A Good While Back

In this, Olieta Edwards' second book, she shares memories of her childhood, youth, marriage, and family life. Born Olieta Mae Russell in early 1932 in Dent County, Missouri to Ray and Myrtle Russell, she was the oldest of three children. The family lived in rural Dent County during Olieta's early childhood. Olieta, her sister Oneta, and brother Don attended Warfel School, a two-room schoolhouse in which one room served as the grade school and the other the two-year high school. The family moved to Salem, Missouri for Olieta's senior year of high school.

Olieta graduated in May of 1949 and married Kenneth C. Edwards on November 11, 1949. Six children -- Penni, Karen, Jeffrey, John, Celia and Darla -- were born to them, four while they lived in St. Louis and two after they moved to Columbia, Illinois.

Her first book, titled Olieta's Poems, was published in April 2000.