Unveiling "Maxine's Story:" Children's Book Honors Legacy of Dust Bowl Survivor

Author Rena Olsen is out with a new children's book about her mother's joy that's been passed down through the generations.

Rena’s book “Maxine's Joy” tells her mom’s story as a Dust Bowl survivor who grew up in Oklahoma and met her husband while he was in the military.

Rena sat down with Dave Davis to talk about the book and what inspired her to write it.

Q: Rena, tell us about yourself. This is your first book.

Rena: “My mom was from Oklahoma, and my dad was from Northern Texas. So, I grew up in Burkburnett, Texas… And when I was 11, my family moved to Casper, Wyoming. My dad went into business with his brother. And so I definitely have, southern, western roots, and now I live in metro Atlanta and have worked in marketing communications.

“I've done a lot of writing in my life and always wanted to write a book and have had a devotional book in the works for a little over a year and a half. and recently launched a podcast called “Uncommon Philanthropist,” where I consider myself a philanthropy evangelist.

“My platform is to encourage people to get involved with volunteering and serving and loving our neighbors to help make the world a better place. So along the way, I had multiple conversations about my mom, Maxine, and how I'd lost her to Alzheimer's 28 years ago.

 “I always had a desire on my heart to do something to honor her life. I had never done an Alzheimer's walk or had never really made an effort to raise any money in the fight against this terrible, terrible disease. And it just, you know how you call yourself out and I was like, okay, figure it out, do something. And then I just got quiet with it.

“I was like, okay, what made my mom most special? And I landed on her joy. And if you would have asked me that when I was growing up, I would not have said that because you know how it is. your mom, when you're in the trenches with your mom.”

Q: To you, what is “Maxine's Joy” about? What do you hope the kids get out of it that their parents are maybe reading it to them and then the parents as well?

Rena: “When I started flushing out my mom's story, it was a lot of hardship. And I get very emotional talking about it because she, you know, she grew up not far from where your viewers are, survived the Dust Bowl, had to leave school when she was in the fourth grade to work in the fields. How that just didn't break her heart, but you know, a lot of people were having to do that.

“But she learned to read. None of it held her back. You know, and somehow in the book, her heart is depicted, it's visible in every scene, and when times are good, her heart is big and glowing and shooting off rays, and when times are hard, it's kind of dim, but... I feel like somehow she intuitively knew how to protect that joy and she held on to hope that better days were coming.”

Q: Do you think about that in the times that we're living in, especially on a day like today, just so much has happened, and it just feels like this heaviness. Do you think about her on days like today?

Rena: “She would be crushed like we all are. But she would say, okay, let's get after it. You know, how can we make our families better? It all starts at home, right? With loving your children, loving your spouse, loving your dog, loving your community, getting involved.

“So that was the example she set for me, that we can't just sit around and wring our hands and be afraid of what's happening, that we need to get out there and be a force for good.”

“Maxine’s Joy” is available now on Amazon. All proceeds will go toward Alzheimer’s causes.