I always knew I would write books. My fascination for the arts began early in my childhood. By the time I reached my twenties, I knew I would write this book when I reached my 60’s. I can remember telling myself and a few close friends at 21 that this would be my last goal to accomplish. How could I know? I just did. I was to experience life to its fullest and sometimes hit bottom, keep some notes, which I have written through poetry and journaling and when the time came, I would be ready. My mother was the major influence in my life. Memories of my childhood and my mother stretched back to the early days. My mother worked many different jobs and moved often. She held a job at a hospital for a while; her shifts changed frequently from days to nights. She was away for long periods, so I cared for my two younger sisters, me in the fourth grade and Lily and my middle sister Iris in the second grade. I woke them up in the morning, fed them breakfast, made their lunches, and walked them to school. During long afternoons and nights home alone, I immersed myself in music, books, art, living in a magical world. I dressed in my Mom’s clothes and danced to Bolero in the living room, while acting in plays for my sisters to make them laugh. We listened to her collection of records: everything from John Coltrane to “La bohème” by Puccini. We danced through the house draped in costumes made out of her evening dresses. I always thought of her as the Pied Piper, drawing the children into a fantasy world of imagination but never preparing us for reality. When the time came, we learned on our own. She remains forever a character in a fairy tale. The gifts she bestowed on me as child included art, music, ballet, the theater, museums, and everything cultural, along with her beatnik liberal views. These are the foundations of my life. She had so many dreams, some of which I played out in my life. I wondered if I had lived her dreams. I began to write poetry and entered an art exhibition at the age 12, to my amazement I won a major award for a watercolor. Even though my family life was chaotic and unpredictable I held my vision. After high school I drifted away and began taking classes in photography, by the time I was 23 I met Baron Wolman, a well know photojournalist for Rolling Stone. He became a mentor and I published my first book with him, while sharing a small studio in Mill Valley. Then life took me away again, with the birth of my son and supporting myself working for the airlines and as a travel agent. Not until 1988 at the age of 38 did I discover the world of publishing and with the support of my husband I started a small publication The Dive Travel and Adventure Guide. This opened a new avenue to explore. I became a travel writer photojournalist. I worked on my first computer an Apple 1. After several years, PageMaker came on line and then another world opened up, desktop publishing. The next 12 years was a dream come true, traveling and writing, the magazine was a success and later sold to Rodale’s Publishing. At the time, I wasn’t aware of the road I was traveling, my life seemed random and each time I reached a new plateau of success, everything changed. A divorce, my son leaving home created radical changes in my life and I finally decided to do what my heart called out to me, WRITE. I had written and published so many travel articles, stories, poems, framed photos covered my walls, and all appeared to be remnants of my life. I picked up the pieces and began writing a story I had been dreaming about. Dreams played a big part of my journey and I was now free to follow them on a whim. I eventually moved to Mexico where my book takes place and I was finally able to do what I always wanted to do. I never gave up. It wasn’t until I returned home after seven years did I see the beauty of life and how I arrived at the exact location I set out for, it took many years with constant effort for me to finally finish my first book at the age of 60, right on time. My soul knew exactly what to do and took me where I need to learn the biggest lessons of my life. I have continued working in the publishing field with an online e-zine Global Lights Minds started in 2011 as it has kept me grounded and focused with a daily practice. Since finishing As The Tortilla Burns in June of 2015 I have spent much of my time learning how to market a book. This has taken me on a new journey of discovery, with the advent of self-publishing Books and eBooks I find myself growing and learning the how-to tools of self-publishing and marketing online. I plan to write another book within the next year, continue publishing in hopes of benefiting other authors with the knowledge garnered from a life devoted to publishing and writing.    

Wendy Zake grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and published her first book in 1974. An adventurer at heart she published The Dive Travel and Adventure Guide for 10 years traveling to the world’s most exotic dive destinations.

She currently publishes a spiritual website Global Light Minds. Global Light Minds promotes new writers and authors offering spiritual content and books for people who wish to enlightened their lives with true joy and happiness. Daily Inspirations inspired by well known authors around the world, vivid photos, travel reviews, workshops for self improvement, news on world events and how to cope with daily stress.

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A practicing Buddhist, her approach to life is through her spirituality and she sees life as a mystical journey filled with challenges, gifts and blessings. My life now revolves around writing, blogs, poems, stories and books. This has been my lifetime ambition. My mission in life is to teach others to be aware of their inner soul and see life as a child with innocence.