Like most little girls, Coleen Maddy wanted a horse...but her parents said the backyard was too small. That opened a totally new world for her, one filled with books to read and stories to write. She now has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from the University of New Mexico, where she wrote her undergraduate honors thesis on William Shakespeare's use of role-play. She also holds two Master of Arts degrees, one from the University of Iowa in English literature and one from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in dogmatic theology, summa cum laude. Based on her academic achievements, she is a member of both Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. Coleen has travelled extensively, from Tahiti to Turkey and Panama to Scotland. Her professional background includes teaching college English composition and literature for ten years and serving as a publications editor and communications specialist in the healthcare profession for seventeen years. She also spent four years helping to develop literacy software for young children and individuals with learning disabilities. She enjoys life with her two golden retrievers, Romeo and Juliette.        

Illumination Book Award
Optimas Vision Award (international award)
Excellence in Quality Service (national award)
New Mexico Public Relations Society of America CUMBRES (state awards): 12 gold awards, 6 silver awards, and 4 bronze awards