Sunday, June 30, 2024
Geoff Holladay lives on a farm near Lamesa. He has always been interested in engines.
“Whether it’s airplanes or cars or tractors or trucks, or anything like that, it’s just been part of my life forever. I got my first 4-wheeler when I was three.”
Geoff is a fifth-generation cotton farmer and got a lot of family history from his great-grandfather.
“His dad traded a horse-drawn wagon for a double barrel shotgun, and that wagon was one of the first vehicles they had. We’ve been cotton farmers ever since.”
Geoff found out he had a knack for writing in his junior year in high school when the teacher had the class write research papers. He chose the history of the Chevrolet Corvette.
“She was reluctant to write about that, but I told her if she would let me write about it, it would be one of the best papers she ever got. Sure enough, I ended up getting the second or third highest score in the class. After she graded it, she handed it back to me and said, ‘I want you to know, you already have a fine art of BS.’ “
One day he saw his 11-year-old daughter and his 10-year-old son watching television and thought the program material was kind of sappy.
“I thought it was an insult to my kid’s intelligence and I could do better than that. So, I decided I wanted to write some books about cars ‘cause that’s what I knew best.”
In recent years, Geoff has written three children’s books, aimed at young readers.
“These stories are all special to me, because there’s a lot of my real life tied up in them.”
He likes to write good stories with a message. Some mention mentoring.
“How older people take the younger people under their wing and let ‘em use their tools or whatever it is. It doesn’t have to be cars, any hobby. This is our tradition, how they get passed down from generation to generation, and I realized how many people in my life had shown me how to do things and had gotten me to the point that I am now.”
He has a fourth book coming out soon. It was composed while driving his smart tractor. He has two novels in the works. Geoff has sold some of his books.
“I’ve given away more than I’ve sold, but yeah, I’ve sold a few. I like to go to car shows and carry some books with me. When I see kids, I just hand ‘em out. The books are all titled “Bumper’s Garage” one, two & three. My website is bumpersgarage.com.
