Noted author

Tina McElroy Ansa read from her work at the Fayette County Public Library

last Saturday.

The Macon native

kept an audience of nearly 100 persons in rapt attention.

Library director

Chris Snell asked Ansa to speak on the how and why in her writing. The

Spellman College graduate credited her life as the baby of the family

of five siblings with giving her a rich family life to pull ideas from,

as well as encouraging her to write.

"One of

the joys of my life," she said, "was going to the library. Everyone

in my family were always big readers. When Mama would be reading a hard

cover book, sitting in her pink chair, we knew not to disturb her. When

I was small I would look through her book, dismayed that there were no

pictures, just words. At that time I couldn't understand what was so fascinating

about all those words," she added.

"As I

grew older, I realized that there were not a lot of books that related

to the black experiences, in a vocabulary that most would understand,"

said Ansa. "I realized that if writers like myself did not bring

this about, we were at fault.

"It's

synergy. I try to write about what you want to read."

After reading

from her first book, "Baby of the Family," she autographed the

three books currently on the market. A fourth one will be issued next

spring. "Baby" is currently being made into a movie.

Snell explained

a few things about the library: there are 14 workers, including full time,

part time and volunteers; the library is a member of PINES, which allows

any library card holder access to 236 libraries in Georgia; and the library's

annual book sale will be Oct. 6, with children's books placed in a separate

room from adult books.