The Selma Times-Journal

As a little girl, Tina Price dreamed of being a writer. In the second grade she wrote her very first poem titled, “What Education Means to Me” and her love for writing was born.

Today, Price is celebrating the release of her first book, “21st Century Psalms and Poetry with Acronyms of Inspiration.”

“Am I excited? Yes. Am I nervous?

Yes. Am I getting rid of books? Yes,” Price said.

Published by the Selma-based company Ufomadu Consulting and Publishing, Price’s book aims to “encourage Christians to activate and use their talents to glorify God.”

An administrative assistant at the Dallas County Chamber of Commerce, Price said everyone should tap into their passion, the gifts that God bestowed upon them.

“People die and never live because they didn’t use their talents,” she said. “They let things stagnate in them.”

Price began to truly hone her writing talents when she moved to Selma in 1998. She said the joys and tragedy of life in Selma inspire her writings that include short stories as well.

“My writing is based on different experiences I’ve gone through since I’ve been here,” she said.

One of Price’s poems titled “One Last Tuck” tells the story of parents who had to deal with the untimely death of their son.

Youth and women also inspire Price. She believes women are still viewed as second-class citizens in today’s society and said it is up to them to find fulfillment within themselves.

Price has plans to write a children’s book titled “The Cloud Family” and said she would love to get children in the community involved in the project.

“I see a lot of youth walking with their heads down and they need to be encouraged and lifted up because they are our future,” she said.

Price said she is fascinated by acronyms. To take a common word and use it have a deeper meaning, she said, led her to write her new book.

“POP,” a poem featured in the book, stands for “Paean of Praise.” In this poem, Price shouts and sings to world about being saved by God and goes “down the ‘Soul Train Line’ just doing the POP!”

On Nov. 27 at Crosspoint Christian Church on West Dallas Avenue, Price will kick of her first book tour, the Harvesting the Servant’s Talent Tour. Other stops on the tour include Montgomery, Marion, Livingston, Birmingham, Mobile, Anniston, Uniontown, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

“As for beginnings, Selma holds a special place in my heart and there is no other place to begin this tour than in Selma in the company of friends and loved ones,” she said.

State Senator Hank Sanders and Mayor James Perkins Jr. are scheduled to attend the event and have agreed to read one of Price’s poems.