Celeste King Conner fancies herself more of a conversationalist than a writer. She likes to listen to a good story, tell a good story, and write a good story down to be remembered.
In 2015, she self-published two books of her blogs. She didn’t know how to find a publisher, but she knew how to figure things out for herself. Her friends took her little books around the world and, and in downright goodwill, took pics of themselves reading them. They are saved forever under the “Blabbering around the World” tab. Occasionally, when she wants to battle feeling sorry for herself, she scrolls through those pics as a reminder what a great, big, small, and wonderful world we’ve been gifted.
(A couple dozen of the blogs from those self-published books can be found under the “Those are my words” tab. The quote is an old family joke from a daughter’s first grade journal.)
In 2019, she was invited to write for the local newspaper. She was honored and accepted the challenge. After six years, 50-plus essays, and a 60th birthday, she realized that the itch to have a book published had not been scratched. She found her way to Koehler Press, who graciously agreed to help her check that box.
Don’t Let This Get Out in Pinckard is a collection of essays from those newspaper columns. They tell Celeste’s story, of course, but oftentimes, Celeste has been told, “You told my story, too!” Such words are a privilege that she does not bear lightly. She knows the feeling of a picture that she could not paint and how choral music lifts her, even though she doesn’t sing in a choir.
Celeste King Conner was born, raised, and still lives, listens, and writes in Dothan, Alabama. She’s been married to Chuck for 30-something years and has three grown children, whom she texts kissy faces to every night at bedtime, regardless of their GPS location.