Why I Started Writing:

Abuse and insecurity started me writing. Letters to God was my escape and hope from an abusive upbringing and later also led to healing as I also journaled Scripture and personal applications in my God-Chats.

Employers and Church Directors welcomed and encouraged expanding the skill and practice of writing scripts, children’s church material, and adult Bible classes, and imagination brought about stories for our children and their friends,

I wrote an author whose books I enjoyed and asked how one gets started writing. She suggested submitting stories and teaching articles to anthologies and online magazines.

When some of my stories were accepted by God Allows U Turns and Chicken Soup for the Soul, I was challenged to attend a writing conference where I met acquisition editors, radio personalities, publishers, and ministries for whom I could write. My commitment to the profession expanded profoundly and I realized I was writing because it was something I loved and something I couldn’t stop doing.

Authors Who Have Influenced Me:

Allison Gappa Bottke’s God Allows U-Turns series was my first submission to an anthology. Allison was very encouraging, requested more stories, and gave me a challenge after 9-11 to look for personal stories. One of those stories became a guest column on CBN.com, and when I got a response from a general at the Pentagon, I was thrilled—and hooked—and have been writing ever since.

Allison recommended I attend a CLASS conference led by Florence Littauer and her daughter, Marita. They opened my eyes to be a noticer and see story formulas everywhere that continue to be used in speaking as well as writing.

Gayle Roper was a small group leader at another CLASS conference, and she also confirmed writing and speaking as God-given talents that should be pursued and enhanced. She also encouraged writing through life experiences to encourage others and thereby validated much of my background I’d previously thought worthless.

Dennis Hensley graciously offered his time and expertise at another conference for critique and gave me an appreciation for editing and a perspective of a wealth of stories only I could write that people longed to hear.

Books I Have Written:

Be the Miracle! published by Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.

Compilation Books include:

God Allows U Turns, More God Allows U-Turns, Abundant Living, God Answers Prayer and A Woman’s Journey, Journeys of Joy—Abundant Living

Guidepost books on prayer including In Times of Need and Unexpected Answers to Prayer

Heaven Touching Earth and Angels, Miracles and Heavenly Encounters (compiled by James Stuart Bell)

Life Changing Moments (Kiwi Thin Thread Series)

Falling in Love with You and My Love to You Always (Oak Tara)

Chicken Soup for the Soul series, including Inspiration for Nurses, All in the Family, Christmas Magic, Kids in the Kitchen, Working Woman’s Soul, Grandma’s Soul, Tea Lover’s Soul, Young at Heart, and Dieter’s Soul, etc.

What I'm Working On Now:

Caretaking My Abuser

I Wrote a Book, Now What? (E-book)

Want to Write a Book? (E-book)