Influenced by many classic books, read to to me by my mother, I developed a passion for the written word before I could read. My father was a prolific writer, as well. I composed my first poem at the age of 13. Life took me away from writing for many years, although I wrote song lyrics and poetry during that time. I began my career in serious writing in 1995. Since then, I have achieved a number of goals, including preferred author status on writing.com, as well as writer of the month on todayswoman.com. I worked as a staff writer for Van Zandt Newspapers, LLC, and enjoyed the aspects of journalistic writing, although creative writing is my first love. I now devote my time to creative writing.  I live with my daughter and son in law not far from my birth city of Dallas. I have two grown children, Chrystal, 45, and Sean, 33. My daughter Chrystal has blessed me with two amazing granddaughters, Brittany, and Ashley.   My debut novel, Shadow Walk: The Gathering is receiving excellent reviews. It is available here on authorsden, or at www.amazon.com   My fellow Shameless Self Promotion gang on Amazon is growing! Below is a partial list of other excellent writers! Debra Purdy Kong                                                                                                           Official website: http://www.debrapurdykong.com  Authors Den Homepage: http://www.authorsden.com/debrapurdykong  Amazon Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3VLZMUBU9D0V0  Books on Amazon: Taxed To Death and Fatal Encryption (mystery/trade paperback) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_qw?url=search-alias%3Daps&fielf-keywords=Debra+Purdy+Kong  Robert Isham Auler AuthorsDen Homepage: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=89968  Rai Aren Official Website:  http://www.secretofthesands.com AuthorsDen homepage:  http://www.authorsden.com/raiaren Amazon Profile Page:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2VTUTUTT5SO0Z Books On Amazon: Secret of the Sands (mystery/speculative sci-fi) Trade Paperback  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/14196755 Video Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1GkYZZTM5    24/ref=cm_arms_pdp_dpw   Michael Balkind Official Website:       http://www.balkindbooks.com MySpace Page: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=163446801 AuthorsDen Homepage: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=75493 Books on Amazon: Sudden Death http://www.amazon.com/Sudden-Death-Michael-Balkind/dp/1563154048   Dennis Batchelder Official Website:                 http://www.dennisbatchelder.com Blog:                                http://www.dennisbatchelder.com/blog Authors Den Homepage:      http://www.authorsden.com/dennisbatchelder Amazon Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1UPFVMC8E450B Books on Amazon: Soul Identity                     http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979805600   D. A. Blankinship Official Website:                 http://www.ScoloderusConspiracy.com Authors Den homepage:       http://www.authorsden.com/DavidABlankinship Amazon Profile page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2TE0JH0VZYY90 Books on Amazon: The Scoloderus Conspiracy (futurist fiction/paperback/368 pages) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585974021   Benjamin Blue Official Website                  http://www.myspace.com/benjaminblueblog Authors Den homepage:       http://www.authorsden.com/benjaminblue Books on Amazon: Storm Killer (Mystery/Thriller, paperback) http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Killer-Benjamin-Blue/dp/1425174817   L.C. Evans Official Website: http://www.lcevans.com Authors Den Homepage: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=90067 Books on Amazon: Talented Horsewoman: http://www.amazon.com/Talented-Horsewoman-L-C-Evans/dp/1933157259/ref Jobless Recovery: http://www.amazon.com/Jobless-Recovery-L-C-Evans/dp/1595261575/ref Also a member and an official blogger for The Carolina Conspiracy: http://www.carolinaconspiracy.com/   Bill Flynn (Genre: Golf/fiction/suspense/mystery/foreign intrigue/gamboling/PGA) Authors Den homepage:       http://www.authorsden.com/billflynn Facebook:                         http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=1232154309 Amazon Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com//Feathery-Bill-Flynn/dp/1419675710 Books on Amazon: The Feathery (Golf fiction, paperback) http://www.amazon.com/Feathery-Bill-Flynn/dp/1419675710   Ellen George Amazon Profile Page  http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3AFCZTWL5VNNR AuthorsDen page: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=67722 Ellen has pages on FaceBook, Books 'n' Bytes, Dreamwalker, blogtalkradio   Peter Grondin Official website: http://www.pjgrondin.com Amazon.com Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lifetime-Deception-P-J-Grondin/dp/0981533329 Books on Amazon:  A Lifetime of Deception Peter is also listed with Barnes and Noble and http://www.booksofexcellence.com   Susan Jane Official website: www.freewebs.com/susanjmcleod AuthorsDen page: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=71652 Books on Amazon: Soul and Shadow http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615178448/ref=s9_rk_pdp_dp?ie=UTF8&s9r=8a585b43187966e8011b720619604d38 Amazon.com Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3N05Y01WQN54T/ref=cm_cd_et_pdp   Debra Purdy Kong Official Website:                 http://www.debrapurdykong.com Authors Den homepage:       http://www.authorsden.com/debrapurdykong Amazonprofile page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3VL7MU8U9D0V0 Books on Amazon: Taxed to Death and Fatal Encryption (mystery tradepaperback) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Debra+Purdy+Kong Rebecca Lerwill Official website: http://www.rebeccalerwill.com/ Authors Den homepage: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=65501 Amazon profile page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A6VBZKP7Q7Y4A/ref=cm_cd_et_pdp Books on Amazon: Relocating Mia: http://www.amazon.com/Relocating-Mia-Rebecca-Lerwill/dp/1933538872/ref=cm_pdp_spl_books_img   Mike Monahan official website                   http://www.mikemonahanbooks.com Authors Den homepage        http://www.authorsden.com/mikemonahan Amazon profile page:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2R9X2JDSY9FUH Books on Amazon: Barracuda (suspense/thriller/fiction/paperback/235 pages) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419684027 Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/Barracuda/dp/B0013NS3FW MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/mikemonahanbooks Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3272110.Barracuda Dreamwalker Group: http://www.dreamwalkergroup.com./bio/m/mike_monahan.htm The Book Club Queen: http://www.book-club-queen.com/barracuda.html   Lila Pinord Official Website:       http://lilalpinord.bravehost.com Authors Den Homepage: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=67963 Amazon Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2VUIEKRYTJ8IF Books on Amazon: (Genre: Suspense- Horror-Thriller) Min's Monster: http://www.amazon.com/Mins-Monster-Lila-L-Pinord/dp/1589399919 Skye Dancer: http://www.amazon.com/Skye-Dancer-Lila-L-Pinord/dp/1591297451 Evil Lives in Blue Rock: http://www.amazon.com/Evil-Lives-Blue-Rock-Pinord/dp/1413759351   Steven Rage Home Page:             http://www.outskirtspress.com/pilate Authors Den Page     http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=89985 Myspace Page                   http://www.myspace.com/stevenrage Amazon Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A3J16S5EGN4KF Books on Amazon: PILATE (paperback)  http://www.amazon.com/PILATE-Brutal-Bible-Steven-Rage/dp/1432717979 PILATE (kindle)         http://www.amazon.com/PILATE-Brutal-Bible-Tales-Harborside/dp/B001CBW7VQ   Gary Val Tenuta Official Website:                 http://www.ezekielcode.com Video Trailer:                     http://www.ezekielcode.com AuthorsDen homepage: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=66306 Amazon Profile Page: http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A38E51HU0MI5GS Books On Amazon: The Ezekiel Code (http://www.amazon.com/Ezekiel-Code-Gary-Val-Tenuta/dp/1432706500   Glenn G. Thater                (Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Action) Official Website:                 http://www.angletheta.blogspot.com Authors Den Homepage:      http://www.authorsden.com/glenngthater Amazon Profile Page:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/AJWXN33RB5VA1 Books on Amazon: Harbinger of Doom (Fantasy, paperback) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143821443X Harbinger of Doom (Fantasy, kindle) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017RHXAK The Gateway (Fantasy, kindle) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017H1LCQ The Fallen Angle (Fantasy, kindle) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018G55BY   

Attended North Lake College, and received second place in the 2003 National Literary Contest, campus level, for my poem, Autumn, which also won a coveted place in North Lake’s annual Literary magazine, Duck Soup, for 2003. I also participated in North Lake’s speech competition and won a novice award, and a $250 scholarship.