I am a 76-year-old widow who has been engaged in storytelling in one form or another since I was a child. I grew up in a small town, moved to the city at 16, and then trained as a nurse in a large city hospital after I finished high school. I practiced my profession for only a short time before marrying a widower with three lively children. We had a son of our own, traveled extensively, and a happy marriage of nearly 49 years. I live alone, maintaining close ties with my family, and write at my leisure.