KTVI-TV news anchor and reporter Shirley Washington recently sat down with The American to discuss her first novel, The Diary.
The Diary is a heartwarming tale of a loving husband who secretively plans to surprise his wife with a special gift in honor of their 10-year wedding anniversary, but ends up fighting to save his marriage amid allegations of betrayal and deceit.
“Relationships have always been intriguing to me,” Washington said, with a chuckle. “What makes them work and not work?”
She wrote the book to celebrate all that a family is intended to be, and can be, when there is devotion, love and forgiveness. But people tend to get caught up in pettiness, unwilling to forgive and move on, she said.
“It takes too much energy to be angry and bitter,” she said. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. Use that energy on things that are positive.”
She has been struck by the impact the book is already having on readers.
“A young man who read the book said to me, ‘It made me want to be a better
husband and father,’” she said. “I sort of trembled, because that’s really what it’s all about.”
She has two other books under her belt. She co-authored The Motherhood
Club: Help, Hope, and Inspiration for New Mothers from New Mothers with
Ann L. Dunnewold, a licensed psychologist. She was inspired by her own
challenges as a first-time mother.
“I’m on the phone almost every day calling my mom, ‘Mom, the baby won’t stop crying! What do I do?’” Washington said.
At the time, she lived in Atlanta, miles away from close family and friends in her hometown, St. Louis. After reading several books in the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” series and an unsuccessful library search for information that would help her settle into her new role, she decided to write her own book.
She was led to write her second book, A Gift for Girls: Words of Wisdom from Successful Women, by conversations she had with a group of college students in
Dallas. She found that these students were unsure of themselves and their place in life. So she asked successful women to offer advice to these young women and others like them.
“I love talking with people who have the greatest success stories, because usually you’ll discover that it didn’t happen overnight,” she said. “Whatever it is you want to do, you have to keep working at it.”
Washington, a native of South St. Louis, joined KTVI, a FOX News affiliate, in April 2007. She is an Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist anchoring weekends alongside Elliot Davis.
Washington said she will continue giving back to her community and trying to provide positive guidance in her books. She said, “When you write, you never know how that will impact someone’s life.”
“The Diary” by Shirley Washington is available at eBook retailers.
