Writing History and Publications

I've been writing off and on since I was eight. My mother was the first to realize I might have a talent, even though I couldn't spell. Throughout my life she encouraged me.

The very first thing of mine ever published was a poem that appeared on the fly leaf of my junior year book. It went like this:

The Tangled Vines of Confusion
The tangled vines of confusion
Suddenly being to separate
And grow straight up.
Suddenly there is a path before you,
Where there was nothing --
Suddenly there is something from inside you
Encouraging you on -- telling you
To take that hesitating step forward.

In my senior year  I was the copy editor. Which is kind of a hoot as I still couldn't spell and we didn't know it was because I'm mildly dyslexic. Two of my pieces were published in the year book.

After high school I wrote articles for a local newspaper about growing up in the Virgin Islands.

Many years later I found myself working at a home for abused and neglected children. For 18 years I was the assistant editor for the newsletter which had a circulation of about 10,000 people and went to such far away places as England and Australia. I wrote many, many articles for the newsletter.

When I retired I decided to pursue my life long dream of writing for children. To that end, I took two courses with the Institute of Children's Literature.

I have written several middle grade novels and one young adult. I also have collection of retold Anansi stories, translated from original Jamaican tales. All of these are still looking for a home.

Below is a list of published stories, articles, and books.

Articles and Stories

Self-Publishing Journeys - Anansesem -The Caribbean Children's Literature Ezine - Read it HERE
The Little Pre-fab That Could - (article) - Five Quarters, The St. John Historical Society Newsletter  
Why Dogs Beg (story) - Children's Writer Fantasy/Folktale first place winner 
Finding the Source (article) - ICL Rx for Writers
Bee: A Busy Word (article) - Fun For Kidz - Read it HERE
Buttons in History (article) - Stories for Children
Uncle Sam's Camels (article) - Wee Ones

Myth & Folklore: Finding Old Stories to Make New (article) - Writers Helping Writer - Read it HERE
Peter the Planner (story) - Stories for Children 
The Nickname (story) - Summer Shorts published by Blooming Tree Press
Finding What's in Common (story) - My Friend
Z is for...Zedonk (article) - Wee Ones
Dusting Off a Dream (article) - kidmagwriters
Waiting: Acquiring Patience Through Metaphors (article) - ICL Rx for Writers
Finding and Collecting Characters (article) - ICL Rx for Writers
Hermia's Shell (story) - Spider Magazine

Author Turns to St. John Roots for Latest Children’s Book (an article about me in the St. John Tradewinds Newspaper. Read HERE. It's on page 5)'

Remembering Lesson Taught (a letter to the editor of the St. John Tradewinds Newspaper. Read HERE.)
Yard Culture and the Fellowship of Food (article) - Destination US Virgin Islands/British Virgin Islands 2020 - Read it HERE
The Blind Ship (story) - Insecure Writer's Support Group Anthology, The Third Ghost

My Grandmother's Footprints (article)- Destination US Virgin Islands/British Virgin Islands 2022 - Read it HERE

The Little Pre-fab That Could (article) - Destination US Virgin Islands/British Virgin Islands 2023 - Read it HERE.

Books

Anansi and Company: Retold Jamaican Tales - a collection of ten retold Anansi stories. Available on Amazon.
A Lizard's Tail (novel) When a vain, young lizard who believes he has a destiny, is confronted with his destiny, he discovers heroism comes with a price. Available on Amazon.
The Bowl and the Stone (novel) As their carefree summer games turn into being haunted by ghost, Sam and her best friend, Nick, learn more about themselves and life than they could ever have imagined. Available on Amazon.

Summer Shorts - "The Nickname." Blooming Tree Press Anthology

Voyagers: The Third Ghost - "The Blind Ship." Insecure Writer's Support Group Anthology