Betty Travick Ward has always had a passion for writing.The Lady Lake resident who is also a retired language arts teacher shared her passion for storytelling with the public Friday at the Lady Lake Public Library as a part of its Meet the Author Series.
Connecting with members of the public and signing copies of her two published books, “Triple Cross” and “The Porch,” Travick Ward said she was excited for the opportunity to talk about the work that has become her pride and joy.
“I’ve always liked the written word, even at an early age,” Travick Ward said. “I write poems and have so many that I’ve got enough to make a book out of them. Writing books was always something I wanted to do.”
Travick Ward’s first book was published in 2015. “Triple Cross” is a fiction novel that tells the story of Cullen Kincaid, one of three brothers trying to escape the racketeering lifestyle.
She said her second book, “The Porch,” is a bit more personal. Set in the heart of Mississippi, it is the story of a mixed-raced young woman named Sadie. Travick Ward said Sadie not only faces racial prejudice, but she has to learn how to navigate the world and her gift, which is rooted in the African spiritual practice of voodoo.
“Sadie is somewhat a part of who I am,” Travick Ward said. “The book, which is a historical fiction, tells about what I went through in the ’40s. It talks about the hardships that Blacks were facing at the time. But through all of that there’s a love story there. It’s a love story that could have taken place in any state in the United States, but I put it in Mississippi to tell that, though the land was beautiful, the ugliness of the times was just as ugly. The love story transcends a lot of the ugliness of the times.”Travick Ward said the story takes people on a journey that leaves them wanting to make a difference in the real world.
“You may think you have it figured out in two or three parts in the book, but you find out that you came up a little short,” she said. “It makes you see the world for what it is and accept the bad along with the good so that in the future, you understand how to accept the good and leave the bad in the past.”
During the Meet the Author Series, attendees bought signed copies of both books. Travick Ward said the money will go toward printing her next book, “The Whaling Tree.” The book tells of a mixed-raced young enslaved Black man who was born on a plantation and decided to travel south rather than north in search of his freedom.
“The storylines are fictional, but some of the events are true and ingrained in our American history,” Travick Ward said. “Although some accounts may fall a little short, many people 60 and beyond can validate some of these occurrences. The books are also a form of educating some of the young people about what was going on during that time.”
Ruth Patterson, Lady Lake Public Library’s program coordinator, hopes to continue the library’s Meet the Author Series.
“There’s a lot of local writing talent here,” Patterson said. “As more and more people move into The Villages, we have more people coming to the library saying, ‘Hey, I wrote a book. Can you show it here?’ We offer them a platform and I think it’s really important. Sometimes people sidestep local authors because they don’t recognize the name, but those authors have written a lot of great stuff.”
Travick Ward said she hopes her presence at the library inspires others who have a desire to write.
“Writing is an outlet and it’s a form of therapy,” she said. “If you ever wanted to write, I strongly suggest you just write, even if you don’t know the whole picture. Just start writing and see where it leads you. The story will take on a life of its own as long as you finish the story. There’s a great sense of accomplishment.”
For more information about the Meet the Author Series, visit mylakelibrary.org or call 352-753-2957.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
