Local resident Bonita Buie tried to find happiness in many different areas. She went to work for the military and even taught school, but couldn’t find satisfaction. After suffering a period of depression, she discovered a new world – writing.

“I enjoy doing it,” said Buie. “God gave it to me.”

Buie has recently written her third book, “Unsolicited Encounters: The Guardian Angel.”

“God inspired me to write it,” said Buie.

The book takes place in Georgia where a grandfather is telling his teenage grandson a story about working on a farm during the Great Depression.

Grandpa Joe worked for a man, Charles Higgonbottom, who was forced to join the Ku Klux Klan. When the Klan tried to burn down Grandpa Joe’s house, Higgonbottom put a stop to it and was killed by the KKK.

Higgonbottom later comes back as Grandpa Joe’s guardian angel.

“It’s about forgiveness,” said Buie.

Buie was influenced when her friend told her a story about a man who was forced to join the KKK.

After finishing the book, Buie went online and sent the manuscript to about 12 different publishing companies; however, she was met with rejection after rejection.

“It was kind of heartbreaking,” said Buie.

She was on the verge of giving up when Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Company e-mailed her and wanted to publish the book. Local artist Joseph Dickey created some artwork for the inside pages.

Buie has been a resident of Brookhaven since age 13. She graduated from Brookhaven High School and Jackson State University. She now works as a part-time caregiver.

Buie has been writing now for about 15 years. Her first two books are “Through My Sister’s Eyes” and “How I Got Over.”

“Unsolicited Encounters: The Guardian Angel” was released in December 2013 and can be bought at the Bread of Life bookstore in Brookhaven, JSU bookstore, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

She plans to write a follow-up book to her guardian angel story, “Unsolicited Encounters: Good Triumphs Over Evil,” about Grandpa Joe’s grandson telling a similar story to his grandson.

“God assigns a guardian angel to each and every one of us,” said Buie.