Meet Linda

Meet Linda

In the last 18 years, I’ve written more than a dozen nonfiction books and offered book and personal coaching and workshops, and taught various writing and publishing classes as an adjunct instructor at UMSL. But there have been some big hills to climb along the way.

In 1989, I became a professional writer. That is, I got paid for my words (not counting the squash recipe I sold to Family Circle magazine in 1966!). Post-divorce, my focus turned to writing books. The first was a short business book on promoting seminars. Sales for that were oh-so-modest.

Then my mission became explaining the separation and divorce process to those who, like me, were clueless about ending a marriage. After hours of interviewing and research, the first edition of Your Pocket Divorce Guide and the co-authored The Divorce Recovery Journal hit the book stores, followed soon by The Basic Divorce Workbook. Written to help both men and women, they’re concise, useful, and focused on fairness. Shortly thereafter, I began giving divorce workshops and coaching. After that came The Many Faces of Journaling: topics & techniques for personal journal writing, And Now We Dance: journaling for the woman within, and How to Write Fascinating Memoirs (temporarily out of print).

In 1995, I opened Pen Central Communications, and in 1998, the publishing division, Pen Central Press, which began as a traditional publishing company and now has blossomed into a modern print + ebook publisher!

Other books on writing include a teaching guide, student manuals, business handbooks, and a college class exercises packet used with my Many Faces of Journaling. In 2006, I began book coaching, followed in 2008 by personal and divorce coaching.

It's so gratifying that The Many Faces of Journaling is required reading in college and university freshman English classes across America and now in Canada, too. Your Pocket Divorce Guide is on the recommended client reading lists of attorneys and law firms across the country. (Both books are now our in 2nd edition.)

My life hasn't always been smooth. As the only child of an alcoholic mother and account father, I learned early to care for others and be self-sufficient. When I married at 25, I chose the wrong man, and finally 26 years later, I started over and now enjoy a sweet, fulfilling life.

I am blessed with three wonderful children (which includes my beautiful new daughter-in-law) and now 5 grandchildren, all of whom I love so dearly. And of course, my beautiful friends. And the wise old trees in my neighborhood and the sociable squirrels in the park and bird songs in the morning ~

My Earlier Work Experience

• Assistant to Outside Purchasing Agent: Southern Equipment Company, commercial kitchen equipment fabricators and suppliers
• Manager of Main Line Shelving division: Sales Engineer, Sales and Factory Liaison
  (promotion within Southern Equipment)
• Secretary to Education Department Manager: Visiting Nurse Association, St. Louis MO
• Happy Stay-at-home Mom
• Professional Writer
• Founder and CEO of Pen Central Communications & Pen Central Press
• Author, Personal Coach, Mentor, Teacher, and Speaker

Offices held

• Past President and 3-year board member: St. Louis Publishers Association
• Past Secretary and Trustee: Eliot Unitarian Chapel Board of Trustees
  Eliot Unitarian Chapel, Kirkwood, MO