George Finds a Way and also Beth's Own Star

The inspiration for this book was my younger brother George, who is six years younger than me. There were two boys and four girls in our family. My job was to take care of George. I didn’t always do a good job. Once he was hit by the ice truck. He was about three then, but wasn’t badly hurt. I never forgot the lecture I received about responsibility. I always loved my family, but was a loner most of the time. I loved to read and write stories. Being hard of hearing, I couldn’t understand what was going on around me. George did entertain me by doing crazy things. He loved to go barefoot outdoors and still does, I believe. Making up things was easy for me, as I loved the outdoors, too. In this story, George has a friend, a neighbor within bicycle distance. They were always taking trips and doing things together. This inspired me to write “George Finds a Way.” I made up most of the adventures that are in this story. Raising chickens was what I did years ago. The foxes were plentiful in the country. Pets were great companions and our family had plenty of them. George would go out at night, when everyone was asleep. He told us about things going on in the woods, the animals he’d seen and the damage done by hurricanes or tornadoes. He was always bringing home pets of all kinds. I grew up in four New England States and loved to wander into pastures and woods to commune with nature, birds and animals. I’d study different trees and bushes. I’d take along pencils and pads of paper and I’d sit on logs or by streams and write what came to mind. I’d spend hours alone like this whenever I could get away from housework. Sometimes I’d spend time studying my lessons outdoors, by myself. Beautiful sounding words and rhythm of words are important to me. I wrote my senior class salutatorian speech and received a standing ovation, much to my surprise. I have lived in Citrus County, FL for the last 26 years. I have 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.