T.K. Thorne (Teresa) retired from the Birmingham Police Department as a captain and currently serves as executive director of the business improvement district, CAP, in downtown Birmingham, AL.She pens a monthly column for Synergy Magazine. A film from her screenplay, Six Blocks Wide, has shown at film festivals in Alabama and Europe. Teresa’s writing has garnered several awards, and Chalet Publishers has recently released her debut historical novel, Noah’s Wife.She’s an Alabama Writer’s Conclave board member and an SCBWI member.Her passions include community service on behalf of the homeless, at-risk children, andanimals. A proud grandmother, she lives on a beautiful mountain with her family of people, dogs, cats and horses.
As soon as I learned to talk, my Granny got busy working on my southern drawl, which tended to laze “get” into “git.” To this day, I firmly believe should I neglect to pronounce the “r” in “library,” Granny will erupt from her grave to correct me. Yet, the first book I remember her reading to me--complete with every nuance of 19th Century deep south dialect was Uncle Remus!
Go figure.
Next in a long line of magical journeys, was my favorite, The Phantom Tollbooth, a wonderful story about a little boy named Milo who tries to rescue the kidnapped twin princesses of Rhyme and Reason. At my pleading, Granny read this cover-worn treasure many times, until I could do so on my own. Then she moved on to Mark Twain’s classics, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Some, like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, were so far over my head, I was constantly stopping her to ask what a word meant. She was ever patient. I now suspect a plot and ulterior motive of improving my vocabulary.
One night I suffered an attack of what I later learned was chronic appendicitis. In addition to draconian attempts to cure me of a stomach ache, she read much of Robinson Crusoe to me that night, staying at my bedside to distract me from the pain far into the morning hours, until she was beyond hoarse.
I will never forget my Granny’s love, nor the wonderful gift she gave me--the love of books. Perhaps I can honor her in following the path she showed me and the passion she ignited—by writing my own.
WHAT?
My first story, written at age ten, was about a little girl who became lost in a forest and was rescued by a magical fox. Of course, I was the little girl, and I am still looking for the fox….
Since then, I have had several pieces published, including my debut historical fiction novel, Noah's Wife (you just think you know why Noah built an ark!). Six other fiction novels are waiting in line for publication: Partners, a police drama based on my first career in law enforcement; The Old One of Thoralyn, an historical fantasy trilogy following three generations of King Arthur’s Celtic ancestors; Snow Dancers of Veld, a science-fiction mystery based on a subconscious symbolism thing with butterflies; and White Feather, a children’s mid-reader novel about a young boy who travels back in time to meet his Creek (Muscogee) ancestors. (You can read excerpts here.) My interests span a wide range of topics and formats (contrary to all the writing career-advice sages). I have written poetry, short stories, essays and have had the privilege and thrill of seeing one of my stories made into ashort film, Six Blocks Wide.
In connection with my second (and current) career as the director of CAP, a business improvement district in downtown Birmingham (www.capisdowntown.com), I write a regular column in “Synergy,” a local online magazine. Whoops, almost forgot my first career--I am retired from the Birmingham Police Department where I spent many wonderful years with wonderful people.
WHERE?
I live on a beautiful mountain to the northeast of Birmingham, Alabama with three horses, four dogs, two cats, a husband and one of my three step-sons.
HOW?
Mostly on my bed with a laptop, but I will write longhand if you put me on a cruise ship or park me beside an ocean.
