Mary Kay Crawford
Mary Kay Crawford-Lorfink has been published in WINK: Writers in the Know magazine, Creatopia magazine and Amazon books, graduated with a BA in English from the U of MN, is an ongoing student at The Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis, MN, and a member of WOW - Women of Words. “Writing is a mystical experience—turning wonder into story.”
ANTHOLOGY AUTHORS
MINNESOTA STORIES
Lisa Carmichael
Lisa Carmichael is an entrepreneur and marketer who lives with her family in Minnesota. She writes from her laptop and transcribes from her journal. Lisa has a passion to help entrepreneurs develop strong relationships with their customers allowing their business to stand out from the competition.
Teresa Foushee
Teresa Foushee earned degrees in computer science and accounting and founded an information technology company serving Fortune 500 companies. After deaths in her world cracked her heart open, she left the corporate world to explore creative answers to old questions. Composing songs on piano originally for herself, she was invited to perform on stage, record, and license her music. Her literary work is published in magazines and anthologies, and she is now writing and illustrating her first book for kids, Into the Air about a fish who decides to fly; Fran aims high and never gives up. Learn more at www.PosiVibes.com
Alana Faulk
Alana Marie is a Minnesota author, whose tales and yarns are based on actual events that have occurred throughout her very colorful life. Some of the stories may revolve around the trials and tribulations of friends and family but all include some shred of truth. Alana, herself, is an out and proud lesbian who once weighed 528 pounds. A former bar and nightclub owner with a serious infatuation for food and alcohol, she has overcome tremendous obstacles throughout the years. Now sober for more than a decade, she has published two books on Amazon under the Pick a Struggle Cupcake title. Alana has also been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and WW Thin-line magazine. In sharing experiences and recovery in a raw, yet sensitive fashion, she hopes to inspire, provoke and motivate others to take the steps necessary to chase their dreams and conquer their own demons and dilemmas. Enjoy her stories and struggles…they come from the heart.
Kathleen J. Pettit
Kathleen J. Pettit is an arts administrator, poet, and creative nonfiction writer. Currently, she is the vice-president of the National League of American Pen Women Minnesota Branch, and a member of the League of Minnesota Poets, Women of Words, Pink, and Federated Women’s Club of Bloomington. She spends her time between Osakis, Shell City, and Bloomington, MN.
Christine Kelly
Thrown by Love’s award-winning romance author C. Kelly reveled in the challenge of writing this short story and looks forward to expanding Scott and Sara’s tale into a full-length novel. When she’s not writing, she loves laughing and spending time with her family in Minnesota.
Judith F. Brenner
Judith F. Brenner is the author of The Moments Between Dreams, a novel (2022), and owns Creative Lakes Media, LLC, an editing services company. She is the managing editor and publisher of Sharpeners Report, a national publication. Her personal essays have been published in Writers in the Know literary magazine, and Minnesota Parent. She completed the Iowa University Mini-MFA Workshop (2019). Judith is a member of the Loft Literary Center, the Professional Editor’s Network and the Chicago Writers Association. When she’s not editing, reading or writing, you’ll find her hiking in California (snow-bird) or gardening in
Minnesota (summer-bird).
Colleen Baldrica
Inspired by the teachings of her Native American grandmother, Colleen Baldrica began her spiritual journey and her love for nature as a child.
Today, Colleen is a retired educator, a presenter and the author of Tree Spirited Woman.
Her mission: “Encourage and inspire women wherever they are in their life journey.” web: treespiritedwoman.com
Gloria Fredkove
Gloria Fredkove has taken many writing classes at The Loft. In 2009 she wrote and directed a play, Snow in the City, which was performed by Parlor Players. Her poems have been published in Writers in the Know (WINK). She is a member of Women of Words (WOW) and thanks them for their encouragement, which led to two stories being published in this anthology. Gloria is writing a memoir about her childhood, Casual Baggage. Special thanks to husband, Joe, for his support of all of Gloria's creative endeavors, including her choral memberships in Minnesota Chorale and Singers in Accord.
Connie Anderson
Connie Anderson edits books and has written four books: In My Next Life, I Want to be My Dog, When Polio Came Home: How Ordinary People Overcame Extraordinary Challenges, Man Overboard: Hubby’s Getting a New Boat, and The ‘I’ of a Woman.
Kathryn M Holmes
Kathryn M. Holmes has published four books, I Stand with Courage: One Woman’s Journey to Conquer Paralysis, the story of her recovery from a below the waist paralysis. Reflections, a self-published book providing bits of wisdom and reflection on family, friends, dating, marriage, society, the workplace, grandchildren and aging. Watershed Moments, stories from men and women who experienced life challenges. After the death of her husband, she compiled Thoughts and Prayers for those Experiencing Loss. These books can be found on Amazon.com. She lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota with her dog, Honey.
Name, Title
Karen Engstrom Anderson writes historical fiction inspired by her father’s stories. While translating his hand-written journals from Swedish, she became hooked on writing. She is working on a series of three books loosely based on his experiences. One of her short stories was included in Minnesota Not So Nice: Eighteen Tales of Bad Behavior.
Midge Bubany
Midge Bubany is the author of four published police-procedural mystery novels set in north central Minnesota and four short stories in anthologies. Midge has studied writing at the Loft Literary Center and has educated herself on police procedures using several resources, including attending the Orono Citizens Police Academy and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Citizens Academy. She is a member of Women of Words and the Twin Cities Sisters in Crime. Midge lives with her dog, Juni, in the western suburbs of Minneapolis.
Ann Aubitz
Ann Aubitz is the Co-owner and Publisher of Kirk House Publishers and FuzionPress, located in Burnsville, Minnesota. After years of reading everything she could get her hands on, she decided to help others achieve their dream of becoming an author. Her mission is to help authors reach their objectives by seeing their books in print.
Ann is also a proud member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, a Board Member-At-Large for the Midwest Independent Publishers Association, and a group leader for Women of Words and chairs the yearly WOW writing conference.
Jan Strootman
Jan is a retired kindergarten teacher who in October 2022 published her first book, Child Heart, Notes from a Kindergarten Teacher, a compilation of stories about teaching in Minnesota, Hong Kong, Belarus, and Slovakia. Her work has been published in MinnPost, Cathay Pacific magazine, and WINK magazine. She lives in Bloomington with her husband Denny and little dog, Ellie. She enjoys her writing groups that include WOW (Women of Words), PINK (Poets in the Know), National League of American Pen Women, and taking classes at the LOFT Literary Center in Minneapolis.
Nadia Giordana
Nadia Gíordana is a producer and community TV host in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul metro area. She strives to shine a spotlight on talented and deserving women. One of the best ways she does this is via multiple interview series she produces. She is also the publisher and executive editor of WINK: Writers IN the Know literary magazine. It offers a platform for writers to see their work published in an international venue.
Tammy Laurent
Tammy Laurent is a financial advisor with 33 years experience, an author and an inspirational speaker. She helps women in sales grow their business, and also helps them feel comfortable on the golf course with prospective clients. She and her husband are co-owners of a golf club in Shakopee, Minnesota. She enjoys playing the piano, and anything outdoors including competing in triathlons, ultra light backpacking, running, swimming, kayaking and golf. She lives with her husband, their border terrier, and their bengal cat in New Prague, Minnesota.
Lynn Garthwaite
Lynn Garthwaite is the author of eleven books, including the Dirkle Smat Adventure book series, three picture books for clients (Radio Flyer and Shutterfly), and an historic non-fiction for all ages titled Our States Have Crazy Shapes: Panhandles, Bootheels, Knobs and Points. She has also written a mystery/thriller: Starless Midnight and an updated nursery rhyme book titled Childhood Rhymes for Modern Times. Your Children Can be Writers: 40 Story Prompts to Spark their Creative Genius was released in 2022. Lynn is also a copyeditor for three magazines and a publisher, and a member of Sisters in Crime.
Betty Brandt Passick
Betty Brandt Passick is an independent author, inspirational speaker, and teacher. She has written two novels: The Black Bag of Dr. Wiltse, Murder on the Prairie (2021), and Gangster in Our Midst: Bookkeeper, Lieutenant and Sometimes Hitman for Al Capone (2017)—which won a 2019 Notable 100 Indie Book Award; plus, two memorials: We Are Eight, a Memoriam (2015); and Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church, 125 Years, 1888-2013 (2014). Annually she speaks at dozens of venues, primarily in the Iowa-Minnesota-Wisconsin area. Her writing workshops include: “Writing a Memoir” (all ages), and “Journaling” (grades 5-7). Read more at www.bettybrandtpassick.com.
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Kathy Allen
The tragic death of Kathy’s son, Bryon, is what inspired her to write about her journey of grief and ultimate healing of her broken heart. She wants to bring comfort to those in sorrow and heartache just as God has brought comfort to her.
When Kathy is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and, unquestionably, with her ten grandchildren. In the summertime, she enjoys gardening and, in the winter, she and her husband, Roger, enjoy the warm sunshine of the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. She and Roger have been married for over 50 years and they reside in Minnesota where they live in a small retirement community.