Patty Campbell

I wrote my first novel at the age of six. It was titled "The Mouse," and it was only a couple of pages long—including illustrations! My mother saved that first edition and every now and then I take it out and laugh over it.

When my beloved husband suddenly died, while we were vacationing in Switzerland, writing became my personal grief counselor. As the owner of a busy retail travel agency, with plans to add a coffee bar, my two best stress relievers were walking and writing.

At first the writing allowed me to pour out all my sadness. Then, the more I wrote, the more I realized that I was going to go on, I was going to be happy, and I had a lot of living to do.