Frances Fuller grew up in poverty. All of her books belonged to the state of Arkansas. Her mother had a 4th grade education. It is a wonder, then, that Frances became a writer and publisher and left a legacy in the form of an entire body of literature in Arabic, for Arabic children.
From an early age, Frances was a devotee of the American columnist, Ernie Pyle. Committing to a lifetime of missionary work in Lebanon and Jordan combined her two loves: the Christian faith and journalism.
Initially, she worked with groups of Americans as their press representative and reported to America what was happening in Beirut. Soon, she purchased a small publishing house and produced children’s curricula. On one of her furloughs home, she determined to teach others how to write so that the curricula could be produced in Arabic by Arabs for the Muslim world. That was when decided she had to know what the process of writing was in order to teach Arabs how to write. She earned her Master’s degree in English and then returned.
Author of 2 books, we spoke extensively with Frances about her recent memoir.
Takeaways:
- Children thrive in uncertain circumstances when they believe in your passion for your work.
- Journalism is a tool with which to do many things.
- Life during wartime in Lebanon was chaotic but manageable.
Connect with Frances Fuller:
Email: frances0516@att.net
Website: https://inborrowedhouseslebanon.com
Blog: https://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com/blog/
Books: In Borrowed Houses: A True Story of Love and Faith Amidst War in Lebanon
Helping Yourself Grow Old: Things I Said to Myself When I Was Almost Ninety
Connect with Gail & Catherine:
Connect with Gail & Catherine:
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wo70AgingReimagined
Frances Fuller portrayed her book Helping Yourself Grow Old as simple and relatable, which it is. But it is so much more than that. In her book, Frances makes promises to herself and her family about how she will live what remains of her life. Each chapter, each essay is a lesson on retaining one’s power over one’s life even while physical capabilities and situations change. Chapters include resolves such as “I will be responsible for loneliness,” “I will play,” “I will choose my battles,” “I will throw away my own trash,” “I will relinquish control.” I recommend Helping Yourself Grow Old to anyone who plans to grow old or as a gift to friends or family who plan to grow old.