]
Abilene Author: Jay Moore
Surprisingly, Jay Moore didn’t develop an interest in writing until he was in his 40s, and he’s still not convinced he has a knack for it. But plenty of other people are convinced, making him one of Abilene’s most popular authors and lecturers. His annual Abilene history presentations, both entertaining and educational, always pack the Paramount Theatre. Moore, who … [Read more...]
Abilene Author: Clayton Brooks
Living a hardscrabble childhood prepared Clayton Brooks well for the future and even led to a couple of books about his life. In fact, his dad’s own life was the stuff of movies. He escaped from a prison chain gang in Georgia and made his way to Texas, where he started a second family. Clayton was the youngest of five children. “We lived in shacks in the middle of cotton … [Read more...]