Many remember Joyce King from her riveting debut into the literary world with “Hate Crime.” An award-winning broadcast journalist, Ms. King packed up and “moved” to Jasper, Texas and from her experiences, told the story of one of the most horrific murders of our time, the dragging of James Byrd Jr.    In “Hate Crime” Ms. King was in the courtroom but the readers might as well had been in there also as she graphically gave her accounting of the proceedings, as well as the reaction from others in the courtroom and outside.

   In “Forgotten Hurricane,” this master storyteller shined her light on Hurricane Rita.     She even asks the question, “What about Hurricane Rita?”

   Despite the devastation of Rita, which caused $10 billion in damage, the media attention and apparently rescue efforts focused primarily on its predecessor, Hurricane Katrina.     Ms. King is concerned about the damage that Rita has wreaked and she has heard the pleas from Texans who were in dire need of assistance. 

   Through other journalists, she had a clearer picture of the neglect, as well as the needs, of towns that were crying out for help.  She said t-shirts in some East Texas towns explained what FEMA stood for, FIX EVERYTHING MY ASS.  Clearly the agency was not taking care of business and somebody had to do something. Ms. King even reaches out to her “friend,” Texas Gov. Rick Perry, to share her information.  A responsive Mr. Perry is on the job, she says.

    And Ms. King stays on her job as she revisits parts of the state where she now has a second home and where people of all ethnicities are working together, despite a racist past that some aren’t quick to forget.      Ms. King helps the reader to see the human and humane side of Texans as the fight for survival was waged.

    As she is helping Texans, she is also dealing with her own issues. She has filed for divorce, and it’s not an easy time in her life.  Still she forges ahead, a real trooper.      “Forgotten Hurricane” will shed light on the hurricane and the people who survived, as well as those who didn’t.     

    The historical facts, location and names put to faces and communities will keep your interest, as well as watching Ms. King grow from all the experiences.    Her passion shows through on the pages as she shares her innermost thoughts with the reader.

If you have a book you would like reviewed, contact Cheryl at csmith@dallasweekly.com