BHS Alumna Hooker Finds Healing through Writing;Launches First Book
By Trina Runner on February 01, 2021
If one were to ask most authors why they write, one would find some commonalities such as to share a story, to make money, to be remembered, or to make an impact.
Dig a little deeper, and a common phrase, written ironically with poor grammar, surfaces: “I can’t not write.” This compulsion is representative of the power of good characters and stories, ones that simply have to be put on the page.
Like many writers, BHS alumnus Christina Hooker loved to read as a child. She loved, and still loves, to be so immersed in a story that she is transported to the pages, living alongside the characters and experiencing their loves and losses. As she grew older, she found solace in books, a needed escape when she met challenges, a comforting friend, an adventure without leaving the house. She grew to love the language, the learning, and the very art of storytelling.
“I have had so many teachers inspire me and encourage me over the years as I explored writing and language in general,” she said. “Among those at Bridgeport High School are Amy Lohmann, Kitty Post, Julie Tomes and Donna Haddox. They had a huge impact on me, helping me to craft words into stories and to expand my vocabulary as well as my vision.”
As she entered college, she didn’t know what she wanted to be, but she knew it needed to involve words. After a particularly hard year when she was twenty years old, she dropped out of college to persue entrepreneurial endeavors. What followed was a very successful career as a hair stylist, eventually leading to her opening The Hair Apparent, located on Main Street. Although styling hair gave her a creative outlet, it was listening to the customer stories that fed her love of language on a daily basis.
Two years ago, she hit another incredibly low point, both mentally and physically. The stress in her life gave way to illness and she began to lose her words, unable to finish sentences, thoughts or even manage time. In an effort to help herself, she turned back to the comfort of writing.
“At my lowest, writing began to heal me by giving me a sense of control and helping my brain work in an entirely different way,” she said. “I hadn’t written since college, so I initially relied on some of my work from that period. Then I began a ritual of writing every day, even if it was just a sentence, and then reading it to myself aloud.”
As the pandemic surged through 2020, salons were indefinitely shut down. Hooker poured herself into her writing, treating it as both a distraction and a comfort. The more she wrote, the more the story took on a life of its own and the characters simply wouldn’t leave her alone.
“If I didn’t write, I would dream about them,” she said. “Apparently, their story needed to be told.”
The story, Falling Is Like This, is now a printed book set in the heart of Appalachia. A seventeen-year-old girl from Bridgeport is lost and facing the world alone. The Young Adult story deals with modern issues such as broken homes, addiction, loss and the need to be loved. In the story, Sloane, the main character, falls for a tragically wounded musician bad boy. Together, they discover if wounded hearts can break free from a lifecycle of trauma.
Throughout the printing process, Hooker relied on local authors Sasha Hibbs and Amy Denson to help guide her throught the process. The encouragement of her friends and family, namely Jill Steele, proved to be invaluable as they held her accountable to her craft. Although she has not decided to publish the book, the process of writing it was truly healing for her and empowered her to stay true to who she is.
“Creativity is supposed to be fun,” she said. “You don’t have to be good at it, we just need to find what brings us joy and do it.”
For more information, follow @christinahookerbooks on Facebook and Instagram and www.christinahooker.com. She is available for book club discussions upon request.The book also has a spotify playlist with it, details on her page.
“My advice to people is to find what brings you joy and do it," she said. “It can set you free and could even save your life.”
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