"She is a woman of many passions!"

   Introduction of Anne McCrady to a conference audience

Anne McCrady believes in life! With a wide range of interests and, yes, passions, it is no surprise that she fills every day with activity. A poet, writer, speaker, storyteller, naturalist, spiritualist, social activist as well as daughter, wife and mother, Anne welcomes every moment, believing that our lives are gifts meant to be shared with others. Anne's company, InSpiritry, was founded on that belief.

Learn more about Anne and her many passions!

SPEAKER

A lifelong lover of language and stories, whether in a conference hall or a classroom, a Sunday service or a museum gallery, Anne McCrady's compelling message of InSpiritry leads audiences to open their hearts, see the beauty as well as the needs around them, celebrate creative ideas, live courageously and be a source of good in the world. Able to combine instruction, inspiration and entertainment, Anne always gives audiences a hopeful perspective and food for thought.

Here are just a few of the venues where Anne has appeared:

• Schools - Workshops, Storytellings, Readings, Chapel Talks
• Colleges - Keynotes, Motivational Lectures, Readings
• Churches - Sermons, Readings, Luncheon Programs
• Literary Groups - Workshops, Readings, Reviews
• Museums & Libraries - Workshops, Readings, Fundraisers
• Civic Groups - Motivational Speeches, Readings, Storytelling
• Conferences - Seminars, Workshops, Keynotes, Readings, Emcee

Anne at her InSpiritry Desk

POET/WRITER

From her earliest recollections, Anne McCrady has been fascinated by language, reciting nursery rhymes as a toddler and writing poetry as a child. As a teenager, she discovered the power of storytelling and found that she enjoyed public speaking. Since then, her heartwarming stories, poems, essays and devotionals have been published in both online and print journals including Borderlands, High Grade, Lilliput Review, Devo'Zine, Entre Nous, The Midwest Poetry Review, RE:AL, Mediphors, Sweet Annie and Sweet Pea Review, Aries,

Di-verse-city, Poetry.com, The Touchstone, Suddenly, Langdon Review, Windhover, The Enigmatist, Borderlands, New Texas, Texas Review, Texas Poetry Calendar and the Texas Observer.

Her poetry and creative nonfiction have also been included in American and international trade anthologies such as: Essential Love; The Freedom Anthology; My Heart's First Steps; The Book of Hopes and Dreams; Miracles of Motherhood; Cup of Comfort for Single Mothers; Dog Blessings; Big Land, Big Sky, Big Hair; and, in 2010, Cup of Comfort for a Better World. Though varied in subject matter, Anne's work often explores the challenges, blessings and transformative process of "living with an open heart."

Her poetry collection, Along Greathouse Road, was the 2003 winner of the Edwin M. Eakin Book Publication Award sponsored by the Poetry Society of Texas. It was printed in 2004 by Eakin Press and is now available as a double CD audiobook produced by InSpiritry Publishers. Her peace manuscript, Under a Blameless Moon, won the Pudding House Chapbook Contest, a national competition that included a cash prize and publication in 2008. She has also won the coveted top poetry prizes of the Poetry Society of Texas, the Therese Lindsey Award, and the Founders Award offered by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies.

As comfortable on stage as she is on the page, Anne has authored many of the stories she tells in her presentations. One of those stories, a simple but thought-provoking inspirational parable with included questions for discussion, Kevin and the Seven Prayers, is available as a small giftbook (InSpiritry Publishers, 2005). Anne's current writing efforts include poetry collections, narratives for oral storytelling, children’s manuscripts, text for worship and non-profit use and continuing political and social commentary as material for her blog and podcasts.

Anne is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, East Texas Writers Guild, the East Texas Writers Association, the Rusk County Poetry Society, the Poetry Society of Texas, the National Federation of State Poetry Societies and the Writers League of Texas. As a way to encourage other poets, Anne serves as a councilor for the Poetry Society of Texas and coordinates an annual student poetry contest for the Rusk County Poetry Society in East Texas. Anne is a frequent judge and critic for writers' groups and offers poetry lessons online at the East Texas Poetry website.

Her writing honors include:

Besides the publications mentioned, Anne’s commentary, personal stories and letters to the editor have appeared in major newspapers, magazines, newsletters and online sites, as well as on National Public Radio, Frontline, Fox News Radio and Air America. She also enjoys writing material for non-profit promotion, contemporary worship, corporate communication and mission-based marketing.

STORYTELLER

Anne McCrady has been delighting audiences with her East Texas accent and original storytelling for nearly two decades, as she brings the poetic magic of language and music to traditional, personal and original narratives. Equally comfortable on a back porch with friends, an amphitheater stage, a classroom floor or a conference platform, Anne keeps audiences spellbound with her energy and passion. Having been known to use her guitar, percussion instruments, scarves, puppet boxes, string figures and even dance steps to enliven her stories, each performance is a treat.

Anne has been a featured storyteller at:

• Rusk County Heritage Syrup Festival
• The Squatty Pines Storytelling Festival
• Henderson County Heritage Festival
• The Texas Living History Day
• The Texas Storytelling Festival
• The National Storytelling Conference

As a storyteller, Anne is a member of the National Storytelling Network, the Tejas Storytelling Association and the East Texas Storytellers.

INSPIRITRY

In 2003, Anne was searching for a descriptor to include all her creative endeavors, something that would be evocative of her belief in rekindling the creative spirit of individuals and organizations as a path to the Greater Good. The result was a coined word, InSpiritry®. Since registering it as her moniker, she has taken it as the name of her publishing house, her website and blogcast, her mission and her ministry.

As the founder and principal of InSpiritry, Anne encourages those who Work for the Greater Good. To that end, InSpiritry offers three product lines:

InSpiritry Productions

Inspirational presentations and keynotes

Workshops, seminars, retreats and conference facilitation

Poetry readings and storytelling performances

InSpiritry Communications

Compelling content for corporate, non-profit & worship materials

Mission Marketing™ consulting

Organizational story development

InSpiritry Publishers

Small press publication of poetry, narrative & creative nonfiction

Support of uplifting, progressive writers

Print, Audio, Speaking & Web content

Kevin & the Seven Prayers and Along Greathouse Road audiobook

 

COMMUNITY LEADER

Not just a proponent of open-hearted living, but someone who tries to be a daily example, in the past two decades, Anne has enjoyed community volunteer efforts, elected public office and mission outreach including serving the:

In partnership with her husband Mike, Anne’s philanthropy also extends to include various social, political, educational, medical, cultural and environmental groups as well as annual scholarships to local high school seniors, including:

• The First Up Scholarship for Students Who are the First in their Family to go to College
• The Legacy Scholarship which honors Students Who Have Had to Work Especially Hard to Overcome Obstacles
• The InSpiritry Scholarship given to a Student with Dreams of Changing the World

Anne has also had the honor of being named a:

• Henderson Independent School District Lion Pride Award Winner
• Henderson Independent School District EAGLE Mentor
• Rusk County Chamber of Commerce

           Louise Jacks Outstanding Young Woman of the Year

• Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow

Anne’s politics of possibility and sense of global citizenship have led to her put words to work for the Greater Good on behalf of a wide range of issues including education, race relations, poverty issues, women’s empowerment, environmental wisdom, healthcare, social justice, rural issues, family support and creative non-violence. She has been active in local, state and national politics for many years and encourages those who resist boundaries to embrace creative problem-solving, collaborative solutions, compassionate policies and courageous action.

Anne with Betty Elder Founder of the Yates Park School Supply Project

PERSONAL

Often outdoors in workboots when she is not on the road or in her studio writing, Anne lives on six acres in rural East Texas in a house of stone and light under the shade of hundred-year-old trees with her friend and husband, family physician Dr. Mike McCrady. She cites her mother and all the strong women in her life as models for her endeavors and draws joy from a sacred circle of friends and relatives, especially her amazing adult children: Dr. Kate and Phillip Hawkins, Andy McCrady and Patrick McCrady.

Educated as a scientist and ever a student, Anne's avocations include gardening, guitar, cooking, dancing, reading and walking in the woods. She is involved in the "politics of possibility," "Working for the Greater Good" and "Serving a Greater God." For inspiration and guidance, she looks to the lives and sacred writings of Jesus Christ, Saint Francis of Assisi, Mahatma Gandhi, Isadora Duncan, Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Mother Teresa, John Lennon, Martin Luther King, Rachel Carson, John Muir, Barbara Jordan, Jalal al-Rumi, Vaclav Havel, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy & Rosalyn Carter, Mohammad Yunus, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Al Gore, Barak & Michelle Obama and courageous men and women everywhere who work for peace.

When asked to define her personal beliefs, she offers this short poem from her peace chapbook, Under a Blameless Moon:

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When You Practice InSpiritry - You Can Be a Blessing!