I’ve always been a Storyteller. The house we moved into in Vancouver, Washington when I turned six had a community center across the street with a meeting hall that hosted a church and other meetings, a tiny fire station, and a small library. Thankfully, we didn’t need the fire station. The two other facilities were great influences.
I developed storytelling through being big sister to my little sister 6 ½ years and a brother nearly 13 years younger than myself. I babysat them lots. Because Mom worked late, most evenings at bedtime, Nancy or Stuart would say, “Tell us a story.” I’d ask, “About what?” And they’d tell me. Sometimes I’d make them tell me stories—I should have done that more.
Some of my made-up stories became favorites they requested again and again. Eventually, my rhymed Little Big Chief: The Bear Hunt story got published as an award-winning illustrated children’s book that’s still available and beloved.
I later wrote three more children’s books including a stand-alone sequel to Little Big Chief, Little Chief and Ogopogo (a scary seen and much photographed deep-lake Plesiosaurus-like creature that threatens village life until Little Chief and the tribe learn how to overcome him).
My first published was Whoosh, my older son’s true heartwarming story of praying for an owl to keep as a pet and his prayer being answered. 
My newest book is Woodsy, the Wonder Bear–orphaned in Minnesota’s Superior National Forest but raised in a Twin Cities Zoo. He finds a way to leave the zoo every evening for jaunts, but returns each morning to bring joy to children who can’t visit the woods to see wildlife themselves.
From earliest times, storytelling has been an appreciated gift. Cherished epics like Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey were initially told orally to individuals or crowds long before they were written down.
How about you? Are you a good joke-teller with the right sense of timing that lets you deliver uproaring short tales with clear beginnings, action building middles, and then strong punchline endings? Some of those stories can be elaborated into longer tales—and even into books.
Whether you love reading books written by other authors or take the plunge to write your own stories for friends, family, and the world, here’s to applauding the art of good storytelling and happily polishing our own.
What books are you looking forward to reading this year? Which are you happy to recommend?
I’ll publish my list in my next blog post. And remember, 2024 is Leap Year with all the possibilities that only come our way every four years.
In the meantime, read, tell and hear stories, and laugh lots to make life richer for all those around you. And have a very happy and blessed 2024!
PS – Yesterday, Jan. 8, was the anniversary of my first WWII novel, Books Afloat published in 2021. It’s sequel, Strong Currents, released on February 2nd, 2023. I hope you’ll love both. Here are their covers.
Leave a Reply