Georgia Hubley, a Sun City Anthem resident, laughs as she grabs “Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Resolution,” which has her 10th story published in the series.
Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009 | 11:55 a.m.
Sun City Anthem resident Georgia Hubley thinks over her career as a writer, which she started after she retired from financial management. Now 69, Hubley has been published in 10 "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books and a number of magazines.
Author Georgia Hubley speaks in anecdotes — much like her "Chicken Soup for the Soul" stories.
Ask her a question and she'll delve into a detailed, personal response.
The only difference: the Soul stories are hardly more than 1,000 words. If you're not careful, Hubley will talk you through an epic.
At 69, she has lived an epic and is recording much of it in the stories, which she said helps keep her healthy.
"My mother died of Alzheimer's and it's like, please God, I don't want that to happen to me. I just want to keep my mind alert. And my brother, he is younger than I am, asks me how I remember all these things for my stories. ... I have a great memory."
And that's perfect for true-to-life inspirational stories, which are the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books. The publishing phenomenon started in 1993 and has about 200 books in print. Hubley, a Sun City Anthem resident, has stories in 10 of those books. She has published a story a year in the Soul books for the past decade.
Hubley has strawberry blond hair and a problem with sitting still: She squints her blue eyes almost closed and lets her hands dance in the air.
The Soup books are known for a strict formula: exactly 1,000 words, which comes to three pages in the ubiquitous paper-bound books (often tucked into gift baskets for those who need motivation or consolation). Hubley is strict on word count.
Her most recent one is called "Only a Coincidence" and is featured in the book for 2009 New Year's resolutions. Her story started with a gift she received: a floral silk scarf, and how it made it back around to her after a series of "regiftings." Hubley said her vow to never regift again is the one resolution she's been able to keep.
Hubley retired from more than 20 years in the financial management industry. Her first major publication came in "Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul," published in 1999.
"I was so emotional — oh my eyes swelled up with tears," she said.
That was followed by a Soup succession: Woman to Woman; Weight Loss; Empty Nesters; Mothers and Daughters. Soup for the dieter's soul and to inspire a woman's soul.
Even politicos have souls, though some might argue that. Her story "R.E.S.P.E.C.T.," which chronicles her 30-year romance with a Republican (Hubley is a Democrat), was published in both those Soup books, which came out July 2008. That double printing brought her a nice $600 check.
These days, a Soup story is worth $200 and 10 free books.
Her writing isn't limited to 1,000 words. She can also get it down to six.
Hubley is in the "Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak," edited by Smith Magazine and published in time for Valentine's Day by Harper Perennial. Her six-word love story: "Horoscopes were compatible: divorce court ahead!"
It was pertaining to her first husband, a 17-year marriage that had many successes, despite its inevitable conclusion.
She's been married to her second husband, Nolan, for 30 years. He's a Virgo. She's a Scorpio. It seems to be working out.
Becky Bosshart can be reached at 990-7748 or [email protected].
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