Alumna asks readers to ‘Forgive Us This Day’

New Year’s resolutions are often made to be broken.

They are usually empty promises made in a champagne induced haze and are usually forgotten by sunset on Jan. 1.

But not for everyone.

When Barbara Williams made a New Year’s resolution in 2004 to write a novel, she meant it.

Two months later, she had completed over 200 pages of her book, “Forgive Us This Day” and now, almost a year later, she is prepping for book signings and interviews.

Williams is a Florida A&M University alumna and Tallahassee resident who earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from the University.

Although Williams studied education, she said she has always been a lover of the written word.

So, after years of reading Terry McMillan, Michael Baisden and Eric Jerome Dickey, she decided to add her name to the list of black authors writing about love.

After writing many newsletters and articles, she wanted to try to produce a longer piece.

“I wanted to try and see if I could do it. I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do a full-length novel,” Williams said.

And that she did.

“Forgive Us This Day” is a love story that centers around a married couple who live an almost perfect life until one day their relationship is shaken on its head.

The story describes their struggle and ultimately, their love for one another.

As an avid reader of romance novels, Williams said she wanted to tell a story that often went untold, that of the married couple.

“The novels are usually about single people looking for love and going in and out of relationships. I wanted to show a positive, loving black married couple. I wanted to show that married people can be in a committed relationship and be romantic,” Williams said.

Donna Austin, author of “My Christian Diary” and whom Williams calls an inspiration, said that she was in awe of how her friend transformed into a published author, almost overnight.

“It was like the idea for the book came to her one night and was there the next morning,” Austin said.

But, according to Williams, the process wasn’t that easy. She said the hardest part was coming up with an ending.

“I had to put all of the pieces together in the end and make it all fit together,” Williams said.

Once the novel was completed, Williams shared it with friends, who convinced her to get it published. Then, she went on a search for a publisher. But she was greeted with roadblocks and red tape.

“I decided to go on my own and basically do everything myself,” she said.

Once again, almost overnight, Williams earned another title: Publisher.

She said went to self-publishing workshops, read books and found people on the Internet from whom she could get tips.

“It’s a lot of work, you have to really study the business,” Williams said.

Austin said that it is in Williams’ nature to go full steam ahead with everything she does.

“It doesn’t surprise me one bit that she has gotten to this magnitude,” Austin said. “It is how she is. She was someone one day, and the next day she’s a publisher.”

Williams said although getting the book published wasn’t easy, but that didn’t discourage her.

Now, Williams, a publisher, author and visionary, is ready to share her “classic love story” with the world. She will appear on WTAL 1450 AM’s “The Woman In You” show at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 1. She will also have a book signing at the B.L. Perry Library on Dec. 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Copies of “Forgive Us This Day” are available on her Web site, http://www.barbarajoewilliams.com.

“Forgive Us This Day” is already loved by the few who have read it.

“It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” Austin said.

Contact Raina Mcleod at famuanlifestyles@hotmail.com