Dreams come true for grandmas, too.

  See this smile? It’s nonstop these days. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy sings Somewhere over the rainbow as she follows the yellow brick road. Life successes often mean choosing paths, working hard, and meeting amazing friends along the way.

I started writing in third grade when classmates liked my rhymed stories and asked for more. During Junior High, our church young people’s group performed a play I wrote. I’ve had many poems, essays, and true stories published during college and since and once won a jingle contest that brought my husband a handsome man’s wristwatch and men’s figure skates he enjoyed.

Until eleven years ago, I didn’t think novel writing was for me. I was president of the Minnesota Christian  Writers Guild for four years when award-winning author, Susan May Warren, taught a writing seminar for us. I began dabbling in fiction. A character sketch of a school friend I’d lost track of grew into a full sketch. As that story expanded, its early chapters were among three top finalists in the Historical category of the National American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest. Susan Warren began offering writing retreats and asked attendees to pray that amazing things would happen. They did. I met wonderful, life-long writing friends who remain major blessings in my life.

One introduced me to author, Linda Fulkerson who also creates and maintains websites. She does mine. She and her author friend, Shannon Vannatter, bought Mantle Rock Publishing when its owner retired and renamed it Scrivenings Press. They acquired a stable of existing authors and had room to add a few more.

In today’s economy, little is happening right now in publishing houses. I asked Linda to look at two novels I’d finished. She and Shannon liked them both. I’ve just completed edits for Books Afloat, which will be published January 12^th, 2021. The second, presently titled Wilderness Wife, will be released September 7^th, 2021.

Am I excited? Yes! Am I writing more and reworking other early books to see if they can see the light of day? Yes! Am I still teaching online college classes and staying plenty busy but happy? Yes and yes!

Thanks for being happy and celebrating with me. You’ll hear more about my book releases and other projects as those dates come near.

What are your favorite books to read? What book subject would you most like to see written?

Have beautiful weeks as we embrace fall, have a national election, and prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving.