McCOLL – An upcoming book signing will help a McColl family continue their son’s legacy.
In May, Brenda and Stevie Barfield published a book written by their late son, Brian Daniel Barfield.
His mother, Brenda, said the publication of “Wally the Whale” was a way of letting people know how special Brian was. “This book will help keep his memory and legacy alive,” she said.
On Oct. 29, the Friends of the Marian Wright Edelman Public Library and Barfield will host a book signing in the Kinney Room of the library from noon-2 p.m.
Barfield will read the book, host a discussion, and have signed books for sale. She said pre-purchased books may also be signed at the event.
A portion of the sales will be donated to the Friends of the MWE Library.
Brian, who lived in New York, had always wanted to be a writer. One of his first works was Wally the Whale.
Barfield said Brian had started at a two-year college for physical therapy because he loved helping people. He loved to volunteer.
After his death in October 2020, Barfield went through some of his things and found a crayon draft of the story in the spring of 2021. His mother had it published.
The publishing company took some of Brian’s drawings and enhanced them. Barfield said they used his color crayon illustrations and digitally enhanced them, but a lot of the drawings in that book were actually drawn by Brian, his dad, and his grandmother, Lucky Barfield. The three had sat down one day in 2010 and did illustrations in a rough draft using crayons. Barfield said she was glad they published the book because it was a way to keep their son’s legacy alive.
“We didn’t do it for fame or money,” she said. “We didn’t do it for attention. We did it for our son to keep his memory alive.”