1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,560 Speaker 1: Of course if future here in the fifty five Kersey 2 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Morning Show from time to time local authors. I think 3 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: it's really cool. Do we have local authors. They prove that, yes, 4 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: you can write a book, you can get a book published. 5 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: And one of the women who's going to explain how 6 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: that is done in her impetus behind writing and getting 7 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: involved in writing, Beverly park Williams. It's Beverly. It's a 8 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: pleasure to have you on the program today. 9 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: Thank you for this opportunity. 10 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: Oh, it's my pleasure. I appreciate you forwarding me a 11 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 1: copy of the book. I will admit upfront, I'm not 12 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: going to lie to you. I haven't had an opportunity 13 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: to read it yet. I note that the book Parallel 14 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: But and Separate. This is the name of your second book, 15 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: Parallel and Separate, A Tale of Two Sisters. Does this 16 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: book number two involve the same subject matter as your 17 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: first book, Separate but Parallel? 18 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 2: Yes, Actually the story both stories are about two sisters, 19 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 2: Janet and Shirley. The first book is really about Turley, 20 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 2: who is my mother. After I've moved her into a 21 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 2: nursing home in Anderson Township, I spent a lot of 22 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: time with her, and she began to tell me many 23 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 2: stories for life. And the stories became so numerous. I 24 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 2: purchased a handheld recorder and after more than two years 25 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 2: of recording, I transcribed almost three hundred pages of notes, 26 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: and that became the first book. 27 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: Well, and that's I guess primarily one of the reasons 28 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: I asked, this is not a short book. It's your 29 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: your separate book we're talking about today, parallel and separate. 30 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: It comes in at four hundred and fifty pages. This 31 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: is I guess, the story of Shirley and jen At 32 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: her sister. Shirley, you said already is your mom. They 33 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 1: were separated very close to birth. I guess your Your 34 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: mother was a newborn and your aunt was three years 35 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 1: old when they separated. But they both lived in the 36 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: greater Cincinnati area, yet had no idea of each other's existence. 37 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: As I understand, it is that accurate. 38 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: Yes, their families, both the father for Janet and the 39 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: mother for Shirley, kept it a secrets. So they were 40 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 2: separated not knowing about one another, to be reunited seventy 41 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 2: years later, seven decades later. 42 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: That is truly amazing. Now, they grew up differently. Not 43 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: only were they separated. Not only did they not know 44 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: each other and they grew up on opposite sides of 45 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: the town, they also were quite different in the socioeconomic upbringing. 46 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: Were they not? 47 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 2: Yes, they were. Actually Janet was kept by her father 48 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: and her father's parents, and they lived a fairly middle 49 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 2: class life on the west side. When the grandfather separated 50 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,639 Speaker 2: the two sisters, he thought that my mother would go 51 00:02:54,760 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 2: with their mother and live with their mother's relative. Fortunately, 52 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: their mother had been adopted by an elderly couple in 53 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 2: Hyde Park, and both the couple, the grandmother and the grandfather, 54 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 2: were in nursing home, So Shirley and her mother were 55 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 2: pretty much left to fend for themselves on the East side, 56 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 2: and Shirley grew up in poverty. 57 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: Oh so, I guess I'm wildly curious. Since they were 58 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 1: sisters obviously genetically linked, did they sort of I hate 59 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: these words, turn out after seventy years of life. Were 60 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: they different people? Different political philosophies obviously, maybe different socioeconomy, 61 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: because that depends on what they ended up doing for 62 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: a living. But personality wise, was there a consistency or 63 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: were they dramatically different people? Having lived these separate lives 64 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: when they finally met each other. 65 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great question because they were very different 66 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: because of growing up on the West Side. Her family 67 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 2: was Catholic, of course, and sent Janet to Catholic girls' school. 68 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: My mother and her mother were Protestant, and as they 69 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: came to know one another seventy years later, they realized 70 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 2: that they had very different political views. 71 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: Well, that's kind of the point I was coming I 72 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: was going to come to. I'm glad you brought it 73 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: up yourself, because I'm going to pry into politics of it. 74 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: So different religious philosophy and then different political philosophies. So 75 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: I presume one Democrat one Republican was as simple as 76 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: boiling it down to that. Was there something beyond that? 77 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: Now's that's exactly right. 78 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: East Side was Republican, right, Yes, just like the West Side. 79 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: You cander us expect it's going to be from a 80 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: Catholic family. Having grown up in del High I'm hip 81 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: to that. Beverly, there were two children in my mom 82 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: and dad's family, and there were mostly five and six 83 00:04:58,440 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: children in the balance of the neighborhoods. 84 00:04:59,880 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 2: FA. 85 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: I'll let you do the math on who was Catholic 86 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 1: and who wasn't. So why will my listeners Beverly Williams, 87 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: author of the book Parallel and Separate, a tale of 88 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: two sisters, Why will my listeners find your family history 89 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: and the lives of your mother and her sister growing 90 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,799 Speaker 1: up severally a fascinating story worthy of reading? 91 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 2: Beverly, The reason is truly the setting of Cincinnati. In 92 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 2: book one for my mother and in book two for 93 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 2: my aunt Janet, they bring to the book memories from 94 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 2: both the West Side and the East Side, and I 95 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 2: think people, particularly in the local area can relate to 96 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 2: those memories as well as the incredible part of their 97 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 2: memories also of downtown Landmark. So you have to wonder 98 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 2: did they see each other on Fountain Square? Did they 99 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 2: me one another on a bus and not know that 100 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 2: they were books? And their grandfather and their father were 101 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 2: the groundskeepers at Coney Island, So Coney Island is a 102 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 2: is somewhat of a focus of both books. Now, in 103 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 2: book two, I had the time. My mother had passed, 104 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 2: so I had the time to do research on where 105 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 2: did their father's ancestors come from and where did their 106 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 2: mother's ancestors come from? And I add that detail in 107 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 2: book two wonderful. 108 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: So the very interesting and quite unusual story of them 109 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: being separated at such a young agent growing up in 110 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: the same town. But you know, not knowing each other 111 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: is a vehicle to bring in all of this you know, 112 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: relevant Cincinnati area history, I suppose is how you boil 113 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: that down? 114 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 2: Yes? 115 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: Exactly, great, well local historians and uh, I guess maybe 116 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:02,919 Speaker 1: Peter Bronson should read a copy of this, since he 117 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: writes local history. Relieved by the way, Peter Bronson's new 118 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: book was great. I finished it the other day. You'll 119 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: love it anyhow, So I want to ask you, Beverly, 120 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: what was and and maybe you mentioned it before, and 121 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: I'm sorry I didn't process it, but I'm curious to 122 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: know why the Shirley and Janet didn't know each other, 123 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: Why they kept this sort of a family secret, that 124 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: that that you know, they had a y had a 125 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: sibling living across town. What happened to prevent you your 126 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: mom and her sister from knowing about each other. 127 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: They believed it was somewhat of a shameful issue that 128 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 2: the grandfather had separated the two sisters, especially not allowing 129 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: them to get to know one another, not allowing them 130 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 2: the same privileges in life? So what is what is 131 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: the reason betid my title? Both sisters grew up obviously 132 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: separate from one another, but as they become young working 133 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 2: women and then wives, and then mothers, and even grandmothers 134 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 2: and then widows. During the time that they became reunited, 135 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 2: they realized that truly they were they had lives more 136 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 2: in parallel to one another than they initially believed. 137 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: How much time are they able to spend each other? 138 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: Did they create a friendship or a strong relationship after 139 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: meeting after seventy years? And how long were they around 140 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: if they did, in fact spend any time together? How 141 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: long were they around to do that. 142 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 2: They did when they were both in there obviously their seventies. 143 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: They wrote to one another, they sent cards, they talked. Initially, 144 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 2: they tucked on the phone a lot, and had lunches 145 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 2: and dinners and even had a spontaneous crypt of Florida together. 146 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 2: But over time, as they become more and more elderly, 147 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 2: they began to decline in their relationship, and once I 148 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:13,479 Speaker 2: put my mother in a nursing home, their relationship really deteriorated. 149 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: I'm sorry to hear that, but at least they got 150 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: to spend time together, learn about each other, and you 151 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: got this fascinating story that obviously we're compelled to write about. 152 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: To the budding authors out there, people who think, oh, 153 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: there's no way I'm ever going to get published, can't 154 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: do it, how did you manage to is this? These 155 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: are the first books you've written? 156 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 2: Yes, okay they are. 157 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: That's well, that's an accomplishment and in itself, so what 158 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 1: kind of what recommendation is a local author and is 159 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 1: it obviously a not well published yet anyway would you 160 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: give the people who might be inspired to write a book, 161 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: or maybe who have been thinking about that, what would 162 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 1: you say to them? 163 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 2: I would say go for it. I would say, if 164 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 2: you have a story that you believe in and can 165 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 2: add to it details and add to it some conversations 166 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:07,679 Speaker 2: and interactions, especially with other people and settings like Cincinnati. 167 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 2: I was fascinated by places in Cincinnati both my mother 168 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 2: and my aunt Janet talked about I never knew of. Yeah, 169 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 2: so I was able to go around this city and say, oh, 170 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 2: I didn't know about that, but what a wonderful area. 171 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 2: My aunt Janet was fascinated with Miami Whitewater Forest. I 172 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 2: had never heard of that. So it was fun doing 173 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 2: the book, doing the research, and suddenly you have pages 174 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 2: and pages of good information to share. 175 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 1: Well, that's great, I guess today, Beverly Park, William's local 176 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: author Parallel and Separate Book two a tail it two 177 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: sisters learn about the Greater Cincinnatier are generally speaking of 178 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: this fascinating tale of the women who were separated at 179 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: a very young age and lived in the same town. 180 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: You didn't even know of each other's existence. Beverly, has 181 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: been a sweet opportunity to speak with you this morning, 182 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 1: and I appreciate you writing the book and inspiring other 183 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: local authors maybe put pen to paper, as the case 184 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: may be, and put their own work together getting it published. 185 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: Maybe another thing, How are you able to get your 186 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: book published, Beverly Williamsfore we part company. 187 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:18,359 Speaker 2: So initially with the first book, I went through Amazon 188 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 2: through their publishing operation. With this second book, I actually 189 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 2: used Ingram Spark. And the reason I did is one 190 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 2: of the book stores in Milford said, well, you know 191 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 2: all the bookstores purchase their books through Ingram Spark, who 192 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 2: is the distributor of books. So I said, oh, okay, 193 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 2: So I invented that and published through Ingram Spark and 194 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 2: I have been going around bookstores asking them to please 195 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: purchase my book. 196 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,959 Speaker 1: Of course, that's how you get it out in the world, Beverly, 197 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: and you become a well published author. And I wish 198 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: you all the best as you move toward that endeavor, 199 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: and I hope people will enjoy the book parallel and 200 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: separate to Tel two Sisters. That'd be a book two. 201 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: You can read book one as well.