Randell Jones reminds listeners in each of his 6-minute Stories podcast that "everybody loves a good story." Acclaim for his Personal Story Publishing Project attests to the truth of those words. His most recent publication, That Southern Thing, was recognized by the North Carolina Society of Historians.
Suzanne Cottrell, author of Gifts of the Season, Autumn and Winter, introduced me to Randell and his project about three years ago. Her stories had appeared in two earlier anthologies Bearing Up and Exploring. "You ought to send something to his next one, " she encouraged. Since the theme was about all things Southern, I submitted "Casket Shopping." It appeared in the third anthology and was featured in a July podcast.
A champion of fellow writers, Randell sat in on one of the first readings from my debut poetry chapbook GRIT. Touched by my sister's life as Clancey the Clown, he offered to air a bonus podcast allowing me to share some of her story and read several of the poems.
The theme for his 2021 anthology is Luck and Opportunity. Submissions close December 15. If you have a good story, I know he'd love hearing from you.
Questions for Reflection
When have you been given an opportunity to share your some of your stories? How have those stories touched the lives of others?
Are there stories you want to pass down to future generations? If so, how might you begin to capture them in print, audio files, or on video?