Rocking Chair Tales

"Let me tell you a story." What sentence draws us in with more magnetism? In his book, Rocking Chair Tales, author John William Smith seeks to draw in readers with a collection of short stories intended to light up the imagination and spark conversation. Stories short enough to be read aloud will cause the reader to recall fond memories and perhaps share his or her own stories. Smith's tales, mostly drawn from his childhood, are true, yet they serve as parables because "they give truth flavor by attaching names, faces, and geographical locations to abstract notions and emotional realities." His recollections serve as a powerful tool to recapture those magical moments which lay hidden within our cluttered lives.

John Smith wrote five books in the Hugs series. In addition to Hugs for Mom, he authored Hugs for Dad, Hugs to Encourage and Inspire, Hugs for the Hurting, and Hugs for the Holidays. He has been a preacher and teacher for more than forty years and taught public school at the junior and senior high level; he also taught at the college and university level. He is an in-demand speaker for graduations, as well as for athletic, education, fund-raising events. He and his wife, Kila, live in Huntsville, Oklahoma, and his three adult children are scattered about the country.