Featured Author Bios
My name is Clara Jackson Knight, and I have always loved cooking and entertaining. When I was 10 years old, I started baking and selling cupcakes to the neighborhood kids, so I could buy Christmas presents for my family. Because of my passion for cooking, my mother entrusted me with the task of preparing meals for my siblings four days a week when I turned 14.
After graduating from high school, I worked for the United States Postal Service for 34 years, where I met many wonderful people and made lifelong friends. In 1989, I joined Ray of Christian Church, where I continue to serve the community with pleasure. I also joined the Red Hat Society in 2008, a group of women who celebrate life and have fun together. In 2013, I became the Queen of the Elegant Divas of Atlanta, a chapter of the Red Hat Society. Since then, I have traveled to many places, planned many outings, and celebrated many women.
I am also a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and I love to entertain my family and friends by cooking for them.
Nothing makes me happier than seeing their satisfaction and joy when they eat my food.
After graduating from high school, I worked for the United States Postal Service for 34 years, where I met many wonderful people and made lifelong friends. In 1989, I joined Ray of Christian Church, where I continue to serve the community with pleasure. I also joined the Red Hat Society in 2008, a group of women who celebrate life and have fun together. In 2013, I became the Queen of the Elegant Divas of Atlanta, a chapter of the Red Hat Society. Since then, I have traveled to many places, planned many outings, and celebrated many women.
I am also a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and I love to entertain my family and friends by cooking for them.
Nothing makes me happier than seeing their satisfaction and joy when they eat my food.
Emanuel L. Williams was born in 1931 during the depression and raised in San Francisco, California. Around the time of his birth, his father purchased a house in a white neighborhood where Emanuel and his parents lived until he left home to enter the army in 1954. He began his education at Glen Park School where he was the only Negro student from the time, he entered kindergarten until he reached the 6th grade. He then attended James Denman Junior High and Balboa High School where there was only a handful of Negro students in attendance. Upon graduating from high school in 1949, he enrolled in the University of California at Berkeley where he majored in physical education and completed the senior ROTC program. Throughout this period of his life, he became a classical pianist and was an active member of the Emmanuel Pentecostal Church where he made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ at the age of sixteen and served as the church pianist.
Upon completing his undergraduate degree in1953, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Reserve and entered the army as an infantry 2nd lieutenant the following year. He served for twenty-seven years at various stateside army posts and several overseas locations including Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and Germany. In most of his assignments, it was not uncommon for him to be the only Black officer or one of few Black officers in a unit or staff section. He commanded a rifle company in Germany, a Special forces Detachment in Vietnam, and during his second tour in Germany served as Deputy Community Commander of the Bamberg Military Community one of the largest army installations in Germany.
Upon his retirement from his position as a staff officer at Forces Command in 1981, he sensed a call to the ministry and completed a Master of Divinity degree at Emory University in 1984. He then completed two years of clinical pastoral education at Georgia Baptist Medical Center and was asked to join chaplaincy as s staff chaplain in 1987. He began serving in that capacity and also supervising seminary students that trained at the hospital for the next fifteen years. In 2002 he was asked to join the Chaplaincy Department of the Headquarters of the Assemblies of God where he served as the Healthcare Representative and provided oversight for 130 AG healthcare chaplains serving in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices throughout the United States. In 2009, he resigned from that position to care for his wife who was experiencing a number of health issues. Presently, Emanuel serves as a volunteer chaplain at Atlanta Medical Center and is the visitation pastor at the Tabernacle AG Church and teaches two Life Groups. He and his wife, Thelma, were married for fifty-five years until her death in 2012. They have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Upon completing his undergraduate degree in1953, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Reserve and entered the army as an infantry 2nd lieutenant the following year. He served for twenty-seven years at various stateside army posts and several overseas locations including Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and Germany. In most of his assignments, it was not uncommon for him to be the only Black officer or one of few Black officers in a unit or staff section. He commanded a rifle company in Germany, a Special forces Detachment in Vietnam, and during his second tour in Germany served as Deputy Community Commander of the Bamberg Military Community one of the largest army installations in Germany.
Upon his retirement from his position as a staff officer at Forces Command in 1981, he sensed a call to the ministry and completed a Master of Divinity degree at Emory University in 1984. He then completed two years of clinical pastoral education at Georgia Baptist Medical Center and was asked to join chaplaincy as s staff chaplain in 1987. He began serving in that capacity and also supervising seminary students that trained at the hospital for the next fifteen years. In 2002 he was asked to join the Chaplaincy Department of the Headquarters of the Assemblies of God where he served as the Healthcare Representative and provided oversight for 130 AG healthcare chaplains serving in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices throughout the United States. In 2009, he resigned from that position to care for his wife who was experiencing a number of health issues. Presently, Emanuel serves as a volunteer chaplain at Atlanta Medical Center and is the visitation pastor at the Tabernacle AG Church and teaches two Life Groups. He and his wife, Thelma, were married for fifty-five years until her death in 2012. They have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Donna Paige Riley is an encourager. Her passion for encouraging others derives from being teased and bullied as a youth in school and because of this she possessed low self-esteem. Being aware of how being teased and bullied made her feel sad, lonely, depressed and self-conscious, Donna always wants to help prevent others from feeling the same way, especially youth. Ms. Donna also known as the “Etiquette Lady” is a writer, author, editor, creator, inspirational and motivational speaker, A John Maxwell Certified Leadership team member, master level trainer and coach, and also a certified DISC personality assessment trainer.
Donna has created and written books, columns, training materials and numerous articles for newspapers and magazines. For three decades, she has customized and provided coaching and training programs that add value to both youth and adults. She has traveled extensively speaking around the country and many clients have included individuals, private and public schools, churches, businesses and various for profit and non-profit organizations.
Donna hosts a talk show called “What is Etiquette Anyway” where a variety of topics are discussed because she is fully aware that etiquette encompasses every area of our lives. She enjoys planting "seeds of value" in others. In other words, she loves to inspire, motivate and encourage. Donna believes when you read My Forever Affirmations book and journal, and What is Business Etiquette Anyway, you will be encouraged and enlightened, and you will feel good or better about yourself too!
Donna has created and written books, columns, training materials and numerous articles for newspapers and magazines. For three decades, she has customized and provided coaching and training programs that add value to both youth and adults. She has traveled extensively speaking around the country and many clients have included individuals, private and public schools, churches, businesses and various for profit and non-profit organizations.
Donna hosts a talk show called “What is Etiquette Anyway” where a variety of topics are discussed because she is fully aware that etiquette encompasses every area of our lives. She enjoys planting "seeds of value" in others. In other words, she loves to inspire, motivate and encourage. Donna believes when you read My Forever Affirmations book and journal, and What is Business Etiquette Anyway, you will be encouraged and enlightened, and you will feel good or better about yourself too!
My name is Hannah Michelle Turner, and I am the author of Beautifully Imperfect “Pulchritudinous.” For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved stories. From true stories, to stories that were pure fantasy, I’ve always admired all of them. Even when I was very little, I loved reading, and my imagination was always very big.
I remember when I first started reading chapter books, I always had a book in my face. And when I would finish a book, I’d be right on to the next one. I was the kid that would be reading in the corner while everyone else was playing basketball or dancing. Before I found my love for poetry, I was infatuated with narrative writing. I was constantly writing stories that I came up with in my head. From the age of ten, I’ve always found comfort in writing. Being able to use my imagination to create was my escape from reality. It was and still is my safe haven. I truly found my love for writing when I joined a website called WattPad. On this website, I had access to all different kinds of books and no limitations on the kinds of stories I wrote.
Somewhere along the way, I lost my passion for writing. My mother pushed me in order for me to find my passion again, and she did so successfully. When I discovered poetry, I used it as a way to express my emotions to help me through the hard times I was facing. Poetry helped me to find a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve written poetry for funerals, as well as weddings. I’ve known for a long time now that I wanted to be an author, and my goal was to be an author by the time I graduated high school, and I have successfully done so. Beautifully Imperfect is a manifestation of my dreams, ambitions, hardships, and my future. Beautifully Imperfect contains poetry about all of the major points of my life, as well as things that are important to me. Everyone deserves to have something or someone in their lives that lifts them up when things get hard, and for me, it is my writing.
- Hannah Michelle Turner
I remember when I first started reading chapter books, I always had a book in my face. And when I would finish a book, I’d be right on to the next one. I was the kid that would be reading in the corner while everyone else was playing basketball or dancing. Before I found my love for poetry, I was infatuated with narrative writing. I was constantly writing stories that I came up with in my head. From the age of ten, I’ve always found comfort in writing. Being able to use my imagination to create was my escape from reality. It was and still is my safe haven. I truly found my love for writing when I joined a website called WattPad. On this website, I had access to all different kinds of books and no limitations on the kinds of stories I wrote.
Somewhere along the way, I lost my passion for writing. My mother pushed me in order for me to find my passion again, and she did so successfully. When I discovered poetry, I used it as a way to express my emotions to help me through the hard times I was facing. Poetry helped me to find a light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve written poetry for funerals, as well as weddings. I’ve known for a long time now that I wanted to be an author, and my goal was to be an author by the time I graduated high school, and I have successfully done so. Beautifully Imperfect is a manifestation of my dreams, ambitions, hardships, and my future. Beautifully Imperfect contains poetry about all of the major points of my life, as well as things that are important to me. Everyone deserves to have something or someone in their lives that lifts them up when things get hard, and for me, it is my writing.
- Hannah Michelle Turner