This week we welcome Kathy Harris to Author Memories.
Kathy Harris is an author by way of a "divine detour" into the Nashville entertainment business. After graduating with a degree in Communications from Southern Illinois University, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work with a well-known gospel music quartet. Her transition to writer is way too interesting to squeeze in here, so I've added it below.
Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs.
Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs.
Drive Thru Chicken
By Kathy Harris
Thanks to my dad’s love of storytelling, I have a greater appreciation for my roots. Ever since I can remember, he has loved telling tales. And now that he’s older, I hear more about the mischievous side of his younger days.
When he grew up in the 1940s, life was a lot different than today. Conveniences were limited. “Fast food” meant leftovers. There were no McDonalds. No Wendy’s. No KFC. Like most rural Midwestern families after the Depression, my grandparents raised their children on the basics. Beans, potatoes and biscuits. They grew their own vegetables, picked berries and fruit from the yard, and raised their own meat. Beef was a special treat. They ate pork tenderloin only once a year at Thanksgiving, and fried chicken was reserved for Sundays and special occasions.
When he grew up in the 1940s, life was a lot different than today. Conveniences were limited. “Fast food” meant leftovers. There were no McDonalds. No Wendy’s. No KFC. Like most rural Midwestern families after the Depression, my grandparents raised their children on the basics. Beans, potatoes and biscuits. They grew their own vegetables, picked berries and fruit from the yard, and raised their own meat. Beef was a special treat. They ate pork tenderloin only once a year at Thanksgiving, and fried chicken was reserved for Sundays and special occasions.
Dad with his 1933 Ford coupe.
Despite limited means, boys will find a way to be boys, and my dad always managed to drive a fast car. His first one, a jet black 1933 Ford Coupe, had a rumble seat and a beautiful leather interior. Although it was a decade old when he bought it, he loved that car, probably more than any new vehicle he purchased later in life. He tells a lot of stories about the fun he and his friends had in it. And, in fact, it was the car he had when he courted my mom—and she tells a few stories of her own.
Dad with his 1935 Ford coupe
Daddy’s ’33 Ford had a Flathead V-8 engine and would max out at about 80 mph. Interestingly, the Fisher family, who lived around the corner, were often the benefactors of that horsepower. If you know anything about chickens, you know they usually wander out of their pens into the adjoining barn lot or yard. The Fishers’ house was built close to the smooth, shale rock road that ran in front of their house, and their chickens would often meander into the roadway. As the story goes, those slow moving chickens had a hard time getting out of the way when my dad came flying over the hill.
Evidently that wasn’t such a bad thing. My dad found out a few years ago that the Fisher kids looked forward to seeing him coming up the road, because it usually meant they would be having fried chicken for supper that night.
Although the “drive-thru” hadn’t been invented in the 1940’s, thanks to my dad it was just around the corner for the Fisher family. Or, at least, that’s how the story goes.
Evidently that wasn’t such a bad thing. My dad found out a few years ago that the Fisher kids looked forward to seeing him coming up the road, because it usually meant they would be having fried chicken for supper that night.
Although the “drive-thru” hadn’t been invented in the 1940’s, thanks to my dad it was just around the corner for the Fisher family. Or, at least, that’s how the story goes.
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GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address
by midnight, Sept 2, 2012
to be entered in a draw for a copy of Kathy Harris' debut novel,
THE ROAD TO MERCY.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address
by midnight, Sept 2, 2012
to be entered in a draw for a copy of Kathy Harris' debut novel,
THE ROAD TO MERCY.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE ROAD TO MERCY by Kathy Harris,
Abingdon Press, Sep 2012
Josh Harrison, a contemporary Christian singer, and his wife Bethany face a difficult decision that also tests their faith. A rupture in Beth's carotid artery leaves her on the brink of death even as she's pregnant with their first child. While Dr. Ben Abrams urges her to terminate the pregnancy to save her own life, she and Josh step out on faith and decide to carry the baby to full term.
During the next few months, Josh struggles with his faith, Beth hides a secret that may destroy their marriage. She also discovers a decades-old connection to Dr. Abrams that could change his life forever.
During the next few months, Josh struggles with his faith, Beth hides a secret that may destroy their marriage. She also discovers a decades-old connection to Dr. Abrams that could change his life forever.
More about Kathy Harris:
Kathy Harris is an author by way of a "divine detour" into the Nashville entertainment business. After graduating with a Communications degree from Southern Illinois University, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work with a well-known gospel music quartet. A few months later, The Oak Ridge Boys began their transition into country music, and Kathy had the opportunity to help build an entertainment empire from the ground up.
She worked her way to becoming a member of the Operations Management Team, eventually heading up the company's public relations and marketing department. A lifelong fascination for books and editing led to her working as a book agent for Oak Ridge Boys' vocalist Joe Bonsall. Joe subsequently published four books, including his bestselling inspirational
biography, G.I. Joe & Lillie.
For several years, Kathy freelanced entertainer biographies and wrote, as well as ghost wrote, news stories and columns for various music publications. In 2007, she sold her first Christian non-fiction story, "Walk on Water," which was included in Thomas Nelson's All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa. That fall, one of her devotions was included in The One Year Life Verse Devotional, published by Tyndale House. Kathy's writing is also included in Chicken Soup for the Soul Thanks, Mom.
An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the publicity officer for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs. She regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog,
www.DivineDetour.com.
For more about Kathy, check her website at http://kathyharrisbooks.com/index.html
She worked her way to becoming a member of the Operations Management Team, eventually heading up the company's public relations and marketing department. A lifelong fascination for books and editing led to her working as a book agent for Oak Ridge Boys' vocalist Joe Bonsall. Joe subsequently published four books, including his bestselling inspirational
biography, G.I. Joe & Lillie.
For several years, Kathy freelanced entertainer biographies and wrote, as well as ghost wrote, news stories and columns for various music publications. In 2007, she sold her first Christian non-fiction story, "Walk on Water," which was included in Thomas Nelson's All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa. That fall, one of her devotions was included in The One Year Life Verse Devotional, published by Tyndale House. Kathy's writing is also included in Chicken Soup for the Soul Thanks, Mom.
An active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the publicity officer for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, Kathy lives near Nashville with her husband and their two Shiloh Shepherd dogs. She regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog,
www.DivineDetour.com.
For more about Kathy, check her website at http://kathyharrisbooks.com/index.html
