Rosie Harper Austin recently wrote her family history, Portraits of the Past: The History of the Odis Harper Family. While writing it, she knew she would have to write a companion book that described the tales that her father told his children; the result: The Preacher's Tales. The author grew up in Nettleton, MS and attended Jackson State University where she received both the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in English. She received the Doctor of Education degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Houston. Most of her career was spent in higher education in the Lone Star College System in Houston. She is active in several organizations including the Rotary club, her alumni association, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She lives in Houston with her husband, Milton. She enjoys interior and garden design, traveling, reading and antiquing.