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  • Kenneth Breeze discusses memories recorded in his first self-published book, From Barefoot Country Boy to Rocket Scientist. The stories depict country life in Jefferson County during the 40s and 50s. VANESSA WELCH/REGISTER-NEWS

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June 7, 2009

Bluford native pens short story collection

By VANESSA WELCH

vanessa.welch@register-news.com

BLUFORD — Curiosity and creativity are at the heart of more than 30 short stories about Kenneth Breeze and his five siblings the Bluford native has included in his first book, From Barefoot Country Boy to Rocket Scientist.

“It mostly just shows a difference of kids growing up especially back in the 40s and 50s,” Breeze said. “We had to make our own fun. We didn’t have what people have now and we did it all with no money — we didn’t have much money after World War II.”

Breeze spent his early years with four brothers, one sister and their parents living in a house about one mile south of Bluford near Four Mile Creek. The creek, along with Bluford Lake, fed the children’s imagination as they swam, fished and explored. After they found a vacant one-room cabin overlooking the creek, it wasn’t long before the youth finished renovations and camped there many summer nights.

Breeze said he and his brothers also enjoyed helping their father search for scrap metal to sell at a junkyard in Bluford. During one particular trip to a junkyard in Mt. Vernon, Breeze said, “It looked like we were taking as much back home as we had sold,” since the boys had gathered tricycles, wagon wheels and other parts to repair bicycles, create soapbox cars, carts and wagons.

“There were so may things I’ve carried through my life,” Breeze said. “Mostly building things with my hands, experimenting, guns and hunting.”

Following his earliest memories of country life and childhood, the book concludes with three stories of Breeze’s trials and ultimate success of building his own rocket during high school. Trying to keep his experiment a secret from eager classmates was difficult, and eventually a few trips to the principal’s office occurred before takeoff.

Breeze said all of his stories were written in a way that his six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren can understand, and to captivate readers so that “anyone who picked it up would want to finish it.” Eventually, Breeze said he may continue writing stories that lead up to present-day events.

“We’ve [my siblings and I] been very close throughout the years,” Breeze said. “There are some things we did as grown-ups that were just as stupid as when we were kids.”

Copies of the book are available at B&B; News & Hobby Shop or Midway Mart & Crafts in Bluford, or by contacting Breeze at 732-8275.

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