“Miss Jeannie” adorns the cover of a book I recently finished editing: Love at First Light, the Story of a Homeless Shelter for Women and Children. Psychologist and writer Ellen Dossett is the author of this history of a Birmingham, Alabama homeless shelter.
First light began serving Birmingham’s inner city population in the early 1980s, when the First Presbyterian Church provided pallets for 12 women in its dank basement. It now owns a renovated downtown hotel and is able to host more than 60 women and children. Thousands of volunteers from all over the Birmingham community help make this an extraordinary shelter–and one that serves as a model for others.
As entertaining as it is enlightening (it’s richly illustrated with photographs by Wynter Byrd), Love at First Light tells most of its story in the actual voices of the women currently staying at First Light (like Miss Jeannie, above), along with observations from the shelter’s dedicated staff, and members of the First Presbyterian Church who helped make the shelter a reality.
Ellen Dossett has complied and written a fascinating history, and it was a pleasure working with her.
I'm happy to be part of this collection of personal stories, a collaboration involving over 60 teachers of memoir from around the world. The book is published independently by the Birren Center for Autobiographical Writing, through which the authors are certified to teach.
A unique and beautiful exploration of Helen Keller's abiding friendship with prominent journalist Ed Chamberlin–and much more about Keller's struggles, passions, and values. The author is Chamberiin's great-great-granddaughter.
On August 8, 2020, in pandemic heat, I introduced Kristen Rademacher (via Zoom)at the launch party for From the Lake
House, A Mother’s Odyssey of Loss and Love, her wrenching memoir. Flyleaf Books, our hopping indie bookstore here in Chapel Hill, NC, hosted the event. A large crowd from across the country and around the world tuned in for the inspiring multi-media event.
This poignant memoir gives a boy's view of life in Nazi-held Prague and his escape to freedom in a challenging America.
An award winning collection of powerful stories about serving the many needs of elderly and indigent patients, as one of America's first gerontological nurse practitioners.
Essays by women ministers about their challenges and victories in answering the call to ministry.
A mother's 40-year struggle to raise an autistic son – and to grow up herself.
This idyllic memoir recollects the sweet and simple summer pleasures of family life in mid-century Cape Cod.
If you love your pets and make sacrifices for them, you will adore this lively book about a family's needy cats.
The history of a women's shelter in Birmingham, Alabama, as told through many voices.
William Buffett's short essays on nearly everything, arranged as an alphabet book.
Essays about one man's dimensional life including some of his favorite recipes.
