Barbara Presnell
A daughter's story of unresolved grief and a family's hard-won healing
"There is beauty and warmth in Presnell’s writing. It feels soulful."
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--Kelly Kolodny, Southern Literary Review
When her husband Bill died in 1969, Tina Presnell gathered her three children. "We won't talk about this," she said. "It will be easier that way." In 2012, several years after her mother's death, Barbara Presnell recovered her father's World War II belongings: a scrapbook, news clippings, documents, and letters. Recalling how much his war experiences had meant to him, Barbara, along with her estranged brother and sister, planned a journey to travel their father's route through Europe. From Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, to the western bank of the Elbe River in Magdeburg, Germany, the siblings would follow the movements of their father's division and rediscover his stories, share memories, and renew family bonds.
In Otherwise, I'm Fine, Presnell tells the story of her grief and, across her tour of western Europe, the breakthroughs that released her from recurring depression, resolved her conflicted grief for her mother, and returned her beloved father to her and her siblings as a living memory.
Video by Wild Camp Media
"This is a beautiful book."​
—John Lane, author of The Father Box
A lifelong Southerner, Barbara Presnell studied writing and literature at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Kentucky and, after years of teaching both, she is Senior Lecturer Emerita at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is drawn to stories of the ordinary becoming the extraordinary, the unknown and unimportant becoming the hero, women, men, and children--all of us--doing our best to make meaning in a complicated, difficult, beautiful world. She lives in Lexington, North Carolina, with her husband, Bill Keesler, and rescue dog, Colby. Her adult son and his family live nearby, and her two hilarious grandsons share her loves of building, making, exploring, and reading.
The book is launched!
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Celebrating the publication of the book with hundreds of friends, family, and neighbors old and new has meant gatherings, readings, workshops, laughter, tears, ice cream, champagne toasts, and more! Otherwise, I'm Fine has now set sail on a calmer sea of events, like lunches, classes, and book clubs. I love the intimacy and interest of these small groups, where everyone has read the book and everyone has a question.
If you'd be interested having me meet with your group to discuss the book, email me. Let's make it happen!
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Upcoming Classes
May 17, 2:00 p.m. Lexington Library Annex
602 S Main St, Lexington, NC (336) 242-2040
The Lexington launch is sponsored by the Friends of the Lexington Library! Antionette Kerr, editor of Davidson Local, will interview Barbara as well as her brother, Edwin and sister Ellen. Barbara will read from the book and will be happy to sign your copy.
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Event coordinator: Rosa Terry, President, Friends of the Lexington Library
John C. Campbell Folk School
Brasstown, NC
March 22-28, 2026
Everyone has a story to tell. You may want to write your whole life story, or you might have a specific experience you yearn to preserve in words. Start by finding tales within the many chapters of your life, then practice elements of storytelling, character, plot, scene, setting, dialogue, detail, and more. Join us in this idyllic setting to explore your memory and mine those stories that are the gems of your life. By the end of the week, you will have a finished piece and the skills and plan you need to continue.
The Folk School Experience
The Folk School’s immersive and non-competitive environment is perfect for exploring your creativity or building confidence in your craft. Our small-sized classes are taught by expert instructors who make you feel at ease right away, guiding students with joy and understanding. Most of our sessions begin on Sunday and run through the following Saturday. Classes run for six hours a day—but don’t be surprised if you find yourself staying late or coming back to your studio in the evenings!
April 22, 7:00 p.m. Linbrook Heritage Estate near Asheboro
5297 Snyder Country Rd, Trinity, NC 27370
Join Barbara and hometown friends, neighbors, and family, right where the story began, to celebrate the release of Otherwise, I’m Fine. Hosted by RhinoLeap Theatre and Friends of the Library.
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Event Coordinator: Carey Durham 919-971-8073​
Providence United Methodist Church
Charlotte, NC 28211
January 31, 2026 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
While the narrative arc offers practical possibilities for shaping your story, not all memoirs fit so neatly into that structure. Your goals of maintaining tension and keeping your readers engaged can be achieved in other ways. Maybe your life story is more like a board game--a sort of Indiana Jones experience where our hero encounters obstacle after obstacle in search of the treasure. We will look at several ways of shaping a story to find the structure that seems most natural, all while building tension and engaging the reader.
Charlotte Writers Club
Founded in 1922 by Mrs. A.L. Kimball to fill a local void, the club now serves over 300 members, ranging from beginners to well-known authors. CWC conducts over 50 events per year. The 9 monthly meetings and 14 writing workshops are led by experts in their field. CWC offers 7 writing contests, 12 open mics, and 9 FREE Virtual Writing Salons. The friendly community creates a supportive environment for poets, memoirists, essayists, short story writers, screenwriters, and novelists.
