Book program at Towns Bluff Park

A recent biography of Lumber City author Brainard Cheney will be the subject of a book program at Towns Bluff Park Feb. 18 near Hazlehurst at 6:30 p.m.
Presenting the program will be Stephen Whigham, who has republished Mr. Cheney’s four novels and published several books about him. Mr. Cheney’s books are historical fiction, all related to the Dodge and Telfair county area, circa 1870-1945.
Mr. Whigham grew up in Eastman and graduated from Dodge County High School. Both of his parents were Dodge County natives. He received a History degree from Georgia Southern University and later attended the University of South Carolina, receiving Masters and Specialist degrees in Library Science. He retired from Ocmulgee Regional Library System after working in the library field for more than 30 years.
Whigham’s publishing company, MMJW BookHouse, has re-published Chaney’s novels in hardcover, paperback and ebook versions. MMJW has also published two literary biographies of Cheney, the most recent being Brainard Cheney and the Search for A Hero, by Dr. James E. Young.
In November, 2016, Brainard Cheney was inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame with his nominating speech delivered by Baxley native Janisse Ray. Mrs. Ray’s speech can be viewed on the Hall of Farme’s web site, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozlNikeDKMA. Her speech begins at about the 27-minute mark.