Meet Carol Smith Hathaway
Once upon a time, a ten-year-old girl won a writing contest and learned the joy of crafting stories and poetry. After that magical moment, Carol Smith Hathaway began composing stories and poems for her friends and family, describing the antics of her pets and loved ones, and sharing her joy in the written word, while turning a hobby into a passion.
Carol has always sought out life’s funny moments, especially those she found in church on Sunday mornings as she tried to figure out how some people could sing, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” with tight-lipped, stern expressions on their faces. When she had a hard time sitting still, she was drawn to drafting limericks and other satirical poetry. Many of Carol’s stories have been told in these styles, beginning with those early doodles she penciled on her church bulletin to pass the time (especially when the sermon went over twenty minutes).
Carol first wrote Hurry, Scurry, But Do Not Worry in 1997 for her three young children, to teach them about the traditions and organization of the church they attended. Her goal was to share her love of worship thoughtfully in ways children can readily understand, while providing a safe and welcoming space for them to ask questions, like, “What is that funny hat on the bishop’s head?” and “Mom, what is sin?”
Now that her children are grown with children of their own, they are excited for her to share her stories with her grandchildren, too. She asked a long-time friend, Elaine Nunnally, to help bring her story to life with colorful illustrations that enhance the whimsy of the words within. Having completed their first book together, they are beginning work on a new story, to share the joy of choral worship and to help children learn about the importance of praise and singing in church.
Carol has several projects in limited publication, including Advent verses for the Christmas carol, “O Come All Ye Faithful,” which was sung at her church, and a collection of short stories in memory of her parents, entitled Like Boiled Ham. When she is not writing, Carol fills her days either with a grandchild in her lap, or at her desk with a pen and paper, writing poetry and stories that can be sung, read, and shared. After a long career writing corporately, she is having a “grand” time rediscovering the joy of that ten-year-old writer who happened to win a contest.
Carol and her husband, Alden, have lived in many places since they married, but they now call Atlanta, Georgia “home.”
She promises she will never share your information with anyone, ever.