MY STORY: The Short Version

by Janet Clark Shay

THIS IS THE SPACE I set aside to tell you about myself (difficult to do without making it sound like a resume or a “look at me” page), but here goes. I’ve focused mainly on writing accomplishments because this is, after all, a website about writing services.

I scribbled poems in high school English when my assignment was finished. From reading novels and biographies of famous people, to writing stories and songs (some performed and others tucked away for a future time), I’ve been fascinated by words as far back as I can remember. There is a whole lot more between the years from childhood to where I am today, but for now I'll stay focused on the subject at hand.

I'm a freelance writer with a special heart for stories from a Christian worldview. Born in a tiny town in eastern Colorado, and still holding vivid memories of life on the ranch, I spent most of my grade school years in Redondo Beach, California. I loved the ocean and living near so many extended family members on my mother’s Italian side. My two sisters and I enjoyed cousins, family get-togethers, and authentic Italian food along with building sandcastles at the seashore.

The summer before I entered junior high I moved with my family to a farm in western Kansas where we rode horses, went on hayrides, and brought the milk cow in from the pasture.

I graduated from a small-town high school where everybody knew everybody--most since the day they were born! While life in Kansas was the polar opposite of Southern California, it was a great place to live, and I am fortunate to have experienced these two diverse ways of life. I went on to attend Fort Hays State University and Emporia State University in Kansas.

My husband, Harold, and I raised our son and daughter in Kansas. Then in 1987 the Lord led us to the Phoenix, Arizona metro, allowing more time to explore my creative desires. I worked in the Sears advertising department and later in the ad design office of a local newspaper. I completed the Trompe L’oeil course at the American Academy of Decorative Arts in Scottsdale, AZ and faux painting training at The Faux Finish School in Louisville, KY. In addition to doing freelance advertising and graphic design work, I painted murals and spent many years teaching art to children as a part of a Home School Co-op. I also completed the Magazine Article Course and Novel Writing Course through the Institute for Writers. Whether through the arts or through writing, I have always been drawn to the creative side of life.

 

 

I LOVE WRITING LIFE STORIES, especially when they interweave a life lived for God. I have written two inspirational books, The Prayer That Makes a Difference and This Side of Heaven. I also enjoy writing for children, and my audio book, Plop! Goes the Blue Swirl Ice Cream is an example. My short stories have been published in national magazines, and I have penned humorous sketches for various entertainment venues along with a full-length musical/drama entitled The Woodcarver.

When I formed Sable Creek Press, a traditional publishing company in 2002, I jumped head-long into the world of story. Publishing books written by new authors, Sable Creek Press offered inspirational works and middle grade books for children. It is still in existence today, but my personal writing goals now take prominence. 

My husband Harold and I currently live in Glendale, Arizona and are blessed with two children, eleven grandchildren, and very recently a precious great granddaughter.