Janet Bettag is a career administrative professional, freelance editor, and an award-winning writer. She served for more than seventeen years as Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Police at a municipal law enforcement agency.

Her first book, Normal, is the true story of the author’s survival and recovery from a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. It poignantly and humorously addresses dealing with altered self-image, finding ways around barriers, and appreciating the play of serendipity and synchronicity in our lives.

Janet’s previously published works include magazine articles and book reviews. She also participated in scripting the 2011 production of The Voices of Valhalla. Her short story, “Collette’s Conundrum,” won an award in the 2010 Missouri Writers’ Guild JoAnna Dale Sponsors’ Contest for best paranormal or mystery short fiction.

Born near Clarksville, Missouri, Janet grew up in the St. Louis area. She now lives in O’Fallon, Missouri with her husband, Mike, where she enjoys gardening, spending time with her family, and spoiling her grandchildren. She is currently writing a ghostly novel.

Valerie Battle Kienzle

Look for beauty and blessings in each day. That’s my goal. The world is full of hatred, but it’s also full of beauty. It’s important to look for that beauty and to be thankful. No matter how bad a day is, there’s always something for which to be thankful. Sugarberry Home hopes to bring glimpses of beauty and creativity to your day.

Having grown up in the theatre taking part in dance, drama, art and music to feed the right side of her brain, Elizabeth Bourgeret also satisfied the left side with business management skills, coach training and even became an ordained minister as she forged her way through the choppy waters of her career path.  “I definitely consider myself a student of life.  There is always something new to learn; about myself, others, life in general, or that next new and exciting alleyway I have yet to walk down.”

Probably best known for her work with children and teenagers, Elizabeth has been a part of the “educational community” for most of her adult life.  She can be found giving seminars on teen life, cultivating loving relationships and family subjects, teaching workshops for children/teens or writing articles for various websites on any number of topics.  And now, adding to her busy schedule, publishing her own writings.

Holding down a full time job cutting hair, she squeezes everything else in around it hoping one day to put the scissors down for good and focus completely on her writing and seminars.

When she is pressed for an interview, such as this, her face lights up when she talks about upcoming projects but nothing makes her happier than talking about her children and grandchildren.  She is known as “Momma” to a couple dozen kids, but has only given birth to two. Her “kids”, all of them, make her world go round and keep her going from day to day.  What is her secret to her open relationships with her kids? “Unconditional love,” she says, “They know that I am not here to judge them but to love them.  I may not agree with everything going on in their worlds and I offer advice when given the chance, but I am here to be a supportive ear, a foundation that they can always return to, safe from the rest of the crazy world.”
“And I’m fun too,” she laughs.

A born teacher, as she likes to call herself, she stays in tune with the kids in her classes but is also known to be very strict.  Which, as it turns out, endears the kids to her all the more.  Not to mention, turning out a quality product whether it be a full production, a week long summer camp, homeschool events, workshops, conferences  or concerts. Whatever medium she tackles, she always adds heart.  “If your heart isn’t in it, there’s really no point.  It won’t be your best work, and someone somewhere is going to suffer for it.”

Being such a diverse person, Elizabeth has explored many avenues and careers taking part in whatever got her attention for the moment.  Therefore, she is well versed in many subjects and has found that nothing she has learned, good or bad has been a waste, because she uses it all in her daily life, whether it be in her writing or speaking, or even standing behind the chair taking care of the next customer.  Its amazing to her how often she has been able to help or advise others who have been in or are going through similar situations.

She is also an avid “studier”.  “If I am not content with what I know, I dive into a subject until my thirst is quenched.”  When writing for other people, research becomes second nature and in turn has become a passion of Elizabeth’s.  “If you stop learning, you become stale.”

Elizabeth’s walk down life’s path; her trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows, all of her experiences and study has created the perfect career for her.  Writer, Speaker and life coach.  Which she focuses most of her time developing.  “If you don’t learn from your mistakes,” Elizabeth says, “you are bound to repeat them.  And since I have made so many, I’ve become an expert on what NOT to do!  I’ve made the mistakes, so you don’t have to!”  And so her life career was created for her.  It wasn’t something she originally went after but became something specifically for her.    She writes and speaks on subjects she has learned from;  Raising children, having good relationships, surviving bad relationships, getting teens out into the grown-up world, goal setting and self-esteem building and most importantly, never giving up on love.  Her speaking sessions and conferences have given value and direction to adults and children alike. In this final career choice, all her needs are met.  Her need for diversity is met.  Her love for travel is met.  Her desire for meeting and teaching and helping people is met.  This career path of writer and speaker could not have begun a moment sooner as she was preparing for this one role her whole life.  The student of life becomes the teacher.
– Leyla Beaumont

Greetings to my fellow writers. Writing has always been a passion of mine and when I retired in 2010, I decided to devote more effort toward writing poetry, short stories and non-fiction. A collection of short stories about adventures and difficulties in my life ended up in a memoir, Peaks and Valleys, I self- published in 2011. It is available through Create Space and Amazon.com. My poetry has been published in three anthologies, Expressions II, League of American Poets, A Surrender to the Moon, and The International Who’s Who in Poetry (International Library of Poets) I have been a member of the Pen to Paper Writing Club and recently was asked to head the group when the president moved. I am also an active member of the Saturday Writers Writing Club. Two years ago I started a blog through WordPress, Life’s too short to be so serious, at http://www.authordianemhow. It was an excellent outlet for sharing my personal feelings and stories. Unfortunately, my posts are less often now that I am devoting much of my time to final edits on my suspense/romance novel, Burning Embers, which I hope to publish later this year. I also spend a good deal of time volunteering with VITAS Innovative Hospice Care. I record the life stories of people who want to leave a legacy for their families. While I thought that I would be performing a helpful service for others, I have found myself blessed in many ways. On a more personal note, I have been married for 42 years to a man who often ends up in my short stories and posts. He’s a good sport about it, thank goodness. I struggle with electronic equipment, like computers and recorders, but my daughter always comes to the rescue and helps me resolve the glitches just in time. Life is good.