I grew up loving books and loving to read. As a tiny tot, I thought the most amazing thing anyone could ever do was to be an author. Books were truly magical. And before I knew how many books there were in the world, my goal was to read them all. By the time I was 10, I wanted to write children’s books and even had an idea for my first book. Years later, I did finally write and illustrate a book for my niece when she was born.

So, books have been part of my DNA all my life and it’s no wonder that in 2016 I began creating paintings with books attached to the surface of the painted canvas.

Now, as I await the launch of the Creative LifeBook on Wednesday, I find myself reflecting on how I have somehow managed to experience the joy and delight of being involved in a handful of book projects through the years (even when my primary focus has been on painting). These have so satisfied my original and foundational desires. And as I reflect on all of this, I thought I would share my published book history:

Back in the 1990’s, I collaborated on the creation of the Lakota Sweat Lodge Card: Spiritual Teachings of the Sioux (card deck and book). This endeavor became a reality through the teachings of Archie Fire Lame Deer, the tenacity of Helene Sarkis, and the beautiful words of Ann Louise Goulene.

In 2012, I was inspired to produce and publish The Gratitude Habit: A 365 Day Journal and Workbook. For several years, The Gratitude Habit had lots of success on Amazon and it even spent some time on the top 100 list of books in Happiness.

So, in 2015, I followed that up by creating and publishing Parenting The Gratitude Habit: a journal and resource for fostering gratitude in your heart, home, and family. And recently, I found my notes for a third book in the series, which I was too busy painting to complete.

Now, it’s 2023, and I am so grateful to have stumbled into an amazing book project with an impressive and supportive community on the Creative LifeBook. I so appreciate Jessica Hughes vision for this book and her remarkable ability to make this collaborative effort a reality.