Former Bedford resident and Christian writer Michelle Medlock Adams simply wasn't expecting the honor that came her way a few days ago.

She was sitting in a room with about 250 others who had signed up to attend the annual Write to Publish Conference in Wheaton, Ill. She knew that two awards would be presented during the course of the evening but simply figured those were for somebody else.

She remembers the shock she experienced when the woman responsible for presenting the awards called out the name Michelle Medlock Adams as the winner of the award for Writer of the Year.

Adams remembers thinking, "Those are all three of my names."

It was time for her to step forward to claim her honors for what conference organizers had deemed the best work published since 1998.

"I couldn't get my legs to move...," Adams said this week from her home in Fort Worth, Texas. "I didn't even think I had a chance. When they announced my name, I couldn't move."

Adams finally put her legs in motion and claimed the honors awarded to her for a book called Living the Love Chapter. She particularly values the book because it includes stories about people in Lawrence County where she grew up.

She said, "To know that a book I've written about people in my hometown... touched the panel of judges so deeply, I was very honored."

Although there were more than 250 people at the conference, Adams isn't sure how many were up for the Writer of the Year Award. But the number did include writers with some impressive credentials, including W.L. Cati, whose book called Married to Mohammed came out on Sept. 10 and is receiving considerable media attention in the aftermath of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks.

Living the Love Chapter was released in November by Lion's Head Publishing and, Adams said, "features 15 stories of love in action."

Adams was in Bedford in January to sign copies of that book and others she has written. She said at the time of the book signing, "The book takes readers on a love journey, bringing to life every attribute of love that is listed in (the Bible's) 1 Corinthians Chapter 13."

She added, "Each chapter highlights a different love attribute, such as 'love is patient,' showing real people putting love into action. And many of those people live in Lawrence County—people I've encountered growing up in Bedford—people I met when I was a reporter for the (Bedford) Times-Mail, people who made a significant impact on my life."

Adams listed the Lawrence County residents who are among the people featured in the book.

They are:

• Vera Whitehead of Bedford.
• Brunswick Broadview bowlers (including Jeri Cain and Marilyn Heady).
• Former Bedford resident Walter Medlock, the author's father, who followed her to Fort Worth and lives there now.
• The late Ivan Hunter of the Norman community.
• The late Joe Ingle, who lived in Tunnelton.

Adams worked as a Times-Mail staff writer from 1992 to 1996. She is married to Jeff Adams and they have two daughters, Abby, 9, and Allyson, 7.

She said of her children, "They are quite excited that their mom won the award."

But Adams added the reason for her children's excitement is the fact the honor included a $150 cash award, which she spent on a Play Station 2 for the girls.

Adams's latest literary project is a book on the names of God, with emphasis on stories of divine intervention.

Adams's books are available at Lighthouse Christian Bookstore south of Bedford and at the Bedford Bible Bookstore. Other Adams titles are Why I Love You, God; Little Lessons From a Big God; Sister for Sale; and United We Stand: Real Kid Heroes.

The titles sell well in Bedford, according to Mary Maynard. She and her husband Danny own the Bedford Bible Bookstore. She recalled that the January book signing brought in a number of customers, and said of Adams, "She's a very outgoing person and has befriended everybody in town, pretty well."