Hello, I am Barbara J. Henry, Founder and President of RaineBoe Productions Publishing Company. I am also the author of  "Journaling:Twenty Plus Reasons Why You Should Start Now", and 'Coming Full Circle', a book of self-growth and inspirational  poems that will be published later this year, 2011.  I live in River Forest, Illinois, a  western suburb located just west of the City of Chicago and next door to  Oak Park, Illinois, the home of  the famous writer Ernest Hemingway, Frank Lloyd Wright,  the renowned architect,and other notable men and women,such as the creator of ' Tarzan',Edgar Rice Burroughs,the Belushi Brothers,as well as the actor Gary Sinise, among others.

   A law degree, an uncanny ability to solve problems,enhanced by clerking for four judges, and twenty plus years as a high school educator, have prepared me well,I believe, to relate to people on multiple levels. The lessons I have learned as a result are quite helpful to me,and others in navigating life's many twists and turns. Believe me when I say: It can get awfully challenging at times.

   Until June of 2007, I taught high school, junior and senior English. Since 2007,I have tutored,on a voluntary basis, home schooled teen aged students,a sister and brother, in English and Writing; they graduated from high school in June of  2011.    Since then, I have found other teenagers to tutor.

   I also help care for my partially paralyzed sister who has not walked since October  2006. Her health challenges have helped me to see the benefits of daily journaling, and she has begun journaling as well, since I wrote the book.

   Most  of my time is spent writing and speaking or preparing to write (blogs, poems, etc.) and speak.Usually, in my talks, I highlight the many life affirming  experiences I have had over the past fifteen plus years,( the length of time I have journaled daily,and I mean that literally ) experiences that should help others as much as they  help me, on a daily basis, to make some sense of life, and to be successful in reaching desired goals. My talks also emphasize the importance of ongoing personal development, self-growth and spirituality.

   Although I no longer teach, in the traditional sense, I especially like sharing my life experiences with high school and college students who desire to make the right choices early in life and who sometime need objective input, from someone who understands,supports and seeks to empower them. That is why I seek and take advantage of every opportunity to speak to these two groups about personal growth issues as well as issues involving leadership and spirituality.

  The changing quotes, with my picture, reflect  my continuous efforts to become very knowledgeable, and quite comfortable, with the many aspects of myself.

  I would appreciate your comments on the quotes. You may have noticed that I change them regularly.

  I have been writing all of my life,but I became focused, in 2007, when I retired early from teaching to begin a writing career.

  My first book, "Journaling: Twenty Plus Reasons Why You Should Start Now," published in 2008 by RaineBoe Productions, is dedicated to my Mother who died in January of '08. She was, and still is, the major influence in and on my life. My Father, whom I never got a chance to know, died in August ,and I was born a couple of months later on October 23rd. My Mother and my siblings ( I am the youngest ) painted  many vivid pictures for me of my Dad, through their many stories.

  Mrs. A.R. Brooks, my first grade teacher,  Mrs. Vivian J. Tellis, and  Mrs. Eula Danzy, two of my college English professors, also left indelible impressions on both my mind and heart for the valuable " lessons" they imparted to me (one introduced me to professional theater, to which I am devoted today; the other helped me to  write more clearly ) in addition to the literature courses they taught. The three  share some of  the spotlight with my Mother.

  Writing is clearly  my passion, and I have been writing (journaling) daily since June of 1995. I have been writing poetry even longer, and I had forgotten about this aspect of my writing until I began  the book in 2007.
 

  My trip down "memory lane" was quite revealing. It was also  very  therapeutic in many ways because it led me to redirect my focus to writing and speaking to young adults about their choices and goals.

   One result of my imaginary return  to my childhood was  rediscovering my love of poetry,the reading and writing of it; I then went looking for and found some of my earlier poems; several of them are posted on my site here. One of my very first poems, written when I was a sophomore in high school, was a tribute to John F. Kennedy.

    I have also written many new poems since finding the earlier ones,and I have posted some of them here too. I will post more of the old and the new poems in the upcoming weeks and months.

    The ground work for my next book project has already been laid, and I am sure, before it is completed, many changes will occur. I will keep you posted on its development, although the progress is slow at the moment;  the momentum will pick up, and I will be seeking your input.

    In the meanwhile, I am putting the finishing touches on an E-book of self-help, inspirational,and spiritual poems. The e-book will be available soon here at The Den and on my personal web site.

A hard copy version of the book 'Coming Full Circle,'  written in English and Spanish,was scheduled for publication in 2011, but setbacks of sundry types have slowed the publishing. It is my intention to get it out in the early months of 2012.  Those helping me with the proofing and editing assure me that the final edited copy will be ready in the month of January, and from there, it will just be  a matter of time before the book will be ready for you. Please accept my apologies for the long delay in making  Coming Full Circle available to you.

     For additional information about my other interests,such as the scholarship I have created for high school seniors, and the services I provide in my small consulting business, please visit my web site here:  http://www.barbarajhenry.com  .