About the Authors

Roselyn has won awards for short stories and essays.  She also received an honorable mention in an international poetry contest.  She began writing the fairytales after being diagnosed with breast cancer and feeling the mortality factor.  Wanting to leave something for her grandchildren, she decided to write stories that would take the reader to a magical place where things always end happily after some bumps along the way.  Her writing experience dates back to elementary school when she wrote poetry.  After winning an essay contest in the fifth grade writing about "Freedom," the thrill of writing was embedded.  Reading has always been a favorite pastime, but she wanted to develop her own style.  Many of her stories are based on someone she knows or has met, but generally a composite of situations and a little imagination thrown in.  Having lived in Thailand and Teheran, Iran, she has been influenced by the Middle Eastern and Asian cultures.  Her experience as a legal secretary for twenty-one years also enters her writing sometimes on a subconscious level. 

Richard and Roselyn have six children and eleven grandchildren and have been married for twenty-five years.  They are both amateur radio operators and avid travelers.  In July 2002 we took a Caribbean cruise to celebrate our anniversary. (see above photo).

Richard has taught art for thirty-three years primarily at the high school level, but has also taught junior high and elementary.  Two more years and retirement waits beckoning him on.  An active artist, he likes to work in various media, such as ceramics (mainly hand construction), painting, drawing, stained glass, pen and ink, watercolor, and acrylics.  He has always written, and enjoys the challenge of writing in many different styles.  Several of his stories and essays have won awards. His students are his readers and they usually ask for another story after reading one.  Harvester I was written for our grandsons.  When he started it, the oldest one was only three years old and when three more joined the family over the years, he realized he needed to finish it.  The three year old has become a ten year old, just the right age for his grandfather's story and after reading it this summer, proclaimed it to be excellent.  The reward is sharing your words with others.  He also likes to read and tries to keep his stories entertaining. 

In 2004 we retired to Arizona.  A beautiful state.  We live in a beautiful community in a beautiful house.  Could it get better than this.  The children are mature adults and most of the grandchildren are becoming adults.  Our creativity is at a high level.  We hope you enjoy the things we like to create.

We just returned from our dream trip, visiting Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii.  This is in celebration of our thirtieth wedding anniversary.  We loved the islands and met some wonderful people.  The Aloha spirit is still with us.

We are writing still for the www.ironoakconnection.org web page in a column entitled Let's Get Acquainted.  Check it out.

© Richard & Roselyn Crewse 2002