Tracy Walker is the biggest liar in Dawson County. But don't let that deter you from visiting her at the library - that's her job.

Walker, who has worked at the Dawson County Library for nine years and been a Dawson County resident for one year, was named the Biggest Fibber during the 239th Big Fibbers Storytelling Festival in Rome last March 21 and 22.

"This is the first liar's contest that I've ever taken part in," she said. "There are liar's contests all over the country, but Terrell Shaw just started this one up this year."

Walker is no stranger to telling stories. When she isn't the children's specialist at the library, Walker travels the southeastern United States telling tales about why things are the way they are.

"Tall tales are not usually something that I tell, so it was fun to work on and create something different," she said.

"What I've heard other ‘tellers' say and what I worked on was that the more normal seeming you can start the story, the easier the fantastical part of the story fits in."

Walker competed against 14 other liars during the competition.
"I was so tickled and surprised when they said I had won," she said.

"There were so many wonderful storytellers there. I was so honored to have won and just to get to tell stories with everyone."

Walker's winning story includes a combination of farmers, stories and literate cows.

"The story starts off with a farmer asking me for books to read to his cows to calm them for milking and by the end of the story, I get a visit from a very angry cow with a bottle of sour milk."

Walker said that she hopes to incorporate these tall tales with the library and give even better ‘"whoppers" next year.

"I hope to keep this one in my repertoire, because this story can be shared with anyone," she said. "I'm going to start working on more tall tales to bring back next year."