OBJECTIVE:
...to give God glory in all that I do...
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES:
My second book, MAN FROM MACEDONIA: MY LIFE OF SERVICE, STRUGGLE, FAITH AND
HOPE was just released in February 2010. It follows my first book, HUGS FROM HEAVEN: PORTRAITS OF A WOMAN’S FAITH was
published by Howard Publishing Company in 2000 and is a part of the bestselling HUGS series. PORTRAITS has been translated
into Indonesian and has sold over 50,000 copies nationwide.
I have been published nationally in WOMAN’S DAY magazine and CHRISTAIN FAMILY MAGAZINE,
and published in every major regional in the state of Wisconsin including the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL and WISCONSIN TRAILS.
For 17 years, I wrote a weekly inspirational column, FOOTSTEPS & HEARTBEATS in five daily newspapers around Wisconsin
and one weekly newspaper in Dallas, Texas.
I have been a guest speaker at Pepperdine University, York College and various churches in Wisconsin, Texas,
Tennessee, Illinois, and Minnesota. My husband, Gary, and I have been married 38 years and have conducted Marriage &
Communication Seminars for inmates and their spouses for several years, and have also presented Marriage Workshops at various
church retreats. We have ministered together for Oakhaven Church in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for over 30 years. Gary and I are
the parents of three grown sons, two daughters-in-laws and six perfect grandchildren. Life is good.
JOBS & EXPERIENCES:
The last
job I had before I began writing full time was working with the Police Department. No, I wasn't a cop, but many
of them became my friends. I was their first civilian to hold the title of COMMUNITY PROGRAMS COORDINATOR--which meant
I wrote their grants, did their fundraising, coordinated some of their non-traditional programming and just about anything
else Chief asked me to do. I got to ride in a police car whenever I wanted and became good friends with Rex, the friendliest
K-9 Officer around, unless you were trying to rob a bank or something.
TEACHING:
I have taught creative writing
in area elementary schools and for many years at the senior session at our Chrisitian Camp. I absolutely love watching
children fall in love with words.
EDUCATION & AFFILIATES:
Freed-Hardeman
University- A.A. in Social Work
Harding University (had a great
time there, but no degree to speak of...)
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh-
B.S. in Journalism
Member of AMERICAN CHRISTIAN FICTION WRITERS (ACFW)
Member of SOCIETY OF CHILDRENS BOOK WRITERS &
ILLUSTRATORS (SCBWI)
