Here is a little information on our upcoming author, Christopher Emil Williams: Christopher Emil Williams was born in Greenville, South Carolina. During his early life, his family lived on his grandmother’s farm in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. He says that his earliest childhood memories were his fondest and best growing up on a 100 acre farm in the country with seven dogs, cows, chickens, and a host of relatives nearby. About the age of three, things would change for the family. On a calm sunny day, Christopher wanted some ice cream. After feeding him a few scoops his grandfather went outside to plow on his tractor. Shortly afterwards there was a loud crash in the backyard. The tractor turned over on his grandfather. Clyde James Saxon died almost instantly. Soon afterwards, Christopher’s father John Williams Jr. became the first black Greenville County teacher of the year. His father was presented with many honors and opportunities including a written commendation from then Senator Strom Thurmond. Life started to return back to normal when thieves broke into their trailer and stole everything that wasn’t bolted down. With Clyde James Saxon being dead and everything stolen from the trailer, everyone saw that it was time to move away and make a fresh start. Things eventually became better for brother Travis and the family soon moved to Orangeburg, South Carolina after spending two years in Beaufort. The things that brought Christopher joy in life during this time were photography, music, model building, and writing. He kept a journal and often would write in it. While at Brookdale Middle School, Christopher decided to enter a writing contest sponsored by the Optimist Club International. Out of the nearly 400 students that were enrolled in school, Christopher won first place. From that point on he decided he wanted to be a writer and follow in the foot steps of his greatest life long inspiration, Aaron Spelling. After graduating high school in 1987 from Orangeburg Wilkinson High School, his father persuaded him to get a degree in graphic communications at Clemson University. Even though Christopher found pleasure in his coursework, he still had a fondness for writing. Before his graduation, he entered a school wide Christmas poetry contest and out of about 100 applicants, he won second place. After graduating from Clemson in 1994 with a bachelor of science degree in graphic communications from Clemson University, Christopher decided to work in corporate America for the first 15 years. After leaving a lucrative job in 2010 while looking for work in a different field, Christopher decided to follow a calling to write his family’s entire family history. He thought it would be a pamphlet and some pictures. But one day while he was at the court house in Laurens County South Carolina, he discovered deeds for Mack Saxon totaling over 575 acres. A few days later while at his parents house, he asked his mother did her great grand father own a plantation. She sighed and told him that his great great grandfather was a plantation owner. Since then his mother and other family members have talked openly about the family history that Christopher has never known for over 42 years. His first non-fiction family genealogy story book Black Blue Bloods. Legacy Of An African-American Plantation Owner, is a story that is a stark contrast from the persecution that most African-Americans endured during the antebellum and post-antebellum period. There are many good times and inspirational stories. Today the novel is in the process of being made into a documentary and motion picture. It seems as though in Christopher’s quest to be a writer like Aaron Spelling, he comes to find his own true voice in Black Blue Bloods, Legacy Of An African American Plantation Owner.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 18:23:02 +0000
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