Long-time Charlotte writer Barbara Presnell has a deep interest in history, and this interest is reflected in her work as a creative writer. In her poetry collection Piece Work, for example, she delves into the lives of the textile millworkers who played such an important role in the history of the South. In her latest book, however, she delves into her own personal history. Otherwise, I’m Fine: A Memoir is a moving account of her efforts to come to terms with her suppressed grief related to her father’s death in 1969 when she was fourteen years old. At the time, her mother gathered Barbara and her two siblings together and told them that it would be best for them to get on with their lives and not talk about their deceased father.
Barbara attempted to follow her mother’s advice, but the grief that she felt did not dissipate—it just stayed bottled up. Many years later, Barbara came into possession of her father’s World War II belongings, including his uniform, a scrapbook, and his letters. These tangible reminders of her father prompted Barbara and her siblings to embark on a quest to visit the places in Europe where her father was stationed during his time in the military. Otherwise, I’m Fine tells the story of this quest, but it is also a personal reflection about the history of her family and the importance of renewing family bonds.
I recently contacted Barbara and asked her for more information about her memoir. Here is what she sent to me:
The process of both living and writing the story of the book, Otherwise, I’m Fine, began in 2014 when, along with my brother and sister and two spouses, we researched, planned, and executed a 21-day tour of Europe, following our father’s maps, journal, photos, and the generous offerings of multiple guides. Our father was a WWII veteran (30th infantry division) who entered France at Omaha Beach, D-Day + 6, and was in every major battle across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, finally reaching the Elbe River in Magdeburg, Germany, where he and his company shook hands with officers and soldiers of the Soviet army, and the war was essentially over.
He returned from the war to marry, return to his job at the textile factory in Asheboro, and begin to raise his family. He died unexpectedly in 1969, and in order to face the practical and emotional aftermath of his death, our mother instructed us children not to dwell on his death but to move on. We took her advice to heart, and for over 30 years until her death, we did not talk about him. Our Europe trip became a resolution for unresolved grief and renewal of sibling relationships. We all healed, each in our own way.
The book parallels our Europe journey in 2014 with events before and after our father’s death. One of my goals in the telling was to bring my father back to life on the page, and I hope I did that. The University of South Carolina Press, specifically editor Michael McGandy, saw potential in an early draft and offered objective insights, particularly on structure. The book was released in April 2025. In many ways, it is a raw and vulnerable book, full of emotional highs and lows, but it has been praised for understatement (whew!) and emotional balance. It does have a happy ending. It is, of course, a poet’s memoir, with a focus on language, imagery, and suggestion.
The Charlotte launch was held at the home of Malcolm and Lauren Campbell. Members of the Charlotte writing community, of which I have long been a part, as well as UNC Charlotte faculty and Charlotte family members–my husband grew up in Charlotte and two brothers as well as our son live in Charlotte–filled the Campbell living room on a very rainy Saturday.
As you probably know, I graduated from the MFA Creative Writing program at UNCG and earned an additional degree in literature at the University of Kentucky. Mine has been a career of balancing teaching and writing. In addition to Otherwise, I’ve published five poetry books. I taught writing at UNC Charlotte for twenty years. I spent twenty years prior to that teaching writing–creative, expository, advanced, you name it–to people of all ages at colleges, community centers, state arts programs, and more.
Finally, I will point you to my website, www.barbarapresnell.com. There you’ll find reviews and links to reviews. DO take a look at the magnificent trailer made for me by a Greensboro filmmaker–https://youtu.be/XXw_IUsMGqU?si=hTg5tfcEALqcWwqB (it’s also on the website).
I congratulate Barbara on publication of Otherwise, I’m Fine: A Memoir. It’s an important addition to Storied Charlotte’s growing corpus of memorable memoirs.