Welcome to the world and writing of Daniel (Dan) Lee Roark:

During a summer job during junior high, Dan bought a new guitar and - using the knowledge he had retained from earlier lessons - basically re-taught himself. He continued to write poems and occasional songs through high school. His senior year found him writing a music review column for the school paper, the Hoofbeat. Writing became as natural to him as breathing. A writing career was not on his mind. At the time he was concentrated on songs because they took less time to write initially and the gratification (from friends and the opposite sex) was almost instantaneous.

After attending North Texas State University (now University of North Texas), Dan was in the band Southern Plains for twenty-five years. Since playing music turned out to be - as it does for most, a second job rather than a career - he managed, and wrote manuals for, restaurants and warehouses. Dan also wrote articles and columns for newspapers and magazines into the 1990's, continuing his music review column in one form or another as well as humor columns.

In 1995, Dan wrote and self-published his book, "Showcasing and Networking at Music Conferences, Trade Shows, and Showcases." In 1996, he edited John J. Roark’s book, "Hardtack and Hardship." Between 1996 and 2003, Dan wrote articles for the Disc Golf World News magazine and wrote the first Disc Golf short story. He also edited and published the North Texas Disconnection newsletter.

In 2003, he began to transcribe the handwritten minutes of the church meetings of Salem Baptist Church, north of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dan’s great-great grandfather, Joseph Roark, gave part of his land for the church, and Dan’s ancestors, from Joseph down through Daniel Blythe Roark (Dan’s grandfather), attended the church. As Dan states in the Preface of The Minutes of Salem Baptist Church:

"Researching and writing a history of people and times past requires one to come to grips with his or her own mortality, causing a reevaluation of the author’s life, purpose, and contribution to reflection by future generations. Transcribing the minutes and writing a history of a church necessitates a confirmation of the author’s religious beliefs, attitudes, and convictions. It is impossible to delve into the history of a religious institution, much less one which one’s ancestors attended, without reexamining one’s beliefs."

Dan did in fact, reexamine his beliefs and discovered that the foundation that his parents had laid for him through the family’s consistent church involvement was as solid as it had ever been. Researching the book had brought him back closer to his family and reaffirmed his Christian beliefs. Although he had been a Christian all of his life - and fascinated with philosophy - his writing had always reflected his immediate interests at the time. Until the "Minutes of Salem Baptist Church..." was published.

After the period of research and publication, Dan realized that he Lord was leading him toward his chosen writing profession. Since that time, Dan has written several Bible studies used by small groups and Sunday schools in his church as well as curriculum for youth Bible studies and Sunday schools. Currently, Dan is working on a collection of  short stories, essays, and poems to be published this fall, a Bible study that will be available in the bookstore as a series of single lessons. He is also planning to write the history of Christ United Methodist Church in Farmers Branch, Texas when he can arrange time to do sufficient research.

Dan also posts stories and has a blog on www.neighborsgo.com as well as writing stories for Tidings, the CUMC Farmers Branch edition of the United Methodist Reporter. 

Peace be with you.