Southerner Doris Thomas shares experiences of segregation in the south

Atlanta author Doris Thomas heard about our Artist in the Afternoon event through a friend, panelist Penny Duncan Stephens, and decided she wanted to participate. “My stories are about me as a young girl during segregation,” said Doris.

Doris and Penny are among nine authors featured in Eyes of the Beholders: Life Stories of African American Women. The book is an anthology of stories written by African American women who share their triumphs and tragedies that have brought them to their current state of being.

Below are Doris’ responses to our Authors Questionnaire.  

PrideIndex (PI): Tell us something about yourself no one else knows until now. 

Doris Thomas (DT): I have always wanted to glide (air). 

PI: Name of book you plan to sell.

DT:  Eyes of the Beholders. 

PI: Who is your target audience? 

DT: My target audience is persons interested in African American short stories and African American history. 

PI: When did you first know you wanted to write a book?

DT: My youngest always encouraged me to write the stories I told the family and others. I knew I wanted to write a book after I joined a writer’s group. 

PI: Where did you find your inspiration? 

DT: I find my inspiration in my memories and a desire to share my observations. 

PI: Why did you write this book?

DT: I wrote stories to share historical events I observed growing up in Atlanta, GA. 

PI: How do you nurture ideas from brainstorming until they come to life on paper?

DT: I nurture my ideas by reading and sharing my stories for feedback from others. 

Artists in the Afternoon: Prose, Poetry, & More will take place on Saturday, September 3, at the Metropolitan Library, 1332 Metropolitan Parkway SW, Atlanta, GA, from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. This event is free.