I like to say we have the best of both worlds where we live here in north Mississippi. Our subdivision is surrounded by forests and farmland where cattle low in the fields behind our house and barred owls call at night. Two glittering lakes make a beautiful setting for long walks. Yet Memphis with all its big-city advantages is only minutes away.

By the way, “we” includes my husband, Stan, who has managed to tolerate me for more than forty-five years. We have two wonderful sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and a passel of completely unspoiled grandchildren who light up our hearts and keep us young—between naps (ours and theirs).

I wanted to be a nurse from the time I was ten. I graduated with top honors from Baptist Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and worked five years in ICU. Then I transferred to what I considered a more important career—raising my children. Eventually God led us to home educate our sons. Both graduated from home school and went on to college.

One thing I never planned to do was become a writer. But hundreds of published pieces later, I can testify to the fact that God’s ways are not our ways. Even more surprising, considering my shy nature, was that I began conducting workshops and speaking at writing conferences. My passion for the written word led me to help other writers improve their craft. In 2008, I started a newsletter for writers which is still going strong, and my writing partner, Marylane Wade Koch, and I founded Write Life Workshops, where we conduct writing workshops. Later, I began editing, something my husband tried for a while to convince me to do because he believes it’s one of my gifts. And now I’ve published a book, full of devotional stories from my nursing and caregiving days.

So I guess I have come full circle, but I love it all! Thank you for visiting with me.