A Biographical Sketch of Shirley Ann Parker

Following a series of published articles, essays and short stories, Shirley Ann Parker’s first book for adults is DISCOVERIES: A Journey Through life, an engaging collection of 17 original short stories by the author. DISCOVERIES has been well received, both by reviewers and readers. The Midwest Book Review said, “Highly recommended reading for anyone who enjoys a well crafted work of literary skill….”

Shirley Ann Parker’s luminous stories are about people and places we have all known wherever we live. They are the real heroes and heroines of the world, those for whom every day may require a strong will and a battle to live, with more than a dash of good humor sprinkled in! The real mysteries of life lie in how these people keep going from day to day.

Shirley is a visual writer: from the real world politics of the business office, to delightful characters tramping along country roads, to neighborhood busybodies, to family squabbles, enchanting escapes into nature, and on to magical realism. These stories, rich in detail and imagery and a sense of place, are widely diverse, reflecting many facets of her varied life in her adopted homeland. From the beaches and cities of California to the rugged grandeur of Utah, to time spent in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, the intensity and richness of her immigrant experiences were grafted upon a childhood with roots deeply sunk into rural Hampshire in the south of England.

Shirley has an unusual tenacity for seeing things through and of seeing through things, overshadowed by a vision of what the world could and should be like. These stories explore that which is most important in life—our relationships to those around us, whether human, animal, or Divine. We all learn the lessons of, and hopefully value the differences between: solitude and loneliness; friendship and betrayal; happiness and selfishness; kindness and abuse; freedom and grief.

“Along the many paths of my journey through life so far,” says Shirley, “I have found both sharp-edged rocks and shining crystals. When I have stopped to pick up the rocks, to turn them over in my hand, some have cut as deeply as obsidian and their wounds have yet to heal. But the sharp edges of others have fallen away and, along with the crystals, I’ve been left with rainbows, with pearls, with the tinkling of underwater bells and messages from the stars.”

Shirley Ann Parker cannot be categorized as a writer, unless it is for her compassion for all that lives. However, she no longer allows that compassion to make her a doormat. She has been a writer since a very young child. In fact, her mother’s difficult labor has sometimes been attributed to the pencil thought seen behind her stubborn baby’s ear!  Shirley published her first work at the age of 16. A professional writer for many years, she is first and foremost a lifetime lover of animals in all their varieties.  She has been and in many instances, still is: a nanny, an office supervisor, a marketing and sales administrator, a technical writer, an editor, a journalist, a photographer, a family history enthusiast, a church choir member, a volunteer worker, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, a friend, a wife. She reads as much as possible, and occasionally still knits and crochets. Although she's had to give up playing tennis, she still likes to find a quiet beach to walk on, but that's becoming increasingly more difficult due to 24-hour traffic gridlock in parts of Southern California. A move elsewhere seems logical and likely.

She has just completed a non-fiction book entitled What Shall I Write? that is scheduled for release as an eBook in August, 2002 and in print in October, 2002. Currently working on several novels for grownups and stories for children, Shirley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a minor in Communications, from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with additional honors.

She has previously published articles and fiction for grownups and children in a wide selection of publications, including The Christian Science Monitor, Ford Times, the Denver Post, and A Community of Voices. In addition, she has written and edited newsletters, technical manuals, online help, and related material.  She is an active full member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, a senior member of the Society for Technical Communication, a member of the National Notary Association, Publishers Marketing Association, and The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Shirley currently resides in West Hills, California with her husband Ken, and two cats, Sadie and Figaro. For more information and samples of her written work, check out her website at www.shirleyannparker.com. You may also e-mail her at shirley@shirleyannparker.com

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