Why I Started Writing:

My love for writing began in elementary school. I was the kid roaming the book fair tables during recess while my friends were outside playing hopscotch. I loved hopscotch too, but I loved books more. Reading those beloved books, including Anne of Green Gables, Charlotte’s Web, Harriet the Spy, and Little Women, inspired my own writing journey. My first “published” stories were scribed on loose leaf notebook paper with a construction paper cover bound with staples.

As a preteen, I switched to writing memoir after receiving a candy-apple red diary as a gift. The joys and heartaches of a young girl’s life graced those pages, and although it suffered wear and tear, I still have a chunk of it on a shelf in my closet.   

My writing continued when I started a blog after leaving a twenty-nine-year career in banking. At first, I wrote about family happenings, but it soon segued into writing devotionals for women. I can see now why God placed the love of writing on my heart all those years before—it’s not just for enjoyment—it’s a calling. Now I write to bring hope and encouragement to women, all for God’s glory and the furtherance of the Kingdom.

Authors Who Have Influenced Me:

In my earlier years of reading, authors L.M. Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott influenced me. I then went on to read the works of Jane Austen, Francis Chan, Suzanne Eller, Elisabeth Elliot, Emily P. Freeman, C. S. Lewis, Priscilla Shirer, Lysa TerKeurst, and Ann Voskamp. My first introduction to Bible studies years ago was while attending women’s groups at church. Those studies were by various authors, one being Beth Moore. My favorite studies of hers were on the books of Esther and Daniel. There are many others, but these are the authors who have made a significant impact on my life and in my writing.

Books I Have Written:

I self-published a ministry resource in 2016 entitled Goodbye, Regret: Forgiving Yourself of Past Mistakes. Although the book is available on Amazon, the main purpose was to share it with women who struggled with forgiving themselves. I have given copies to women I’ve counseled, crisis pregnancy centers, women’s prison ministries, and other ministries for women. I also have a free e-book on my website entitled Step Out of Your Doubt and Into Your Calling: Walking Boldly in God’s Plans for Your Life, which is an easy read and contains some of my personal testimony.

What I'm Working On Now:

I am excited to be working on my first traditionally published book contracted with Elk Lake Publishing! It is a Bible study for women, and my prayer is it will bring a message of hope and healing, while helping my readers experience transformation in their lives.