Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 12-8-17

Local
Author Shares Her Unusual Story Of Publishing 1st Book
NAACP To Host General Monthly Meeting
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Evangelist Hazel Sin- gleton is a wife, mother, grandmother, active church member and now an author. She will host a book signing for her first book entitled, “The Girl From Rat Row, The Bootlegger’s Daugh- ter” on Saturday, December 16th. The book signing will take place from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., at Bounce Boy, 5008 E. 10th Avenue.
Evangelist Singleton is unique as an author. She is not releasing a book she fin- ish writing last week. In fact, she began writing it in 1978 and finished it in 1985. “I had written it on tablets and I just put it away and forgot about it. Then, in 2002, I was pray- ing and asking the Lord for something. He responded by telling me to look in the closet. I looked in the closet and found the book.”
It took her another 5 years to transfer the manuscript from the tablets to her com- puter. “From then on, the Lord began to instruct and guide me. I contacted pub- lishers and found out just how expensive it is to publish a book.”
Time passed and once again, Evangelist Single- ton found herself praying and asking the Lord for something. He told her to look in the computer.
Then, one day, Evangel- ist Singleton got into an ac- cident. When the settlement came, she used part of the money to make home repairs. And once again, she said the Lord instructed her to pub- lish the book.
It went to the Culverhouse
EVANGELIST HAZEL SINGLETON
... Author of
“The Girl From Rat Row, The Bootlegger’s Daughter”
Publishing Company in Octo- ber 2015. Two years later, the finished product was put into book form.
“The Girl From Rat Row, The Bootlegger’s Daughter” is not just a novel, it is a story about her life with some people and some places fictionalized.
The book chronicles the life of a young girl, raised by two uneducated parents, in rural Georgia. She talks about the life Haley was forced to live, complete with abuse, al- coholism, ridicule, and a lack of love.
The family had several children who all experienced danger, instability, hard- ships, and insecurity.
The main character be- comes a single parent with two children out of wedlock. She launches her own jour- ney of drinking and partying as a means of hiding from her pain.
However, her life under- went a major change when she heeded the word of God. The path of trials and tribula-
tions she walked led her to become a messenger of God.
A longtime Tampa resi- dent, Evangelist Singleton returned to school after being a dropout for several years. She obtained her GED and earned her 4-year degree in Theology from Faith Theological Seminary & Christian College. She is cur- rently a member of Bible- Based Christian Fellowship of Temple Terrace.
She retired from the Hills- borough County Public School District after 21 years of service. Married to Robert Singleton, the 71- year-old grandmother in- cludes her hobbies as writing, preaching, and loving people.
Evangelist Singleton
said “the Lord taught me for 10 years and no one knew about it. I labored before the Lord, led by the Holy Spirit.” She was ordained in 2003.
Members of the Hillsbor- ough County Branch of the NAACP will host their De- cember meeting on Thurs- day, December 14th, at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Lee Davis Neighborhood Service Cen- ter, 3402 N. 22nd Street, Tampa, 33605. It will be held in the Queen Miller Room.
There will not be a guest speaker this month. Instead,
members of the organiza- tion will discuss the End of the Year Report and host a Celebration. Those planning to attend are asked to bring their favorite dish!
The meeting is open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend.
Ms. Yvette Lewis is the organization’s President. For more information call the branch office at (813) 234-8683.
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