Annie Brown, an associate minister for Joyful Noise AOH Church of God in Sylacauga, will sign her new book from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. today at the Lakeside Hospice Fall Festival, 4010 Masters Road, Pell City.
Brown, a social worker with Lakeside Hospice in Pell City, said her book could benefit both Christians and non-church goers.
Brown, who received her undergraduate degree in social work from the University of Montevallo and her master’s at the University of Alabama in Gadsden, works with terminally ill patients, helping them resolve “pervasive issues.”
She said the ideal or inspiration for her book came one early morning in 2003.
“I woke up one morning and it was in my head and heart, pervasive issues,” Brown said.
She said it’s those pervasive issues that someone can carry for the rest of their life, until death.
“I try to help people who are hurting, not physically, but me mentally and emotionally,” Brown said. “Everybody has issues. No two people have the same ones.”
She said a person may have been hurtful to someone, and they need to make amends or the person was a victim of rape or incest, and they need to confront the hurt and pain that comes with being a victim.
“We’re finding out a lot of veterans have emotional pain from the past,” Brown said.
“It (pervasive issues) can cause a lot of emotional pain. … Everybody has issues. Some people have thrown them in the closet.”
She said her book sends a message that people need to address those “pervasive issues” before they are near the end of their life on Earth.
“Instead of waiting and putting it off, take care of it as fast as you can,” Brown said, adding that it is her desire that people work through their issues so their transition between death and eternity can be smooth, and not cluttered with unresolved conflicts.
Brown has worked with Lakeside Hospice, which is a non-profit that works with terminally ill patients, for the past seven years.
Although the inspiration of her book came in 2003, it was only recently published in August.
“I’ve been working on it for a while,” she said.
Brown said she will have another book signing at the Book Nook, 115 North Broadway Ave., Sylacauga, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 12.
Brown grew up in Alexander City, and worked in the textile industry until 2001, when the textile mills closed their doors and went overseas.
She has four adult children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Brown said her paperback book, which cost $13.95, is also available on Amazon and available at Barnes and Nobles online and at Books-A-Millions.
Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome.com.
