​RONNIE L RICHARDS
Full Circle: A Life Story
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Mae Miller, suffering an aneurysm-induced coma, lies in a hospital bed, her fragile form surrounded by the sterile white walls of the intensive care unit. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor punctuates the silence, a stark reminder of the precariousness of her condition. At her side, Clarence, her devoted husband of fifty-four years, sits in a chair that has become a second home to him during this harrowing ordeal. He gazes at Mae’s peaceful face, hoping for a miracle as memories flood their minds.
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For Mae, this is only one of many times she has had to battle death, a relentless adversary that first entered her life during her childhood. It all began with the catastrophic loss of her mother and infant brother to a tornado that tore their small tenant farmhouse apart, a violent storm that would forever alter the course of her life. The tornado ripped seven-year-old Mae’s infant brother from her arms, leaving her not only with the physical remnants of destruction but also with an emotional scar that would never fully heal, a hole in her heart that echoed the chaos of that fateful day. Years later, the unyielding drought devastated the family farm, a relentless force that drove a wedge between a teenage Mae and her father, whose frustration and despair manifested in harsh words and actions. In search of solace and a fresh start, Mae made the difficult decision to move west to live with her grown sister, leaving behind the memories of a life filled with both love and loss.
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Clarence, a sharecropper’s son, has always been acutely aware of the legacy of hardship that loomed over him, and he is determined to break the cycle of cruelty that marked his father's life. Driven by a deep-seated desire to not replicate the harshness of his upbringing, Clarence faces life’s challenges with an unwavering resolve. Time and again, life throws obstacles his way that test his mettle and commitment to kindness. When confronted with the stark choice of returning to the hated family farm, where his father's cruel demeanor would reign, or seeking a new path elsewhere, Clarence chooses to migrate west, seeking work under the relentless desert sun. This decision marks a pivotal moment in his life, one that speaks volumes about his character and his unwillingness to succumb to the darkness of his past.
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It is in the cotton fields of Arizona in 1938 that Mae and Clarence's paths finally converge. Their meeting is serendipitous, a moment that feels preordained as they toil side by side in the sweltering heat, their shared struggles forging an immediate bond. The hard work in the fields, alongside the backdrop of a burgeoning romance, leads them to marry soon after, embarking on a shared journey filled with hope and determination. Together, they raise a family while tackling life’s obstacles head-on, their partnership a testament to resilience and love. Through the years, they navigate the complexities of parenthood, financial struggles, and the ever-present specter of loss, yet they find strength in each other and in their growing family.
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Full Circle is a poignant narrative that captures all the pathos and sorrow reminiscent of a John Steinbeck novel, surrounded by the full fury of an Oklahoma tornado. It is a story that delves deep into the human experience, exploring themes of love, loss, and perseverance in the face of adversity. Out of the conflagration of their lives, the Miller family finds their way through more than fifty years of dust and dirt, navigating an uncertain future with grit and grace. Their journey is not merely one of survival but of thriving against the odds, a narrative that resonates with the universal struggle to find meaning and connection amidst the chaos of life.
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​Read a Sample of Full CIrcle: A Life Story ~ SAMPLE
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Inspiration Behind Full Circle: A Life Story
Inspiration behind Full Circle: A Life Story ~ As Mae and Clarence Miller's first grandchild, I grew up very close to them. My grandpa was a gifted story teller. I spent many hours of my childhood listening to him talk of how he and granny met. And of the life they built together. When I was young, grandpa was a sand pump boat operator for Dolese in Oklahoma. I often went with him, and occasionally granny would come along with us, to one of the Dolese lakes to fish. I spent many hours listening to his stories while we waited for fish to bite. Those are some of my favorite memories of my maternal grandparents.
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I was in my first semester of my senior year at Oklahoma City University when my granny suffered an aneurysm bleed in her brain. When I received the call, I rushed to the hospital. I got there as the ambulance pulled up with her. I sat with her in a tiny curtained cubicle while we waited for a doctor. She slipped into a coma before the doctor or any other family members arrived. Before lapsing into the coma, she told me what had happened and how it felt. After my granny passed away a few months later in 1993, I got the idea to write their life story, beginning with their childhoods and ending when I was a year old. I decided to weave the story of how my granny died around the story of their past.
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My research of life in the cotton camps of Arizona in the late 1930's revealed how rough life was for the poor. Something my grandpa never spoke about. Also, he had never explained why my granny refused to have her children in the cotton camps. I got the answer when I interviewed my grandpa in his nursing home. I give that explanation in the book.
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I told my grandpa I was writing a book about him and granny. I said I had some questions to ask of him. My interview was conducted with grandpa in his wheelchair parked in the doorway of his room. I sat on the floor, leaning against the wall across the hall, yellow legal pad and pen in hand. I brought with me a list of questions that would help me fill in the gaps in my knowledge of their lives. We talked for a couple hours. I filled 6 legal length pages with notes.
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A few days before my grandpa passed away in 2002, I told him the book was done. I told him I wrote it as a Historical Romance novel. He asked me to use their real names. I did and all of the events depicted happened.