For Lenoir City resident Don Pardue there is just something about writing, and retirement has finally given the writer the opportunity to pursue interests that a busy career once did not offer. Pardue recently released his fifth book, “Random Reflections,” which was highlighted Friday at The Public Library at Tellico Village’s First Fridays for Local Authors series.
Like most writers, life has fueled his past works, but “Random Reflections,” his most recent work, is a “catch-all” of material he did not include in his previous works, Pardue said.
“It’s just a brief reflection on my family plus there are some short stories and poetry in there. So it’s kind of a brief summary of the way things went in my family, but these others are more elaborate,” Pardue said, tapping his hand on his other works.
Other works include “Tom, Dick and Harriet,” a whimsical account of the challenges of aging, “Southern Sanctuary,” a historical fiction mystery, and true-life novels, “Blossoms of Winter” and “Maiden Harvest.”
“We had quite an unusual family. The five boys, and I have to brag a little bit here, but we were all pretty bright, right-brained,” Pardue said. “What motivated me to write (‘Random Reflections’) is I just had some memories I wanted to share with people, and we were an unusual family. For one, being all boys, but we rebelled against our father, and he was a fine man, my dad was.”
Pardue said he enjoys writing true-life novels and the daily hardship of families. Pardue described his most recent publication as a poignant family tale and a collection of short stories and poems.
“The contrasting emotions generated by family love, sibling rivalries, and complex family issues have always inspired me,” Pardue said in his most recent book. “I enjoy writing true stories with a strong moral conclusion in which the characters face great challenges and overcome obstacles to become better people.
“This one is kind of a catch-all of things. It’s got some pretty stupid poetry in it,” he added.
“I’ve always had an interest in writing. I’ve always wanted to write, but I didn’t start until I was about in my 60s, you know. I didn’t have time. You know how it goes,” the 83-year-old said. “I tell you, I’m just as busy now as ever. I still try to exercise and work out and keep on keeping on, as the saying goes. I’m not going to throw in the towel and sit on the front porch and rock.” Pardue spent a career in graphic design, and with the job came travel.
“Because of the diversified kind of life I’ve lived I have a lot of things to write about, I feel,” Pardue, who has called many cities home, said. “I got a pretty good view of the cross-section of people, anywhere from pretty bad people to good people if you want to label them. I’ve associated with ministers, professors, artists, you name it.”
But while he had a bit of what he called “wanderlust,” Pardue returned home to native Lenoir City when he and his wife, Barbara, married.
While he believes “Maiden Harvest” is his best book, Pardue said “Tom, Dick and Harriet” draws to an older crowd.
“A lot of elderly people have bought that ‘Tom, Dick and Harriet.’ It’s kind of a humorous book, but there are a lot of sad memories in there about growing old. Things will happen to you,” he said.
Pardue considers writing more of a hobby and a passion than a means for fiscal gain. He averages two years to write each book. He has written five books in 10 years.
“I spend a lot of time writing and writing is a strange — writing or painting either one is not like doing anything else. You go to work at 8 a.m., and you get off at 5 p.m., and you put four hours into work and you have lunch. If you start writing and you get on a roll, as the saying goes, and ideas start flowing you’ll continue writing until you’re worn out,” he said. “I mean, if it takes 10 hours you’ll keep writing.” Sometimes he has gotten up in the middle of the night to take notes for his books. He even used that note-taking strategy in his graphic design career.
“I had to create different images for the customer, and sometimes it would dawn on me like that,” he said, snapping his finger. Though the advances of technology have proved a challenge to quickly turnaround more works, Pardue hopes to continue writing. He plans to compile short stories for his next book.
Pardue said his motivation is the “completeness” he feels when creating something, whether it be writing a book or painting.
“It’s just extremely fulfilling. It’s almost as if you’re hungry and you feed yourself with something to eat. It’s just very rewarding,” he said. “It fills a void that you have. Maybe all people don’t have it, but I do.
“As an artist, I enjoy rendering expressive landscapes. In an abstract sense, painting and writing are very similar in nature. While the painter uses colorful pigments, the author employs the use of descriptive words and expressions to create his desired image,” Pardue said. “I experience the same exhilarating emotions when I am involved in either of these expressive art forms.
“It is the same. You experience the same emotions when you’re writing and you’re creating something as you do if you’re painting. And only in an abstract sense is that true. The activities are nothing alike but it still comes from in here,” Pardue said, pointing to his heart.
“But I’ll tell you, it’s an exciting life in that I believe if I didn’t have writing or painting I don’t know what I’d do, but it irritates Barbara sometimes because instead of vacuuming the floor I’ll be writing, but I really enjoy writing. It’s my passion — it and painting,” the writer said.
He has gotten to where he doesn’t paint much simply because writing takes up so much time, which he said he doesn’t mind.
“I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have something that I could create,” he said.
His books are available for purchase at various local vendors including American Commissary, Annabelle’s Emporium and Cafe and the Loudon County Visitors Bureau.
