Local Author Pens Book

Joyce Rapier, author of "Windy John's, me 'n tut" delights reading audience with her book. Captivating and hillarious antics bring "Windy John's, me 'n tut" to life with a must read book.

(PRWEB) January 3, 2004 --Stories come aliveby KENNETH FRYPress Argus-Courier Editor
Well, thayre searchin fer things whuts in thar own back yard." This line from Windy Johns Me 'N Tut" can apply to Joyce Rapiers book of tales told to the Van Buren author by her story-telling father during his final days at a local nursing home. Or, how about:Iffen a hen and a half can lay an aigg and a half in a day and a half, how many aiggs or brass doornobs can a rooster lay in one day?"

This question from one of 21 delightful stories of Windy John and his faithful companion Tut growing up in Frog Holler and Hoot Holler easily takes your mind away from a dreary, rainy February day to another time where spirits are warm. After John decided to live in a nursing home, Rapier would visit him each day and request stories from his youth to help keep his mind active. The colorful hill talk fails to slow the reader who is left wondering if the stories are fact or fiction. They didnt call him Windy John" for nothing, Rapier points out.

Ye Gods! Sweettaters, Greens and Persimmons" is one story of childhood antics that delivers Rapiers promise of reliving her fathers zany escapades." Two boys sicker than junkyard dogs from gorging on permissions" trying to keep it a secret called to a supper of sweet taters and greens. A deadly combination" and a story which results in pure laughter. Grandpaws chemical warfare (Thars more room on th outside thun whut I got inside my innards) and the race to the outhouse bring true Rapiers vow to share a legacy. As we began wrestling on the floor, a wave of uncontrollable 'mistakes began to nauseate our senses. Pretty soon, our stomachs began to growl and churn like a raging river, making sounds of an impending flood. As we stood up, turned and looked at one another, Tut grabbed his stomach and shot out the back door in a mad race to the outhouse and I was right behind him."

Rapier writes in her acknowledgment: Daddy enjoyed life, learning new things and telling people about it. On occasion, he would drift asleep while trying to tell the stories and be unable to continue the tales he loved so much to tell, or get confused while in mid-sentence and end the story before it began. Sometimes he would roll with laughter before he began a story."

Windy John died in August of 1995 with the promise that his daughter would keep his stories alive. John confessed he had always wanted to write a book, but said he never found the time to get around to it. He also asked his daughter for one more thing. Try to do one thing for me, okay? If you can write one book, do you think you can write two? Never tell anyone about everything you know, especially everything at one time." Readers of Windy Johns Me 'N Tut" can only hope.
###