Oh, What a Beautiful Morning at the Capitol

Well, this was fun! At the State Capitol the morning of February 27, 2025, our State Rep. Karen Lupton presented House Resolution 375 “recognizing and commending” me as the author of an award-winning coming-out memoir, a longtime Georgia resident, and a professional writer for nearly 45 years.

And, with Ted at my side, a full House Chamber applauded. To top it all off, two fine friends from our church across the street, Central Presbyterian, joined the celebration. Thank you, Kimberly J. Parker and Mark Wallace Maguire, for being there! I am beyond thrilled and humbled that you took time out from your busy work day to join us.

Kimberly is executive director of our church’s Outreach & Advocacy Center, which has served the homeless in downtown Atlanta since 1980. She has done amazing work there for 20 years now. Mark Wallace is Central’s director of communications and a noted author, painter, and musician in his own right. Also a fan of my book, he said after the ceremony, “Telling the truth is so hard. What a way for it to pay off!”

As an author, I can say it’s really wonderful when readers “get” the essence of one’s book! Mark Wallace is one of those readers. I will be forever grateful for his support, encouragement, and friendship through the years.

Other writing cited

The resolution mentions that my memoir won a 2024 Georgia Author of the Year Award by the Georgia Writers Association. It also cites my work as the author of An Aquarium for Georgia: Commemorating the Construction of the Georgia Aquarium, which I wrote in 2005 for the Brasfield & Gorrie construction firm, right after I started my own corporate freelance writing business. Twenty years ago! Wow. How old are we again? 🙂

A little background

It was most kind of Karen to initiate the resolution. We’ve known her since our move back to Atlanta from the north Georgia mountains in 2019. We see her occasionally at a local coffee shop, and she was one of the first readers of my memoir, The Way from Me to Us, when it was published in 2023. In fact, she left a five-star review on the book’s Amazon page. Now that’s what I call caring for your constituents! Thank you, Rep. Lupton!

And more thanks

With all the kudos, there is one paragraph in the resolution, handsomely printed with a photo of the Capitol dome and a gold House of Representatives seal, that touches me most. It reads:

“Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives that the members of this body recognize and commend Mike Coleman upon receiving his 2024 Georgia Author of the Year Award as well as extend best wishes for future health and happiness.”

Future health and happiness … I wouldn’t have expected something so personal in a legislative resolution, but there it is. It’s just … well … nice. And it warms my heart.

Thank you, Georgia, for a wonderful day.