A NOTE FROM EILEEN

Since the moment, long ago, when my big sister opened a book of fairy tales and began to read to me, I’ve been mesmerized by the idea that there is more to life than meets the eyes. This fascination increased when I encountered the works of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Patricia A. McKillip, and found my way into the final frontier with Star Trek (I love the whole ST universe, but Voyager is my current favorite).

While I believe in minimalism theoretically, I’ve discovered there are a few things one can never have too many of. Books, for starters. I buy, I read—fantasy mostly, but also science fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, non-fiction on many topics, and more. A lot of subjects interest me and I’m always looking for something new.

Then there are plants—can’t have too many of them. A prairie girl at heart, I used to grow an exuberant prairie garden alive with birds and butterflies, but now I reside on the Colorado Front Range where the deer eat everything I try to grow. I have to content myself with looking across the distant plains from my studio window and filling my house and my deck with potted plants, where the deer can’t get to them.

A good atlas or two (or more) also have a place in my home and car. Friends were recently surprised to see paper maps at my home in this age of GPS, but I wouldn’t be without one. Driving is one of my favorite pursuits and takes me all over the United States. There and back again is my motto. I prefer the open road, but will get on an airplane to explore farther-away places with my husband. Traveling gives me the excuse to take a zillion pictures (another thing one can’t have too many of—maybe).

When I have a little extra time, or I’m procrastinating on my writing, I make music, study languages, try a new recipe, and explore the natural world. I’m always seeking new inspiration and new sources of wonder—new avenues for understanding our amazing universe.

A master’s degree in literature honed an appreciation for the power of story, along with some foundational writing skills; I’ve spent the rest of my life studying writing craft and acquiring the proficiency to compose stories worth telling. Along the way, I’ve discovered that the wonder and hope I find in the world are best expressed in tales of other worlds, worlds accessed only through the imagination but still very real.

The foundation for my storytelling, and for everything else I do, is my faith in God. A committed Christ-follower, I seek to honor him in all I do and in every story I tell.

To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen (II Peter 3:18)