Holly Jensen Hughes grew up in Naperville, Illinois. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing from Valparaiso University in 1991. Holly is currently the director of marketing for a Chicago-based company that serves the education market. She resides in Plainfield, Illinois with her husband, Tim, and their children, Conor and Emma.
Shonna Milliken Humphrey is originally from northern Maine and after a long hiatus in Washington, D.C., has returned to the state with her musician husband and three kitties. She is still very much in love.
Michelle Isenhour is an Air Force wife and stay-at-home mother of two daughters. She is also a former award-winning Air Force journalist and an officer in the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. She can be reached at
[email protected] Denise Jacoby is a legal secretary at a Manhattan law firm. She is a part-time student at the College of Staten Island where she is a January 2004 candidate for a Bachelor of Science in business management.
Barbara M. Johnson, the fifth of seven children, is a bankruptcy legal assistant. She loves life and enjoys the outdoors, hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing, dancing and traveling. In her spare time, Barbara writes poetry. She self-published Life Unfolds and is also published in several poetry anthologies.
Sally Kelly-Engeman is a freelance writer who’s had numerous articles and short stories published, and is currently writing an historical novel. In addition to reading, researching and writing, she enjoys ballroom dancing and traveling with her husband. She can be reached at
[email protected] Nora E. Kessel has been blissfully married to Thomas M. Kessel for nineteen years, and is the mother of three children: Stephen, (18), Johanna, (16) and Phillip (13). Nora left her nursing career to raise a family, and counts gardening, writing, making jewelry and reading among her hobbies. She loves to make people smile and insists on one good belly laugh a day. She has taught catechism for the last fifteen-plus years, is a lay counselor at Pregnancy Helpline, serves on the Hartland Consolidated Schools Board of Education, is a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Livingston County, and also serves on the board of Livingston County Catholic Social Services. She feels blessed!
Jeannie Kim is a writer and editor in New York City. Her work has appeared in Redbook, Shape, Modern Bride, and many other magazines. She is the author of The Whole You (Scholastic), a series of self-discovery books for preteens.
Paige M. Kolb is a native Texan. In 1996 she joined CNN, first as a writer and eventually as an on-air correspondent for CNNRadio. She is now a mom, inspirational speaker and author. Her first book, Reality Check, was published in 2002 through PLACE Ministries. She can be reached at:
[email protected] Debra Purdy Kong has published more than eighty short stories, essays and articles for publications in North America and England. She’s also published a mystery novel called Taxed to Death. She lives in Canada’s Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children.
Amanda Krug is an award-winning international author/writer and guest lecturer from Fishers, Indiana. Co-president/co-founder of The Jena Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit charitable organization, she also conducts writing workshops for children in local churches and schools. She and her husband, Michael, are the proud parents of four perfect-for-us children. She can be reached at 8883 Moll Drive, Fishers, IN 46038,
[email protected] or www.thejena foundation.org.
Charlotte Lanham is a retired teacher and columnist. She resides in Duncanville, Texas with her husband, Ray. She is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Mother & Daughter Soul. Charlotte can be reached at
[email protected] sbcglobal.net.
Cindy L. Lassalle is an elementary English teacher in Puerto Rico. She enjoys reading, playing with her dog, Sandy and working with children. She likes to write children’s books. She can be reached at
[email protected] Gary Lautens, a popular Canadian humorist and columnist, was a writer at the Toronto Star, and was syndicated throughout Canada and briefly in the United States. His columns were also published in book form. Visit the Web site of his son, Stephen Lautens (the groom), who is also a writer: www.lautens.com.
Michelle Lawson resides in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Michelle enjoys spending time with her children, gardening, camping and writing. She has future plans of continuing to write short stories. She can be reached at
[email protected] Veneta Leonard received her associate degree in business management in 1993. She currently resides in Northwest Indiana and enjoys spending time with her children and family. Her hobbies include playing bunco, bingo, cards and watching “SpongeBob” with her kids. She enjoys writing and hopes to have one of her books published one of these days.
Marie S. Lyle is an alumnas of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she studied liberal arts. She lives in Michigan with her husband, baby and two dogs, where she works as a computer technician and writes science fiction.
Liza G. Maakestad met her husband in 1997 while they attended Syracuse University. Liza is a writer-illustrator and is currently working on her first children’s book. You can see her work at www.lgmaakestad.com. She lives with her husband Tim in North Texas (fifteen minutes from Mom and Dad).
Steve Manchester, father of two sons, is the author of The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy, Jacob Evans and At the Stroke of Midnight, as well as several books under the pseudonym Steven Herberts. Three of his screenplays have also been produced as films.
Michelle Marullo is a freelance writer who pursues her greatest passions as wife and mother. She is currently writing a book, You Can Stop Chasing the Wind!, a work describing how to avoid the daily obstacles that keep us from reaching God’s purpose for our lives. She can be reached at
[email protected] charter.net.
Janet Matthews is a writer, editor, professional speaker and coauthor of the bestseller, Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul. She is working on a book version of The Navy’s Baby with Daniel Keenan, an amazing story appearing in Chicken Soup for the Parent’s Soul, which she helped produce and edit. Janet can be reached at 905-881-8995, ext 28, or by e-mail at
[email protected], or www.canadiansoul.com
Carol Mell, raised in rural Oregon, earned a dance degree at Juilliard. She has lived in Navajoland and on the Arizona–Mexico border as a Spanish-speaking reporter. Now a columnist, feature writer and photographer for magazines and newspapers, as well as dance teacher and choreographer, she can be reached at
[email protected] Patrick Mendoza is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, musician and author. Since 1976, he has performed over 18,000 performances all over the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Fiji Islands. He is also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Volunteer’s Soul. He can be reached at www.patmendoza.com.
Greta Montgomery received her B.A. from Azusa Pacific University. She taught high-school English for seven years, and also coached volleyball and basketball. After getting married in 2002, she moved to Scotland, her husband’s home, and is now a stay-at-home wife and mother. She can be reached at
[email protected] Lad Moore enjoys several writing awards and more than 300 publishing credits in magazines and on the web. His collection, Odie Dodie, is available in literary paperback at all major booksellers. Tailwind, a forty-story set of short-story memoirs, was also released in 2003.
Edward Nickless, an Australian who moved to the United States in 1989, is the chief financial officer of an Orange County, California construction company. He is happily married to Maria Nickless, one of the coauthors of this book, and is very proud of the great job that she has done. In his spare time, he also enjoys writing humorous short stories on the quirks of daily life.
Thirty years after their wedding, Adele Noetzelman and her husband, Jim, live near Fort Collins, Colorado. They have three adult children (two married), a teenager still at home, and three grandchildren. Coauthor of a hospitality handbook, A Cup of Cold Water, Adele enjoys gardening, decorative painting and playing with horses.
Cathy L. Novakovich is employed a
s an administrative manager for an investment firm in Chicago. She has reduced her office hours to three days per week to allow more time for the things she loves most: her husband, her three daughters, her eight grandchildren and her passion for reading a good book.
Donald R. Novakovich told us the most important things in his life are his three children. He has two stepdaughters who stole his heart long ago, and have now made him “Papa” to eight grandchildren. And, if that wasn’t enough, he and his wife have adopted yet another daughter to love!
Nicole Owens is an elementary educator and the mother of three energetic boys. Currently residing in Michigan, Nicole enjoys painting, hiking, camping and humorous attempts at gardening. She loves God, garage sales and double chocolate ice cream. She appreciates her husband’s unwavering support of her writing career.
Amanda Parise-Peterson is a freelance writer and former newspaper reporter who lives in Minnesota with her husband, Jason. She has her B.A. in English writing and German from Concordia College. Amanda enjoys working with children, traveling, reading, photography and of course, dancing. She can be reached at
[email protected] Mark Parisi’s OFF THE MARK comic panel has been syndicated since 1987 and is distributed by United Media.Mark’s humor also graces greeting cards, T-shirts, calendars, magazines (such as Billboard), newsletters and books. Lynn, is his wife/business partner and their daughter, Jenny, contributes with inspiration, (as do three cats).
Kathy Passero is an award-winning writer and essayist whose work has been published in a number of national magazines and newspapers. She is also the author of two nonfiction books. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and their baby daughter.
Mitali Perkins was born in Calcutta, India and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She maintains a Web site called “The Fire Escape: Books For and About Young Immigrants” (www.mitaliperkins.com) and is the author of two books, Sunita! (Little, Brown) and Monsoon Summer (Random House).
Penny Perrone is a freelance writer with a background in the mental health field and an M.S. in community health. She has completed an inspirational, healing-type manuscript for those overcoming over whelming obstacles and is in the process of finding a publisher. She can be reached
[email protected] Pat Phillips enjoys writing inspirational and Christian stories based on her own personal experiences. She is happily married to Bob Phillips, her husband of twenty-eight years. Their two children and two grandchildren have become a great source in providing material for many of her stories. She can be reached at
[email protected] Kaylen Pierce is the mother of three wonderful daughters. She is also a grandmother of three, and greatly enjoys this new role. Her greatest passions are serving God and spending time with her family. She teaches a women’s Bible study group, and would love to continue writing when she’s not busy cuddling grandbabies.
Caroline Pignat met her husband, Tony, in eighth grade, and they’ve been together ever since. The Pignats claim the secret to their happy marriage is love, friendship and a lot of laughs. They live in Ottawa, Canada with their two kids, Liam and Marion. She can be reached at
[email protected] Shad Purcell is a youth minister and guest speaker living in San Antonio Texas. He and his beautiful wife, April, enjoy hiking, running, reading and watching lots of movies together. He can be reached at
[email protected] Carol McAdoo Rehme, an inspirational freelance writer, is an experienced Mother of the Bride: She married off two daughters in two years. Now, she feathers her empty nest with writing and editing for Chicken Soup for the Soul and directing Vintage Voices, Inc., a nonprofit agency that provides programs in eldercare facilities. She can be reached at
[email protected] or www.rehme.com.
Carla Riehl is a Chicken Soup contributing author and motivational speaker who tours nationally speaking on “Calm Confident and Assertive for Women”. She won three Clios (advertising’s Oscar) and an Emmy for singing TV and radio commercials. Her latest book is entitled 52 MIRACLES: A Year of Truly Miraculous Stories of Ordinary People.
Kimberly Ripley lives with her husband, five children and faithful dog, Philly, in New Hampshire. The author of five books, her Freelancing Later in Life has received numerous awards and is now facilitated as a writing workshop throughout many states. Visit Kim’s site at www.kimberlyripley.writergazette.com.
Gwen Rockwood received her Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Arkansas in 1995. She writes a humor column called “The Rockwood Files” for several newspapers in Arkansas and Missouri. She is currently working on a compilation book of her columns. She can be reached at
[email protected] Leigh P. Rogers is a writer residing in California. She has been published in Spies, Wives, Nudges from God and has other stories pending publication. She was raised all over the world as the daughter of a CIA agent, and is currently working on a manuscript about her experiences abroad.
Cartoonist Dan Rosandich has been published for over 25 years I hundreds of publications ranging from Barron’s to Reader’s Digest. He also specializes in creating custom artwork for any professional commercial endeavor. Reach Dan at: 906-482-6234 or
[email protected] visit his extensive portfolio & online catalog at DANSCARTOONS.COM.
Kris Hamm Ross is a fifth-grade teacher at Grace School in Houston, Texas. Her memoirs have appeared in the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul and Chicken Soup for the Grandparent’s Soul. She can be reached at
[email protected] Bob Schochet is an award-winning cartoonist.Bob started out as a graphic design artist in advertising.But, he discovered his true passion when he painted “cartoons” on the day room walls while in the army.He works out of his home in the Hudson Valley and draws 40 cartoons a week.His career spans 36 years with over 80,000 cartoons to his credit.His cartoons appear in many venues, including TV Guide, Saturday Review, Good Housekeeping, Wall Street Journal and the National Enquirer.
Lucy Akard Seay, a popular Christian conference speaker and author, is founder of Biblical Etiquette Ministries, an organization dedicated to teaching believers how to use the Bible as an etiquette book in everyday family and social situations. She enjoys reading, cooking and entertaining friends. She can be reached at
[email protected] Kathy Shaskan ditched a successful career as a marketing executive to pursue her interest in humor writing and cartooning.(This fact alone prompted her friends to burst out laughing.)Her work has since appeared in many publications and she has two children’s books in development with the Dutton Press division of Penguin Putnam Publishing
Lisa Solomon is a freelance writer based in Washington. She graduated from CSU with a B.A. in sociology. Lisa has worked as a professional ballerina in Nevada, an activist and employee for pro-choice organizations in Arizona, and now writes while accompanying her husband on his job assignments around the world.
Carrie St. Michel is a contributing editor at Good Housekeeping magazine and a frequent contributor to numerous other national publications. Previously a syndicated columnist at The Los Angeles Times, she can be reached at
[email protected] Kelly Stevens-Hartley married her true love, David, on April 21, 2001. She has a B.A. in history, and works as an early childhood educator in Windsor, Ontario. Kelly is grateful to her parents, sister Keri, friends and the Frugal Brides (www.frugalbride.com), who continue to offer their unconditional love and support.
Carol M. Sturgulewski is a lifelong Alaskan. A newspaper and magazine writer and editor for more than twenty-five years, she is also coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul and Kodiak: Alaska’s Emerald Isle. She and her husband of twenty years live in Anchorage with their three sons.
Patty Swyden Sullivan is a freelance writer living in Kansas. She is blessed with the legacy of love shared by her parents, Victor and Vivian Swyden, and the loving support of a husband who encourages her to follow her dreams.
Sylvia Suriano is a songwriter, composer
and pianist from Toronto. She enjoys teaching music to young children, and aspires to fulfill her creative spirit by writing in many different genres. She can be reached at
[email protected] Annmarie B. Tait lives in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania with her husband, Joe, and Sammy the “Wonder Yorkie.” The youngest of five children, Annmarie has written numerous stories recalling the fond memories of her Irish Catholic childhood. Snow Cloud is the second to be published in the Chicken Soup series.
Deborah Thomas is the youth services coordinator for a parks and recreation program, and is also a freelance writer of inspirational women’s and children’s fiction. She has been happily married for twenty-seven years.
Renata Waldrop received her degree in English from the University of Tennessee in 1998. She currently divides her time between writing pursuits, spiritual teaching and caring for her husband and son. She can be reached at
[email protected] Rachel Wallace-Oberle has an education in radio/television broadcasting as well as journalism/print. She is a freelance writer who has written for numerous publications. She also co-hosts a Sunday morning radio program and loves long walks, classical music and canaries. She can be reached at rachel
[email protected] Denise N. Wheatley received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois in 1996. Her first novel, I Wish I Never Met U, will be published in the summer of 2004. When she is not writing, Denise enjoys movies, tennis and spending time with family and friends.
David R. Wilkins is a director at a medical device manufacturer in northern California, but would love to be a full-time writer. He earned his B.A. in management at St Mary’s College, is a father of two and a husband of twenty-eight years. He’s written a nonfiction book (looking for a publisher) and is currently writing a novel. He can be reached at
[email protected] Keith A. Wooden is an author, pastor, communicator, freelance writer and mostly a story teller. He is a husband of one, and a father/stepfather to four. He finds ample illustration in his own living room.