Many people dream of one day seeing their name on the cover of the first book they have written. For most of them, a dream is as far as the idea will ever go. Mary Dailey is living that dream.
Dailey's book, titled "In My Comfort Zone," is a collection of poetry written over the years of her life. Her journey is reflected throughout its pages, from her childhood in Atmore to the present day.
Dailey, who has spent 25 years as a supply systems analyst at AMCOM's Integrated Materiel Management Center, is one of 11 children. While her parents were not wealthy, they managed to raise their kids comfortably through hard work and careful money management.
"I come from a very loving and close knit family," she said. "My father was able to provide a comfortable life for us. My mother was a seamstress and licensed beautician. They did a whole lot more with less."
The love of the outdoors she knew as a child fills her poetry with vivid imagery. With her gentle insistence, it's easy to smell the honeysuckle and hear the crickets. She speaks of the haven that still shelters her in moments of need.
"Whenever I face any type of difficulty in my life, I try to think comforting thoughts," Dailey said. "They always take me back to my childhood. I had such a happy childhood. I wanted to capture those memories in this book."
She began writing poetry as a child. Describing herself as a very shy girl, she used writing as a way to express herself. While she overcame her shyness as she grew into adulthood, her passion for writing stayed with her. When it came time to select which poems would go into the book, she had a lot to choose from.
"I had over a hundred," she said. "I started compiling the ones for the book about four or five years ago."
She decided to divide the book into the four categories of love, life, spirituality and folklore. While the stories she tells are personal, they touch on universal themes. Dailey believes that a poem doesn't always have to be serious. The folklore section tells stories of the people who made life in Atmore colorful.
"One of the poems I love is called 'The Night Junior Lee Turned into a Cat.' It deals with my cousin, who was an alcoholic," she said. "My grandmother had chickens. Aunt Mabel ran a juke joint. They were the people and things that fascinated me."
Because some of her poems talk about real people, some friends cautioned her about using them in the book. She chose to do so anyway, hoping that the people named can see the beauty and humor in the tale.
"Many of them have passed on now," she said. "I've talked to (the families) and they've been happy to see them remembered."
The publishing of this collection is a lifelong dream for Dailey. Seeing the first edition in print was an emotional experience.
"It was such a sense of accomplishment for me," she said. "I can't even describe it. I'm going to leave something for my children that they can pass on to their children."
Her first public event for the book was held where it all began, back home in Atmore.
"I had my first signing there," she said. "It is the comfort zone I talk about in the book."
She is preparing for her next book. She is working with her youngest brother on a novel. While the plot details are still being worked out, she said it will be about love and romance.
She will have a book signing Saturday afternoon from 2-4 at the Huntsville Public Library. She looks forward to seeing "In My Comfort Zone" on more and more shelves. She anticipates it gracing local booksellers soon. Meanwhile, copies of the book are available from Dailey and online at www.lulu.com.
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