In this second book in the Laura Grey series, Laura continues to grow and learn. Much as Anne of Green Gables, Laura experiences some happy times, as when she is invited to the birthday party of the most popular girl in her class and some are painful, as when she learns of the finality of death. Some are frightening, like when she draws the attention of an older boy in school. Some are surprising as when while spending the summer baby sitting she is instructed in how important it is for a girl to "play hard to get." Some are poignant as when she experiences the kisses of summer's end.
Joan (that's me) is the author of eight books, ages ranging from middle school to young adult. (Mature adults can read them too.) I began writing years ago but I set it aside to work at the University of Michigan. I started as a temporary employee on a reading research project where I wrote fiction and non-fiction for workbooks for grade levels 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. Later on I worked as a development officer in Annual Giving. Before the University, I did some freelance work writing copy for brochures, ads, etc. My degree was in sociology with an internship in psychiatric social work, neither of which I put to use.
Upon retirement I went back to writing. I confess I kept a letter from years ago because of this quotation: "Your writing style has an unstated simplicity which I find absolutely haunting." That was from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. in response to a sparsely written manuscript I sent them. (Now you couldn't do that without an agent.) Unfortunately, what Knopf liked was never finished until recently. Now it's The Times of Laura Grey. As for my writing, I am committed to continuing the style of "unstated simplicity."
My husband Neill and I are both retired and living in Kewadin, Michigan. We have sixteen grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. I spend a lot of time, in addition to writing, playing golf and working on Kakura puzzles.