In the know.

Bryant H. McGill once said that, “People are living books.  The real library of life is community.” One resident living at The Crossings in League City whole heartedly agrees. Published author, Mary Sue Anton, became passionate about capturing the wonderfully intriguing stories living around her at the retirement community. She was stunned to meet person after person, each packed with fascinating backgrounds, hilarious happenings and outstanding accomplishments. As an author, her instincts kicked in, “We have got to write all of this down!” She soon began a project with one simple purpose in mind: help others write their story.

 She developed a method where even a more novice writer could start chipping away at their own collection of stories and ultimately have a finished book. She encourages participants to try writing a little each week using prompts which she has developed to kick start favorite memories. The writers are encouraged to elaborate as much or as little as they wish. Ms. Anton explained, “You will be surprised how many memories you can relive. You may laugh, cry and reflect on things that have made a difference in your life. The end result, your legacy. It could be a gift to your descendants or friends who may not know how or where you lived before they came along. The plan is to write a little week by week.”

 Since launching the initial plan, fellow resident and publisher author, John Overton, grabbed hold of the idea and developed a club to help the resident writers network and support one another through the creative process. He became so passionate about the potential works of art that he makes it a point to greet every new resident shortly after moving in to encourage them to participate.  He has recently taken a special interest in one of his neighbor’s stories, and for good reason, Coach Bill Krueger is the winningest basketball coach in the nation. While many of the participants in the club keep their writings for family and friends, Coach Krueger, with the help of Overton, published his life story titled, “Winning on and off the Court: The Life of Coach Bill Krueger,” this summer.  You can read more about his story here.

 Anton and Overton hope to inspire others to take the opportunity to write down these precious experiences to not only benefit the reader but to bless the writer in the process. Are you interested in writing your own story? Take some time to answer the writing prompts below, and soon your story will be written too.

Writing Your Own Story:

1) When and where were you born?

2) What are the names of your parents?

3) What are your brothers and sisters and birth dates?

4) Where did you live growing up?

5) Who was your best friend as a child?

‍