Author Archives: Sheila Morris

About Sheila Morris

Sheila Morris is a personal historian, essayist with humorist tendencies, lesbian activist, truth seeker and speaker in the tradition of other female Texas storytellers including her paternal grandmother. In December, 2017, the University of South Carolina Press published her collection of first-person accounts of a few of the people primarily responsible for the development of LGBTQ organizations in South Carolina. Southern Perspectives on the Queer Movement: Committed to Home will resonate with everyone interested in LGBTQ history in the South during the tumultuous times from the AIDS pandemic to marriage equality. She has published five nonfiction books including two memoirs, an essay compilation and two collections of her favorite blogs from I'll Call It Like I See It. Her first book, Deep in the Heart: A Memoir of Love and Longing received a Golden Crown Literary Society Award in 2008. Her writings have been included in various anthologies - most recently the 2017 Saints and Sinners Literary Magazine. Her latest book, Four Ticket Ride, was released in January, 2019. She is a displaced Texan living in South Carolina with her wife Teresa Williams and their dogs Spike, Charly and Carl. She is also Naynay to her two granddaughters Ella and Molly James who light up her life for real. Born in rural Grimes County, Texas in 1946 her Texas roots still run wide and deep.

in the beginning was the Tower


On August 01, 1966 twenty-five-year-old Charles Whitman drove from his house on Jewell Street in Austin, Texas to the University of Texas campus where he arrived between 11:25 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.. He drove directly to the Tower that was … Continue reading

Posted in Lesbian Literary, Life, Personal, Random, Reflections, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Valentine’s Day murder at local grocery store called senseless


“Unfortunately, this is a situation where tempers flared, and someone let anger get the best of them,” Irmo Police Chief Robert Dale said. “One rash decision has impacted the lives of two families and countless others who witnessed this tragic … Continue reading

Posted in family life, Lesbian Literary, Life, Personal, politics, Random, Reflections, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is, The Way Life Should Be | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

a letter to our granddaughters about love


Dear Ella and Molly, Once upon a time before you were born, before your daddy had even met your mommy, before your Nana and Naynay were your grandmothers, your two Nanas went on a magical first vacation to a land … Continue reading

Posted in family life, Humor, Life, Personal, Random, Reflections, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is, The Way Life Should Be | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

waiting on the next thing smoking


“Her legacy will be cherished by her five daughters, two sons, twenty-one grandchildren, twenty-four great-grandchildren, three nieces and a host of great-nieces, nephews, relatives and friends,” was part of the commentary on the life of a Black woman whose celebration … Continue reading

Posted in family life, Lesbian Literary, Life, Personal, Random, Reflections, Slice of Life | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

cool at the zoo


Collins is in town and wants to go to the zoo, I texted Pretty yesterday afternoon; they’ve invited us to bring Ella and Molly to go with them. Collins is the five year old granddaughter of our good friends Francie … Continue reading

Posted in family life, Humor, Lesbian Literary, Life, Personal, photography, Random, Reflections, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is, The Way Life Should Be | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Wanda came to a city near us!


Wanda Sykes was in Augusta, Georgia Saturday night at the Miller Theater Pretty surprised me at Christmas with tickets to see my favorite comedian Wanda Sykes who did, indeed, come to a city near us this past weekend. Wanda “live” … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Life, Personal, politics, racism, Random, Reflections, sexism, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is, The Way Life Should Be | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Molly, Molly, how do I love thee?


Happy Birthday to our granddaughter Molly Iris who is now one year old! (maternal grandmother Gigi laughs at Molly’s first cake experience) visiting pup Riley happy to make the party – but what’s up with no cake? Molly and her … Continue reading

Posted in family life, Life, Personal, photography, Random, Reflections, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is, The Way Life Should Be | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

prejudice by any other name is still prejudice


Last night I had a conversation with my cousin Gaylen (son of Ray) who lives near the area demolished by a large tornado that swept south of Houston, Texas yesterday. Thankfully Gaylen and his family escaped damage, but I was … Continue reading

Posted in family life, Humor, Lesbian Literary, Life, Personal, photography, politics, racism, Reflections, sexism, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

a man of letters (8) – combat! January, 1945


In the summer of 2018, I published a series of letters my dad wrote during his life. I hadn’t read them since then, but sometimes the war in Europe jars my memories to an earlier war known as World War … Continue reading

Posted in family life, Humor, Lesbian Literary, Life, Personal, photography, politics, racism, Reflections, Slice of Life, The Way Life Is | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

BJU and Me: Queer Voices from the World’s Most Christian University


“Bob Jones University is a Christian, fundamentalist, nondenominational liberal arts school in Greenville, South Carolina. BJU was founded in 1927 by Christian evangelist Bob Jones Sr., who was against the secularization of higher education and the influence of religious liberalism … Continue reading

Posted in Lesbian Literary, Life, The Way Life Is, The Way Life Should Be | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments