Amid the recent tragic events in Mosses, a bright spot of creativity and hopefulness burns bright.

Celeste Crenshaw has been a resident of Mosses for over 20 years.

Along with her husband and three

children, Crenshaw makes her home there today.

In the past, she has done in-home care for the sick and elderly.

To fill the hours, she began writing – first poetry and then fiction.

Celeste has been published in the past by the National Library of Poetry.

In 1997 her poetry

anthology, "Etches

in Time", won the Editors Choice Award for Poetry.

Crenshaw was at that time elected to the International Hall of Fame for Poetry, and 2001 marks the fourth year in a row that

she has been named their Poet of the Year.

Poetry has not been her only talent.

In 1994, Crenshaw released her first rhythm and blues album.

Since that time,

she has been recording gospel music.

On June 25, she will release her newest album

"Can You Feel My Spirit" on her own label, C"Nice Records.

Crenshaw's latest endeavor

is a novel entitled "Don't Stand A Chance", published by Writer's Club Press.

It tells the story of a young black girl and is "…like the story of a black Cinderella," she says.

The main character, abandoned by her father at age 4 and orphaned at age 14, is left with her ill-tempered, abusive aunts.

After some time, she meets a young man, and in the course of their relationship is taken into his family who give her a first sense of encouragement and hope for the future.

She eventually

earns a law degree and is able to dramatically

impact

the people around her.

She defends five young gang members falsely accused of a crime and, in so doing,

changes the course of many

lives.

There is a sequel in the works and a children's book entitled Samuel Phoebe and the One-Eyed Pirate".

Beyond the darkness of tragedy, Crenshaw is a sign of a

star shining on in Mosses.