Telling stories as an older kid

Brice Odom is a twin; like many twins, he and his brother were inseparable as children – and imaginative, creating an altered reality full of mystery, fantasy and fun. Over their almost 30 years, Brice and his twin, Brett, have enjoyed many of the same activities, but for the ones that did not hold much interest for Brett, he supported his brother with cheerleader zeal, and vice versa.

Writing has been a diversion for Brice since he learned to read and write. Brett is his most discerning critic and an avid public relations guy, pushing his brother to publish his work, to be competitive and to believe in his writing.

In his inaugural effort, “The Light of All Lights,” a collection of short stories, Brice dedicated the book to his family, including mom and dad, Lynn and Brian Odom, for their unfailing encouragement over the years as he completed high school, college and several years of teaching.

Brice considers himself a kid in grown up clothing, an “older kid” that sees his surroundings through the lens of his own imagination; from that fertile ground, he spins his tales of tough guys, heroes and losers. His title comes from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” a sophisticated example of a genre that also holds the writer in its thrall.

There is no angst in Brice’s writing; in fact, his tongue in cheek humor can be found in a sampling of the occult tale “The Knights of Orion.” His lifelong interest in sports and a stint working in the archives section of the shuttered Georgia Music Hall of Fame are woven into this entertaining first book by another Macon author who finds plenty of stimulating and scintillating subject matter right here in his hometown. Look for it on Amazon.

HISTORIC MACON FOUNDATION HONORS PATRONS

Historic Macon Foundation’s annual tribute to its patrons, who do the heavy lifting year after year in raising money and in investing sweat equity in the organization, was held this year in the grand atrium of the Tubman Museum. Andy Ambrose, executive director of the Tubman, was the gracious host on Thursday for an evening of music and of delectable food, with libations. Natasha Phillips’ Fountain of Juice, that catered the event, had its hands full replenishing the stations with unusual and hearty canapes, which were obviously a big hit.

Ed Clark’s EKC quartet entertained the honored guests with its special brand of jazz, spiced up with a little rock ‘n’ roll and with KMO’s bluesy guitar. The foundation’s staff made sure there was plenty of room for dancing; however, the timid crowd wasn’t stirred to action even by several sultry Latin tunes.

The patrons party usually is held in a historic home or in a location of significance to the preservation mission of Historic Macon Foundation. However, partnering with another jewel in Macon’s crown of historic repositories was a great experience, especially for some foundation members who have not had the leisure time to explore the exhibits at the Tubman. A collection of “Untold Stories,” documenting significant people and events relevant to African-American history, was open for the evening and well attended by many of the foundation’s patrons.

STUDENTS’ ART FROM THE GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR THE BLIND

For its monthly exhibition of local artists, the Goodwill store on Forsyth Road displayed the work of students from Kristen Applebee’s art classes at the Georgia Academy for the Blind. Most of the artists represented are in elementary school or middle school and most of the work is handmade from paper, metal, fabric and other textured materials. The show opened on Thursday and will be in the store until Feb, 22.

Chance Moorman, a popular volunteer at the academy, was featured guest soloist on guitar, for the opening reception for which Helms Institute, the Goodwill culinary school, prepared the hors d’oeuvres.

The creative metal “quilts” and geometric collages made by Applebee’s students were complemented by woven rag rugs, small enough to use as wall hangings, and made by students in neighboring Wesleyan College’s art department. The rugs are made from fabric strips of cloth recycled from Goodwill’s culled items; they are reminiscent of the handmade rugs so popular in the middle 20^th century, which are now enjoying a resurgence as “retro” design.

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 7:26 PM with the headline "Telling stories as an older kid."