‘I wanted to tell this story’

Book signing features local author Johnny Burks

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Former Cullman teacher and coach Johnny Burks discusses his new book, “I Just Want You to Know My Name” at a book signing Tuesday night at Cullman City Hall. (Nick Griffin for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Friends of the Public Libraries of Cullman County (FPLCC) welcomed local author Johnny Burks to Cullman City Hall Tuesday night to discuss his newly-published memoir, “I Just Want You to Know My Name.” The book details much of Burks’ experience as a child growing up in foster care, as well as his relationship with his brother, his time playing sports at Hartselle High School and more. As November is National Adoption Month, the group said the timing couldn’t be better for Burks to share his story.

Dr. Tom Oliver, a personal friend of Burks’, introduced him before Burks shared his story and his inspiration for telling it.

“(Johnny’s) book is a story of survival and redemption. It is inspiring from beginning to end and it is particularly appropriate for National Adoption Month,” Oliver said. “This man is truly one of my heroes, and he has many heroes that have helped shape his life as well. He is a great son, a great husband, a great father, friend and teacher. I want you to know his name: Johnny Burks.”

Burks, a former teacher and coach at Cullman Middle and High School, began by talking about his initial inspiration to put his story down on paper. Burks’ father died of lung cancer in 1999, and he considers that event to be the beginning of his writing journey.

“I remember being there the night he died and holding his hand and watching him take his last breath. It kind of took a little life out of me when he was gone, and after that I just felt this urge that I wanted to tell this story,” Burks said. “It was very frustrating in the genesis of it, and my wife Alana was the rock that kind of held me together emotionally because once you start writing about your past, you have to start recalling some painful events.”

Burks’ memoir has been in the making for the better part of two decades. After beginning to work on the project following his father’s death, then stepping away from the book for some time, he revisited it last year and is happy to be sharing his completed work now.

“I had bits of pieces of it typed and printed and I put it in a notebook, and it was just bits and pieces, but I had a floppy disk with all of it on there. But I couldn’t find a computer with a floppy disk drive; they don’t make them anymore,” Burks laughed. “So, I finally found on the internet that they made an external USB I could plug in, so I did that and Voila! there it is. I clicked to look and see when the last time I’d saved the file on that disk and it was May 25, 2003. So, the book actually sat on that floppy disk for 16 years and I’m glad I was able finally get it out and get it out of my head. I’m hoping it’ll be kind of like a therapy for me as I try to release some of these events that happened in my life.”

“I Just Want You to Know My Name” will soon be available on Amazon, or you can get your copy via cash, check, PayPal or Venmo by emailing Burks at johnhenryburks@gmail.com.

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Nick Griffin

nick@cullmantribune.com