THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Behind the Scenes of Josie
Every story has a story behind it.
Josie began as a family story my mother urged me not to let disappear. What started as an effort to preserve one woman’s remarkable life became a journey through memory, race, faith, family and the complicated history of the American South.
In this behind-the-scenes look, I share how the story came back to life—and why I believe some stories are simply too important to leave unheard.
WHERE STORY BECOMES PURPOSE
In 1906, my great-grandfather walked out into a Mississippi street and heard a sound the rest of the town had decided to ignore.
The work of branding is the same work he did that night.
Listening for the voice that history is trying to throw away. Giving it a home where it can be heard.
WordSmith is what happens when you turn that into craft.
BRING THE STORY TO YOUR AUDIENCE
In 1906, my great-grandfather walked out into a Mississippi street and heard a sound the rest of the town had decided to ignore.
The story of Josie is more than a story about the past. It is a story about what happens when someone chooses to listen, to remember, and to give a voice a place to be heard.
That is the conversation I bring to audiences today—about storytelling, resilience, history, family, and the power of a well-told story to change the way we see the world around us.
I speak to audiences who believe stories matter—and who want to understand what happens when we take the time to listen.
SPEAKING
Stories that stay with you.
Author talks, keynote presentations and storytelling events exploring Josie, resilience, history, family and the power of giving unheard stories a voice.
MEDIA
Stories worth talking about.
Media interviews, podcast conversations and commentary on storytelling, history, resilience, family and the enduring power of stories that deserve to be heard.
THE BOOK
A story worth telling.
Josie is a story of race, rescue and resilience—and a family legacy that refused to disappear. Explore the book, the history behind it and the journey that brought it to life.
EXPLORE JOSIE →
THE STORY CONTINUES
Josie began with one woman’s story. It became something larger—a story about memory, resilience, family, and the voices we choose to hear.
Now the story moves beyond the page.
THE BOOK
A story worth telling.
Josie is more than a book. It is a story recovered, remembered, and finally given a voice.