Marilyn is an aspiring writer who is working on her first children’s book. She is doubly excited about this work since it is being illustrated by her husband and artist, J. Curtis Rice. She was born and raised in South Carolina. She moved with her husband to North Carolina twenty six years ago where they still reside with their wonderful Golden Retriever, Charley. She says that while they have never been blessed with children of their own, they have had the wonderful opportunity of working with many children and youth, from various places such as youth camp, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, and other church youth groups. Although working several years in the field of retail management, she has also worked as a reading tutor at a local elementary school and a human resource aid with an after school day treatment program for children and youth with behavior and/or emotional problems. She says she has also been blessed with over a dozen wonderful nieces and neiphews, each who have a very special place in her heart.                                   Marilyn began writing about ten years ago, by keeping a prayer journal as a way to deal with insomnia. After sharing with her pastor something she wrote about a dream she had, which had to do with a child who was going to be buried alive, she was encouraged to share it with her church. From that reading began a task force for the study of and later the creation of an outreach ministry called Street Beat which focused primarily on children and youth who were in the neighborhood of their church. Soon after she began writing she suffered the loss of six family members within just one and one half years time. During that same time period she was also diagnosed with a very painful condition known as Fibromyalgia. While leaning on her faith in God she also dealt with the grief and suffering by writing about the loss of her loved ones and her health. Marilyn says she has discovered a love for the written word which is surpassed only by her love for the spoken word.

1975 ETTA certification from the Beaver Creek Bible Institution

Certificate of completion for Hospice Training from Hospice of Rutherford County, Inc

1995 Certificate of Appreciation from the State of North Carolina for volunteer work in the Side By Side mentoring program

1997 Certificate of Appreciation from the State of North Carolina for volunteer work in the Side By Side mentoring program

1998 Certificate of Appreciation from the State of North Carolina for volunteer work in the Side By Side mentoring program

Award of recognition for her work as a child advocate by the WMU of Spencer Baptist Church, Rutherford, North Carolina