Featured Author: ~ Vicky Cavin Credit: Photography by Gregory I remember being seven years old, eating green apples from a neighbor's tree, and sitting with my best friend on the steps of our front porch. I used to make up stories between bites, and she would beg to hear more. I loved watching her eyes brighten as the plot unfolded at my command. I do believe those experiences were my first drafts in writing. When I turned eight, I created poems, and gave them to my mother. She always took time to listen, and told me I had a way with words, and that I was a writer at heart. I must have believed her, because from that time on, I wrote words on anything I could get my hands on, and loved to be called on to read my short stories and poetry by my teachers in elementary school. Later, I enjoyed writing articles for the high school newspaper. While attending Eastern Washington University, my circle of friends included those who enjoyed the arts-writers, artists, and musicians. It pleased me to write lyrics for songs (most of which were sung in the privacy of my car) because I loved to hear the rhythm of words. Once, I was asked to contribute lyrics to a friend's musical arrangement. The thrill of hearing that song being played on local radio stations stirred in me a desire to "touch" others through words. When I entered the world of elementary education, I was provided with a multitude of opportunities to write with children, and through the years, we attended numerous writing conferences hosted by local colleges and universities. As I listened to featured authors share their personal stories-their frustrations, challenges, and motivations-it became clear to me that the common denominators they shared were: vision, persistence, and the toughness it takes to actualize a dream. I had to ask myself if I was tough enough to see my work through the difficult times of disappointment and rejection. Unsure of where my path would lead, I continued to write on anything I could get my hands on. If I was at a coffee shop, I wrote on napkins. If I forgot my journal or legal pad, I wrote on the back of receipts. Anything to get the words out. My first published work, A Chair Full Of Heart, was written at local coffee shops, and in my car, between my daughter's volleyball games, during a period of deep, personal grief. When the manuscript was completed, I felt a deep, convincing satisfaction, and knew at that point, I would be "tough" enough to see my story through the many bumps on the road to publication. Nothing, however, prepared me for the overwhelming joy-the quiet, powerful joy-of holding my book for the first time. I must have stared at the words and watercolors much the way a parent stares at a newborn. Fascination. Nothing less. ~ Cavin is the author of A Chair Full of Heart, a simple story of a special relationship between a daughter and her mother. This book will strike a chord in anyone who has enjoyed an enduring relationship with a loved one. A Chair Full Of Heart (ISBN 1-883697-25-5) Can be purchased directly from the author (gvhcavin@juno.com) or from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble

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