Looking forward to another presentation from Portales author

Portales’ own New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones will be at the Portales Public Library at 5:30 p.m. Thursday to talk about her work, visit with fans, and sign books.

She’s going to have to work hard to top her first appearance at the library 11 years ago, a packed event that ended with a surprise reunion and happy tears all around.

A little background is in order.

Darynda Jones’ first two books — “First Grave on the Right” and “Second Grave on the Left” — came out in 2011.

They were part of a three-book deal she snagged with St. Martin’s Press after winning the 2009 Golden Heart Award for best paranormal romance from the Romance Writers of America, an honor that Jones credits with kick-starting her career.

The Friends of the Portales Public Library booked her for our Sept. 1, 2011, meeting. I say “our” because I’ve been a member of that group for more than 20 years. Jones had become a friend through multiple mutual acquaintances, including Portales librarian Danielle Swopes.

Even though she was early in her career, Jones drew a standing-room only crowd and kept us entertained with tales from her Cinderella-story career.

Although she considered herself an author from those high school afternoons when she and Swopes huddled together in a booth at the old Tastee Freez in Portales working on a yet-to-be published post-apocalyptic novel, Jones was in her 40s before her manuscript for “First Grave” landed that life-altering Golden Heart award.

Barely over a decade later, her works have appeared on the bestseller lists for both the New York Times and USA Today, she has more than two dozen works in print, and she’s waiting on a fistful of others officially “coming soon.”

After a delightful presentation that September day, Jones opened the floor for questions. There were plenty, including one asking if she could name any teachers who had been particularly influential in her youth.

She answered almost immediately, “Mrs. Mullins.”

Mrs. Mullins was Mary Mullins (later Mullins-Lynch), a diminutive woman who taught typing, reading, and English during a career that took her into the Texico, Portales, and Elida schools.

When she died in 2013, her obituary included this description: “Some of her family called her ‘kid hardened.’ There wasn’t a trick in the book that she hadn’t seen. A built-in lie detector served her well. She treated them all the same regardless of scholastic ability.”

That day at the library in 2011 when Darynda Jones said Mary Mullins had been her favorite teacher, none of us realized that near the back wall of the room — obscured by the crowd -- sat 84-year-old Mary Mullins.

Mullins stood up and waved her hand.

Jones spotted her, gasped “Mrs. Mullins!” and burst into tears.

As did pretty much everyone else in the room.

“Oh, gosh, that day was amazing,” Jones told me this week. “Mrs. Mullins was always just so positive. She caught me more than once in precarious situations and just laughed it off. After letting me know I’d been totally busted, of course.

“She was an absolute doll and I’ll never forget how she treated us as though she genuinely liked us. She was never disrespectful or patronizing. I just remember her to this day as having such a sparkling personality. I always looked forward to class with her.”

It is with that same joy that we can look forward to Darynda Jones’ presentation on Thursday.

You don’t have to be a fan of paranormal romance to attend. Also be assured that even though Jones’ works are written for adult audiences, this presentation will be family friendly and a fine way to pass a Thursday evening in our little town.

I feel confident Mrs. Mullins would approve.

Betty Williamson considers the Jones/Mullins reunion one of the best moments she’s ever witnessed. Reach her at:

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