The quest for joy is nothing new for Mary Katherine Backstrom; in fact, it’s fair to say it’s been a dominant theme in her life. So it’s no surprise that
Bill Perkins it’s the topic of her upcoming book, “Crazy Joy: Finding Wild Happiness in a World that’s Upside Down,” set for release Aug. 30 from Worthy Publishing. For instance, as a band member in the drum line at Northview High School, Backstrom and some other drummers adopted a white rabbit they tucked away in a practice room in the back of the band room.
The rabbit, Rimshot, evaded detection for a while, but one afternoon on the practice field band director Tim Gilley addressed the band to warn members of the large white rat discovered in the band room. “It was so big it took several wallops to kill it,” Gilley said. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny Studio “I began to cry, and Mr. Gilley shouted, ‘I knew it had to be you, Mary Katherine! You have to evict that rabbit!’” People are also reading… Backstrom punctuates her tale-telling with copious giggling, and a listener cannot help but smile. It’s the sort of infectious glee that built a following to her blog and viral YouTube interludes, and led the best-selling “Holy Hot Mess: Finding God in the Details of this Weird and Wonderful Life,” an appearance on the Ellen Show, and a book tour that will bring her home in time for her 20th Northview High School reunion. She’ll be signing books at Barnes and Noble in Dothan Saturday, Aug. 27, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. A portion of proceeds from pre-release sales will go to National Child Advocacy Center, for which she has raised more than $20,000. Backstrom’s writing deals with issues such as faith, faith, and mental illness, and, of course, joy, which she weaves into her discourse. She’s looking forward to her stop in Dothan, where she credits her Northview teacher Ruth Hooks with inspiring her to write, and her experiences with shaping a perspective of humor. Bill Perkins is editorial page editor of the Dothan Eagle and can be reached at bperkins@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7901. Support the work of Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com.When: Saturday, Aug. 27, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Bill Perkins Follow Bill Perkins Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
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