Author Whitney White, who has family ties to Choctaw County, is coming home to Ackerman to participate in next week's open house at the Choctaw County Public Library.
Open house at the library, 511 S. Louisville St., will be from 2:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7.
White is a writer for the American Family Association Journal and has just released a new book in AFA's Covenant Creek Kids series. She and her husband, who is a pastor in Webster County, live in Big Creek and have five sons.
Growing up, White said she made it her mission to spend as much time as possible with her grandparents, the late Delayon and Bobbie Nell Jenkins of Chester, who were once pillars in their community.
In her early 20s, White wrote three children's Christmas books: "Don't Swallow the Baby Jesus," "Who Left Jesus in the Box" and "Kids are Like Christmas Trees."
"My grandmother was my sidekick and my biggest fan," White said. "She attended almost every book signing/reading that I did."
Not long before her grandmother unexpectedly died, White said they were driving to a book event in Jackson and out of the blue Mrs. Jenkins said, "One day I believe you will be writing for America."
White went on to recount their conversation:
"I laughed and said, 'I think you are partial.'"
"She said, 'No, that's what I pray for.'"
"I kept driving and we said nothing else about it."
White said her grandmother always attended the open house at the Choctaw County Public Library with her and that she loved every minute. But, after she died in 2015, White said she couldn't go back.
"It was just too sad," the author said. "I actually quit writing altogether, because it was such a painful reminder to have to go to events without her."
Two years after her grandmother's death, White was standing by her tombstone in the cemetery at Salem Independent Methodist Church in Chester when Ackerman native Buddy Smith, who is senior vice president of American Family Association, walked up to her and said, "Hey, Whitney. I've had you on my mind. I'd really like for you to visit AFA. I have a project for you. I'd like for you to write some children's books for kids about our American heritage."
White said she was blown away — "God answers the prayers of my very faithful grandmother."
White did follow up with Smith and since then has written three books of the Covenant Creek Kids series. She said the setting in her mind is absolutely Chester.
"The grumpy yet wise and patriotic great-grandfather in the story is my grandfather (Delayon Jenkins), an amazing Iwo Jima vet (Buford Usry), and my adopted grandfather (Dennis Meek) all rolled into one faithful teacher. He takes the time to educate his great-grandchildren on historical lessons that they will never forget."
Book 1 is "The Mystery of Granddaddy Meek."
Book 2 is "Memorial Day with Granddaddy Meek."
And the book that was just released is "Veterans Day with Granddaddy Meek".
"Sadly, all (these) great men (Jenkins, Usry, Meek) have all passed away, as well as most of our World War II vets," White noted. "There has never been a more critical time for us to share their stories and their love for our freedom."
Book 3 features a native of Tupelo, Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris, who was the sixth prisoner of war in the Vietnam War and was held as a POW for eight years. The retired Air Force pilot has published a book called "Tap Code."
In Book 3, Granddaddy Meek and Col Smitty teach the main character, Brandon, about the different branches of the military, how they work together, the Tap Code, and most importantly the value of forgiving others.
"Although Veterans Day has passed, it is always a good time to teach our kids to appreciate their freedoms and the men who sacrificed to enable us to have those freedoms," said White.
"I pray this book will become an enduring lesson on faith, family and freedom," she concluded. "May we always appreciate our veterans and honor them by sharing their experiences."
Of the upcoming open house, White said she is excited to see the relatives and people from Choctaw County who helped shape and influence her. All three books in the Covenant Creek Kids series will be available at the library as well as White's Christmas titles, "Don't Swallow the Baby Jesus" and "Who Left Jesus in the Box."
The Covenant Creek books are also available from the AFA's online bookstore: https://afastore.net/premium-covenant-creek-kids-veterans-day-with-gran….
